Your Guide to Community Association Meeting Minutes

Every homeowners association, from co-ops and condominiums to townhomes and single-family HOAs, recognizes the pivotal practice of documenting meeting minutes. 

In this post, we share everything you need to know about recording meeting minutes so your community stays accountable and maintains a clear, historical record. 

What are meeting minutes? 

Meeting minutes are the written record of everything that's discussed and decided in homeowners association (HOA) meetings, including condos, co-ops, townhomes, and single-family home communities. These documents are critical for clarity, dispute resolution, and preserving the historical decisions of the HOA.

Who is responsible for recording meeting minutes?

Typically, the community board secretary bears the responsibility for recording meeting minutes. This task goes beyond simple note-taking; the secretary must understand the rationale behind decisions and accurately record the board members' voting records. They are also usually responsible for signing off on the meeting minutes. 

“Often the Board Secretary delegates the responsibility for minute-taking to the community manager, another association or management employee, or a recording secretary. This enables Board Members to stay focused on the discussion and engage with one another, and allows a community management professional to accurately record any decisions made by the Board in the proper format." -Alexandria Pollock, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, CCIDM, CCAM-HR 

Why is recording meeting minutes important?

“Minutes contain the Board's approval of certain projects, repairs expenditures, and policies. Without minutes recording decisions made by the Board, management and association personnel do not have the written permission they need to act.” -Alexandria Pollock, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, CCIDM, CCAM-HR 

Recording meeting minutes is essential for several reasons. It ensures transparency and accountability within the association, provides a legal record of the board's decisions, and serves as a reference to resolve disputes or recall past decisions. Accurate minutes are fundamental for effective governance and maintaining trust among community members.

When should meeting minutes be distributed?

The timeline for preparing and making meeting minutes available is governed by state law, which can differ significantly across states. Generally, most states mandate that meeting minutes be prepared and accessible within 30 days following the meeting.

What should be included in effective meeting minutes?

Every set of minutes from an open meeting should include these essential elements to ensure they effectively serve their purpose:

• Key Meeting Information: Start with the date, time, and location of the meeting, including the type of meeting (e.g., annual, special session).
• Attendance and Participation: Note which board members are present or absent and list any guests in attendance.
• Summaries of Reports and Financial Updates: Include concise overviews of subcommittee reports and financial statuses to inform members of the association's health and initiatives.
• Decisions and Deliberations: Document all motions, votes, and significant discussions, providing a clear record of the actions taken or deferred.

What should not be included in effective meeting minutes?

Avoid recording off-topic discussions, personal opinions, and verbatim accounts, as these do not contribute to the objective and professional nature of the minutes.

Are meeting minutes public record? 

All members of an HOA have a right to review the minutes from any open meeting. 

Use our Free Meeting Minutes Template

Below is our free template for meeting minutes that you can customize to fit the specific needs of your community. This template is structured to include all essential elements, ensuring a comprehensive and effective record of each meeting.

Association Name:

Meeting Date:

Meeting Time:

Type of Meeting (e.g., Annual, Special, Board Meeting)

I. Call to Order

• Time Meeting Called to Order:
• Chairperson Presiding:

II. Roll Call

• Board Members Present:
• Board Members Absent:
• Guests Present:

III. Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes

• Date of Previous Meeting:
• Summary of Amendments/Corrections to Previous Minutes:
• Motion to Approve (Moved by, Seconded by):
• Vote Outcome:

IV. Reports

A. President's Report

• Summary of Report:

B. Treasurer's Report

• Financial Highlights:
• Current Balance:
• Upcoming Expenses:

V. Unfinished Business

• Item 1:
  • Discussion Summary:
  • Action Taken:

VI. New Business

• Item 2:
  • Proposal:
  • Discussion Summary:
  • Motion Made by:
  • Seconded by:
  • Vote Outcome:

VII. Open Forum

• Summary of Member Comments:

VIII. Announcements

• Next Meeting Date and Location:
• Special Announcements:

IX. Adjournment

• Time Meeting Adjourned:
• Motion to Adjourn Made by:
• Seconded by:
• Vote Outcome:

Secretary's Signature:
Date:

Partner with BuildingLink

Trusted by HOAs, co-ops, condominiums, and multifamily properties around the globe, BuildingLink helps property managers deliver superior resident experiences while streamlining maintenance and operations. We offer tools that will simplify your record-keeping and administration, communications, maintenance, and front desk and staff operations. 

When you’re ready to run your community better, smarter, and faster, book your BuildingLink demo today.