Seeking Large or Passionate HOA Meeting in Phoenix

Started by RichM1 • 4 replies • 1419 views

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RichM1 (Arizona)
Posts: 5

Posted:

I am on the board of a 400 unit cooperative in the Phoenix area. As a coop, we are not legally required to have open board meetings and have not made them open to the members in all of our 45 years, although all Arizona HOAs are required to have open board meetings. However, we are now considering having "some" OPEN meetings (maybe quarterly) to offer a bit more transparency to our active members, and maybe even get more people involved and encourage them to volunteer for community service.

We currently hold town halls every other month, and we get 30-60 people who attend these, and some of the attendees are vocal and/or angry about the same topics every month. However, most people who requested open board meetings REALLY want to be heard formally by the Board, and some are suspicious of Board motives and do not understand how Boards work, and most just want to know what is going on BEFORE we decide rather than just hear about things afterward in Board minutes.

As part of the research, I would love to go SEE a fairly large and passionate and/or maybe even "contentious" HOA Board Meeting and see how it is managed. We do have annual membership meetings, but I was traveling during the last one and was told that it turned into a lengthy and painful drama fests, and so my goal is to avoid that.

I have been involved in several HOAs before, but the Board meetings were always small and cordial. I think WE may need a bit more formal structure to avoid having this experiment turn into a quagmire, however.

So, is anyone aware of a well-attended involved HOA meeting in the Phoenix area that I could attend?

KellyM3 (North Carolina)
Posts: 2,239

Posted:

Transparency is a powerful antidote for angry dues payers. If your board will not be more transparent, set aside legal permission to stay in perpetual Executive Session, then your culture won't change and dues payer mistrust of your board will be justified.
What other position could dues payers take?

"Trust me while I work secretively" never works. You've earned the trouble from those paying the bill.

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Rich

As you said:

"""""""I am on the board of a 400 unit cooperative in the Phoenix area. As a coop, we are not legally required to have open board meetings and have not made them open to the members in all of our 45 years, although all Arizona HOAs are required to have open board meetings."""""""

There is the problem. No openness. Personally I would not trust the BOD either.

Open the meeting up. Have an open session prior to the BOD Meeting where homeowners can make comments, suggestions, ask questions, etc. Then inform them once the meeting starts no comments, questions, remarks are allowed from non-BOD Members (unless they are called on) but they are most welcome to stay and listen. Along with this, become familiar with Ececutive Sessions.

Open it up Rich.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Rich,

Having an open board meeting is different than having a town hall meeting.

In a town hall, the board is there to answer questions. In a board meeting, the board is there to conduct business and non-board members are there as observers only.

Typically the Board does allow them to speak for a limited time at the beginning or end of a meeting.

If this is something you would like to do, I'd suggest the following:

1. publish the agenda a week in advance.
2. Require any who wish to speak on an agenda item to indicate this desire to the board within 48 hours of the meeting.
3. At the meeting, allow 2 or 3 minutes for each person who desires, to speak toward the agenda item.
4. At the end of the meeting, as time permits, allow those who desire to speak on any other topic 1 to 3 minutes. This is a time for the board to listen not respond. The only response should be that the board appreciates their concern and will take the issue under advisement.

KellyM3 (North Carolina)
Posts: 2,239

Posted:

Tim,

That's an excellent process! I should jot that down though we're only 236 properties and never hold town halls.

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