Conducting a good HOA Board Meeting

I'd take a look at Florida Statutes 720 (just Google it) and then compare notes with your governing docs. If By-Laws or Covenants do not address a specific issue, Florida Statute 720 should be your reference guide.

Donna - does the concept of "open" meeting mean that the Members are allowed to "witness" or watch the proceedings of the Board meeting? Regular members are not allowed to vote or discuss or debate during the business time of the Board meeting?

Then, at the designated time, there is a "resident forum" time in which the Members have the right to ask questions.

Is that what Florida statutes mean?

Susan and Alex,

Yes, ALL meetings of the Board are required to be open to the membership---

"720:303-(2) Board meetings. (2) BOARD MEETINGS.--

(a) "A meeting of the board of directors of an association occurs whenever a quorum of the board gathers to conduct association business. All meetings of the board must be open to all members except for meetings between the board and its attorney with respect to proposed or pending litigation where the contents of the discussion would otherwise be governed by the attorney-client privilege. The provisions of this subsection shall also apply to the meetings of any committee or other similar body when a final decision will be made regarding the expenditure of association funds and to meetings of any body vested with the power to approve or disapprove architectural decisions with respect to a specific parcel of residential property owned by a member of the community. "

(b) "Members have the right to attend all meetings of the board and to speak on any matter placed on the agenda by petition of the voting interests for at least 3 minutes. "

Individual Boards treat the open forum differently, some allowing member input during a subject being discussed, others opening up the floor near the end of a meeting. This is the only part of the Statute that does not have a time designating when the floor gets open. But members DO have the right to address the Boards by written prior request.

The only required "Members meeting" which is Statuted under "Annual Meeting" is the one where the members can set the agenda and hold elections. The only other meetings are called "special meetings" where perhaps an amendment change would be discussed, emergency issues arise budget reciew or special assessments are discussed. And any other subject that the Board might want to dedicate an entire meeting to.

I can't imagine sitting on a board during a meeting where ALL Members of the HOA would have the same privileges as the BOARD members in the proceedings of the board meeting.

I don't think this is what an "open meeting" means.

The structured time for resident input is an entirely different thing. That can be put on the agenda at the beginning of the meeting and residents can speak about their issues at that time.

Public comment time is NOT continuous throughout the board meeting, IMHO.