Felt’s Parliamentary Procedure/Duties of the Secretary
DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.
19. It is the duty of the secretary to keep a correct record of the proceedings of the assembly. The character of this record depends upon the kind of meeting and upon the nature of the society. In ordinary societies where the minutes are not published it is only necessary that he record what is done—what business is introduced and how it is disposed of. It is often as important to know what measures were introduced and rejected as what ones were adopted. What is said by the members or merely proposed, or moved without coming to a vote, has no place in the record. There are, however, assemblies in which it is necessary to know what is said as well as what is done. In such assemblies where the duties of the secretary are difficult, he should have one or more assistants. When more than one secretary is elected the one first elected is considered the secretary, the others his assistants.
20. In the absence of the presiding officer (if there be no vice presidents present) it is the duty of the secretary to call the meeting to order, state the fact of the presiding officer's absence, call for nominations and preside at the election of a temporary presiding officer. He should be attentive to his duties, capable of expressing himself accurately in writing, be a good reader with a voice strong enough to be heard in all parts of the place of meeting. He should have charge of all papers and documents of every description belonging to the assembly and not otherwise assigned. He should notify members of their appointment on committees; also of the the purpose of their appointment, and give to the chairman of such committee the names of the members of the committee and all papers, if any, referred to it. He should keep for the convenience of the presiding officer a record of all committees which are expected to report, and of the time when such report is due; also of all unfinished business which should come up before that meeting. He should generally attend to all the clerical work of the presiding officer and authenticate by his signature all the acts or proceedings of the assembly.
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