How to write township meeting minutes
Good township minutes are short, accurate and legally complete: they record who attended, every official action, each motion with its mover and seconder, how each member voted, and who spoke during public comment. Discussion is summarized in a sentence or two, not transcribed.
Last updated October 11, 2026. General information, not legal advice; confirm with your solicitor.
Before the meeting
- Start a draft from the agenda: use the agenda items as headings so the minutes follow the meeting.
- Record the meeting. Most states allow it, and a recording is the best protection against a missed vote.
- Have the roster of members and regular staff at hand, spelled correctly.
During the meeting
- Note the time the meeting is called to order and adjourned.
- For each motion write down the mover and seconder immediately; on a split vote, write each member’s vote.
- Ask residents to state their name and address before commenting.
Writing the minutes
- Heading: municipality, board, type of meeting (regular, special, reorganization), date.
- Opening: who called the meeting to order, the time and the place.
- Attendance: members present and absent, and others present (secretary, solicitor, engineer, roadmaster).
- Each agenda item: one or two factual sentences, then the motion if there was one.
- Motions: “Supervisor Smith moved, seconded by Supervisor Jones, to approve the bills list totaling $48,213.17. Motion carried 3-0.” On a roll call, list each member’s vote.
- Public comment: name, residence, subject and a neutral one-sentence summary.
- Executive session: time in and out, the stated reason, and “No action was taken.”
- Adjournment: the time, and your signature line.
After the meeting
- Mark the minutes “DRAFT” and distribute them to the board with the next packet.
- Make draft minutes available to the public if your state requires it (for example, Michigan requires proposed minutes within eight business days).
- Record corrections and the approval date when the board approves them.
- Update the resolution and ordinance book.
Common mistakes
- Writing what people said instead of what the board did.
- Recording “motion carried” without the vote of each member on a roll call.
- Including executive-session discussion in the public minutes.
- Characterizing comments (“a heated exchange”) instead of stating facts.
Ready-made structures: township supervisors minutes template.
Questions
How long should township minutes be?
Usually two to four pages for a regular meeting. Minutes are a record of actions, not a transcript.
Who approves the minutes?
The board approves them by motion at a following meeting, often with corrections. Until then they are a draft.
Do minutes need to include discussion?
Generally only enough to explain an action. State laws require actions and votes; discussion summaries are optional and should be neutral.
See it with your own meeting.
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