Inspection of records

If a member obtains documents from the association under the right to "inspect records" civil code, does he or she have the right to then distribute those documents to other members?

I think inspect records is different than copy records. You can look at the documents and then pay for copies. Copies are not free. I would also not make them free to others. Some information should still be private. That are individual collection records. You should know your record but no need to broadcast to everybody else. Do you want people to see and broadcast your records? That is what your asking.

If they are members why are they not making the effort to be informed? You can bring the lake to the camel but you can not make them drink. Trying sell your point does not mean anyone is buying or in the market.

Betty,

The Association has no control over what someone does with documents that they receive. This is why certain records are allowed to be withheld (as it protects privacy).

First of all, there shouldn't be anything in those records that the Association is worried about. Therefore, you really shouldn't be that concerned as to who obtains them (although I am for only releasing certain information, like financial, to members, it shouldn't be an issue if someone else got that info).

Second of all, if there is something in the records that the Association is worried about, they should have already addressed it or be addressing it and have made the membership aware of the issue. If this was done, then there shouldn't be an issue.

Whenever I read something about people being concerned about the release of information, I have to ask, who is being embarrassed by it? If they are embarrassed by what the records show, perhaps they shouldn't have done what caused the embarrassment.

What documents did the individual obtain?

I agree with you 100% and I believe we should eliminate executive sessions as ALL association business should be out in the open.

No.

The law says if you are subject to restrictive covenants you have entered a contract with all others who are also subject to the same covenants. If one of those covenants is that I have to pay assessments then I should have the right to know which other parties are not performing their part of the bargain.

In Arizona, records are subject to ARS 33-1805:

B. Books and records kept by or on behalf of the association and the board may be withheld from disclosure to the extent that the portion withheld relates to any of the following:
1. Privileged communication between an attorney for the association and the association.
2. Pending litigation.
3. Meeting minutes or other records of a session of a board meeting that is not required to be open to all members pursuant to section 33-1804.
4. Personal, health or financial records of an individual member of the association, an individual employee of the association or an individual employee of a contractor for the association, including records of the association directly related to the personal, health or financial information about an individual member of the association, an individual employee of the association or an individual employee of a contractor for the association.
5. Records relating to the job performance of, compensation of, health records of or specific complaints against an individual employee of the association or an individual employee of a contractor of the association who works under the direction of the association.

We have debated paragraph 4 repeatedly in my association. Some interpret this to mean that I cannot obtain records relating to a particular member's payments. I say I am entitled to view the record as to whether he paid but that I may not obtain information such as the credit card number that may be on file for his payments or the bank account number he wrote his check against.