A complete and accurate set of minutes of each regular and special board meeting shall be kept to comply with all legal requirements.
The board minutes should reflect the following:
- The place, date, and time of each meeting.
- The type of meeting--regular, special, emergency, work session.
- Members present and members absent, by name.
- The call to order and adjournment.
- The departure of members by name before adjournment.
- The late arrival of members, by name.
- The time and place of the next meeting.
- Approval, or amendment and approval, of the minutes of the preceding meeting.
- Complete information as to each subject of the board’s deliberation and the action taken.
- The maker and seconder of the motion, what action was taken, and the vote on the motion detailed enough to attribute a vote to each member present.
- Complete text of all board resolutions, numbered consecutively for each fiscal year.
- A record of all contracts entered into, with the contract documents kept in a separate file.
- A record of all change orders on construction contracts.
- All employment changes, including resignations or terminations.
- A record, by number, of the bills of account approved by the board for payment.
- A record of all calls for bids, bids received, and action taken thereon.
- Approval of all transfers of funds from one budgetary fund to another.
- Important documents forming a part of a motion should be made a part of the minutes by exhibit and placed in the minute book along with the minutes.
- Board policy and administrative guides should be made a part of the minutes by exhibit.
- Adoption of textbooks and establishment of bus routes by the board for the school year as well as the school calendar should become a part of the minutes.
- Approval or disapproval of open enrollment requests with justification for disapproval or approval after the deadline.
- A record of all delegations appearing before the board and a record of all petitions.
- At the annual meeting each year the record should indicate that the books of the treasurer and secretary and the Certified Annual Report have been examined and approved subject to audit.
- The election or appointment of board officers.
- The appointment of auditors to examine the books.
At the annual or organizational meeting in odd-numbered years, the board minutes should reflect the following:
- Appointment of a temporary chairperson if not specified in policy.
- Oath of office administered to newly elected board members.
- Nominations taken for the office of president and vice-president.
- Election of the president and vice-president, the votes and the oath of office administered to the president and vice-president.
- The resolution to pay bills when the board is not in session.
- A resolution to automatically disburse payroll along with a roster of all employees under contract.
- A resolution naming depositories along with the maximum deposit for each depository.
- Resolution authorizing the use of a check protector and signer and the proper control of the signer.
- Motion designating a member or a committee to examine the bills of account for a designated period of time on a rotation basis if desired for the balance of the school year.
- Voting rotation when a roll call vote is used if so desired by the board.
A copy of the minutes shall be sent to each member of the board before the next regularly scheduled meeting. The board secretary shall furnish a copy of the proceedings as indicated by the minutes within a reasonable amount of time following the adjournment of the meeting to the school district’s official newspaper for publication.
Minutes shall be kept in an official record book specified for that purpose and shall be kept on file as the official record of legislation of the school district and shall be open to public inspection. Examination of the official record book by any citizen or group of citizens must be made at the location where the school district maintains the records and under the jurisdiction of the board secretary.
A complete and accurate set of minutes will be made of each meeting and/or session of the board as required by law. A complete and accurate set of minutes and complete audio recordings will be made of each closed session of the board as required by law. The board secretary will be custodian of the minutes and audio recordings from a closed session, which shall be maintained as required by law.
Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 21; 22; 279.8, .35, .36; 291.6, .7; 618.3
281 I.A.C. 12.3(1).
Approved March 26, 2018
Reviewed September 27, 2021
Revised March 26, 2018
