Notes #10 Meeting Minutes

(part of the parliamentary procedure subseries)  

Meeting minutes are too often an overlooked part of group meetings. Few understand their importance; fewer still know how to handle them. This is a mistake, because minutes are an important part of your organization’s records. They are the information on the decisions your group makes. In fact, with many organizations, the minutes of their national boards are important enough that they are put on-line or provided in their national magazines so that all members are aware of them.  

Notes #8 Effective Meetings

(part of the parliamentary procedure subseries)

How can you have effective meetings?  By having and following an agenda and an Order of Business.  The “Order of Business” is the standard blueprint for your meetings. Most groups follow these standard sections (tho some may add a few additional ones). This is then put down on their meeting agenda, which everyone is given a copy of when the meeting begins. This allows everyone to understand what they will be dealing with at each stage of the meeting.  

Standard Order of Business has the following sections, in this order:

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes
• Reports of Officers, Boards, and Standing Committees
• Reports of Special Committees
• Special Orders
• Unfinished Business & General Orders
• New Business
• Adjournment

What happens during each of these sections?