Ohio meeting minutes requirements for local government boards
Ohio’s Open Meetings Act (R.C. 121.22(C)) requires minutes of a public body’s regular and special meetings to be promptly prepared, filed, maintained and open to public inspection. For townships, the fiscal officer keeps an accurate record of the board of trustees’ proceedings (R.C. 507.04(A)).
Last updated October 11, 2026. General information, not legal advice; confirm with your solicitor.
| Law | Open Meetings Act, R.C. 121.22 |
|---|---|
| Required in minutes | No statutory list; minutes must be promptly prepared, filed, maintained and open to inspection (121.22(C)). Ohio courts expect minutes full enough for the public to understand what the body did |
| Deadline | “Promptly”; no fixed number of days |
| Executive session (121.22(G)) | Only for listed purposes, by roll-call vote in open session on a motion stating the purpose; minutes need only reflect the general subject matter of the session |
| Who keeps township minutes | The township fiscal officer (R.C. 507.04(A)) |
| Recordings | A fiscal officer’s recording made to prepare minutes is a public record and follows the township’s approved retention schedule (Ohio Attorney General Opinion 2008-019) |
Practical guidance for Ohio townships
- Record each motion, the mover and seconder, and each trustee’s vote. Ohio resolutions are commonly numbered by year (for example, Resolution 2026-14).
- Before an executive session, record the roll-call vote and the specific statutory purpose named in the motion.
- Do not discard the recording just because the minutes were adopted. Follow your approved records retention schedule.
Questions
Is a township fiscal officer's meeting recording a public record in Ohio?
Yes. The Ohio Attorney General concluded in Opinion 2008-019 that a recording made by the fiscal officer to prepare minutes is a public record that must be kept according to the township’s retention schedule.
Sources
Related: recording roll-call votes, free minutes templates.
Minutes in Ohio format, drafted from your recording.
Upload a recording of your last meeting and get draft minutes that follow these requirements. Free, no credit card.