Sick Attendee

Started by RosalieJ • 9 replies • 593 views

💬 Join us to post & get advice from 50,000 HOA & Condo leaders.

⚡ Takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in

RosalieJ (North Dakota)
Posts: 7

Posted:

My first open Board meeting as president went so well that the homeowners in attendance gave the Board a round of applause when it adjourned.
We did, however, have a problem I don't know how to handle. One of the homeowners came in late, coughing like she should have been hospitalized with pneumonia. All through the meeting she coughed, blew her nose, gasped, and people sitting near her moved away until she was sitting all alone.
My concern and that of everybody else in attendance was the fact that she was spreading her germs to everyone else. I didn't know if I could legally or ethically ask her to leave. I didn't. What to do when/if this situation arises again?
Thanks!
Rosalie in New Mexico

GeorgeS21 (Florida)
Posts: 3,808

Posted:

Move away from her.

Adjourn and run?

DeidreB (Virginia)
Posts: 113

Posted:

If this is the biggest problem you face as a Board President you will be doing quite well!

I think this is one of those things where you just show compassion and allow everyone to fend for themselves

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

You can request or post that if you are ill please do not attend meeting. Make other arrangements with them like a speaker phone call or Skype. Tell them can make a personal call later. Even doctor offices isolate those with flu symptoms.

Just change a process to accommodate those who want to attend but can not due various reasons. Maybe record meetings and share later. with so much illness going on try to compensate.

I know deal with at work alot too. We would spray everything down with Lysol. Plus I keep hand sanitizer with me at all times.

Former HOA President

SueW6 (Michigan)
Posts: 814

Posted:

If you felt that this behavior was disrupting the meeting, a motion to excuse the member could have been in order.

Was her attendance absolutely required to meet the quorum requirement? Why would she feel pressure to get out of sick bed to attend?

AugustinD
Posts: 5,144

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SueW6 on 02/23/2020 7:34 AM
If you felt that this behavior was disrupting the meeting, a motion to excuse the member could have been in order

I think that claiming that someone having cold/flu symptoms is disrupting the meetings is an enormous stretch. Attending meetings is an important legal right of members. I would never advise the above. I do advise the OP to set up phone attendance and offer this as an option. OP, if it's not in the governing documents, do not do it. Any unclear situations should be left to a competent HOA attorney to resolve.

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

This is actually timely, with COVID-19 in the news.

Boards should probably start thinking about what to do if there was a quarantine (for any reason) in your immediate area, and if your state/governing docs don't allow email board decisions. And what about your annual meeting? In fact, disaster preparedness should be a part of any corporation's planning efforts (as if board members don't have enough on their plates already).

Those of us who are old enough remember when quarantining was a fairly routine thing, but it will come as a shock to many who are used to going wherever they want whenever they want.

GenoS (Florida)
Posts: 4,276

Posted:

Timely fearmongering.

In Florida it's almost a given that there would be a disaster proclamation from the governor and many restrictions on what a board can do and how it operates go out the window when that happens. I won't be spending any time at all worrying about this in the context of an HOA.

PaulJ6
Posts: 990

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By RosalieJ on 02/22/2020 8:12 PM
My first open Board meeting as president went so well that the homeowners in attendance gave the Board a round of applause when it adjourned.
We did, however, have a problem I don't know how to handle. One of the homeowners came in late, coughing like she should have been hospitalized with pneumonia. All through the meeting she coughed, blew her nose, gasped, and people sitting near her moved away until she was sitting all alone.
My concern and that of everybody else in attendance was the fact that she was spreading her germs to everyone else. I didn't know if I could legally or ethically ask her to leave. I didn't. What to do when/if this situation arises again?
Thanks!
Rosalie in New Mexico

Hold a hearing, fine her and post the fine on the Internet.

(Just kidding- that's how a bad HOA would respond. Just do as you did.)

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Former HOA President

🎯 You've read this entire discussion

Join the conversation with 50,000 HOA & Condo Leaders:

✓ Ask follow-up questions
✓ Share your experience
✓ Get expert advice
✓ Access 350,000 discussions

Create Free Account →

⚡ Takes 30 seconds

Already a member? Log in here