Ranking high in the list of ''Thankless Duties During Board Meetings'' is the recording of minutes. No one wants this responsibility. And few understand the purpose.
But, of course, there's the flip side: When someone does want to see the minutes - and right now would be great, please - everyone expects the minutes-taker to be able to immediately produce an organized, simple, thorough document.
Why Take Minutes?
So, let's start with the reasons for recording minutes at all - because it's not just about satisfying requests to take a walk down the organizational memory lane. Robert's Rules makes it clear that accurate minutes are a parliamentary procedure ''must.'' Here's why.-
Minutes Are Required by Law
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Minutes Save Time and Help Prevent Confusion
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Minutes Protect Against Baseless Accusation
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Minutes Provide a Basis for Future Action
- which motions were referred to which committees
- when committees are slated to report back
- what's happening next
- upcoming deadlines
- topics the group wasn't ready to discuss (motions postponed indefinitely or tabled)
- next steps on the strategic plan put in place a few meetings ago
Who Gets to See Minutes?
Point two referenced the historical rationale for minutes - recording details in case anyone asks to see what happened in past meetings. But honestly, for the minutes-taker, requests to see past meeting minutes can often be a hassle. So, when does the secretary have to comply and produce?Bottom Line
In sum, taking meeting minutes might be laborious (and thankless), but doing the job and doing it well will keep your local government out of trouble, allow individuals to review as appropriate, and help the group move forward efficiently.Media Highlights
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