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Hello, this is Eliza Kragh.

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I'm with Mark Apodaca, an expert on parliamentary procedure.

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Today we will discuss how members can properly request meeting minutes from a board.

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Mark, could you explain this process and the rights members have regarding meeting minutes?

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Both state statutes and Robert's Rules of Order clearly state that members have a right to see the minutes.

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This is their fundamental right.

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When members request a copy, the secretary must provide it without restrictions.

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The only exception is minutes from executive sessions.

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Executive session minutes are private and serve a different purpose.

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Members have full rights to access general minutes.

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Many organizations now post their meeting minutes on their websites.

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Many bylaws require the secretary to distribute minutes to the board within 30 days after a meeting.

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Each board member must review the copy for accuracy.

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The board cannot release the minutes until after the next board meeting.

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At the next board meeting, the president asks for any corrections.

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If there are no corrections, the minutes are accepted as read.

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Once approved, the minutes can be posted on the website.

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This saves time by eliminating repeated requests to the secretary.

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For 501(c)(3) organizations, which are public non-profits with members,

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members have these rights because they supersede the board's authority.

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Again, they absolutely have the right to see the minutes.

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So the meeting minutes are not private records.

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Since they're registered with the Secretary of State and the IRS, are they considered legal documents?

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Yes, minutes are indeed legal documents.

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I have witnessed situations where minutes were needed for reference.

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I've seen instances when nothing was recorded in the minutes.

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Without documentation, actions become null and void.

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Minutes serve as legal documentation.

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Courts frequently review these documents.

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During audits, organizations must provide minutes to auditors.

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Minutes should record who attended the meeting and the start time.

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They must note who was absent, motions made, seconds, and voting results.

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Minutes are not meant to be a narrative spanning 30 or 40 pages.

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I once knew a secretary who would type all night, producing 30-page minutes.

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This level of detail is unnecessary; only motion results are required.

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Motions should be included when made.

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For example, during conferences, an organization is making bylaw amendments.

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Ten years of conferences from one to the next, with amendments made without documentation.

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These amendments were completely missing from the minutes.

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This renders the current bylaws null and void.

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Organizations must revert to 10-year-old bylaws because there's no record of amendments.

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Organizations must revert to 10-year-old bylaws because there's no record of amendments.

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This demonstrates why proper record-keeping is crucial.

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For those interested in becoming secretary, I encourage learning proper minute-taking.

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Many believe minutes require extensive writing, but that's incorrect.

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Remember, minutes are legal documents.

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If something isn't documented in the minutes, it never happened?

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Correct.

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Without records, there is no proof.

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How should members request meeting minutes?

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If minutes aren't posted on the website, members may their right to contact the secretary for the minutes.

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Members also have rights to access bylaws and policy procedures, which should be available on the website.

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For instance, members could see that there's a policy in place for the secretary to distribute

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the board minutes to the board within thirty days to be reviewed and approved at next board meeting.

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After meeting these criteria, members may request copies of the minutes from the secretary.

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Posting minutes online saves time for everyone involved.

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Members have this right according to Robert's Rules and state statutes to see the minutes.

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Can boards require members to sign documents before releasing minutes?

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No, there's no requirement for signatures.

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Why should there be a signed document when it's public information?

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That's the information members have a right to access.

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Members deserve to know how their organization operates through those minutes.

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At annual meetings, members can question the board about decisions.

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They can ask the president to explain decisions documented in minutes.

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That's the right of the members.

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Requiring signatures serves no legitimate purpose.

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What should members do if boards refuse to release minutes after being requested for them?

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What's the proper process to get those meeting minutes?

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Some organizations contact their state attorney general.

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Each state has an attorney general division handling non-profit matters.

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They can send warning letters requiring boards to release minutes.

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It's unwise to challenge the legal system in these matters.

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Many boards need proper parliamentary training about minute-taking.

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They must understand who has access rights and what to document.

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With proper understanding on the role of the minutes, releasing minutes becomes routine.

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This helps clarify the purpose of meeting minutes.

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It shows why proper documentation is essential.

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Without documentation, events officially never occurred.

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Minutes are legal documents, not storytelling.

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At parliamentary conferences, we hold various events such as workshops, galas, and business meetings.

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Members can question boards about minutes during business meetings.

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They can ask about specific board decisions.

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The board is required to respond to those questions.

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The members would be aware when the minutes are accessible on websites for transparency.

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This information is public, and members have the right to know.

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Members can motion to override board decisions.

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This rarely occurs.

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Education about minute-taking is crucial.

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Secretaries should understand their role and the purpose of the minutes thoroughly.

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Many guides explain proper minute-taking procedures for secretaries.

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These guides and Robert's Rules should be reviewed as they can explain the role of the secretary.

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Secretaries play a vital role in documentation through meeting minutes.

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They should receive proper training in minute-taking to ensure all are properly documented.

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Yes, as there is another example which involves me as a parliamentarian to attend a conference.

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Because I am a Professional Registered Parliamentarian, which is a top certification, I always request minutes from previous conference.

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I do this to ensure I have access to last conference's events, so if someone brings up something from the previous conference, I can check the minutes to verify what happened.

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If there was not anything documented in the minutes, then nothing happened.

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This documentation is crucial for my role as parliamentarian.

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At the same time, I will read their state's statutes that cover nonprofit organizations, their bylaws, and their policy procedures.

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This knowledge helps me advise presidents on meeting procedures and be prepared to answer questions.

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But again, I must have the copy of the minutes before the meeting.

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That is important.

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Education seems key, and many organizations would benefit from consulting a parliamentarian or lawyer.

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Yes.

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Thank you, Mark!

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Would you like to add anything else?

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I offer workshops on minute documentation,

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how to develop financial reports,

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explain the role and responsibilities of the board,

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the role of members,

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and can cover several different topics.

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Organizations can request training on specific topics.

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I would be willing to provide those.

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I recently received a request from someone who wanted me to provide a statewide workshop.

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I provided a list of different topics that can be chosen.

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That's something I'm working on now.

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I commend organizations seeking to learn at least the parliamentary basics such as knowing their rights as members.

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Education remains vital.

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Thank you, Mark.

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I really appreciate your willingness to explaining the purpose of meeting minutes' and its importance,

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the proper procedure for requesting minutes, and members' rights to these legal documents.

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and clarifying that those meeting minutes are not private information, but instead, are legal documents which is important to be understood by members to know that.

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You've explained about the role of the secretary which is to document what is required.

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Thank you for the clarification on why meeting minutes are so important.

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Thank you!

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You're welcome!
