Why are meeting minutes needed when we have a recording of the meeting?
Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, minutes are required of all open public meetings and must include the date, time, and location of the meeting; the members of the public body present and absent; a list of matters discussed; and a record of any votes taken.
It can take hours of time to go back through video or audio recordings to find out what a speaker said or how a vote transpired. It only takes minutes to find those in the minutes!
Can’t we just use AI to get a transcript of our meeting?
Sure. But what AI generates is a “raw” unedited transcript of every word spoken, including mumbles, ahems, and other extraneous speech. AI processes sound without context or comprehension, and speaker identification can also be challenging for these models. And raw transcripts can sometimes reach dozens or even hundreds of pages.
Golden Transcription Services uses minutes preparation professionals (real people) who are familiar with Virginia local government and terminology, assigning them to your locality or group for the duration of our partnership.
What types of recording formats are acceptable for transcription?
We can work with almost any type of video or audio file—such as Zoom recordings, MP4, MP3, WAV, MPEG, or WMA formats—in addition to the For the Record (FTR) court-standard digital recording system.
What is the turnaround time for minutes to be completed and returned?
Our standard turnaround times are flexible, typically ranging from 3–7 business days, with costs adjusted on a sliding scale accordingly. The first business day begins when we receive a recording of your meeting or notice that it has been posted in an accessible location. Please note that if there are issues with sound quality or difficulties with your audio, we will contact you immediately to determine a reasonable solution.
Do we have to enter into a formal contract for your services?
No. We can provide meeting minutes for anything from a single session to a calendar year to a multi-year backlog. There is no minimum number of meetings and no formal contract required. However, we do offer reduced rates for longer-term agreements—these typically run by calendar or fiscal year but are flexible depending on your needs.