KathrynM3 (California)
Posts: 18
Posts: 18
Posted:
being on the BOD? What would be expected of a BOD member?
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DonaldM3 (South Carolina)
Posts: 132
Posts: 132
Posted:
How about: To attend board meetings and to act as a fiduciary for association owners.
KarenS11 (Florida)
Posts: 148
Posts: 148
Posted:
It's rewarding to see positive change. And even when you are up against a wall of those who don't want to put forth the effort, you're still a place holder and can keep them honest. (I will have to flag this post to reread when I am hitting the wall and ready to walk!)
This is my second year on the board. The first year we were digging ourselves out of a lawsuit. That resolved, my focus this year is on seeing how we can cut our expenses. We have been on autopilot for years budget-wise and there are many ways to reduce what we are spending without reducing our quality of life.
And previously, owner involvement was discouraged. We are now becoming a community of neighbors- while less tangible than the above, that is the best part for me.
This is my second year on the board. The first year we were digging ourselves out of a lawsuit. That resolved, my focus this year is on seeing how we can cut our expenses. We have been on autopilot for years budget-wise and there are many ways to reduce what we are spending without reducing our quality of life.
And previously, owner involvement was discouraged. We are now becoming a community of neighbors- while less tangible than the above, that is the best part for me.
KathrynM3 (California)
Posts: 18
Posts: 18
Posted:
Donald thank you for that response, but I was looking for a more indepth answer. I understand without the BOD attending meetings you couldn't even establish quorum and that BOD's have a fiduciary responsibility to the members, but what else would compel someone to be on the board? There is so much dissension and alot of the homeowners think the meetings are a bunch of nonsense. So...my question.
BrianB (California)
Posts: 2,820
Posts: 2,820
Posted:
because if you aren't the one IN power, then you are UNDER the power. tis better to be IN control than be controlled.
it's an absolute way to make sure your voice is heard. you may get outvoted, but your opinion will be noted.
it's an absolute way to make sure your voice is heard. you may get outvoted, but your opinion will be noted.
KathrynM3 (California)
Posts: 18
Posts: 18
Posted:
Thanks Karen. I want to run for the BOD because I would like to see more community involvement. We are a fairly new HOA (4 years) and there is much dissension in this community with people getting upset because THEY are not following the CCR's. I would like to see the community unite together and make this a pleasant place to live. I am uncertain of what to say to the members to get elected outside of having the time, fiduciary responsibilites, and the desire to get community involvement. Any suggestions?
KathrynM3 (California)
Posts: 18
Posts: 18
Posted:
Thanks Brian....that won't fly too good talking with homeowners! LOL
DonaldM3 (South Carolina)
Posts: 132
Posts: 132
Posted:
The only reason for me to be on a BOD would be that I felt I could have a positive affect on the association and that I knew I had the time to do a responsible job. If you have a lot of dissension and meetings are “a bunch of nonsense”, it doesn’t sound like you have good leadership. Does your President use an agenda at meetings and stay on topic? Does he/she ask for a motion before a lot of time is spent on a subject? If no motion is forthcoming and seconded, he/she needs to move on to the next topic. It sounds to me like your meetings are not organized and presided over very well.
KarenS11 (Florida)
Posts: 148
Posts: 148
Posted:
From this thread and others that you have written, I think that the reasons that you want to be on the board are very clear and very positive. I don't think that past board membership is important. What is important is that you take the responsibility of being a board member seriously. Points that I would make are:
-that you understand and take the fiduciary responsiblities of serving on the board seriously.
-that you love your community and want to play a more involved role in making it the best that it can be.
-that you know that there are and will be differences of opinion within the board and within the community, but that differences of opinion can bring better resolutions to issues facing XYZ Acres if everyone is given an opportunity to provide input and ideas.
-that you, like all of the owners, bought into this HOA because you shared the same community standards and you want to play a role in assuring that those standards are maintained. That with housing prices in flux, the one thing that the HOA can have absolute control over when it comes to property values is the enforcement of the CCRs and by-laws and you are anxious to play a leadership role in ensuring that XYZ Acres continues to be a place that we can all be proud to call home.
Then get down off of your soapbox....LOL!
Seriously- if you reread what you have posted here and elsewhere about why you want to be on the board- that says it all. Anyone can learn Roberts Rules and how to read a budget. But you can't learn how to care. And that is something that comes out loud and clear in your posts.
-that you understand and take the fiduciary responsiblities of serving on the board seriously.
-that you love your community and want to play a more involved role in making it the best that it can be.
