Need Perspective on Meeting Minutes

Below is a copy of our last board meeting minutes. Our new MC/PM took these meeting minutes for the first time. She is new as our MC/PM. I'm sure I'm probably being overly sensitive to these minutes, anything below the double asterisk line, has caused me concern, considering the fallout. These minutes were approved, and sent out to our 90 home owners. I have read over our Declaration, and Roberts Rules of Order, and it seems my interpretation of these guidelines is different from the PM, who typed them up and sent them out. Again, anything below the double asterisk line. The target of the inflammatory comments, is very upset, and has been sending out emails to all of us, and many neighbors for the last two days. I'll readily admit, I'm more conservative and cautionary, about these kind of comments being made about a past board president/member. None of the comments raises to the level of slander, just done in bad taste to me. Please help to give me some perspective here. And, yes, after the fallout I have strongly voiced my displeasure with the minutes in regards to the inflammatory comments being added to the minutes.

July 21, 2012

Meeting: 11am at 204 Bobby’s Branch Road
Present: Board Members-Janice Thompson, Cindy Low, Stephen Saddler, John Seramba, 4 Homeowners in attendance

Board President Janice Thompson went through the agenda:

Old Business:
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July meeting date was changed to July 21
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Vent covers to stop birds were installed on the 1st and 2nd floors and Board approved proceeding with the 3rd floor
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Building 5 motor noise will be addressed-Board approved the electrician to proceed
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Irrigation work completed
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Landing board replacement/repair was approved by the Board-will begin with worst building and work through

New Business:
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Line striping-bids obtained, still in discussion
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Sprinkler System-alarm company will call management
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Irrigation-rain sensor installed
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Community Get Together-date of September 8th
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Fire Extinguishers-most are expired, advised to purchase one with code A,B,C
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Current satellite policy was sent to FCC for review and it could take 1+ years for a response
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Unit keys are being held with management
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Pets-please be sure to clean up after dogs, keep them leashed, be mindful of barking
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Update on door painting-some bids have been obtained, management to get another
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Bird spikes-installed above areas that the birds like to nest as a way to deter them
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Sodding in courtyards in front of building 4 & 5 approved by Board
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Ground leveling and sodding behind building 4 approved by Board
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Swale and sod on Mitchell street side of building 2 completed
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Swale between building 2 & 3 completed
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Drain along island between buildings 1 & 2 approved by Board
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Bid obtained from landscaper to move some of the existing shrubs-price still being discussed by Board
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Do not pull cars up into grass as it blocks the sprinkler heads
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Management will look into no soliciting signs
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Vice President of the Board, Deb Donmoyer resigned-Board will keep her seat vacant until October
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Treasure’s Report:
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John Seramba took floor and resigned from the Board effective immediately
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He stated the following reasons:
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Tired of the multiple emails back and forth between the Board
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Tired of the bickering among the Board and said that 7 years is enough
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Stated his disgust with a previous Board member having a kitchen faucet replaced and billed to the community-gross abuse of power
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Management company is to be the same for Lighthouse Village as it is for the Master association, future Board cannot change until Master HOA is turned over
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Violations are creating issues between residents and the Board-John emphasized that things need to run through management
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Janice Thompson responded:
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The previous Board was falling apart due to no communication
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The old president did not communicate and left other Board members to take control of matters
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Stated issues with previous management companies that resulted in Board members becoming more involved
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Stated that the reason for the number of emails was because the previous management company was not doing their job
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John Seramba concluded:
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Things (i.e. violations) must be the same standard for all residents in the community
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He was so tired of the number of emails that he just stopped reading them
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Feels that no one wants to hear what he has to say and offer so it is time for him to remove himself and allow another homeowner to volunteer for the position

Open Floor:
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Homeowners expressed unhappiness with the loss of both Deb and John from the Board. Made multiple comments about working together as a Board and community.
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Question brought up about the ponds.
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Management explained that this is separate from Lighthouse Village as it is still under the control of the developer and that a proposal for cleanup was presented to them (Developer).

Meeting was adjourned.

Yup, too many people think minutes are transcriptions of the meeting. they are NOT. If you want a play by play of the meeting, attend it.

Minutes are copies of crucial facts:

Who attended
the agenda
what motions were made, what votes were taken, and what actions were put into place.

transcribing conversations, replaying all the crud is not needed and is not conducive to a good, effective meeting (or minutes).

This is a brief summary of what would constitues minutes. I am curious where it came from. Or is it just you own interpretation? Thanks. I was disappointed the minutes of my own HOA don't mention an agenda; there rarely is one, which I hate.

Typically, the agenda should be an attachment to the minutes (at least that's what we do).

Check with your local school board or city council and look how their meeting minutes are written up.

If something is voted on, there should be a record of how each board member votes. This allows people to see if they are voting for the director who represents their view and also should there be legal problems, who would have liability. (e.g. if two board members vote against doing something illegal and the rest vote for, then the two who voted against would not have personal liability should there be will misconduct or gross negligence found).

Most HOA business where I live is completely sloppy. I wrote 4 emails asking 3 people for the minutes to a meeting in March, and another in May. I finally received the minutes for 1 of the 2 meetings.