must motions that are not seconded be put into the minutes of that meeting

Our Board of Directors maintains that their meetings follow Robert's Rules of Order. As a Director I made a motion and the Board stated that they did not want it to appear in the minutes after it was seconded by another Director who then withdrew his second, after listening to complaints from the remainder of the Board. My question; Under Robert's Rules should my motion be included in the minutes of the meeting so our community can read my position versus the Board's position?

Ralph,

Under Roberts Rules, at meetings of small assemblies (such as board meetings of 12 or fewer members) motions do not even require a second. Also, when a motion is seconded, the second, even the original motion, cannot be withdrawn. At the point, the assembly owns the motion and only the assembly can vote to dispose of it (the proper procedure would be to move that the motion be indefinitely postponed).

By the way, according to proper parliamentary procedure, a second is not intended to mean that the person making the second is in favor of the motion. It merely means that the person making the second believes the motion is worthy of debate.

All motions made (and the person making the motion) should be entered in the minutes and how they have been disposed of. If your assembly does require a second and none is made, you simply state that because of the lack of a second no action was taken on the motion.

Bruce,

Thanks for the info. Can you possibly direct me to where Roger's Rules states a motion doen't even require a second.
I would really like to have my idea put into the printed minutes and all the other Board members(6 others)be shown as voting against the idea.

I don't have the latest edition, but in the 10th edition, in a footnote at the bottom of page 34, Roberts Rules states: "Motions need not be seconded in a small board or a committee."

You could take a class on proper minutes taking at a meeting. I like the action in short sentences and don't need to read every board members' opinion in conjunction with a vote.

Ralph,

Thanks for your confidence.

I have been reading the other threads you have mentioned and so far I have not commented on them because I do not at present feel I have anything constructive to offer. I try to deal primarily in facts (not always successfully) and any opinions I offer are usually based on facts as I know them or on my personal experience. This thread is such an example because I can base my comments on what is written in Roberts Rules, whether those who read my comments believe Roberts Rules is appropriate in their case or not. As for experience, I have never felt that I did not have the information I needed to perform my duties as a member of the board, so I cannot say how I would approach a situation similar to yours as you have described it.

I will say that my mode of operation at board meetings is usually to listen. On most motions I am usually the last to speak and to offer any opinion. I prefer to hear all sides of an issue first so that I am better prepared to defend the position I decide to take. That approach also often enables me to offer a compromise solution that can be accepted by all board members. I try to use tact whenever possible. I've found that it's often easier to get my ideas accepted if I am able to convince others it was "their" idea.