publishing of phone #

Started by NancyC9 • 12 replies • 1861 views

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NancyC9 (Florida)
Posts: 6

Posted:

I am the treasurer of a FL HOA and prefer to correspond with members via email. Two different "high maintenance" members have requested my phone number - am I obligated to provide it? This is a volunteer position so I try to manage the amount of time I spend on HOA matters by when I do or don't log in. I am on my email at least once a day and feel I am very timely in my response time to matters. I am torn between being "available" and being "overwhelmed". . . What is the Best Practice here?

Thanks for any replies.

SureshD
Posts: 268

Posted:

No obligation for you to be "available" at any other time than at a BOD meeting.

E-mailing on your own time is already above-and-beyond what many will do.

BrianB (California)
Posts: 2,820

Posted:

tell them: I do not use my personal phone for business, so i do not wish to give out that number for business purposes. I have established a method of contact, via XXX and YYY, and I check those methods (daily, weekly, hourly, etc).

If the board wishes to contact me via telephone, they are free to provide me with a business phone line dedicated for that purpose.

DanielH1 (California)
Posts: 482

Posted:

No, you aren't obligated to provide your phone number.

If you have a manager or management company, give their phone number.

If not, you can direct them to attend Board meetings.

Explain that, as one member of a multi-member Board, you are powerless to do anything unless a majority of the Board approves so you can't do anything for them anyhow.

RogerB (Colorado)
Posts: 5,067

Posted:

Nancy, homeowners need to be able to contact someone when they have a problem or a question. Being available to homeowners is one of our most time consuming responsibilities as a property manager. So I suggest either have a means for owners to get prompt answers to their questions or else hire a manager to handle the daily duties for the HOA.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Nancy,

As others have said, you are not obligated to release your number. IMO we ask the board members and Architectural chair if they are willing to have their numbers published in our newsletter. Some do and some do not. Personally, as long as email is checked two or three times a day, I don't see the harm in keeping the numbers private.

Being one of the members who released their numbers, I can tell you that the only calls you receive tend to be complaints and that is something that is better handled via written correspondence.

JeffP6 (Florida)
Posts: 91

Posted:

Nancy do you have a management company for your HOA or does the board do everything themselves?

NancyC9 (Florida)
Posts: 6

Posted:

Jeff, Thanks for your reply. No, we do not have a management company. I do all the email and written correspondence for 49 lots. The work load is minimal sometimes and quite a bit others (like immediately before and after annual assessment time). The "squeaky wheels" who ask for my # (only a few) are the ones who never attend meetings, request documents I've already emailed, etc. If I'm not breaking any laws, I'd really prefer to not be available via phone.

NancyC9 (Florida)
Posts: 6

Posted:

Thanks Brian, you said it perfectly. Appreciate your reply.

NancyC9 (Florida)
Posts: 6

Posted:

Suresh, Daniel, Roger, Virginia, et. al (if I forgot anyone). . .

Many thanks for your replies. Just confirming that I wasn't doing anything I shouldn't! I will continue to be faithful to my email communications. . .

NancyC9 (Florida)
Posts: 6

Posted:

I can't think of a time I haven't replied within 24 hours, 48 at the longest if I need to contact our president. I'm thinking that is prompt enough. Do you agree?

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

yep

MaryA1 (Arizona)
Posts: 7,043

Posted:

Nancy,

I know you didn't ask this, but emailing your fellow board membes may be a violation of open meeting laws, which I believe exist in FL. You may want to check this out.

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