-that you know that there are and will be differences of opinion within the board and within the community, but that differences of opinion can bring better resolutions to issues facing XYZ Acres if everyone is given an opportunity to provide input and ideas.
-that you, like all of the owners, bought into this HOA because you shared the same community standards and you want to play a role in assuring that those standards are maintained. That with housing prices in flux, the one thing that the HOA can have absolute control over when it comes to property values is the enforcement of the CCRs and by-laws and you are anxious to play a leadership role in ensuring that XYZ Acres continues to be a place that we can all be proud to call home.
Then get down off of your soapbox....LOL!
Seriously- if you reread what you have posted here and elsewhere about why you want to be on the board- that says it all. Anyone can learn Roberts Rules and how to read a budget. But you can't learn how to care. And that is something that comes out loud and clear in your posts.
KathrynM3 (California)
Posts: 18
Posts: 18
Posted:
Thanks Karen! That sounds wonderful and I appreciate the confidence you have in me. The problem with the current board is not everyone, but one person who has walked out on meetings so that a quorum could not be established and basically is on his own agenda attempting to convince a few others that he is right in his effort to buck the ccr's. It makes for, what I consider, a mockery of the board with the eye rolling, shifting in seat, etc. I suspect this "gentlemen" (term used loosley) is drumming up his own candidates to run so they can either change the ccr's or disband the entire HOA. I love your bullet points and will simply state them in my own words, pat myself on the back, and step down from my soapbox! LOL Again, I appreciate your assistance. Too bad we couldn't work together!
MicheleD (Kentucky)
Posts: 4,491
Posts: 4,491
Posted:
By the way, the fiduciary duty is NOT to the members.
The fiduciary duty is to the governing documents.
As a board member you will have a fiduciary duty to maintain the integrity of the documents.
Best of luck! It will be a challenge.
But then, so was basic training, and I'm a better woman for THAT, too!
The fiduciary duty is to the governing documents.
As a board member you will have a fiduciary duty to maintain the integrity of the documents.
Best of luck! It will be a challenge.
But then, so was basic training, and I'm a better woman for THAT, too!
JoeK1 (Michigan)
Posts: 37
Posts: 37
Posted:
Serving as a Board member can be thankless job. There are tons of decisions to be made, disputes to settle, finances to keep track of and there is a chance of being sued. The biggest sacrifice a board member makes is his or her time. Not only by attending meetings, but also by staying informed of the association’s business and addressing the needs and concerns of its members.
So why do so many people decide to serve as a Board member — some for years at a time? With all the negative attention, it may seem that this job has no appeal at all. However, if was that bad, who would want to take it? The truth is, there are a number of reasons for wanting to be a Board member, including a variety of things beneath the surface that keep people interested in serving their association.
• No one else will volunteer to do it.
• I want to protect my personal interests.
• I want to help and give back.
• I have a personal agenda.
• I want to be “In the Know”.
• I can achieve a sense of self-satisfaction.
• I can build my resume.
• I can form valuable relationships.
• I want to acquire status or power. You may know someone who fits in this category, I certainly don’t.
Besides being motivated to seek a Board position, you should also have some basic business and leadership skills. Here are a set of minimum skills that you should have:
• Administrative skills (establish plans, manage execution)
• Communication skills (speaks effectively, runs effective meetings, prepares written communication)
• Interpersonal skills (relates to people, able to give and take, manage disagreements)
• Leadership skills (provide direction, influence others, steps forward to address difficult issues)
• Organizational knowledge (understand and use financial and quantitative data, understanding of issues relevant to the association business)
• Thinking skills (considers broad range of factors when solving problems and making decisions, gathers relevant information, makes timely and sound decisions)
• Finally, since volunteers are not usually lining up at the door to be Board members, probably the most important last skill and one that supersedes all of the rest is; can you breathe on a mirror and make it fog up?
Good luck.
JoeK
www.*****.com
So why do so many people decide to serve as a Board member — some for years at a time? With all the negative attention, it may seem that this job has no appeal at all. However, if was that bad, who would want to take it? The truth is, there are a number of reasons for wanting to be a Board member, including a variety of things beneath the surface that keep people interested in serving their association.
• No one else will volunteer to do it.
• I want to protect my personal interests.
• I want to help and give back.
• I have a personal agenda.
• I want to be “In the Know”.
• I can achieve a sense of self-satisfaction.
• I can build my resume.
• I can form valuable relationships.
• I want to acquire status or power. You may know someone who fits in this category, I certainly don’t.
