Committees formed by and reporting to the board have to follow all of the same public meetings law requirements that the board itself has to follow. A committee should have a clear charge and meeting discussion should stick to the committee topic. Public meeting laws apply, regardless of whether the committee has only non-board members on it, only one board member, or the entire board functioning as a ‘Committee of the Whole.’ Most boards put less than a quorum of the board on any one sub-committee appointed by the board so that there cannot be the appearance of the committee making a board decision or committing the board to any one position or action. If a quorum of the board is going to be present then it is always best practice to notice the meeting as a “Board” meeting and not just a subcommittee meeting.
Boards and their committees are required to take minutes at all meetings. Minutes do not have to be a detailed discussion of who said what, but must give a true representation of all matters discussed at the meeting and the views of the participants. The minutes are not required to be taken by any specific individual (i.e. board executive assistant) but rather anyone selected by the group including board and/or committee members that are present at the meeting.
Minutes should include the following information:
• All members of the subcommittee who were present.
• All motions, proposals, resolutions, orders and measures proposed and their disposition.
• The results of all votes and the vote of each member by name.
• The substance of any discussion on any matter.