Homeowner associations should keep good historical records, because to know where one is going it's necessary to know where one has been. Some of those crucial records are the minutes kept at Board, Special, Committee and Annual Meetings. Minutes document decisions made during a meeting and provide a public record of actions taken.

Minutes should reflect what was done, not what was said. There is a saying that "minutes are minutes, not seconds or hours." In other words, they should say enough, but not too little and not too much. Normally that means that an entire meeting's business should fit on one or two type written pages. If yours are running much longer than that, start editing.

As far as content, all minutes should include the following information:

1. Name of the homeowner association.

2. Kind of meeting (board, annual or special)

3. Date, time, and place of the meeting.

4. Names of members present.

5. Verification that quorum was established

6. Exact wording of each motion adopted including the name of the person making the motion, and whether the motion was adopted, failed or withdrawn. If the vote was split, the names of those dissenting should also be shown.

7. The date, time and place of the next meeting.

8. Time of adjournment.

9. The name and position of the recorder.

Board and Annual Meeting minutes should be distributed in DRAFT form within a week of the meeting. This is necessary to inform the members of events that may come to pass before the next meeting. After the minutes have been approved, the secretary should write Approved with the date at the bottom. Committee meeting minutes are normally distributed to only the board members since it's the Board that approves the committee's recommendations.

Tips for taking minutes:

1. Use the meeting agenda as an outline.

2. Obtain a copy of all reports given and then summarize them. Reports can be attached to the minutes and referred to.

3. Minutes should be written soon after the meeting, preferably within 24 hours, to improve accuracy.

4. Emphasize (highlight, underline, or capitalize) headings to focus the reader's attention.

5. Attach the agenda for the next meeting or list items that will be on the agenda that need special thought in preparation for the meeting.

6. Go over the minutes with the chairperson to ensure accuracy.

7. Distribute the minutes to all board or committee members as appropriate a week or two before the next meeting.

Good minutes are essential for summarizing business decisions and providing an historical record for actions taken. Essentially, minutes are the essence of HOA operations.