Besides being motivated to seek a Board position, you should also have some basic business and leadership skills. Here are a set of minimum skills that you should have:
• Administrative skills (establish plans, manage execution)
• Communication skills (speaks effectively, runs effective meetings, prepares written communication)
• Interpersonal skills (relates to people, able to give and take, manage disagreements)
• Leadership skills (provide direction, influence others, steps forward to address difficult issues)
• Organizational knowledge (understand and use financial and quantitative data, understanding of issues relevant to the association business)
• Thinking skills (considers broad range of factors when solving problems and making decisions, gathers relevant information, makes timely and sound decisions)
• Finally, since volunteers are not usually lining up at the door to be Board members, probably the most important last skill and one that supersedes all of the rest is; can you breathe on a mirror and make it fog up?
Good luck.
JoeK
www.*****.com
KathrynM3 (California)
Posts: 18
Posts: 18
Posted:
Thanks to all who have posted here. I wil let you know how cadidate nite goes as well as the election. PS I have acquired the skill of fogging up the mirror as I have 3 kids who have taught me well years ago! LOL
KarenS11 (Florida)
Posts: 148
Posts: 148
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By JoeK1 on 05/24/2008 4:03 AM
Besides being motivated to seek a Board position, you should also have some basic business and leadership skills. Here are a set of minimum skills that you should have:
• Administrative skills (establish plans, manage execution)
• Communication skills (speaks effectively, runs effective meetings, prepares written communication)
• Interpersonal skills (relates to people, able to give and take, manage disagreements)
• Leadership skills (provide direction, influence others, steps forward to address difficult issues)
• Organizational knowledge (understand and use financial and quantitative data, understanding of issues relevant to the association business)
• Thinking skills (considers broad range of factors when solving problems and making decisions, gathers relevant information, makes timely and sound decisions)
Besides being motivated to seek a Board position, you should also have some basic business and leadership skills. Here are a set of minimum skills that you should have:
• Administrative skills (establish plans, manage execution)
• Communication skills (speaks effectively, runs effective meetings, prepares written communication)
• Interpersonal skills (relates to people, able to give and take, manage disagreements)
• Leadership skills (provide direction, influence others, steps forward to address difficult issues)
• Organizational knowledge (understand and use financial and quantitative data, understanding of issues relevant to the association business)
• Thinking skills (considers broad range of factors when solving problems and making decisions, gathers relevant information, makes timely and sound decisions)
So, basically, anyone who has ever been a mom would make a terrific board member!
DonaldM3 (South Carolina)
Posts: 132
Posts: 132
Posted:
Michele, why do you say, "the fiduciary duty is NOT to members."? As a board member, you have a responsibility to put HOA owners interest above your own when acting on behalf of the HOA.
RogerB (Colorado)
Posts: 5,067
Posts: 5,067
Posted:
I have attached an article about fiduciary duties of an HOA Board member.
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MaryA1 (Arizona)
Posts: 7,043
Posts: 7,043
Posted:
Quote:
Posted By MicheleD on 05/23/2008 10:28 PM
By the way, the fiduciary duty is NOT to the members.
The fiduciary duty is to the governing documents.
As a board member you will have a fiduciary duty to maintain the integrity of the documents.
Best of luck! It will be a challenge.
But then, so was basic training, and I'm a better woman for THAT, too!
By the way, the fiduciary duty is NOT to the members.
The fiduciary duty is to the governing documents.
As a board member you will have a fiduciary duty to maintain the integrity of the documents.
Best of luck! It will be a challenge.
But then, so was basic training, and I'm a better woman for THAT, too!
Sorry Michele, but I must disagree with you somewhat. The fiduciary duty of the board member is to the members -- not the governing documents. The meaning of "fiduciary" is trust. A fiduciary is ". . .a person (or business entity) that has the power and obligation to act for another under circumstances which require total trust, good faith and honesty." This means the members have placed their trust in the board members to carry out their duties in the best interests of the members and the assn. Because the fiduciary (HOA board) should have more knowledge and expertise in operating the HOA, they should be held to a higher standard than the member. The best interest of the members and the assn must be the primary goal of the board member. If a board member is accused of violating his fiduciary duty, the courts will use the business judgment rule in deciding the case. The business judgment rule means did the board member carry out his duties in the same manner any other board member in his position would do?
KathrynM3 (California)
Posts: 18
Posts: 18
Posted:
I think fudiciary responsibilities refer to both.....duty of care and duty of loyalty. Look at davis-stirling.com. There is some awesome info there.
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