The responsibility of recording minutes at a meeting of the board requires attention to specifics. Making sure that the minutes are precise and reflect the board’s decisions and discussions can help in preserving the records of the organization and protect directors from future liability issues.
It is important to record the date, the time and the location of the meeting. This will help future readers identify the location and time when the meeting was held, ensuring they have all the relevant information required for board reviews and legal proceedings. Additionally, it is important to note whether this was an annual, special, or annual board meeting.
When recording discussions and other decisions, avoid adding your own opinions or remarks to the minute. This is especially important if the discussion was tense, because it could undermine the legitimacy of the board minutes. Inconsistent descriptions of the meetings could open your board up to liability, so stick to the facts.
Make sure to record any declarations of interests from directors or others who was a participant in the decision-making process. This will prevent future conflicts of interest from being overlooked or not noticed and encourage a greater level of accountability from board members.
If the board’s secretary or recording-taking member is unable to attend the meeting, be sure to choose a replacement for these roles ahead of time. This will ensure that the minutes are taken in an orderly and consistent manner. This will help the board stay on track and prepare accurate minutes at every meeting.