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.
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).
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.
They are a legal requirement that provides a historical account of important matters, ensuring transparency and accountability, and provides a means of communication between board members and stakeholders who were not present at the meeting.
Motions are proposals for action by the board and can only be made by directors. Motions have a variety of objectives, and each motion has characteristics that make it unique. Directors may make a motion by saying, "I move..." or "I make a motion..." and then stating the motion.
What information do board meeting minutes contain? Meeting date, time and location. Type of meeting. Names and titles of attendees and guests. Any absent board directors. Quorum. Notes about directors who left early or re-entered the meeting. Board approvals, resolutions and acceptance of reports. Overview of discussions.
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.
Who should be responsible for taking these notes? At a board meeting the answer is the company secretary. Taking minutes doesn't just mean summarising the meetings, as minutes provide the board members with an understanding of actions to be taken from the written records.
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.
For motions, include the exact wording of the statement, and the name of the person making the motion. Some organizations might require the name of the person seconding the motion, as well. Bowie adds that if the motion is not worded properly, it's up to the chair to help the member modify the wording.
Motion to Approve the Minutes: Once corrections are made, the chair asks for a motion to approve the minutes. A member makes the motion by saying, “I move to approve the minutes as corrected.” Another member must second this motion. This formalizes the approval process and ensures everyone agrees on the corrections.