Serving on your condo association’s board is a big responsibility, and if you’re elected as the board secretary, one of your duties will be to manage board minutes. While the composition of your HOA’s board will be dependent on your bylaws, generally, there will be at least an elected president, secretary and treasurer.
If your role is to take notes, here are some tips to help you most effectively capture important information and key decisions that are made during a condo board meeting.
Top Tips for Taking Board Meeting Minutes
- Come prepared – Arrive at the board meeting on time and with all the tools you’ll need. That may include a notebook, pen or any other preferred note-taking tools you need, such as a laptop (and charger!).
- Organize your notes by using a clear format – Keep your notes organized by using headings, bullet points and indentation to make them easier to read and reference later. Some people find it helpful to use the agenda as a starting point for organizing your notes.
- Capture key points – Focus on capturing the key points discussed during the meeting, including decisions made, action items, and any important information shared. This will require you to listen carefully so you can document specific instructions or tasks assigned to individuals or committees, and make note of any timelines or costs associated with action items.
- Be concise – It can be tempting to try to record word-for-word what happens during the meeting, but that will leave you with no capacity to listen and engage in the meeting yourself. Instead, take note of the main ideas, summarize discussions, resolutions and any relevant numbers or figures. Use abbreviations or symbols to save time, space and brain power.
- Record motions and voting results – Make note of any motions made during the meeting and record voting results if applicable. Include the names or positions of those who made motions or voted in favor or against.
If you have questions or need clarification at any point during the board meeting, don’t hesitate to ask. This will help ensure that your notes accurately reflect the information discussed. And after the meeting, take time to review and summarize your notes while the information is still fresh in your mind. At the next meeting, the board will also review the minutes to ensure accurate documentation, as the minutes will serve as a historical record of the association’s decisions.
For help with all aspects of association board meetings and association management, turn to us at First Community Management. Our services include attendance at all board and annual meetings.