Community Election of Specific Officers

Started by ML1 • 4 replies • 1147 views

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ML1 (Virginia)
Posts: 3

Posted:

My community is set up with a three person Board of Directors, with three offical officers - President, VP, Sec/Treas. As such all Directors are also officers, and we split up the offices when elected, per the direction of our management company. Here's my question: the community elects the Directors, who then chose their officers. Why? Is this simply by convention (all the research/reading I've done suggests this) or is it required? If so, by whom? Why couldn't we have candidates run for specific positions instead?

Also, does anyone have experience with adding Board Members? I know how to do it and amending our documents is not too onerous (we are a 50 member association of homes), but how do we know if we should? Our community is small enough that having a Board liaison and a chair for some committees doesn't really make sense, and adding two more Board members would spread the burden out a little further and allow officers to occasionally miss a meeting and not have the association grind to a halt as a result.

Thanks for your insights.

CharlesW1 (Georgia)
Posts: 826

Posted:

ML1,

I highly suggest not holding any elections for a particular position. Beside I’m certain your governing documents, has a particular order in which the board is required to follow once elected.

Review your governing documents they specifically, tell you who can hold what position and their responsibilities in such position.

I have experienced and witnessed myself were communities could use additional officials.(their documents say otherwise, with many more members) The elected officials assign positions based on experience (management skills, budget (numbers person), public speaking, etc.) these are all things that will help in being a board member.

Do you have a management co?

I personally (if I were you) would direct my attention on establishing committees within your community. Being a board member is a HUGE commitment and some members don’t nor should be a board member. With only 50 members in the community, three elected officials would be plenty for a board to operate sufficiently.

Committees are established to “lift” some of the burden (you speak of) off the board, so they can direct their attention to upholding and enforcing the governing documents, which in its self is a full time "JOB".

Best of luck
Chuck W.

Charles E. Wafer Jr.

ML1 (Virginia)
Posts: 3

Posted:

We have a management company; we inherited them when our developer turned over the HOA to the community last year. They have failed to perform their most basic duties well and have really damaged us by their lack of oversight and guidance. We have interviewed, selected, and are now in the process of hiring a new management company.

Thanks for your insights and I look forward to hearing what others have to say also. I have served in volunteer organizations previously and dealt with pettiness and bickering, but NOTHING like what I've encountered in this past year.

RogerB (Colorado)
Posts: 5,067

Posted:

ML1, with 50 members I think 3 Board members is usually adequate. Particularly if you hire a good managing agent to handle the day to day duties. Also, try to utilized other association members to serve on the Architectural and any other desired committees. The three Board members should focus on managing the HOA business.

ML1 (Virginia)
Posts: 3

Posted:

Roger, I understand what you are saying and it makes sense to me. How do you get Board members to do that? We have found that since we are such a small community, Board members want to 'do stuff' themselves rather than delegate. For example, our prior President was interested in focusing on one issue related to the turnover of our community from the builder, not interested in setting up committees, and wary of sharing too much information/power. This person would have been much better as a committee chair for that issue rather than the leader of our community. Even though we have a different President now, that pattern of behavior has carried over and it is hard to get on a new path. Instead of filling committees and directing/administering the work they do, Board Members have tried to do it all themselves (myself included at times). Since they can't, many things don't get any attention. I am hopeful our new management company can help relieve the burdens and give us better advice - and even help nudge our Board to delegate when possible.

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