Committees

Start with reading your documents- that's where you ALWAYS begin (saves time).

Generally, advisory committees are chartered by the board - it dictates what the committee is supposed to do, usually researching an issue in more detail or spearheading specific projects, such as organizing community wide activities, such as a summer cookout. The board also appoints people to the committee and someone serves as chairperson, with meeting minutes being submitted to the board (which are then attached to board meeting minutes.)

Committees aren't the same as board meetings, so there may not be a requirement to make those meetings open. Remember the committee can recommend whatever it wants, but the final decision should be made by the board, and that decision should be made in an open meeting. Personally, I wouldn't have an issue with committee meetings being open because they shouldn't be hiring over confidential information. For example, a finance committee might recommend renewing a contract with a specific vendor, but if they're discussing certain bids to recommend to the board, they need to be careful not to disclose proprietary information that may be in the RFP. It's OK to tell homeowners what was in the RFP because the tge same information went to all the vendors.

Likewise, meetings of an architecture committee that will recommend if an exterior change request should be approved shouldnt be open, but meetings where the discussion concerns updating certain design standards would be fine, as long as people refrain from saying things like "so and so's new fence is REALLY ugly" (that's how accusations of selective enforcement can start.)

Open committee meetings don't mean homeowners have an automatic right to jump in with comments, questions or complaints. This is still a business meeting so attendees should be quiet and listen to what's being said. They can always comment after the meeting, send in comments, questions, etc., before the meeting or even bring them to the resident forum during regular board meetings. This is usually the underlying reason people ask about open committee meetings, so if you're clear on what the committee is supposed to do, it can prevent issues with collusion, favoritism and downright incompetence. The charter could also address how complaints about committee member conduct will be handled.

That's one person's opinion- hope it helps.

One more thing - however the committee is set up, its charter should be available for review by homeowners. This way, people who want to volunteer will know what's expected of them. Committee members should also understand they ARE NOT the board- unless the documents specifically state it has certain authority, members serve at the pleasure of the board and can be replaced.

Sounds like a good reason to not have any permanent committees except as required by the CC&Rs.

To add, most HOA’s are not blessed with an over abundance of people who want to serve on the board or commitees. Many times owners suggest committees that they would never serve on themselves.

Committees also fail to realize there are both functions and deadlines they have to meet for the board to function properly.

Nope. A HOA must establish committees when required by statute or the governing documents. Otherwise committees are at the discretion of the board (not just the President-director).