Changing Minutes

[cornstarchmom]

> I am looking for support of my understanding of proper amending of Board of Directors meeting Minutes. <

When presenting the Minutes of the [October] meeting at the [December] meeting, just what can be changed ? The Board had approved a motion to distribute money for a specific series of grants. But because the distribution of funds [after the October meeting] did not go as originally planned, a member of our Board believes that the Minutes for the October meeting should be changed to reflect what really happened.

This is not correct ... you don't changes Minutes after the fact, right? The change in the money distribution should be included in Old Business at the December meeting. Right?

Thanks for your help!

[Robert B Fish]

This is not correct ... you don't changes Minutes after the fact, right? The change in the money distribution should be included in Old Business at the December meeting. Right?

Not exactly. The minutes should reflect what happened at the meeting. If the minutes do not reflect what happened at the meeting, they should be amended to correct the errors. You cannot rewrite history by making the minutes reflect something other else.

The situation you posted is somewhat different. If the motion was passed to paint the clubhouse blue and, in fact, it was painted aqua instead, the minutes should still reflect what happened at the meeting. The minutes of a subsequent meeting should reflect the board's follow-up, if any.

-Bob

[jstackpo]

Well, you certainly don't change the minutes of the October meeting and what was decided there - you don't rewrite history, even if things don't go as planned.

The December meeting is free to amend what was previously adopted to reflect changed circumstances. It isn't "old business" either, it is actually new business to change your mind - nothing wrong with that. So just revise your plans and document the revision(s) in the December minutes.