Audio Recordings of BOD Meetings

I agree Audio Recordings are good if taken in a professional tone. However, it is NOT okay to record meetings without knowledge or posting them on YouTube. That seems to be the problem area many posters on here have an issue with. Their board may tell them they can not record the meeting. I think it should be the board doing the recordings and handing them out and not random members. If people do not know they are being recorded that can fall into that "wire tapping" area. The recordings would not be admissable in court as all parties must recognize they are being recorded.

There is a line on recording meetings. If it is acknowledged and the board does/allows it, then go for it. However, if there is no permission given or acknowleging your recording, then no. It really crosses the line when it is posted on social media. That is just being disgruntle and damaging to your own HOA.

I think $50 dollars is a bit much for a copy when considering the cost of a CD or private online link to download or listen.

As for meetings, check your state laws for every state is different. Here in Florida a homeowner can record the meetings if they wanted to. The board can adopt reasonable rules but that still cannot prevent a homeowner from recording a meeting and posting it online.

I agree. And I think that the more people that make recordings, the better. That way one person cannot selectively edit their recording without it being different from the other recordings. Plus if only one person makes the recording, there may be meetings where no one managed to make a recording.
$50 is way too high a price to get a copy of the recording. A website to host the recordings only costs around $5-$10 per month. The incremental cost of downloading each recording from the site is typically zero, as are the other uses for the website.

Eric

I am looking at it simply. We record the meeting. A member wants a copy. Not an issue but the work/effort must be made to provide such. Also if the cost is to low then every to lazy to attend member might just want one. We agree be open and above board but let us not lose money doing such.

I never looked at others making copies so there can be no selective editing. Candidly if it got to that point, I would not be part of it one way or another. I am from the school of cheaters cheat so do not spend time and money trying to stop cheaters as they will just find another way to cheat.

One fellow BOD member I had issues with was a teacher. He wanted published rules for everything. Want to go pee? Raise hand, ask permission, get a slip, time stamp it, show it if questioned, etc. I kept saying these are not children we represent. Many of them are smarter, better educated, make more money, have more life experiences, been there done it, etc. then many of us. Do not treat them as children. He never got it.....LOL

Our BOD has taken the "minimalist" position on minutes where only BOD resolutions and votes are detailed, all other agenda items are listed as "discussed". Consequently, the minutes provide little to no value to residents, especially those who did not attend the meeting. Luckily, in Florida, residents have the right to record a meeting and share with other residents. Any BOD that would try to block this is not only in violation of Florida Statute 720, but suspect.