Guidelines For Taking Meeting MinutesMeeting minutes serve to record what was done (the actions) at a meeting, not what was said at the meeting.
Minutes are a legal record. They are not a report for the local newspaper or church newsletter.
Robert's Rules of Order recommends that minutes contain the following items:
First Section or Paragraph: - Type of meeting
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Regular, special, adjourned regular, or adjourned special
- Name of organization
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Include the church's name.
- Date, time, and place of meeting
- Names of presiding officer and recorder of minutes
- If the regular president (or chair) or secretary is absent, note the names of the person(s) who substituted for them.
- Members present (members absent is optional)
- Establishment of a quorum
- Record of action taken on the minutes of the previous meeting
Second Section (the Body):
This should contain a separate paragraph for each subject matter, and in such a format should show: - The exact wording of each main motion as it was voted on, with name of the person who made the motion and whether the motion passed or failed.
- If the vote on the motion was counted, the count should be included.
- Dissenting votes should be included only if a member requests that they go on record with their dissenting vote.
- Any notices given at the meeting, especially for items that require that previous notice be given.
- Points of order and appeals.
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Note whether sustained or lost, together with reasons given by the chair for the ruling.
- Reports should include the name of the committee/team/panel/liaison and the reporting member. If a written report is provided, it should be attached to the minutes and the minutes should note that it is attached.
Final Section or Paragraph - Motion for adjournment
- The hour of adjournment
Signature
Minutes should be signed by the secretary; if the assembly wishes, they can also be signed by the president. The words "respectfully submitted," although occasionally used, represent an older practice that is not essential. Robert's Rules of Order recommends that the following should not be included in minutes: - Opinions or interpretations of the recording secretary
- Judgmental phrases like "heated debate" or "valuable comment"
- Discussion (remember, minutes are a record of what was done, not what was said)
- Motions that are withdrawn
- Name of the person who seconded a motion
- Flowery language
- Detailed reports
- Transcripts of the meeting (minutes should not be taken down verbatim)
The minutes are official only after they have been approved, which generally happens at the next meeting. If the minutes need to be referenced between meetings, a draft unapproved version may be sent out, but should be clearly labeled "draft" or "unapproved."
After the minutes have been corrected and approved, they should be signed by the secretary with the word "approved" and the date of approval.
The official copy of the minutes should be placed on file in a minutes binder at the organization's main office. The official copy should have attached to it the original signed copies of the following: - Committee reports
- Officers' reports
- Written motions
- Correspondence
When copies of the minutes are distributed, it isn't necessary to include the attachments. The minutes should reference the attachments and indicate that they are on file. Copies of attachments may be requested if anyone wishes to reference them.
Remember: Minutes serve as the legal record of what was decided at a meeting. In the event of a lawsuit they will be among the first documents that all parties will request. Minutes will be given more weight than what any particular individual recalls happening at a meeting.
Sources:
Robert's Rules of Order, 10th edition, Chapter XV, Section 48.
ONS Chapter Virtual Communities, "Guidelines for Minute Taking," Oncology Nursing Society.
http://chapter.vc.ons.org/file_depot/0-10000000/0-10000/1337/folder/14081/Minutes+
Guidelines.pdf (accessed January 9, 2009).
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