Ok… time to elect Officers! Who wants to be Secretary???……Anyone?……Hello?….
No one wants to be Secretary because most people find the role of taking Meeting Minutes to be a daunting task. If you refocus your view of what Minutes are supposed to be, however, it really isn’t a tall task at all.
Minutes should document decisions made. They are not meant to be a dictation of everything that was said at the meeting. In fact, it is highly recommended that Minutes do NOT capture, in detail, general ideas discussed. It can lead to very creative interpretations by readers! Minutes should be short and concise. Bullet points are your friend. They should follow (and may be in the format of) your Agenda.
Here are the essential points your Minutes should capture:
- Correct legal name of the Association
- Type of Meeting
- Board Members in attendance and absent
- Date, location and time meeting was called to order and adjourned.
- Names of homeowners formally addressing the Board (example: those requesting, in advance, to be on the Agenda)
- A generalized listing of topics discussed (short bullet points recommended)
- A detailed statement of motions and resolutions proposed. Names do not need to be identified for “Yes” and “No” votes. The vote count, however, should be shown. Example: “Johnson moved to approve the Minutes from the June 15th meeting. Bartlett seconded. Minutes were approved unanimously.”
- Finally, the date, time and location of the next meeting.
Again, the purpose of Minutes is to document decisions made and provide a listing of topics discussed.
Remember, Minutes can actually be used as a legal document and are the official record of your Association. Keep them concise and they will serve you well….and perhaps it won’t be so hard to get an answer to question “so…..who wants to be Secretary!?”