MINUTES Preparation

Minutes are the official record of the Community League’s decisions and are particularly useful for reviewing past actions, recording dates of important events, determining previous policy and serving as historical reference for future Boards.  They are a legal document used to verify decisions and to ensure that decisions are properly made and approved.

• Minutes should be brief and accurate.

• Minutes should be based on the agenda numbers and headings.

• Do not record a report fully, if the information is available elsewhere; simply summarize and refer to the document.

• Request that very involved motions be written out and handed in.  Be sure every motion is stated by the Chair prior to a vote.

• Minutes should be written as soon as possible after a meeting.

• Use capitalized or underlined topical headings, to help readers focus rapidly in on specific areas.

• Place a notice of the next meeting at the top of the first page.

• Review minutes with the Chair to ensure accuracy before distribution.

Distribution

Minutes should be sent to all Committee and Board members a week or two before the next meeting.  Under the notice of the next meeting, include items on the agenda that need special preparation.

Content

Minutes should contain:

• Name of organization and kind of meeting.

• Date, time and place of meeting.

• Those present, absent, regrets and attendance variances.

• That the previous meeting’s minutes were read and approved or the reading dispensed with.

• Any business arising from minutes.

• A record of any correspondence read.

• Brief financial reports, showing receipts, disbursements, balances.

• A committee report, title of the committee, and summary.

• All main motions, points of order, and appeals (carried or lost) and all other motions not lost or withdrawn.

• Report only the main arguments leading to decisions.

• Any recommendations.

• Time of adjournment.

• Name and signature of secretary.

• After minutes have been approved, the secretary should write “approved” with the date.

• Approved minutes should be filed with the EFCL.

AGENDA

Content

An agenda is used to:

Direct Discussion:

Agenda with times helps keep discussion within a reasonable time frame.  State the proposition, produce and examine the evidence, reach conclusion or verdict, and take or plan appropriate action.  Do not let people go over points already stated or digress to irrelevant points.

Summarize and Record Discussion:

Decide the action, who is responsible, what the time frame is, and follow up.  Record in the minutes appropriately. 

An agenda usually contains:

• Call to Order

• Approval of Agenda

• Approval of Minutes

• Business arising from Minutes

• Guests or Delegations

• Correspondence / Announcements

• President’s Report

• Treasurer’s Report

• Reports from Directors and Committees

• Unfinished / Old Business

• New Business

• Acknowledgments

• Adjournment

• The agenda makes clear what is being discussed and by whom.  Put urgent but unimportant matters at the beginning to be dealt with quickly. 

Review the agenda at the beginning of a meeting and invite any unlisted items to be added.  Often items come up from correspondence or reports. 

Four things can be done:

• they can be received as information,

• they can be referred to Directors,

• they can be referred to an appropriate committee for further study and action, or

• a decision can be made on the spot.

CHAIRING THE MEETING

The Chairperson is charged with the overall conduct of the meeting and should maintain dignity and order at all times. 

Follow these four fundamental principles of parliamentary procedures:

• Justice and courtesy for all,

• Only one item at a time,

• The majority rules,

• The minority has a right to be heard.

Add to these the four fundamentals of parliamentary law:

• To facilitate action, not to obstruct it,

• To enable the assembly to express its will,

• To give every member a fair hearing,

• To maintain order.

Meeting References

Robert’s Rules of Order or Bourinot’s Rules of Order (available at any public library) cover all matters likely to arise at a meeting, and how to deal with them.  The Chairperson and the Board should be aware of the procedures covered, and be prepared to refer to a text for guidance.

To Run an

Effective Meeting

• The Chairperson has to know how to recognize a speaker, state a motion, call for a vote, and announce and maintain a decision. 

• The Chairperson should know about different classes of motions; whether a motion is debatable or privileged, or can be amended,  

• The Chairperson should know how to deal with a point of order, an appeal from the decision, a motion to close debate or an objection to consideration of a question. 

• The Chairperson should maintain order, keep discussion on topic, encourage member participation, but avoid debating and taking sides.

• The Chairperson is responsible for ensuring that the business of the meeting is completed.

• The Chairperson does not have to know all the rules of procedures and order but should learn a few basic rules and use common sense.

• A copy of one of the above meeting reference texts should be available at all meetings.

Decision Making

• Do not postpone the decision.

• Do not make snap decisions, without adequate data.

• Consult others, particularly those affected by the decision.

• Do not make decisions under stress.  Sound decisions should be the result of calm, considered judgement.

• Do not try to anticipate everything; use facts available at the time.

• Remember there is some risk involved in every decision, so do not be afraid of making a “wrong” decision.

 Kinds of Meetings

Executive, Committee, Board, General, Annual Meetings have many purposes:

• to make decisions

• to share information

• to socialize

• to plan

• to create or develop new ideas

Meetings can be held regularly or when a special reason, project, or crisis arises.  All meetings must have a purpose and the purpose(s) known to all in attendance.

Meeting requirements are outlined in the Bylaws of the Community League.  (See “Bylaws”, EFCL Section)