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A must-have for all association or corporation secretaries. Full of advice on every aspect of the work of corporate, recording, and corresponding secretaries. Covers such subjects as meeting preparation, maintaining lists, how to establish an effective filing system, and how long to keep documents. It also answers many legal questions you may have. Includes samples of agendas, minutes, and forms.
Contents
Introduction: Background and Key Points
Chapter 1—The Association or Corporate Secretary
Three Jobs in One
Maintaining a Membership List
Meeting Notices
The Proxy Process
Deciding Whether to Use Proxies
Maintaining Meeting Documents
Chapter 2—The Recording Secretary
The Agenda
Meeting Preparation
Taking Minutes
Writing Resolutions
Categorizing Resolutions
Transcribing Notes
Formatting Minutes
Getting Minutes Approved
Distributing Minutes
Chapter 3—Correspondence & Records Maintenance
Mail Sorting
Helping Committees
Letter Writing
Maintaining Association Records
Establishing a Filing System
Storing Files
Folders and Labels
Purging Files
Appendix: Controlling Proxy Abuse
Excerpt
Introduction: Background and Key Points
An association is a business and--like any other--must preserve its history, maintain its records, and protect itself from liability. It is the association secretary who is assigned this responsibility. The secretary (or secretaries) should be efficient, well organized, and have a commitment to the future of the association. No matter how competent the secretary, there is much to be learned about keeping good corporate records. The association's first-ever secretary will wonder where to begin and how to set up a flexible and efficient recording system.
If the association is volunteer-managed, it is wise to spread the secretarial responsibilities among two or three people. However, if the association hires a manager it can request him or her to perform some of the association's secretarial tasks. When selecting a manager or management company, the board should specifically state the secretarial tasks for which the manager will be responsible. This report is designed to help new association secretaries as well as those who want to improve their procedures.
Key Points
The secretary prepares and distributes board of director meeting notices, and records meeting minutes and resolutions.
The secretary affixes the corporate seal to legal documents, and witnesses and verifies signatures on documents.
The secretary accepts and verifies proxies for annual or special membership meetings.
The secretary maintains all of the association's records and files necessary forms with state agencies.
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