Minute Take: Tips & Tricks Minutes on the Fly

Transcription

1 Minute Take: Tips & Tricks Minutes on the Fly Practical tools and techniques for creating clear, concise, and useful minutes. Wednesday, April 22, :30 p.m. 5 p.m. Lee Price, MMC flprice@gmail.com Shalice Tilton, MMC stilton@buenapark.com The written record was one of the most powerful forces of ancient civilizations. Almost all of the known knowledge of our ancestors comes from the work and art of the ancient scribe. Such power exists in today s minute takers, whose works bear the history of our leaders and societies. What are Minutes? History and legal record. Record of actions and proceedings. Refresh recollection. Gives reader sufficient understanding of proceedings. Purpose of City Council Minutes Minutes are evidence the council complied with governing laws or rules. Facts contained in minutes are treated as evidence in court. Facts contained in minutes are used for audits. California Law Government Code The city clerk shall keep an accurate record of the proceeding of the legislative body and the board of equalization in books bearing appropriate titles and devoted exclusively to such purposes, respectively. The books shall have a comprehensive general index. Government Code The council shall cause the clerk to keep a correct record of its proceedings. At the request of a member, the city clerk shall enter the ayes and noes in the journal. Government Code 54953(c)(2). The legislative body of a local agency shall publicly report any action taken and the vote or abstention on that action of each member present for the action. The Art of Preparing Minutes Page 1

2 Minutes are Not Are not transcriptions. Are not an exact record of discussions and conversations. Are not to do lists. Types of Minutes Action Minutes Summary Minutes (aka Synopsis, Sense) Verbatim Minutes Technicalities CCAC City Clerks Handbook Rules for Hearings (see Handbook) Roberts Rules of Order Rosenberg s Rules of Order The Art of Taking Minutes by Delores Dochterman Mina s Guide to Minute Taking by Eli Mina The Art of Preparing Minutes Page 2

3 Minutes Should Contain Name of Legislative Body. Meeting Time, Date, Place and Type (regular, adjourned, special). Name of Presiding Officer. Names of Those Present and Those Absent. A Description of Each Item of Business. Highlights of Discussion Resulting in Action. The Exact Disposition of Each Item. All Main Motions Whether Passed or Lost. The legislative body of a local agency shall publicly report any action taken and the vote or abstention on that action of each member present for the action. (Government Code 54953(c)(2)) Title of Resolutions and Ordinances. Signature of the Secretary; they may also be signed by the Chair. No legal requirement to be approved by City Council but lends further weight. Minutes for Hearings Should State that proper notice was given. Reference written evidence (reports, studies, maps). Reference written correspondence, date, name, for/against. Include speaker's name, for/against, brief content of testimony. Include findings of Council. Procedure for approving and/or correcting minutes: If the minutes are corrected, the copy in the minute book reflects the changes. The master of the minutes is never retyped, corrections are made on the master so they stand out. Items may be crossed out and inserted between the lines, or you may use the track changes/show mark-up feature on word processing. The date of the meeting at which the corrections were made should appear in the margin. If the minutes have previously been approved and an error is later detected, a motion to amend may be made. This requires a 2/3 vote. The Art of Preparing Minutes Page 3

4 Style and Tone The style is narrative. The tone is impersonal and objective. No descriptive or judgmental phrases such as a heated debate. Always use formal names, never use just first names. Always identify individuals with their titles. Always identify acronyms (i.e. SCAG, CDBG). Use few adjectives and a minimum of pronouns. Never use the following pronouns: I, You, We, Our. Professional Language No Flowery Descriptions No Personal Opinions No Long Irrelevant Paragraphs No Casual and Familiar Jargon Content Understandable to strangers. Make sense 50 years from now. Only include discussion germane to final disposition. Summarize germane discussion in general terms. Include discussion to clarify rationale. ABC Rule Accuracy Brevity Clarity TGIF Rule Topic Germane Discussion In Conclusion Follow Up The Art of Preparing Minutes Page 4

5 Examples "I don't know why we just can't give them more money, this is ridiculous." Member Jones suggested more funding be allocated. "I don't like it at all, and the Board shouldn't okay it." Member Jones opposed the project. "This is not the way it should be done; I think we are going about it all wrong. Mark my words you re going to be sorry." Member Jones disagreed with the recommended course of action. "Before we spend this kind of money, let's look into doing something else and not get in over our heads." It was suggested by Member Jones that the Board consider other options before approving the expenditure. "I think the committee did a great job; this was a tough report to put together. I really liked the format. Member Jones commended the committee on its report. I don t know why we need new equipment; can t we just do some maintenance repairs on the stuff we have? Member Jones questioned the need for new equipment and suggested, instead, that the existing equipment be repaired. I took a look at the proposal, and I just think that some of the costs are over-inflated. Member Jones had reservations about certain costs included in the proposal. "Okay, let s go with it--get er done! Member Jones recommended proceeding forward with the project. The Art of Preparing Minutes Page 5

