Since the official minutes of the board are the only basic legal record, it is important that they be recorded with extreme care and completeness. The board secretary shall follow the following guidelines in writing board minutes:
With respect to format, the following is offered as a guideline:
1. The minutes should be typewritten on single sheets of durable white paper.
2. Pages should be numbered.
3. Each item of business should have a brief topical heading in the right margin and motions should be numbered consecutively and annotated.
4. An index should be prepared for each year.
5. All minutes should be signed by the proper officers of the board.
6. A duplicate set of minutes should be kept.
7. The original minutes-book should be secured in a fire-proof safe, vault or file in the central administration office.
8. The duplicate set should be kept in a designated place in the central administration office or be otherwise readily available for inspection following approval by the board.
With respect to content, the minutes should show the following:
1. The place, date, and time of each meeting.
2. The type of meeting--regular, special, emergency, work session.
3. Members present and members absent, by name.
4. The call to order and adjournment.
5. The departure of members by name before adjournment.
6. The late arrival of members, by name.
7. The time and place of the next meeting.
8. Approval, or amendment and approval, of the minutes of the preceding meeting.
9. Complete information as to each subject of the board's deliberation and the action taken.
10. The maker and seconder of the motion, what action was taken, and the vote on the motion detailed enough to attribute a vote to each member present.
11. Complete text of all board resolutions, numbered consecutively for each fiscal year.
12. A record of all contracts entered into, with the contract documents kept in a separate file.
13. A record of all change orders on construction contracts.
14. All employment changes, including resignations or terminations.
15. A record, by number, of the bills of account approved by the board for payment.
16. A record of all calls for bids, bids received, and action taken thereon.
17. Approval of all transfers of funds from one budgetary fund to another.
18. Important documents forming a part of a motion should be made a part of the minutes by exhibit and placed in the minute book along with the minutes.
19. Board policy and administrative guides should be made a part of the minutes by exhibit.
20. Adoption of the school calendar should become a part of the minutes.
21. A record of all delegations appearing before the board and a record of all petitions.
22. At the annual meeting in July/August each year the record should indicate that the books of the treasurer and secretary and the Certified Annual Report have been examined and approved subject to audit.
23. The election or appointment of board officers.
24. The appointment of auditors to examine the books.
At the organizational meeting, the minutes should reflect the following:
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Appointment of a temporary chairperson if not specified in policy.
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Oath of office administered to newly elected board members.
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Nominations taken for the office of president and vice-president.
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Election of the president and vice-president, the votes and the oath of office administered to the president and vice-president.
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The resolution to pay bills when the board is not in session.
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A resolution naming depositories along with the maximum deposit for each depository.
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A resolution authorizing the use of the current system for checks that print the Board President's signature as the proper control. Bills will be processed with the Board President's signature stamp as the proper control.
Approved 10/26/70 Reviewed 1/24/24 Revised 9/18/19
