Questions for a Prospective Board Member

Started by NpS • 17 replies • 1974 views

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NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

I've been sitting on the sidelines reading many strong opinions about the perspectives of board members vs HOs. It got me to thinking about a more general issue that we all face - What three questions would you ask a prospective board member?

Here's the 3 questions I came up with:

1. Have you run a business (or been responsible for a business unit)?

2. Why are you running for the board now, and what kept you from running before?

3. How do you think your relationship with your neighbors will change once you're on the board?

Wondering what your 3 questions would be.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

1. Do you have a thick skin?
2. Can you make the meetings and be active?
3. Are you taking medication and/or should we be aware of any mental conditions?

Former HOA President

KimR4 (Florida)
Posts: 33

Posted:

Have you read and, do you understand, your Master Deed, Bylaws, Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions?
Is your board committed to adhering to them?
Do you understand the financial/Budget obligations of your HOA?
Does your HOA employ a reputable, knowledgeable, overall good property manager?

Is there at least one person on your board interested, experienced, helpful?

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MelissaP1 on 07/26/2015 5:23 PM
1. Do you have a thick skin?
2. Can you make the meetings and be active?
3. Are you taking medication and/or should we be aware of any mental conditions?

I don't think I'd have enough info size up a candidate based on the answers to your 3 questions Melissa.

Probably couldn't ask #3 even if I wanted to.
Know many people who are good board members whose skin isn't that thick - so not sure what that question is going to achieve - other than act as a warning.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By KimR4 on 07/26/2015 5:38 PM
Have you read and, do you understand, your Master Deed, Bylaws, Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions?
Is your board committed to adhering to them?
Do you understand the financial/Budget obligations of your HOA?
Does your HOA employ a reputable, knowledgeable, overall good property manager?

Is there at least one person on your board interested, experienced, helpful?

Hi Kim
Looks like 5 questions. IMO, some of them would be more appropriate to ask a current board member. I was looking for what you would ask a new candidate who was not on the board. A new candidate might not know much about the current actions of the board.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

I sure like your topic, NpS. I'll try to think about it soon. Our own very full board meeting agenda is Tuesday so I'm prepping. I expect it'll be hours long. Our new PM is cleaning up some matters left by our old PM and it's taking a lot of agenda items. We also have an Executive Session before the regular meeting.

For starters, I might ask:

1. What two or three aspects of our community interest you the most? Why?
2. What experiences you have in you personal or occupational background that'll benefit our community? Details, please.
3. How much time per week are you willing and able to spend learning the (complicated!) basics of our state's HOA laws, and (the complicated!) CC&Rs, (easier) Bylaws, Rules & Regs and (six!) budgets?

I believe that your board, NpS, kind of brings perspective directors to private meetings to see what you all think and what s/he can bring to the table. What questions do you ask?

I'm looking forward to answers here as we're going to have a very competitive race for three open board seats (of 7) in October and will have a "Candidates Night" with their statements and Q&A. Now, each will complete a candidates Statement on which they're asked their "related" background. They also will sign it saying they understand & agree they will need to attend one regular meeting, one executive session and possibly one additional meeting per month.

I don't feel a business background is necessary, but in my 8+ years on the board, the weakest directors have had no experience in being a part of decision making bodies, e.g., task forces, advisory groups, others boards, community groups, hiring committees, etc. They had a very difficult time "doing" meetings.

GenoS (Florida)
Posts: 4,276

Posted:

Ideally I'd ask the same kinds of questions others have mentioned. What life experience would you bring to the table? Do you have any prior experience serving on an organization's board of directors? What do you think we should be doing differently?

This is a timely question for me also since we just had a director resign and we'll be announcing the board vacancy at our board meeting Tuesday night. We had no meeting in June and won't be having one in August so this is going to be a busy meeting. In January we've got 5 of the 7 board seats up for election. Hopefully at least 3 of the directors whose terms are up will volunteer to stick around.

Realistically I'd ask:

1. Would you be able to attend most of the meetings?
2. Do you have a business, managerial or legal background?
3. Do you have a computer and can you use email and a word processor?

I would only consider a 'yes' to #1 essential. We have a hard time getting people to volunteer so anything else would be gravy. As for #2 there are other backgrounds that would also be just as desirable.

KimR4 (Florida)
Posts: 33

Posted:

You came up with three questions. I came up with five

. All appropriate for a new candidate.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

We always provide an opportunity for questions from the membership to candidates for the Board.

To be honest, I can't recall a single question being asked by any member.

The only question asked by the Board was "would you be willing to serve on the Board next year?"

We rarely have enough candidates to fill the available seats.

BanksS
Posts: 403

Posted:

The most important question to ask is:
1. Have you ever participated in the on-line forum HOATALK.com?

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Banks

I have never told people about HOA Talk. I am afraid some of our dissenters would learn how to raise he!!.

BobD4 (up north)
Posts: 1,002

Posted:

"If you are crazy enough to put up with the thankless abuse that sometimes accompanies Board service, are you sane enough to be entrusted ?"

FredB4 (Ohio)
Posts: 375

Posted:

We consider ourselves lucky to just fill an available position never mind having a choice.

Melissa's #3 made me smile. I assume that a positive answer to that question would put the candidate at the top of the list.

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Geno

At one time we had what we thought was a great candidate for the BOD but it turned out that since he retired he does not do Email so we felt he would be out of the loop thus we did not encourage him.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

I really like Kerry's question regarding education - one thing I wish I'd been able to get across to my former Board colleagues is the importance of keeping up with current issues and best practices so they'd know how those changes would affect our community. They appreciated me attending local CAI seminars and passing the information along to them, but sometimes I wonder how much, if any of it, actually stuck.

Anyway, my questions (in addition to many of the others) would be:

1. Are you willing to stand behind a Board decision that really does benefit the entire community in the long run - although people will be royally pissed and say so?

2. What is your vision for the community?

3. What do you think is the biggest problem in our community RIGHT NOW and what are your thoughts on how we might resolve it?

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

DavidW5 (North Carolina)
Posts: 565

Posted:

In my particular HOA I would ask candidates:

1. Why are all board meetings closed? Will you vote to open board meetings (except executive sessions) to the association members?

2. Are you aware that 40% of our reserve funds are invested in stocks and bonds? Will you vote to change the investment policy so that all principal is insured by the federal government?

3. Are you aware that we have almost no operating contingency? Will you require the next budget to set aside an allocation to increase operating contingency?

Unfortunately almost nobody outside of our current board is even aware of these issues.

GenoS (Florida)
Posts: 4,276

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By JohnC46 on 07/27/2015 5:35 AM
Banks
I have never told people about HOA Talk. I am afraid some of our dissenters would learn how to raise he!!.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

I like Sheila's # 3!

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