When should meeting minutes be distributed? This is a common question that many board members ask. Distributing meeting minutes helps owners understand the board’s decisions and keep leaders accountable, but there’s not always a clear timeline to follow.
When Should Meeting Minutes be Distributed?
There are two things that should inform when to distribute meeting minutes: state laws and the governing documents. In Illinois, there is currently no law that specifies a deadline for distributing meeting minutes after a board or membership meeting.
The law only requires that boards keep minutes of all meetings and maintain them for at least seven years (765 ILCS 605/19). Beyond that, owners have the right to inspect these minutes upon request.
Board members should also refer to their CC&Rs and bylaws. These documents tend to be more specific and may dictate the timing of distribution.
That said, the general rule is that the board doesn’t have to automatically send the minutes to all owners after each meeting. These minutes might still go through proper editing and formatting. Offering clean and organized minutes is more important than supplying them immediately after the meeting.
Additionally, many associations wait to distribute the minutes to all owners until after the board approves them. Approval takes place at the next meeting. Until then, the minutes are only considered drafts.
How Soon After a Meeting Should Minutes be Distributed?
Boards must take minutes of every meeting. These minutes summarize what was discussed, what votes were made, and what decisions were passed. But how long after a board meeting should minutes be distributed?
If state laws and the governing documents are silent, timing comes down to best practice. The typical industry standard is to make draft minutes, i.e., unapproved minutes, available within 1 to 2 weeks after the meeting. Approved minutes, on the other hand, must be distributed after the next board meeting. This usually takes place monthly or quarterly.
Best Practices for Distributing Meeting Minutes
It’s not always easy to navigate meeting minutes, especially for volunteer boards. While it is best to seek help from a professional management company, boards can ensure proper recording and distribution by implementing the strategies below.
1. Prepare Draft Minutes Quickly
Discussions and distractions can complicate minute-taking, so boards often work with somewhat messy minutes at first. Soon after the meeting, condo boards should organize the minutes into a cleaner draft.
It’s best to do this within a few days to a week of the meeting while the events are still fresh. This ensures more accurate details. Plus, it allows the board to track action items and avoid forgetting decisions.
2. Share Drafts With the Board First
Board members should receive the draft minutes first. This way, they can review the minutes and make corrections as necessary. Do not treat drafts as final records.
3. Approve at the Next Meeting
The condo board typically approves the minutes at the next board meeting. Until then, they remain draft minutes.
To approve the previous meeting’s minutes, it is important to follow a consistent process. The agenda should reflect the approval of the previous minutes. If there are any corrections, make them formally in front of everyone. From there, the board can vote to approve the minutes, making them official records.
4. Make Approved Minutes Available Promptly
Once approved, the board should post the minutes to the owner portal or community website. Associations should also make them available to owners upon request.
Some communities may require automatic distribution. It ultimately depends on the requirements of the governing documents. Of course, distributing a copy to every member can be costly and time-consuming, so it’s not always the ideal choice.
5. Adopt a Written Policy
To ensure consistency, boards should adopt a formal policy for meeting minutes. For example, the policy may require boards to draft minutes within 10 days and review them within a week. Approval can then take place at the next meeting, with posting occurring within 5 to 10 days after approval.
Who is Responsible for Recording Meeting Minutes?
Maintaining an accurate record of board meetings is an important part of a Chicago condo association board member’s responsibilities. Typically, this duty falls on the secretary’s shoulders (765 ILCS 605/18). That said, all board members must take it upon themselves to ensure that the minutes correctly reflect the discussions and votes of each meeting.
Standard Procedures for Recording Meeting Minutes in Illinois
During each board meeting, the secretary should take careful notes to capture important information and key decisions that the board made during the board meeting. After each meeting, the secretary should work to distribute the minutes to other board members as soon as possible.
This is especially important if there are action items to address. Board meeting minutes become formally approved at the following board meeting. Typically, one of the first agenda items is to approve the previous meeting’s minutes.
Once approved, the board must maintain all meeting minutes for seven years per Illinois law (765 ILCS 605/19). The minutes are part of the association’s historical record, and any unit owner has the right to inspect and copy the minutes by submitting a written request to the board or its association management company.
Maintaining Transparency Through Accurate Meeting Minutes
Condo association board members have a duty to remain transparent to their community. An important avenue for doing so is via board meeting minutes. Because not all unit owners attend open meetings, making the minutes available to them can give them insight into the state of the association and its upcoming initiatives.
When Should HOA Meeting Minutes be Distributed Answered!
Meeting minutes keep a record of discussions and votes. They serve as a reference when the board forgets action items and can establish precedence. They also keep owners in the loop, as not everyone has the time to attend board meetings. That said, owners can’t review the minutes if the board doesn’t make them reasonably available for examination.
For help managing board minutes and all the responsibilities of serving on your condo board, please contact us at First Community Management. We manage more than 115 condominium, townhome, and homeowner associations in the greater Chicago area.