RECORDING SECRETARY

.
RECORDING SECRETARY
Revised by the P & P committee January 2010

General Statement
The Recording Secretary prepares the Minutes of all official AWCP meetings and maintains a file of these Minutes.

Policy
1. The Minutes prepared by the Recording Secretary are the official record of AWCP meetings.
2. Motions to approve or amend the Minutes may be proposed and/or seconded only by members who were present at the meeting in question.
3. The attendance sheet at Board meetings and extraordinary meetings establishes that a quorum was present.

Duties
The responsibilities of the Recording Secretary include:
1. Recording and preparing Minutes for all official AWCP meetings
2. Maintaining a file of all Minutes
3. Giving copies of all Minutes to the Historian
4. Preparing legal correspondence for the attorney, auditing firm and banks, as necessary
5. Assuming the duties of the Corresponding Secretary in her absence
6. Assuming such other duties as delegated by the President
7. Delegating the duties of this Office to another Board member when she is out of town or otherwise unavailable to carry out the duties of this Office
8. Preparing and submitting a Year-end Report on the activities of the Office

Procedures
Recording and preparing the Minutes
AWCP Minutes are prepared in accordance with regulations set in Roberts Rules of Order. They specify:
1. Type of meeting being held (Board, General Membership, Extra-ordinary)
2. Date and location of the meeting
3. Name and position of the person chairing the meeting
4. Time that the meeting is called to order and adjourned

Minutes are prepared with a wide (1-inch) left-hand margin to enhance their appearance in the bound Yearbooks. The copy for the Historian's Book is printed on one side of the paper only.

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Board Minutes state the name of each person attending according to the signature sheet that circulates during the meeting. The Honorary President is always listed first provided she is in attendance. If not, her representative is listed as a "guest."

The "signature sheet" is the official record of those attending the meeting. It is important for two reasons: it establishes that a quorum was present and it validates amendments of the Minutes. Requirements for a quorum are stated in the By-laws. Motions to amend the Minutes may be proposed and seconded only by those members who were present at the meeting in question. Board Meeting Minutes contain all details of the business conducted at the meeting, including approval of the Minutes and Treasurer's Report and amendments to same, motions and votes, approved expenditures, scheduled events, etc.
Board members who will have lengthy or involved reports --- that is, those with many dates or figures --- are asked to prepare their reports in writing for the Recording Secretary to ensure that the Minutes will be accurate.

General Membership Meeting Minutes
General Meeting Minutes carry only the number of members and guests attending the meeting, based on figures from the Treasurer, or whoever collected the entrance fees.

If the Honorary President attends, she is mentioned by name. ("The President welcomed Mrs. Ambassador and the 85 members and 10 guests attending the Meeting.") The Minutes summarize the activities of the Meeting, without going into detail. These Minutes are usually no longer than one page (one or both sides), including the Treasurer's Report.

Duplication of the Minutes
The office secretary usually copies and collates both the Board Minutes and the General Meeting Minutes, as a courtesy to the Recording Secretary. She has them ready no later than the Friday before the Meeting scheduled for the next Monday. The finished Minutes are placed in the Recording Secretary's box at the office.

One copy of the Board Meeting Minutes is prepared for each Board member, about 25 2-sided copies. This is done regardless of the member's attendance at the Meeting.

The Minutes are brought to the Board Meeting by the Recording Secretary or her representative and are available for members to collect as they arrive. The President, or person who will chair the next Board Meeting, usually receives a copy of the Minutes before the Meeting so that she may prepare the agenda. The Honorary President's copy is delivered to her home.

About 15 2 sided copies are made of the General Meeting Minutes. The Recording Secretary puts 2 copies of the Minutes on each table at the meeting place so that members may read them at their leisure.

Collecting the Minutes
After Board Meetings, the Recording Secretary should collect all papers left behind and make a packet for each Board member who was absent. The packets are then put in the member's box at the office. These papers include: Agenda, Minutes, Treasurer's Report and any advisories distributed at the Meeting.

After General Meetings, which are usually held in public buildings, it is especially important for the Recording Secretary to remember to collect all papers left behind, including copies of the Minutes, flyers, issues of Inklings, enclosures, and the like. This is a security measure, as frequently these items carry the names and telephone numbers of AWCP members.

Papers left after General Meetings may be brought to the AWCP office, where the office secretary will see that they are distributed to the proper persons.

Maintaining a file of all Agendas and Minutes
The Recording Secretary should keep hard copies of all Board Meeting Minutes, Agendas and General Meeting Minutes in the file cabinet at the AWCP office.

At the end of the year, the Recording Secretary should give a diskette with the Minutes of all Meetings for the year to the office secretary for safekeeping.

Giving copies for the Historian
The Recording Secretary is responsible for providing the Historian with “clean" copies of the Minutes. This means that they are error free and prepared in accordance with set guidelines. The Historian will include these copies in the Yearbook.

Preparing legal correspondence
The Recording Secretary, specifically, is responsible for generating several types of legal correspondence. A "Secretary's Certificate" is required by the banks to officially notify them of changes in signatories on the AWCP's accounts. This is done in January. Three (3) copies are prepared by the office secretary, with the assistance of the Treasurer, who provides the numbers of all AWCP accounts and investments. After the Recording Secretary has signed each document, the office secretary will have them notarized and sent to the banks. The Treasurer retains one copy for her files. The Recording Secretary should keep a photocopy for her files. Samples of this document can be found in the Yearbook.

In February, a letter is required by the attorney and the auditing firm attesting to the completeness and accuracy of the "minute books." (The Minutes must be made available to the auditor when she/he audits the books.)

As the person responsible for preparing the Minutes, the Recording Secretary certifies that the list of Minutes is complete and that they are an accurate and true reflection of the activities of the AWCP for the year. A copy of this letter is in the files at the office and in the Yearbook.

Assuming the duties of the Corresponding Secretary in her absence
The Recording Secretary will assume the duties of the Corresponding Secretary in her absence. The Corresponding Secretary, as a courtesy, will advise the Recording Secretary of any pending absences and provide the necessary information required to fulfill the duties of that Office.

Assuming such other duties as delegated by the President
The President may request that the Recording Secretary assume certain other duties as a representative of the President, herself or the AWCP.

Delegating the duties of this Office to another Board member when she is out of town or otherwise unavailable to carry out the duties of this office
Because of the responsibilities of this Office, it is important for the Recording Secretary to find a replacement when she is out of town. The replacement must be another Board member. The Board and the office staff should be advised as to who will be in charge.

Preparing and submitting a Year-end Report on the activities of the Office
The Recording Secretary will prepare a Year-end Report on the activities of the Office during the year and supply copies to the President, Historian and her successor.
Planning a Budget:
Planning the budget is to be coordinated with the Treasurers, and the President. Normal expenses incurred by this position include, but are not limited to, the following: a. Admin