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.
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.
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).
They are legally required to include these details: Date, time, and location of the meeting. Record of notice of board meeting provision and acknowledgment. Names of attendees and absentees, including guests. Approval of previous meeting minutes.
Meeting minutes don't need to capture discussions word by word, but they should effectively summarize key items and decisions to provide a clear and concise record of the meeting. Know that it's perfectly acceptable to write “a discussion of the options ensued.” If you need clarification on anything, be sure to ask.
How to take minutes at meetings Find out what is required. Create a template for the minutes before the meeting. Prepare all the required materials. Note the attendance. Fill in your template. Take note of the time of adjournment. Make copies of supplementary materials. Submit the meeting minutes.
In most cases, the meeting secretary will sign the approved copy of the minutes, while some boards require all present board members to sign the approved minutes.
Board meeting minutes are an objective record of what took place during a board meeting. The minutes are typically used for internal purposes like record-keeping and for posterity. Minutes can serve to inform future meetings and recall what was discussed, agreed upon or dismissed by a company's board members.
Legal requirements for board meeting minutes include the name of the company, date and location, names of present and absent directors, and a record of all the proceedings during the meeting. Legal documents and reports must come as attachments.
Federal and state-level laws, as well as a company's incorporation documents, require public and private corporations—including C-corps—to have boards of directors (BoDs). Companies that are formed as LLCs (limited liability companies) do not have the same requirements, although some still choose to assemble a board.
Board minutes often contain information that is subject to the attorney-client privilege and that directors may prefer to keep confidential. However, most jurisdictions allow stockholders to inspect corporate books and records, including board minutes.