Action vs. summary vs. verbatim minutes: which style fits

Ask three clerks how detailed minutes should be and you may get three answers. That's because there are three common styles, and each one fits a different kind of body and a different set of legal requirements. This article walks through each, then covers the legal rules that can take the choice out of your hands.

The three styles

Action minutes

Action minutes record what the board did, and little else: motions, who made and seconded them, amendments, and vote results. Discussion is left out, or reduced to a phrase like "Discussion followed."

A typical entry:

Motion by Trustee Brooks, seconded by Trustee Lin, to approve the 2027 library fee schedule as presented. Carried 4–1 (Trustee Owens, no).

Action minutes are the style Robert's Rules of Order recommends: minutes are "a record of what was done at a meeting, not a record of what was said."

Summary minutes

Summary minutes record the actions plus a short, neutral summary of the discussion behind them: what information was presented, the main points raised, and questions asked. They don't attribute every comment, and they don't editorialize.

The library director presented the proposed fee schedule, which raises the non-resident card fee from $40 to $50. Trustee Owens asked whether the increase would reduce non-resident registrations; the director said the change would be reviewed after one year. Motion by Trustee Brooks, seconded by Trustee Lin, to approve the 2027 fee schedule as presented. Carried 4–1 (Trustee Owens, no).

Verbatim minutes

Verbatim minutes are a word-for-word record of everything said. They are usually produced by a court reporter or transcribed from a recording, and they are long. Few small boards use them as their official minutes. More often, a verbatim record exists alongside the minutes, as an audio or video recording or a transcript.

When each style fits

Action minutes fit boards with routine agendas and a state law that only requires a record of actions and votes: a water authority approving bills, a township board adopting resolutions, a cemetery district. They are fast to produce and hard to dispute.

Summary minutes fit boards where the reasoning matters to the public or to a later reviewer: planning and zoning boards, boards of adjustment, school boards on policy matters, and any body in a state that requires a summary of discussion. A land-use decision may be reviewed by a court, and a summary of the evidence and reasons can help, though many boards also adopt separate written findings for that purpose.

Verbatim records fit quasi-judicial hearings (variances, appeals, disciplinary matters) where a full record may be needed on appeal, and closed sessions in states that require a recording. Many bodies now record every meeting on video and keep brief minutes, letting the recording serve as the detailed record. If you do this, confirm that your state treats the recording as a public record and check its retention schedule.

Legal considerations

The style you'd prefer may not be the style your state allows. Open meetings laws set minimum contents, and several go beyond bare actions.

Some states require a summary of discussion

• Massachusetts requires "a summary of the discussions on each subject," plus a list of documents and exhibits used and a record of all votes (M.G.L. c. 30A, § 22).
• Illinois requires "a summary of discussion on all matters proposed, deliberated, or decided, and a record of any votes taken" (5 ILCS 120/2.06).

In those states, pure action minutes likely fall short.

Some states require individual votes

• Pennsylvania's Sunshine Act requires "a record of how each individual voted" (PA Office of Open Records).
• New York's Freedom of Information Law requires each agency to keep "a record of the final vote of each member in every agency proceeding in which the member votes" (Public Officers Law § 87(3)(a)).

Where individual votes must be recorded, "carried unanimously" can work if every member present voted yes and attendance is clearly recorded. For split votes, name who voted which way. Many clerks simply record a roll call on every vote to avoid any question.

Some states require verbatim recordings of closed sessions

Illinois requires every public body to keep "a verbatim record of all their closed meetings in the form of an audio or video recording," in addition to written minutes. The closed-session recording is not open to public inspection unless the body decides it no longer requires confidential treatment, and it may be destroyed no less than 18 months after the meeting, once the body approves destruction and the written minutes (5 ILCS 120/2.06). Other states handle closed-session records differently, and many don't require a recording at all.

Other rules to check

• Deadlines for making minutes available (New York: two weeks for open-meeting minutes, under Public Officers Law § 106)
• Whether draft minutes are public before approval
• Whether a recording counts as the official record, and how long you must keep it
• Your board's bylaws or rules of procedure, which may require more than state law does

Rules vary by state and sometimes by type of body. When in doubt, ask your solicitor or state association.

This is general information, not legal advice.

Comparison table

A practical middle path

Many small boards land on a hybrid:

• Action-style entries for consent items and routine business
• Brief summaries for substantive items, public hearings, and anything likely to be appealed
• Roll-call votes recorded for every motion
• A video or audio recording kept according to your state's retention schedule, with a link in the approved minutes

Whatever you choose, write it down. A one-page minutes policy adopted by the board settles the question for the next clerk and gives you something to point to when a member asks why their comments aren't in the minutes.

Where CivicPorch fits

CivicPorch drafts action or summary minutes from a meeting recording, lays out each motion and vote, and flags anything it isn't sure of for you to check before approval. You can start free with one board.