Minutes are the official record of the proceedings of a meeting. In accordance with North Carolina General Statute 160A-171, it is the responsibility of the City Clerk to keep a journal of the proceedings of the governing body; therefore, the City Clerk is most often the person tasked with the responsibility for preparation of minutes.
Minutes provide an historical record of how a jurisdiction evolves. They may be used for research purposes, evidence in court case, and consulted for verification of actions taken. A Common Sense Guide Conceived, Written and Compiled by the North Carolina Association of Municipal Clerks.
There are three (3) basic types of minutes, and typically the governing body decides what type of minutes they prefer.
1. Action only - only records decisions made and actions authorized (no discussion).
2. Summary (or anecdotal) - contains a summary of discussion without attributing comments to particular people; summary minutes also state the actual decisions made.
3. Verbatim - exact transcript of everything said.
Minutes are available from 1999 to 2011 and are located here in the Minutes of the Eden City Council folder.
