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Minutes of Board Meeting. HMMMMM Why are they called “minutes”, when the meetings seem to take “hours and hours”?. Minimum Requirements. Written minutes must be made of all district open meetings Available to public in reasonable time As public records, kept permanently
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Minutes of Board Meeting HMMMMM Why are they called “minutes”, when the meetings seem to take “hours and hours”? Excerpts from a presentation at 2005 OACD Annual Convention by John McDonald, OACD, and Heather Rickenbach, ODA
Minimum Requirements • Written minutes must be made of all district open meetings • Available to public in reasonable time • As public records, kept permanently • Tapes kept one year after minutes approved
Required Contents • Directors present or absent Identify when arrive late or leave early to track on which items they were involved • Motions, resolutions, measures proposed • Results of all votes taken • Substance of any discussion on any matter • Reference to any document discussed
Other Desired Minutes Contents • List of guests • Statement of bills to be paid • References to pertinent correspondence • Attachments made part of minutes; e.g. • Financial reports • Staff reports • Next meeting information • Others serving the district’s needs
Minutes of Executive Session • May be written or taped • Kept separate from regular minutes • Disclosure • Not if violate reason for being in executive session in the first place • Only by board vote
Desired Board Policies • Format of minutes • Level of detail • Storage and archiving • How approved • Statement: wording, location • Signature and date • Stamps: DRAFT, FINAL, APPROVED
Public Access • As public records, they must be made available in a reasonable time • Access during reasonable business hours • Copy minutes or tapes • May charge reasonable amounts for time and materials
OAR 166-150-0005Storing and Archiving • Records of any regular, special, executive, or emergency session • Minutes, agendas, resolutions, indexes, and exhibits • Permanent retention • Executive session minutes • Retain for minimum 10 years • Audio-visual recordings • Retain for minimum 1 year after minutes • Other records and exhibits not pertinent to minutes • Retain for minimum 5 years
Distribution of Minutes • Board policy for distribution • Standard list: • ODA • SWCC area representative • NRCS state office and Basin Team Leader • OACD office • Selected partners • Interested persons requesting minutes • Others beneficial to the district
Amount of Detail • Basic Contents • The five required items [previous slide] • Time start and end • Individuals present • Exact wording of motions, resolutions • Adopt, approve, accept agenda, minutes, regular reports • New business motions • Citations of reasons for executive sessions
Amount of Detail Substance of topic discussions, reports • Summary of basic points • Reader can comprehend the issues • Short as possible • Avoid detailed dialogue, quotes of individual’s comments unless critical [“he said, she said”] • Not intended to be a transcript
Best Minutes Practice Develop a form for the person taking the minutes to easily record data and actions. • Start time_____ Adjourn time ____ • Check list for who is present • Joe Time arrived _____ Left ______ • Mary Time arrived _____ Left ______ • Motion #1 ________________________ Moved by ______ Seconded by _______ Action taken: Approved___ Failed ___ Other ___