Form with which the board of directors of a corporation records the contents of its first meeting.
Form with which the board of directors of a corporation records the contents of its first meeting.
Minutes are an official record of actions the board or committee took at a meeting, not a record of everything that was said. They serve a historical purpose, but just as important, they serve a legal purpose, documenting the group's adherence to the proper procedures and the association's bylaws.
Robert's Rules (Section -16) state that “the minutes should contain mainly a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by the members.” Minutes are not transcripts of meetings; rather, the document contains a record of actions taken by the body, organized by the meeting's order of business (agenda).
There are no hard and fast rules for what to include in meeting minutes. Robert's Rules of Order rules for meeting minutes recommends focusing on what's done in the meeting — not who says what — but many boards don't follow those rules, and they aren't a comprehensive guide.
Information captured in an LLC's annual meeting minutes usually includes: The meeting's date, time, and location. Who wrote the minutes. The names of the members in attendance. Brief description of the meeting agenda. Details about what the members discussed. Decisions made or voting actions taken.
To take effective meeting minutes, the secretary should include: Date of the meeting. Time the meeting was called to order. Names of the meeting participants and absentees. Corrections and amendments to previous meeting minutes. Additions to the current agenda. Whether a quorum is present. Motions taken or rejected.
What to include Meeting date, time and location. Names of the committee or other group holding the meeting, the Chair and Secretary. List of those present, including guests in attendance, and any recorded regrets/absences. A record of formal motions and outcomes.
Meeting minutes should be distributed promptly after the meeting, ideally within 24 to 48 hours. Timely distribution ensures that participants have a fresh understanding of discussions, decisions, and action items.
What Should Be Included in Meeting Minutes? Date and time of the meeting. Names of the meeting participants and those unable to attend (e.g., “regrets”) Acceptance or corrections/amendments to previous meeting minutes. Decisions made about each agenda item, for example: Actions taken or agreed to be taken. Next steps.
Corporate meeting minutes typically include: The meeting's date, time and location. A list of attendees and absentees, including any present board members or officers. Agenda items. Summaries of all discussion points. Details of all activities completed or agreed upon. Results of any votes or motions.
Many organizations require that the presiding officer and recording secretary sign the minutes once approved, she adds, so it's important to check your bylaws to ensure the proper signatures are included. The minutes should reflect what took place in motions — the action of the board, not the dialogue, says Bowie.