Meeting minutes chronicle the actions taken during a meeting. The format follows Robert's Rules of Order and is used for everything from club and business meetings to government meetings. For annual HOA (Homeowners' Association) meetings, minutes provide a record of decisions and actions of the HOA board. By taking notes and recording the meeting, the secretary of the board can accurately record the minutes following the meeting. Opinion must be left out of the minutes to keep the document concise and objective.

Use the meeting agenda to create an outline of the meeting topics. List the topics and leave space for your notes.

Take notes at the meeting regarding attendance, motions, decisions and topics discussed during the meeting. Note who said what so you can attribute correctly. You can use a voice recorder to avoid missing anything. Your notes should summarize the discussion. Write down the time and date of the meeting and the end time of the meeting.

Type the minutes by starting with the name of the HOA and the meeting name. List who attended and who was absent. Indicate board members by title and name. Record the time and date of the meeting.

List topics in order they were discussed and include any motions, votes and decisions made for each topic. List any facts presented, leaving out opinion and conjecture.

Attach any reports presented at the meeting. List that they were presented in the minutes.

Things You Will Need

  • Notebook

  • Pencil

  • Voice recorder (optional)

  • Computer

  • Meeting agenda