Meeting Minutes
The Most Important Minute Of The Day
BY : ROSS E . RUTMAN , CLCS ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT , JGS INSURANCE
Ross Rutman began his career in the property management industry twelve years ago . While working within various departments including operations , information technology , condominium management and insurance ; Ross decided to pursue his passion and joined JGS Insurance . For the past two years Ross has represented the JGS marketing team by working alongside our sales , service and management side of our business . He strives to provide a consultative approach and proactive services to our clients . Ross and his family reside in East Brunswick , NJ .
Community association board meetings —( where important homeowner matters are discussed and decisions are made )— contribute to the success of community associations . Since board meetings result in significant decisions that impact community members , it is necessary to record these decisions in official board meeting minutes . These minutes serve as a historical record and provide pertinent information to the community . Recording accurate minutes can also prevent potential litigation risks for Association directors and officers .
WHAT ARE BOARD MEETING MINUTES ?
Board meeting minutes are a written record of the official actions taken by an Association ’ s Board of Directors during scheduled meetings . The minutes document the topics discussed and record the decisions voted on during these meetings . There are two sets of minutes : one for closed sessions ( Board members only ) and another for open sessions ( those that include homeowners ). The minutes can also serve as a reminder of what was previously discussed to avoid rehashing old business .
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF BOARD MEETING MINUTES ?
There are two main purposes of board meeting minutes :
1 . They inform members of decisions that impact their community association .
2 . They can serve as evidence in the case of a lawsuit against the Association .
For Board members , meeting minutes are valuable evidence that the Board made decisions in good faith and carried out its fiduciary duties to the Association .
WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN BOARD MEETING MINUTES ?
Board meeting minutes should be easy to read and include only essential information . Most importantly , members should be able to understand what Board actions were taken and approved . At a minimum , the minutes should include the following :
• Name of the Association
• Date and time of the meeting as well as the location
• Names of all Board members , noted as present or absent
• Names of guests in attendance , including those invited to speak
• Whether or not a quorum was present
• All Board actions taken
• Signature of the Board secretary or other official qualified to sign
• Supporting documentation , if applicable
It is generally the Board secretary ’ s responsibility to record and certify the minutes . Keep in mind that all of the Board directors and officers may be held liable if the minutes are falsified or embellished . It is best for the person recording the minutes to be someone other than a Board member since focusing on the task of taking minutes could potentially take this member out of important discussions .
After the meeting , the open session minutes should be made available to all Association members , whether by mail , email , or posting the minutes in a common area or on a community website . A printed copy of the minutes should be kept in the Association ’ s Board minutes book . An electronic copy should also be retained .
WHAT SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE BOARD MEETING MINUTES ?
Meeting minutes do not need to be a transcript ; rather , they should be a summary of the meeting . Avoid recording the following :
• Names of homeowner members present
• Every conversation that took place , especially those that lead to unnecessary discussions
• Owner comments during the meeting , especially of a confidential or sensitive nature
Boards should discuss confidential or sensitive information , including delinquencies , in the closed session . Minutes that contain sensitive information should be kept separate from open session minutes .
Meeting minutes are a valuable communication tool and may be used as evidence during a lawsuit . Contact me today for additional resources to manage and protect your Association . +
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