Secretary: responsibility for records - September 2010

The President instructed the secretary to lend the minute books to a committee chairman who needed information from the minutes. Must the secretary comply?

Opinion:  The secretary need not lend the minute books on the basis of the president’s instruction. Care of the minute books is the exclusive responsibility of the secretary. Unless stated otherwise in the society’s rules, no officer can instruct another officer. RONR, page 440, states that “…the president has duties as an administrative or executive officer; but these are outside the scope of parliamentary law, and the president has such authority only insofar as the bylaws provide it.” While, in doubtful cases, the president can be consulted by the secretary before the books are turned over to a committee chairman (see RONR, page 444), it does not follow that the president can instruct the secretary to turn over the records.

The secretary does have an obligation to make the minutes of the society available to a committee chairman, or to any member for examination in keeping with applicable law (see RONR, page 444). The time and place should be at the convenience of the secretary and with due consideration for the safekeeping of the records. Providing photocopies of the pages in question will usually resolve the problem.