Physical locked dropbox

Started by TonyN2 • 4 replies • 269 views

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TonyN2 (Illinois)
Posts: 62

Posted:

I'm a president of an HOA. I'd like to install a physical locked dropbox for people to drop in votes, written letters to the board, responses to the board requesting info, etc.

Does this decision to buy a $75 lockbox become a decision made by the whole board or is one person able to make that decision?
I know it's a silly question, but seriously. It's not a big expense at all and will really help the board by connecting us to our owners in a more official way.

Also, most of the members of our board are just inactive and don't care to do much outside of responding to emergencies so I find myself brainstorming these ideas.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

As I said to another poster on a similar subject - whenever association funds are spent, the board should know and approve of where the money's going and for what reason. It does seem that $75 isn't a ton of money, but the small things can and do matter because they sometimes have a way of blowing up into bigger issues.

That said, I think getting a lockbox is a great idea. Our clubhouse installed one over the mailbox slot on the front door, so whenever there's a meeting, it can be opened and the mail removed. We also have a website where there's one email address to the board where people can do the same thing - that might also be something to consider because lockboxes can be damaged or broken into. You may want to make a suggestion on that as well.

Getting one isn't an emergency, so this can wait until the next meeting. Make your proposal and get board authorization to buy it and the association can reimburse you. If you have a property manager, it should be a matter of making a motion to approve the purchase and then the property manager can get it and have it installed.

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

HenryS7 (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 336

Posted:

It depends a lot on your association.

For ours, I give myself spending authority to spend up to $500 without a board vote. This happens to be what we as a board decided to give our property manager, so I essentially can spend the same as our property manager without board approval. So the purchase of a $75 lockbox would be something I could do without board approval.

However, the installation of such a thing in our community would not be a decision that I would make alone. It would be a board decision that we need a lockbox and discussed among us as a board.

AugustinD
Posts: 3,698

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By HenryS7 on 01/07/2022 11:17 AM
However, the installation of such a thing in our community would not be a decision that I would make alone. It would be a board decision that we need a lockbox and discussed among us as a board.

I agree with the above in particular.

Who will check the contents of the lockbox? How often?

To the OP: You do realize that every submission to the lockbox that is addressed to the board now has to be copied/scanned and sent to each director, correct? I would think you would want to encourage digital communications as much as the law permits.

TonyN2 (Illinois)
Posts: 62

Posted:

Totally agree with everyone and I will bring this up to the board for approval, thank you!

Quote:

Posted By AugustinD on 01/07/2022 11:20 AM

To answer you AugustinD, we actually don't currently copy & scan anything. It stays in it's original form in the board room filing cabinet. Things are bit different here at our condo. Really low energy from other board members from past years led to this. I have since created a website with a contact form and also have created a google drive for everyone to access useful info at. I don't think we have the bandwith to copy and scan everything (yet). Great idea though!

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