Minutes and Freedom of Information: What you need to know
I just heard about a disgruntled parent who demanded to see the minutes of his son’s minor hockey association. It doesn’t matter what the man was looking for. But, under freedom of information legislation, the group had to turn them over.
The members were shocked. After all, they were just a volunteer group organized to help their kids play a game. Their meetings and minutes were hardly formal. But all minutes – formal and informal – are considered records that the public may have the right to access. If you refuse to turn them over, the requester may then appeal to whatever authority oversees freedom of information in your locale. This authority will make the final decision as to what must be revealed.
In some cases, the entire minutes may have to be released. In other instances, the head of your group may be able to remove certain words or sentences. However, the more you remove the less transparent your organization looks.
Jane Watson has just released a web-based course on minute taking that includes a section on privacy legislation.
To sample a lecture from this web based training,
click on the image and connect to YouTube
The online course costs just $149… but for a limited time, use the coupon code “otn” and get the course for only $129!
Click HERE to get this special offer now!
Jane Watson is also the author of The Minute Takers Handbook.
4th Edition of The Minute Takers Handbook