HOA Without Covenants

Our community has an HOA with nine (9) active board members in which I am an active volunteer relating to most activities within the community, but I do not have a title within BOD.

My question is this.
I would like to know exactly how the HOA is to inform the members that voluntarily pay yearly dues on such matters that require extra costs outside the typical maintenance & upkeep of the community – say spending money on “community picnics” or starting up a “Yard of the Month” with rewards. Are the board members required to contact all active members of the association for votes or does the board have the right to vote themselves on such matters? Should these such matters be written in the by laws; that they can spend the money anyway they see fit?

Are their any Georgia laws relating to this type of situation (voluntary associations without covenants)? I haven’t been able to find anything.

Susan - Thank you very much for your response. I like the idea of having a “Mission Statement” for the community, as I do not believe we currently have one at the moment! I will forward that idea at the next meeting.

From what you stated, would I be wrong in assuming that such things as “social or activity fund” should be listed in our by laws, so all voluntary members are aware of what and where the monies are being spent without the requirement of voting?

The budget should have been formulated by the board. That budget gets approved, either by the board of the Members, whichever is in your documents.

Your HOA should have a purpose statement - a reason why it exists. These purposes can include such things as: take care of common areas, provide water, provide activities for social interaction for the Members, maintain roads, etc.

Each of these purposes is funded in the budget. Anyone should be able to pick up the budget and see where all monies are being spent for the year.

Thanks again Susan. And I too believe an "edit" button would be useful as you can see from my double posting! LOL