Treasurer functions

Can anyone suggest what we can do? The Florida Statutes say Board members cannot be paid for their services. Our By-Laws' description of Treasurer's responsibilities do not list specifically his mailing out invoices for assessments and/or annual dues and for collecting of same. He is a CPA and has his own firm and is on our Board. He now collects $3.00 per quarterly invoice he sends out as a service charge. We would have to pay more for an outside firm to handle this. How do other HOA Treasurers handle this? Would appreciate any info. Thanks.

Gloria:

I agree, and $3.00 per invoice may be a nominal, rational charge.

However, I would be more comfortable if he would provide a cost/expense breakdown to justify that, since he would only be allowed to recover materials and NOT time-and-materials.

Joanne,

As someone else stated unless your docs and/or state law state an officer can be paid for his duties, he cannot! Even though not specifically stated in the bylaws, I must ask, who would be responsible for sending out invoices for assessments and collecting them, but the Treasurer? Most job descriptions also contain the line: "and other duties as required by the board of directors". If he is using this as justification for billing a $3 service charge to carry out his duties he's being really petty, IMO. I served as a Treasurer and performed all the functions of a tresurer (we were a small self-managed assn of 49 homes) and never thought I should collect a "service charge" for anything I did! I was reimbursed the cost of stamps, envelopes and preparation of coupons which were sent out annually. I was not reimbursed for the time I spent performing my duties nor for mileage used going back and forth to the post office and bank. I think it's time the board inform him he is way out of line in charging this "service charge" and it will not be paid any more. If he can't perform all the duties expected of the treasurer then perhaps some other director needs to be appointed to that position. I would certainly hate to see it come to that since he can be an asset to the board with his expertise as a CPA, but the board cannot be setting a bad example in allowing him to recieve compensation for performing his job!

IMO, this treasurer is only going to be valuable to the board is he wants to be! If he continues to nickle and dime them for every "service" he performs that is outside of his "perceived" duties, how valuable is that? Yes, I do agree if the assn is a large one, this function should be outsourced. But I get the impression that is not the case with this assn. I certainly do not agree he should be paid for any duties he performs unless that is allowed as specified in their gov. docs and/or state law.

Hi Joanne,

I'd suggest that the HOA sign a contract with your Treasurer's company to provide those services to you, just like you would for services from any other vendor. That separates his work as a volunteer Treasurer from his business of being a CPA.

Most HOAs have to pay for billing services, so it's not something unusual in your situation if you want to hire a company to do it for you.

If you've spoken with other CPAs and know they would charge more, then you're not giving him some "sweetheart" contract. As long as his work is good and his prices are reasonable, then there shouldn't be a problem hiring his company to work for the HOA.