I Lost a BOD Election and I am happy.

It's great that you helped get your Homeowner controlled HOA off to a heathy start. Since the new Board contains some directors whom you like an trust, I hope they're wise enough to seek your advice from time to time.

And you're right, the dissenter who was elected is one vote for one year. I congratulate you for learning do much about your new HOA and for being a large part of its good trajectory.

I've thought about what I'd do if I heard there was a "palace coup" in the works to knock me off the board. My thinking is I'd probably feign indignation and immediately resign....then rush for the door and onto other time-wasters.

Good point, JonC. We've had a couple of owners elect red tot he Board over the past 8+ years who'v been "dissenters," but came around when they learned that their fellow owners on the Board were NOT "them," but us! And we knew a few things that these dissenters learned to understand about HOA issues and governance.

On the other hand, we've had some newbies on the Board who weren't dissenters, and decided they didn't need to learn anything. Ugh--awful directors!

Nancy

Thank you.

Our HOA has no major problems. We have a strong but smooth and competent PM who handles day to day affairs.

The next major hurdle will be the end of this year. There has never been a dues increase and that is going on 7 years now. The BOD realizes there must be an increase as do many of our fellow/brighter owners. 3 of the BOD believe about an 8% increase. Two of us believe an increase of 12-15%. Per our Covenants, the BOD can increase the dues once a year. They will have to notify all owners in writing of any such increase on or before 12/01 and it becomes effective on 01/01 unless disapproved at a meeting by a majority of the total association vote. This would mean 57 of 113 would have to vote no. The BOD is certainly not going to call for a meeting to vote on it so it would have to be a Special Meeting called by someone other than the BOD thus it gets trickier and trickier.

As I said earlier, I have already been "felt out" about being appointed to the BOD as the President has a contract to sell his home, closing in July. I have said I am not interested as I believe it could create a problem that we do not need. I have advised them to begin a search for a good replacement.

Part of me says my fellow owners have made their own bed now let them lie in it........LOL

Again, thanks for the kind words.

Say, JohnC, what are the "dissenters" dissenting about? Is it about the upcoming use increase? Or random, petty stuff? Or are they just misinformed?

Kerry

There are always some that will never be happy no matter what situation they are in. There are some that will never adapt to the majority rules type living. There are always some with their pet issues/projects.

Our issues started with one 70 year old (Bill) who moved here from FL some 4 years ago. I went over and introduced myself and asked if he played golf as he was welcome to join our Senior Mens Golf Association. He said he did not and as we chatted, he soon went off about the declarant being a liar and cheater. Bill was saying we should take legal action against the declarant to turnover the HOA to we owners. He said in FL, etc. I reminded him this was not FL. As I was a supporter/liker of the declarant (plus on the declarant appointed Advisory BOD), Bill and I locked horns from the get go.

I did later learn that Bill had done some sort of Reverse Mortgage Financing???? and the declarant had refused to "go along to get along" with some parts of it. That took a few glasses of good scotch for me to get the information from the declarant.

Bill's home is in a location where many walkers pass along side of to walk around our pond. Bill would sit on his porch and introduce himself. Bill was the one of the first fellow owners that many new owners met. He would soon began his diatribe with them. He was in some sense, rather harmless as he had a small audience. At our Annual Meetings (2012, 2013, 2104) we could see the doubts and questions rising and we knew where they were arising from. One could see Bill's lies and mistruths. One I recall was Bill had been saying things like "I heard" the landscaper is a relative of our declarant and the declarant gets kick backs. Questions were asked, answered, and soon put to rest. As Bill's audience was never that large, the declarant and the Advisory BOD basically ignored him.

In mid 2014 and transition to owners scheduled to happen on 01/01/2015 (announced at our 05/2014 Annual Meeting), Bill encouraged his next door neighbor (Jim) to start an anti-declarant newsletter. Jim took to it with great zeal. After a few very error filled editions, I suggested we recruit Jim to be on our Advisory BOD and participate in the upcoming transition to we owners. Jim joined the Advisory BOD and once he saw what we were doing, the tone of the newsletter soon became more positive. The problem was the negative newsletter editions had already done some damage. Bill had gathered some 15 to 20 (of 113) to his cause. When we had an Owner Transitional Information Meeting in December 2014, we had to go into an explain and defend mode. The saving grace that night was the PM we had hired was introduced. He is very polished and experienced PM. He was prepared (as we had warned him) and he did a great job presenting his company and services. Most walked out of there feeling comfortable.

When we transitioned (01/01/2015) all went well. In February, Jim became ill and dropped of the Advisory BOD. He also turned the newsletter over to the BOD and we let it die a slow death. Bill still had his supporters and though they were dwindling, they were still a factor.

We had our first owner controlled Annual Meeting and BOD election on 04/28/2015. The rest is history.

I need a drink.......LOL

I expect you'll be back on the board soon enough John. Enjoy your well deserved break.

NPS and Jon

As time goes by, I miss it less and less.

Thanks for advice and kind words.