Taking minutes is a tedious task, but it doesn’t have to be. Each time your homeowners’ association (HOA) board meets, you need to make sure you are recording minutes. Not only is it helpful in reviewing previous meetings, it’s also critical in documenting the decisions of the board. Minutes are official records. They can be used in court if necessary, so they can one of the most important records the association maintains.
Is taking minutes a pain for your Board? Let’s look at some ways to streamline this duty.
Stick to the agenda – This keeps the board on task, so the person recording the agenda knows the past, current and future topics. Staying focused on one topic until it is completed means that the recorder doesn’t have to jump around, and makes it easier to record accurate minutes.
Create a template for minutes – Homeowners’ association meeting minutes should mirror the agenda and be a simple and objective record of actions taken during the meeting. Remember minutes are a record of everything done at the meeting (motions), not everything that is said. The minutes should note:
The type of meeting (annual meeting, board meeting, called board meeting, etc.)
The association name
The date/time/place of meeting
Those members present
Those members absent
Call to order – by whom at what time
Approval of previous meeting minutes
Financial report – presented/received
Manager’s report – presented/received
Committee reports – presented/received
Old/New Business – Motions – name of motion maker, wording & disposition
Time of adjournment
Capture any motion – Include the pertinent details (e.g. vendor name, dollar amount and scope of work).
Reread the minutes – Check the document for accuracy and clarity. Don’t forget to run spell check as another means to detect mistakes.
Send a draft – Send the draft minutes to the association manager and/or president for review. Following this step they can be forwarded to the rest of the board. With the consent of the Board, corrections can be made prior to, or at, the next meeting.
By implementing a standard process to capture and share your meetings minutes, you’ll find that you improve accuracy and save time. And, these two benefits make for shorter and more productive meetings – and well-documented decisions by your homeowners’ association (HOA) board.
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Wise Property Solutions serves condominium and homeowners associations by addressing their financial, association and facilities management needs. The only certified and licensed community association management firm serving the Mountain South (Virginia, North & South Carolina, Tennessee) with offices in the Tri-Cities and Knoxville.