Well, This Inspires Confidence

Started by CathyA3 • 18 replies • 317 views

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CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

Just received an email from our board president announcing the date of the next meeting. The email also contained a photo of two of our elderly board members holding a chain saw.

Off to review my insurance policies...

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 4,420

Posted:

Ha. Does the photo suggest the two directors are about to take down a tree on common area?

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

Oh, they're definitely taking down trees and whatnot.

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 4,420

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By CathyA3 on 07/24/2023 9:05 AM
Oh, they're definitely taking down trees and whatnot.

[Slapping forehead]

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By ElleN on 07/24/2023 9:10 AM

Posted By CathyA3 on 07/24/2023 9:05 AM
Oh, they're definitely taking down trees and whatnot.

[Slapping forehead]

I agree. Stupid, dangerous, open to lawsuits. I could go on.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

And your Board, Cathy, can take down trees and "whatnot' by making decisions in closed meetings, right? But the meeting the Board announced will be open to owners?

I'm guessing it's very difficult to unsee the pic. Ewwww.

ElleN (Idaho)
Posts: 4,420

Posted:

Full disclosure: Over a decade ago and as a director I wielded a (small, woman-sized but yes plenty lethal) chainsaw on common area on a wildly successful HOA community indoor and outdoor clean-up day. Yes it was foolish, reckless and dumb.

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

Yes to all of this. It's why one of the few things I complained about in writing is our use of volunteers to do physical labor. I swear these people want to get us sued. We had elderly gents shoveling snow and spraying chemicals around, we had children doing yard work. The sad thing is that they're proud of themselves for "saving money".

Oh well, I was planning to bring up financial stuff at the coming meeting, including insurance challenges being faced by community associations everywhere. I can easily add "what happens when a board member removes body parts" to the narrative.

I'm an older person, too, and I understand how tempting it is to pretend that your physical skills are still what they were 30 years ago. But one of the board members is a retired university professor who, I'm sure, did not wield chain saws as part of their job. Good thing the Fire & Rescue squad is less than half a mile away.

TerriS6 (California)
Posts: 3,284

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By CathyA3 on 07/24/2023 8:02 AM
Just received an email from our board president announcing the date of the next meeting. The email also contained a photo of two of our elderly board members holding a chain saw.

Off to review my insurance policies...

Do they know only one of them at a time can operate the saw?

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By TerriS6 on 07/24/2023 10:43 AM

Do they know only one of them at a time can operate the saw?

I would assume so. But since they clearly think this is a good idea, not betting money on it.

I was tempted to suggest that they share the photo with the association's attorney, but that could backfire.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

What happened? Ed Gein move into the hood with a friend?

Former HOA President

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Some probably remember my little story of the 80 y.o. Social committee volunteer who, with other members, was decorating our 12' tall lobby Christmas tree. Our insurer had told the Board that directors & committee members were not covered if they climbed on ladders, messed with mechanicals or electricity, carried heavy loads, etc., and got hurt.

So our bldg. eng. asst. used the ladder for higher decorating and went to lunch. Mr. Helper climbed the ladder to place some ornaments and sure enough the ladder tipped and it plunged! Luckily, right into the large tree and not onto the stone lobby floor. Ms. Tree & Mr. Helper were fine tho' the latter had to pick needles out of his hair.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Sooo... I decided to do a "volunteer day" event. This was just for the kids. Had some kids who really wanted to participate and do something. Thought why not have them help me clean the pool area and pool furniture? I had some small repairs to do in the clubhouse. Few kids could help clean bathrooms/kitchen etc... So I picked up the kids and drove them to the clubhouse/pool. Was there for 10 minutes. Apparently the "Widget" I was using to scrape off the wall putty for the hole repair slipped. Slipped right into side of my pinky!!!

I literally ripped off nearly to the bone the entire side of my pinky finger! Quickly wrapped it in some paper towels and held pressure on it. Had to run around grabbing ALL the kids and take them all home while pouring out blood. Told the parents "Sorry but had a little accident" while holding my finger together. It should have been stitched up. By the time got the kids back home, I didn't feel like going to the hospital. Taped it up.

A good example of you really never know when you may have an accident even doing the simplest things. You also don't know those who volunteer aren't accident prone till they are...

Former HOA President

TerriS6 (California)
Posts: 3,284

Posted:

I hope you can get to emergency. Don’t want to risk infection. You’re a trooper for getting those kids home. Kids willing to work? That’s a surprise.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

This was years ago. My finger healed up after a few weeks of taping it and putting it in a brace. The kids really wanted to be involved. So much so I made them their own "board". I let the kids come up with their own ideas they could present to the adult board. There are times when the words and ideas of children supercede the adults... They live in the HOA too. Why not let them have a voice?

Former HOA President

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

Yeah, kids like to help. And back in the pre-HOA days, if they helped around the yard and got hurt, there'd be a mad dash to the ER - and mom and dad would have words later about who was supposed to be watching the littles.

In a condo community, if the kids get hurt "helping" do yard work, the parents would probably hand the bills to the association and tell them to pay up. This is why boards need to be the adults in the room and understand the concept of liability.

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,062

Posted:

Concerning removing trees in the common areas:

In my previous Association the board discovered (the hard way) that based on local permitting and PLAT approvals, the board could remove trees BUT was also required to replace them with the same species in the same location. Otherwise, the Association could face fines from the local building plans approving office. This was discovered after a resident (who knew this) reported the Association to the appropriate office. The board received, through it's registered agent, a demand letter to replace the trees according to the plan within 30 days or face substantial fines.

I supported the members right to report the issue to the government office. However, had they simply informed the board the issue would have been resolved with the same results without the need to cause upheaval and dividing of the community.

Therefore, you might want to check with the local government building permitting office.

KathyF13 (Florida)
Posts: 31

Posted:

Tim, your post has me thinking. Our HOA is 40 years old and planted bushes outside our fences. Many died over the years, and still have the hard stump under the dirt. Is the board responsible to remove stumps still in the ground, beneath ground level from homeowners property if the developer initially planted them?

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,062

Posted:

Florida has very unique statutes that I have limited knowledge about.

My gut says that they do not have to remove the stumps.
However, one would need to check statutes, etc.

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