The minutes of board meetings are official records of the decisions or discussions that occurred during the meeting of the board of directors. They ensure that everyone knows what happened, who spoke and how the vote was taken. They can also serve as an official document to refer to in the future.
While it is not a requirement however, having a dedicated board secretary can make the process of recording and publishing minutes much easier. They can focus on listening to the discussion and record the most important points without interrupting. Furthermore, having a dedicated note-taker in each meeting can ensure a more consistent, structured method of conducting the meeting. Audio recordings can also be used to address the discrepancies in minutes as well as the events that occurred during the meeting.
The first step in the minute-taking process is to verify that the board has a quorum of members present at the meeting. This is done by comparing the attendees’ list against the roster of members to determine who was eligible to attend. If a quorum is not met, then the chair could decide to adjourn or postpone the subject for a later time.
It is sufficient to note any material that was discussed during the meeting, but not to give a detailed description. It is best to save all materials from the meeting on a secure board portal using a system like Boardable. This way, meetings and other documents can be easily accessed when needed. This is particularly helpful for board members who are new to the position or those who did not attend the meeting.
