Last month we looked at keeping your meetings on track using an agenda. Now that you've had a successful meeting, how do you keep a record of it? With meeting minutes. Let's see how to make your meeting minutes memorable.

1. Meeting minutes should include: name of group; date of meeting; who is present; who is not present (either absent or excused); minutes; action items; recorder's name. [Note: this is the minimum that should be included; see Robert's Rules of Order (www.robertsrules.com) for additional requirements such as motions, voting, time meeting is called to order and adjourned, etc.]

2. Minutes are not a word-for-word account of the meeting but should include all decisions.

3. The minutes should provide enough information to be understandable to someone who missed the meeting.

4. The minutes should include only the results of discussions (no he-said/she-said) and all action items, including who is responsible.

5. The minutes can be a list following the agenda format; different discussion topics should be clearly set apart.

Did you know that April is, among other things, National Poetry Month? In honor of the occasion, and because it is finally Spring, here is the poem from my very first newsletter, three years ago. Enjoy!

in Just- by e.e. cummings

in Just-
spring      when the world is mud-
luscious the little lame balloonman

whistles     far     and wee

and eddyandbill come
running from marbles and
piracies and it's
spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer
old balloonman whistles
far     and     wee
and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's
spring
and
     the
         goat-footed

balloonMan     whistles
far
and
wee