Board Members Business

Started by BobH8 • 7 replies • 1300 views

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BobH8 (Florida)
Posts: 3

Posted:

We have a Master Association board member who runs a travel business from her home. She offers trips to our residents on our clubhouse bulletin boards in house TV station (broadcast to all homeowners)and at our Tuesday morning coffee get togethers.

This person profits both monetarily and gets free vacations.

Is this a conflict of interest?

BrianB (California)
Posts: 2,820

Posted:

can other owners utilize the same amenities to do the same things?

(fyi, this is probably not a "conflict of interest", however, it may be illegal, against policy or unethical, depending on your rules, policies or ethics)

DonnaS (Tennessee)
Posts: 5,671

Posted:

Bob,
I don't think that this is a conflict of interest. This in no way affects any decisions that the Board makes, has no financial connections to association funds and every resident can use this service if they so choose. Other than that, she is getting free advertising, I see no conflict. You should have rules for posting any subject on your bulleten boards and T.V. station as to what can be posted there.

Now if she is causing the street in front of her house to become congested or increaseing traffic and causing a disruption on the street, then she would fit under a "No Business Shall be Run From a Residence" clause if you do have that in your documents, which most associations do have.

AnnaD2 (Florida)
Posts: 960

Posted:

Gosh Donna, I didn't think I'd ever disagree with anything you've ever said. But I DO feel this is a conflict of interest. Of course there are a lot of questions we need answered. Is anyone and everyone allowed to advertise? Do only board members have access to the bulletin boards? Can only board members post on the website? If the answers are NO, YES, and YES, then it would appear the board member is abusing their position.

We have "no soliciting" policies in place; and all members have access to our bulletin boards, but NO ONE can put advertising of any type on them.

Just my thoughts, but it doesn't sound very ethical to me.

DonnaS (Tennessee)
Posts: 5,671

Posted:

Hi Anna,
I don't think that we disagree, I just did not go into enough clarification on what I mean. I said-- "This in no way affects any decisions that the Board makes, has no financial connections to association funds and every resident can use this service if they so choose. Other than that, she is getting free advertising, I see no conflict. They should have rules for posting any subject on their bulletin boards and T.V. station as to what can be posted there."

I still feel that what she is doing does not affect funds or decisions of the Board so she is not influencing those.(At least I hope not)

I do agree with your questions about can anyone advertise or only Board members are allowed. Then that is not ethical if only the Board has use of the Boards and she is using it for personal reasons.. I am also a huge fan of NO SOLICITING" on any HOA sites or newsletters. So see, we don't really disagree, just worded it differently.

SusanW1 (Michigan)
Posts: 5,202

Posted:

Bob - why do you think it's a conflict of interest? She is not at a Board meetings and she is not voting on any motion that would benefit her monetary wise - she is simply promoting her business on the local TV station.

Does she have a table set up at the tues. coffee hour? Are there other tables set up, also? Is she the ONLY business doing this kind of promotion?

Separate her actions from her being on the board.

BobH8 (Florida)
Posts: 3

Posted:

The TV station is strictly to inform residents about calendar activities - No other comercial interests are allowed to use it except the travel ads.

The same is true for our bulletin boards and resident coffee socials.

No commercial activities or political activities allowed.

SusanW1 (Michigan)
Posts: 5,202

Posted:

If she has been able to "advertise", then every Amway, Avon, etc. person should be able to, too.

Apparently she is doing this because no one objects. If you object, then speak up.

But it has nothing to do with Board business.

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