When it comes time to draft board meeting minutes the goal is to create an accurate record of what transpired at the meeting. This will give you legal protections in the future. In order to accomplish this, you should focus on the critical discussions and decisions that came out of the meeting. You’ll need to ensure that all pertinent details are recorded, including an attendance list (includes those who attended in person, over the phone, or online) and their roles, and an account of the time at the end of the meeting.
The minutes of your board shouldn’t be an account of all the opinions and comments that were expressed. The minutes of your board should be non-biased and should not contain the use of inflammatory or colorful words, personal disagreements or political commentary. It is also important to eliminate any idle chat or tangents that were discussed, as these may present liability issues should your board ever be required to examine the minutes.
Side conversations that stray from the agenda are normal at board meetings, but they should be clearly designated as off-the-record and shouldn’t be included in your board meeting minutes. Instead, you should note that the board debated the topic that was not on the agenda, and do not record any details of the discussion. You should also only keep track of the votes cast by board members in favor or against specific motions, along with their reasons for voting. This will provide a clear and accurate record of the vote and could be helpful in the event that there is a boardroombox.com possibility of future legal disputes.
