Is this a normal request?

Started by LetA • 5 replies • 188 views

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LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

We have a bid proposal for a new vendor to provide gate access to the community. The PM scheduled this vendor to attend the upcomming zoom meeting.
Someone asked and I am not going to say who, asked if we can have the vendor give their presentation before the zoom meeting. This person was put off
when I and and other board member said no, for the sake of transparency we want whatever members attend the meeting be in attendance for the presentation.
Even if no members attend at all.

Am I right to feel miffed or something?

CathyA3 (Ohio)
Posts: 6,299

Posted:

Well... typically the bidding process and contract negotiations are considered confidential and are conducted in executive session. Bids often contain information that aren't meant for the general public (ie. the homeowners). So the presentation may be less useful for the board if the vendor has to limit what is said.

And if this vendor is just one of the companies that you'll solicit bids from, it will probably be confusing for the membership to see presentations for products that the board may not select.

On the other hand, if the board has already selected this vendor and the contract has been signed, then it's fine to conduct the presentation during open session. Just be prepared for questions that the board may not have answers to yet (ie, how the product works vs. how the community uses it).

DeanJ
Posts: 1,786

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By LetA on 02/04/2025 8:03 PM
We have a bid proposal for a new vendor to provide gate access to the community. The PM scheduled this vendor to attend the upcomming zoom meeting.
Someone asked and I am not going to say who, asked if we can have the vendor give their presentation before the zoom meeting. This person was put off
when I and and other board member said no, for the sake of transparency we want whatever members attend the meeting be in attendance for the presentation.
Even if no members attend at all.

Am I right to feel miffed or something?

If I understand your post correctly, a person asked to view the contractor presentation via zoom. You advised they could not, but would allow persons to attend the meeting in person and observe the presentation?

If this is the situation, the board has extinguished an exception under executive session due to an ongoing contract negotiation.

Who is this a transparency issue?

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

NO Dean this person coughcougthePMcoughcoughack asked if we can do a zoom meet for a product presentation before the meeting, outside
of homeowners attending. That is what is stuck in my crawl. Myself and the other board members said, no, the presentation is to be presented
during the meeting not before. I don't care if two owners show up, 200 or zero owners show up, It is only right to have the presentation during the meeting.

DeanJ
Posts: 1,786

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By LetA on 02/06/2025 1:00 PM
NO Dean this person coughcougthePMcoughcoughack asked if we can do a zoom meet for a product presentation before the meeting, outside
of homeowners attending. That is what is stuck in my crawl. Myself and the other board members said, no, the presentation is to be presented
during the meeting not before. I don't care if two owners show up, 200 or zero owners show up, It is only right to have the presentation during the meeting.

I don’t see this as an issue and I find it odd that your board would expect a contractor to provide a presentation to the whole community. Normally the board meets with contractors and these meeting are executive sessions.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Yes, normally, Dean is right.

Why do something "special"for one owner??????

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