The minutes of a meeting are the official, legal record of the business conducted. When a
question arises about what was decided or authorized by a governmental body, the answer must
be based on information recorded in the minutes. Because minutes are such an important record
for all governmental agencies, the State and Local Government Records Commissions
recommend that public officials employ the following minimum guidelines. These guidelines are
not intended to change existing practices, so long as those practices result in fully documented
meetings; rather, they are offered to guide governmental bodies that may not be familiar with the
essential elements of taking formal minutes.