6 Parliamentary Procedure Parliamentary Procedure originated in the early English Parliaments (discussion of public affairs). It came to America with the first settlers. It became uniform in 1876 when Henry M. Robert published his manual on Parliamentary Law, known as Robert s Rules of Order. Most agencies adopt regulations which state that meetings shall be governed by Robert s Rules of Order; however, no action shall be invalidated by failure to follow such rules. Parliamentary Procedure is a time-tested method of conducting business which allows everyone to be heard and make decisions without confusion. Under parliamentary procedure, business is conducted through motions. A motion is a proposal that the board take a stand or take action on an issue. Typical steps for handling motions: Staff introduces the item and makes a brief report. A member makes the motion: I move that Another member seconds the motion: I second the motion. The Chair states the question, i.e., repeats the motion: It is moved and seconded that The Chair invites discussion after the motion is made: Is there any discussion. The Chair takes the vote: All those in favor, please say aye those opposed say no. or Roll call please. The Chair announces the results of the vote: Motion carried. or- Motion is lost. (On a tie vote the motion is lost.) Rules of debate: The maker of the motion is entitled to speak first. Members may not speak directly to one another, but rather through the chair: Through the chair, could Member Jones please explain No member may speak more than twice to the same question. A two-thirds vote is required to close debate. (This is only required when it is apparent that some members want to close debate and some members do not want to close debate.) Remarks must be confined to the merits of the pending question (or motion). The Art of Preparing Minutes Page 6

7 Withdrawing or Modifying Motions: After a motion has been made and seconded and the chair has stated the question, the maker of the motion may withdraw or modify the motion; but only with the unanimous consent of the Board: For example: Mr. Chair, I would like to modify my motion to include The chair then says Unless there is objection (pause) the motion is so modified. If someone objects to the modification, then it must be handled more formally with an amendment to the motion: Mr. Chair, I move that the motion be amended to include I second the motion. The chair then takes a vote on whether or not to accept the amended language: It has been moved and seconded to amend the main motion to include If the amendment passes, then a vote is taken on the main motion as amended. Use the Right Motion: To introduce a subject, make a main motion. To kill or reject a main motion with a direct vote on it, move to postpone indefinitely. To change a pending motion, move to amend. (A vote must be taken on the amendment wording and then another vote on the main motion.) To send a pending question to a small group for further study, move to commit or refer. To put off action or a decision until later in the same or next meeting, move to postpone. To close debate, move the previous question (sometimes misused by saying call for the question ). (A vote must be taken to close debate and then another vote on the main motion.) To set aside the motion temporarily, move to lay on the table. (This is sometimes misused when the true intention is to postpone indefinitely.) After some other business has transpired (or at the next meeting) when you want to take up the matter again you move to take from the table. To require the chair to follow the agenda, call for the orders of the day. To take a short break in the meeting, move to recess. To close a meeting, move to adjourn. To set a time to continue the business without adjourning the present meeting, move to fix the time to which to adjourn. (Use this for adjourning to a study session which is to be held on a date which is different than the next regular meeting.) To enforce rules, rise to a point of order. To reverse or question the decision of the chair, appeal. The Art of Preparing Minutes Page 7

8 Grammar & Punctuation Don t over capitalize. Don t abbreviate (example: boulevard). Check sentence structure. Avoid run-on sentences. Check punctuation. Tips The March 6 report was due. (not March 6 th ) The report dated March 6, 2015, was submitted to the committee. (set year off by commas) Sales for March 2015 were down. (no commas) Basic Commas Rules in Writing Rule 1: Commas are used to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series. Example: Study for a test several days before, after school, and just before falling asleep at night. Rule 2: Rule 3: Rule 4: Rule 5: Rule 6: Rule 7: Commas separate adjectives in a list modifying a noun (act as a replacement for and and or ). Example: It was a dark, stormy night. Commas are used after a group of words before the subject of a sentence that do not form a complete sentence (an introductory dependent clause). Example: If you enjoy computer games, you will love the newest download. Commas are used to set off introductory words and phrases including introductory adverbial, participial, and infinitive phrases as well as longer prepositional phrases. Example: Hopefully, we will be on time for the appointment. (word) Not wanting to disturb him, she tiptoed to the dresser. (phrase) Commas are used between independent clauses (a group of words that makes a complete sentence) joined by a coordinating conjunction (but, or, yet, so, for, and, nor). (Hint: remember the acronym BOYSFAN) Example: The grass was too tall, so I mowed it. Commas separate nonessential phrases and clauses from the rest of the sentence. Example: The camera, I believe, has a warranty. Commas set off an appositive (a word or phrase that renames a noun). Example: Lisa, my cousin, works in a hospital. The Art of Preparing Minutes Page 8