Sending Official Minutes and Newsletter to HOA Memebers

Started by RichF3 • 9 replies • 1098 views

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RichF3 (New York)
Posts: 3

Posted:

I am in NYS and on our board. Younger members want emails of the offical meeting minutes and newsletters.

I am seeking help from
step 1 - bringing this up at the board meeting
how to go about approving it

Do we need to use a .org as a nonprofit?

I am not even sure what to ask. Has anyone been a part of creating an email list-serv for their HOA members?
What worked and what didn't? What are definite do's and don'ts?

I apologize if this has been covered. A search didn't bring up a recent topic this specific. A link to an discussion that already covers this here or elsewhere would also be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Richard

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Rich,

My Association owns a website where we post all of our minutes behind a members only (password protected) area. Other information is available to anyone.

You may utilize any web suffix (top level domain) you desire. However, it would be best to utilize a .org (it just isn't any regulation on that).

If you want the Association to start a website (or simply want to scan and email the minutes to those who ask), you simply make a motion at the board meeting and the board votes on it.

I have found that by posting most association information on our website, we have very few requests for association documents. When we do, we often simply inform the member that the info is located on the website.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

Some discussions on websites (please don't reactivate, simply use for research):

Subject: Budgets on the website

Subject: Websites

Subject: Websites for HOAs

Community Associations A Fairfax County site that lists all Associations within the County. Within that list are links to the websites of Associations that chose to have them. Simply click on the name. This will show you the variety of sites that are being used.

Subject: Websites: Policies and Procedures

Subject: Facebook in lieu of website

Subject: new Hoa website

Again, please do not reactivate any of the above threads.
Simply continue to post comments and questions on this thread.

Hope this helps.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Any Owner in my HOA, Rich, who wishes may receive e-blasts from our General Manager. so...once a month our newsletter goes to them along with a copy of the most recent approved minutes attached. The latter also are available in the protected area of our website, which is maintained by our management company.

The newsletters are posted on our home page.

FredS7 (Arizona)
Posts: 927

Posted:

> Younger members want emails

Then they should be willing to help with setting it up. (Instead of expecting someone to do it because they "want" it.)

Having said that- it is a good idea.

GenoS (Florida)
Posts: 4,276

Posted:

We have several email lists. One for the newsletter which is written each month by a volunteer on the social committee. It's not an "official" publication of the HOA. People wanting to receive it send her an email and she adds their email address to the newsletter distribution list.

We have another distribution list used for sending out minutes of meetings. We require written permission from the owners to get on that list.

We also have another distribution list to which we send out notices. This one is statutory and requires written permission as per state law.

The lists for the minutes and notices are maintained by the secretary and traditionally the secretary sends things out using his or her private email address.

RichF3 (New York)
Posts: 3

Posted:

I am watching these replies with great interest. The simple message board seems best.
Has anyone used WIX?
Should this be password protected for only members of the HOA? There is also a church I will visit to see how they do theirs.

RichF3 (New York)
Posts: 3

Posted:

This is helpful

I am not a professional web designer, but have some experience in the area. I would recommend to anyone the following:

Get a site hosted by a company that offers email list management. My personal choice is "mailman". This system allows people to choose to opt in and out of email notifications. You can setup various lists with different levels of notification.

Next get a content management system. You can go with something setup for you, or set one up yourself. There are several good free systems out there. I would recommend considering joomla, drupal, or mambo. Then setup an area with the following:
governing documents

minutes

other items of interest

I would bet that more then half the residents would prefer to not receive the minutes, but prefer to just know where they can be seen. But with different lists, you can send items as appropriate.

For instance if you have a "minutes" list you simply email the minutes to the list and those on the list receive them. You could also have a separate list for announcements of important information. For instance, you might want to tell everyone when you have set the dues level for the next year regardless of their choosing to receive the minutes.

GenoS (Florida)
Posts: 4,276

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By RichF3 on 10/03/2017 3:14 PM
Next get a content management system. You can go with something setup for you, or set one up yourself. There are several good free systems out there. I would recommend considering joomla, drupal, or mambo.

I have looked into doing exactly that and it's easier said than done. Routine updates and maintenance can require significant man hours. Routine database maintenance is another bit of expertise that's required. If you've got someone to volunteer to do the work, great, but odds are that at some point you're not going to have that expertise available from volunteers.

Having said that, I started a project of this type using Django and laid it aside after a few months. If I were to re-start that project I'd probably start over again with Joomla. I've got plenty of PC and server hardware to support a small-ish development effort but I wonder how may others would have that ability. Maybe if you're in Sillycon Valley, Boston, New York, or some other hotbed of tech types you might have a plethora of people willing to work on such a system, document it, and support it.

2 AM phone call from homeowner: "I forgot my password!"

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