Minutes of Board Meetings

[Guest Dale]

Is it a violation of the Rules for the Secretary to discuss minutes of Board meetings, in private after the meeting, with other Board members, for the purpose of changing or modifying those minutes? Shouldn't those minutes be presented at the next Board meeting, without change, as taken down by the Secretary and either approved or amended and approved by the Board by open vote? If those minutes are not read and are handed out to the Board in typed form and no discussion takes place, don't those minutes stand as approved?

[hmtcastle]

Is it a violation of the Rules for the Secretary to discuss minutes of Board meetings, in private after the meeting, with other Board members, for the purpose of changing or modifying those minutes?

No. Nothing in RONR prevents the secretary from consulting with members of the assembly in order to assist with the preparation of her draft of the minutes. Of course any "changes or modifications" should be to make the minutes more accurate.

If those minutes are not read and are handed out to the Board in typed form and no discussion takes place, don't those minutes stand as approved?

No, the minutes need to be approved at the meeting, whether they were distributed in advance or not. And the minutes are not the minutes until they're approved.

[Guest Dale]

No. Nothing in RONR prevents the secretary from consulting with members of the assembly in order to assist with the preparation of her draft of the minutes. Of course any "changes or modifications" should be to make the minutes more accurate.

No, the minutes need to be approved at the meeting, whether they were distributed in advance or not. And the minutes are not the minutes until they're approved.

Since those minutes were never discussed at the Board meeting and were not approved at the meeting, how long does the Board have to act on those minutes for approval. We have now been waiting for three weeks.

[Guest Dale]

No. Nothing in RONR prevents the secretary from consulting with members of the assembly in order to assist with the preparation of her draft of the minutes. Of course any "changes or modifications" should be to make the minutes more accurate.

No, the minutes need to be approved at the meeting, whether they were distributed in advance or not. And the minutes are not the minutes until they're approved.

Since those minutes were never discussed at the Board meeting and were not approved at the meeting, how long does the Board have to act on those minutes for approval. We have now been waiting for three weeks.

[hmtcastle]

Since those minutes were never discussed at the Board meeting and were not approved at the meeting, how long does the Board have to act on those minutes for approval.

Minutes are typically approved at the next regular meeting (unless that meeting will not be held within about three months).

[Guest Dale]

Minutes are typically approved at the next regular meeting (unless that meeting will not be held within about three months).

Don't mean to beat a dead horse to death. But a Board meeting was held in Oct., those minutes were presented to the Board in written form at the NOVEMBER meeting, no discussion took place on the minutes of the Oct. meeting. Now we have been waiting for three weeks SINCE THE NOV. MEETING, Dec. 03, for approval and a copy of the minutes but no approval or minutes have been forthcoming. How long should we have to wait for the Board to act and approve the Oct. minutes? Do we have to wait until the Dec. Board meeting for approval of Oct. minutes? We see no reason the Board didn't approve the minutes at the Nov. meeting. I JUST WANT TO BE ON VERY SOLID GROUND WHEN I ADDRESS THE BOARD ABOUT ACTIONS THEY ARE TAKING.

[hmtcastle]

Don't mean to beat a dead horse to death.

Well, that's actually not possible.

Do we have to wait until the Dec. Board meeting for approval of Oct. minutes?

It would seem so. If you think it might be time for more responsible board members, see FAQ #20.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

But a Board meeting was held in Oct., those minutes were presented to the Board in written form at the NOVEMBER meeting, no discussion took place on the minutes of the Oct. meeting.

Now we have been waiting for three weeks SINCE THE NOV. MEETING, Dec. 03, for approval and a copy of the minutes but no approval or minutes have been forthcoming.

How long should we have to wait for the Board to act and approve the Oct. minutes?

Do we have to wait until the Dec. Board meeting for approval of Oct. minutes?

We see no reason the Board didn't approve the minutes at the Nov. meeting.

I JUST WANT TO BE ON VERY SOLID GROUND WHEN I ADDRESS THE BOARD ABOUT ACTIONS THEY ARE TAKING.

How long should we have to wait for the Board to act and approve the Oct. minutes?

You seem to be laboring under the mistaken notion that a secretary is obligated to produce minutes BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.

Such is not the case, as far as Robert's Rules of Order goes.

The flow, per The Book, would be thusly:

A secretary takes minutes in one regular meeting, and produces those minutes at the next regular meeting.

Are you looking for something sooner?

[Guest Don]

If minutes are not produced from a previous meeting, should official business of the meeting proceed? How about official business or votes outside of the meeting (electronic discussions/votes)?

How long should we have to wait for the Board to act and approve the Oct. minutes?

You seem to be laboring under the mistaken notion that a secretary is obligated to produce minutes BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING.

Such is not the case, as far as Robert's Rules of Order goes.

The flow, per The Book, would be thusly:

A secretary takes minutes in one regular meeting, and produces those minutes at the next regular meeting.

Are you looking for something sooner?

[hmtcastle]

If minutes are not produced from a previous meeting, should official business of the meeting proceed? How about official business or votes outside of the meeting (electronic discussions/votes)?

The failure to approve the minutes of the previous meeting should not affect the conduct of business at the next meeting. Although I'd avoid acting on any motion adopted at the previous meeting prior to the approval of the minutes since there's, as yet, no official record of those motions.

How you conduct business outside of a meeting is your own problem since RONR does not support such action.

[Josh Martin]

Although I'd avoid acting on any motion adopted at the previous meeting prior to the approval of the minutes since there's, as yet, no official record of those motions.

I strongly disagree. Motions are effective immediately upon their adoption, and the delay you suggest could be crippling to a society which meets infrequently.

[hmtcastle]

I strongly disagree. Motions are effective immediately upon their adoption, and the delay you suggest could be crippling to a society which meets infrequently.

I merely said I'd avoid it. Obviously I'd also avoid crippling the society. I was thinking particularly of making a motion to rescind or otherwise amend a motion before that motion had been officially recorded in approved minutes. But I suppose I could narrowed my admonition.

[Josh Martin]

But I suppose I could narrowed my admonition.

And perhaps clarified that it's your personal opinion and not supported by anything in RONR.

The fact that the minutes have not been approved does not prevent the Society from taking action on adopted motions.

[hmtcastle]

And perhaps clarified that it's your personal opinion and not supported by anything in RONR.

Perhaps. Though I would think that's implicit in the phrase, "I'd avoid . . . ". It's not as if I said, "You shouldn't . . . ".

[Rob Elsman]

And perhaps clarified that it's your personal opinion and not supported by anything in RONR.

The fact that the minutes have not been approved does not prevent the Society from taking action on adopted motions.

That's clearly correct, Mr. Martin. In fact, it is in order for a member to move to Rescind or Amend Something Previously Adopted at the same meeting that adopted the motion in the first place, notwithstanding that the minutes will not be available for approval until the next meeting.

[Guest dan]

In almost all cases, minutes of a meeting are not "taken down" as the meeting proceeds. What IS "taken down" is the information necessary so that the secretary can produce a proper and accurate set of minutes for approval at the next meeting. While there might be improper reasons for private discussions about the minutes, there are many proper ones as well. Perhaps the secretary had a question about proper parliamentary issues regarding minutes that another board member knew about. Perhaps there may have been some questions about proper spelling of names to be included in the minutes.

[hmtcastle]

In fact, it is in order for a member to move to Rescind or Amend Something Previously Adopted at the same meeting that adopted the motion in the first place, notwithstanding that the minutes will not be available for approval until the next meeting.

Well, that's certainly a good point.