Breach of BOD Confidentiality

I am the secretary of our BOD. I am "charged" with all communications of our BOD and to all owners. I am concerned that our president is divulging/leaking EVERYTHING that the BOD discusses (either in meeting or via email) with another owner - who was booted from the Board (he is a rude,rogue idiot!).

We have quarterly board meetings, but most of our important discussions/decisions are conducted via email - because most BOD members do not live on property. I am confident that all BOD meeting minutes and email communications are "forwarded" to this once on the board owner by our president. Our president is conducting himself out of "pity and guilt" that the previous member is no longer on the board, and "has the right" to still be informed of everything we do/say/decide > (they are neighbors and friends). I totally disagree with this practice of "breaching our BOD confidentiality" and I want it halted.

Any suggestions on how I proceed to mute and muzzle our president??? I have started by putting "Executive Session Communication - Not To Be Forwarded To Other Owners" on all email - but I'm not sure that is effective.

Linda, what is being communicated that is priviledged information? If it relates to an item which must be discussed in an executive session of a Board meeting that is probably priviledged info. E-mails are not. You can try to pass a motion on what may not be discussed with members of your association. I think there would need to be a very good reason or I would vote against most secrecy.

what you have is a poor habit: owners probably have a right to know most of what the president is sharing via email, however, they aren't being given that information, only one person is. the board (person) needs to stop extending a special courtesy to ONE owner that they don't extend to all. either the person should copy all owners on the emails, or you should let all owners know that they can be copied on all emails with a simple request, etc..

You are correct. it isn't quite right that it's being done this way, and the board should establish a policy about it, soon. Either shut it down, via policy, or open it up to all, via policy.

Just be sure you read what RogerB said. Any and all email sent is deemed public information. No matter what you say in the email, it doesn't make any difference, it is public. You can't put a disclaimer in it and expect it to not be public. If a homeowner wants to find out what is in an email, he has a legal right to find out.

In your case the real issue is what is being discussed, not the use of email.

Linda, I've been reading everything here and it concerns me because we Board Members communicate via e-mail, too. The membership elected us to run the association so they don't have to, and keeping things going smoothly DOES take daily communications at times. Not to discuss major issues that need to be discussed at a meeting. But follow up items for things that were approved at a meeting.

Playing telephone tag is too time consuming and bothersome for a lot of people. I for one prefer to have everything in writing (i.e. e-mails) so I can refer back to them if I forget something. If you're afraid that your e-mails are being "forwarded" make them very boring, with no "personal" feelings or rantings about things.

I will tell you something interesting that our attorney told us (the Board of Directors) Quotation from a meeting with him: "The Board of Directors should not be contacting owners on an individual basis with answers to questions, nor to explain the actions of the Board. I caution the Board that in doing so, could be in violation of the Statutes of duly posting agendas and meeting notices, as individual owners should have no more notice than the entire membership."

Not sure what the statutes say where you are but in my humble opinion she IS in violation by giving information where other members are excluded from that information. Hope this may help you out.