For chairs and clerks

Best practices for your meetings

The software writes your minutes from what is said out loud. It does not read your screen, your packet, or a show of hands. A few small habits at the table make the draft you get back close to final.

Download the one page checklist Get a free sample

If you only do three things

These three cover most of what a clerk would otherwise have to fix by hand.

  1. 01

    Announce the item

    Say the agenda number and title before you begin it. Section headings come from these announcements.

  2. 02

    Name the mover and seconder

    A bare “so moved” and “second” cannot be attributed. The chair repeating both names takes two seconds.

  3. 03

    State the vote count

    “Motion carries four to zero” instead of “motion carries.” Name anyone opposed or abstaining.

Say this, not that

The same moment, recorded two different ways.

Say this

Motion by Ms. Cruise, seconded by Mr. Cumming, to approve the contract. All in favor? Opposed? Motion carries three to zero.

Not this

So moved. Second. All in favor? Motion carries.

Say this

That completes item five. We now move to item six, the FY27 capital plan.

Not this

Okay, next.

Say this

The quote is for eighty two thousand four hundred dollars, from the Kimley-Horn memo dated July 2.

Not this

The amount is in your packet, on the screen there.

Say this

Motion to adjourn at 8:47 pm.

Not this

Motion to adjourn. All in favor? Good night.

A few more that help

None of these take extra meeting time. Most are one sentence from the chair.

Motions and votes

  • Restate the motion in one sentence before the vote.
  • On an amendment, restate the full amended motion, not just the change.
  • Abstentions and recusals have to be spoken, along with which item they apply to.
  • On a roll call, let each member answer distinctly rather than a chorus of ayes.

Moving through the agenda

  • Say when you enter executive session and when you return to open session.
  • When something is tabled or continued, say so and give the date.
  • On a consent agenda, read what is on it, or name the items by letter.

Names and numbers

  • Read dollar figures aloud in full.
  • Name documents and their dates instead of “this one here.”
  • Read the legal notice aloud at a public hearing.
  • Ask public speakers for their name and address, spoken clearly.

Audio

  • Let a speaker finish before jumping in. A sentence talked over is the one most likely to come back garbled.
  • Give staff and guests a moment to identify themselves the first time they speak.
  • If a remote participant cuts out, ask them to repeat the part that dropped.

Adjournment

  • State the real clock time out loud.
  • The time is never taken from the video timer, so if nobody says it the line simply reads that the meeting adjourned.

Tell us when your roster changes

  • A new member, town administrator, or department head.
  • Names are loaded in before the recording is processed, so a name we do not have is the one most likely to come back misspelled.

Keep it at the dais

One page, printable, everything above on a single sheet your chair can keep in front of them.

Download the checklist