Minutes are the official record of what an association decided. They are relied on by later boards, by owners who were not present, and sometimes by courts. A clear, consistent format makes them easier to write and much more useful later.
This article is general information and is not legal advice. The association's attorney should be consulted.
What Florida Law Requires
Minutes are required by statute for both kinds of community associations.
- In a homeowners association, section 720.303(3) requires minutes of all board and member meetings to be kept in written form or in a form that can be converted into written form within a reasonable time. A vote or abstention by each director present on each matter voted on must be recorded in the minutes.
- In a condominium, section 718.111 likewise requires each director's vote or abstention to be recorded. Minutes of meetings of the association, the board, committees, and unit owners are official records, and a recording of any meeting conducted by video conference must also be kept.
- Directors may not vote by proxy or by secret ballot at board meetings, except that officers may be elected by secret ballot.
Minutes are official records. In an HOA they must be kept for at least 7 years under section 720.303(4). In a condominium, minutes are among the records that must be kept permanently under section 718.111(12). Owners may request to inspect them, and a request must be answered within 10 working or business days.
Who Takes the Minutes
The secretary is usually responsible for the minutes under the bylaws. The task may be delegated to the community manager or another person, but the draft should still be reviewed by the secretary and approved by the board at the next meeting. Until approved, the document should be marked as a draft.
What to Include
A standard outline should be followed at every meeting.
- Heading. The association's name, the type of meeting (regular board, special board, annual, or special member meeting), the date, the location, and the time the meeting was called to order.
- Attendance. Directors present and absent, a statement that a quorum was established, and others present such as the manager or the attorney.
- Proof of notice. A statement that notice was posted or sent as required.
- Approval of prior minutes. The motion, the second, and the result.
- Reports. Officer, committee, manager, and financial reports, noted by who presented them. Financial reports can be summarized, with the full report kept on file.
- Unfinished business and new business. Each item listed in the order taken up.
- Motions and votes. The exact wording of each motion, who made and seconded it, and how each director voted or abstained.
- Owner comments. A short note that owners spoke on agenda items, without a transcript.
- Adjournment. The time the meeting ended and the date of the next meeting, if set.
What to Leave Out
Minutes are a record of actions, not a transcript. The following should generally be left out:
- Personal opinions, side conversations, and heated exchanges
- Names of owners with delinquent accounts, beyond what is required to act on a matter
- Detailed discussion from closed sessions with the attorney about proposed or pending litigation
- Information protected from owner inspection, such as medical records or personal identifying information
When a decision is legally sensitive, the wording of the minutes should be reviewed with the association's attorney before approval.
Tips for Better Minutes
- A template based on the outline above should be prepared before each meeting, using the agenda.
- Motions should be read back before the vote so the wording is captured correctly.
- Minutes should be drafted within a few days, while details are fresh.
- Approved minutes should be stored with the other official records in an organized way, so that an owner's request can be answered quickly.
Good minutes support good meetings. More on running productive meetings can be found in
6 HOA board meeting best practices, and the records owners may see are covered in
who can access HOA documents.
Help With Meetings and Records
Meeting notices, agendas, minutes, and records are handled for the communities managed by Condominium Associates. To talk about your association's meetings,
contact us.
