Should our minutes reflect the agenda items we didn't get to?

Started by DanaA • 6 replies • 1198 views

💬 Join us to post & get advice from 50,000 HOA & Condo leaders.

⚡ Takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in

DanaA (Florida)
Posts: 117

Posted:

We have monthly agendas prior to our BOD meetings. Due to the fact that our President does not effectively conduct the meetings, our meetings drag out and are full of wasted trivial discussions and adaboy conversations. We end up adjourning prior to addressing all items due to length of meeting. October agenda items, we got through half. November agenda same thing. The reflective minutes cover what was discussed, and then they say "no other business at this time". No carry over of some agenda items, they just disappear from radar. President does the agenda.

Jadedone4 (Virginia)
Posts: 495

Posted:

Either ineffective leadership, or deliberate "smarts" on the part of the President, take your pick.

If your Agenda is "adopted" at the beginning of your meetings, then the "un-addressed" segments/items should be moved to the next meeting's "old, or unfinished" business segment.

The President AND the Secretary should be drafting the Agenda with FULL INPUT from the other Board-members. The Agenda cannot be "his/her" Agenda but the agenda of the business of the membership.

I would retain copies of the previous meeting, and during the current meeting's "accept the minutes from previous meeting" segment, and request a "point of order" regarding any unfinished business.

DonnaS (Tennessee)
Posts: 5,671

Posted:

Dana,
I also would make sure that any "unfinished business" was carried over into the minutes. You as a Board member have the right to add any item to the agenda for the following meeting. Is this some hot button issue that got avoided or just a lack of time or interest to the Board? What specific item are we talking about?

PaulM (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 1,347

Posted:

DanaA: If it is a continual problem with the President not getting to all agenda items, why are Board members not addressing the issues and the time constraints? Perhaps other Board members need to take a more active role in the discussions--especially, to SUMMARIZE what has been decided before a new topic is addressed. This is important! and very necessary for the one taking the minutes to include solutions arrived at, and decisions made. If you are having to revisit topics, are decisions not being made, only a lot of discussion?

Further, as a Board member, you can offer to prepare the agenda (call B-members for input on topics). When you create it, appoint a time period for the topic of discussion; example, Financial Report, John Doe, Treasurer, 15 min. Also, a bell or gavel may be a good tool to bring to the meetings.

DonnaS (Tennessee)
Posts: 5,671

Posted:

Our agenda is prepaired by-- The P.M. sends notice to all Board members, asking for any item that they would like put onto the agenda. She then prepares the agenda and includes old business that needs addressing, resends it to each BOD for additions and corrections. Only after ALL BOD return the okay to it, does she print it out for posting in the community and on the website. Some associations make such hard work of such a simple item, it does amaze me. If there is no P.M., then it is normally the responsibility of the association Secretary.

SusanW1 (Michigan)
Posts: 5,202

Posted:

Like mentioned before, a timed meeting would help.

The key is the presiding officer (president, in your case) who needs to know when to stop the micro-managing talking and ask if there is a motion on the floor or an action to be taken. If not, then move on to the next item.

But everyone can help out. Don't let those tangent conversations even start. That's a sign that a committee needs to be formed to hammer out all these details, BEFORE the board meeting.

Unfinished business tends to drop out of sight after a while, but again, why is it unfinished? Get something do on these - refer to committee for recommendation or make a decision (motion).

GeraldT4
Posts: 1,022

Posted:

DanaA - Your story jogged my memory about one of our former HOA/COA President. We would have the agenda but as chair of the meeting, and to put on a good face to the community, we would respectfully defer to his leadership in...chairing the meeting. This guy would jump around on the agenda topics, the least controversial first and longest. I was always prepared with my usual stack of agenda related documents and yellow stickies separating the topics for quick reference. I'd also come prepared with as much as I could on any other "new business" topics he'd throw in. Time and time again I'd have the docs at the ready and interject with clarification reading correctly from whatever it is the Pres. would misquote. I'll never forget one meeting where this angered the wife of the Treasurer (in on the Pres. game/dog and pony show) sooo much that she literally exploded in the open meeting ranting and raving on the breakdown in neighbor relations, turning as red as a radish. It was quite comical.

🎯 You've read this entire discussion

Join the conversation with 50,000 HOA & Condo Leaders:

✓ Ask follow-up questions
✓ Share your experience
✓ Get expert advice
✓ Access 350,000 discussions

Create Free Account →

⚡ Takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in here