Line item for education, books

I don't think my assn has a budget line item for education. However, I do think it's a great idea. CAI has some great publications at a nominal price and also offers educational classes. Many cities are now offering classes; some may even be free or at a nominal cost. In some areas, there may be other educational outlets offering classes, also.

CAI also has monthly meetings in our area which we are always invited to. The topics are always interesting and informative. However the meetings are always on a weekday morning and us working people can never attend.

Two of us board members subscribe to a monthly magazine called, Florida Community Association Journal. It has very educational articles in it which we refer to often. It's also available for reading online. That is about the only "education" we get....other than this site.

Florida board members are supposed to sign a form stating that we've read and understand (to the best of our ability) the documents and the State Statutes and that form is to be submitted along with our letters of intent when running for the board. However our property manager has been unable to obtain a copy of that form from any source.

Anyone can sign anything; but I feel showing proof that we've taken classes or been to seminars is key to proving one is interested in how to correctly and effectively be a good board member.

I think this would be a wonderful idea!

DonnaS:

I was very disappointed when I found out California did not pass a law for board of directors to have some education prior to being a board member.

Gordon

Gordon,

This has been bantered about here in AZ. The main objection is that many assn members might not want to run for a board position if these type requirements are placed upon them. Prop. mgrs aren't even licensed in AZ and they get paid to manage the assn, while all board members are volunteers!

Thank you very much Joe.

Gordon

Joseph,

Good idea but wouldn't this come under misc or petty cash such as reimbursement for toner for computers, etc? If it's for the betterment of the community a board member should not be out-of-pocket for costs in addition to giving of their time.

We have no line item. We know it all and need no education!

Seriously, our last short-term board member didn't even know what the CCRs were... Our state HOA law is weak and many boards have no clue as to what their responsibilities are, IMO. It is penny wise and pound foolish, though, as one unwise decision can cost many times the cost of board education.

Dear Posters: I am the treasurer of our HOA in Florida. Here are a few facts that dispute what AnnieH2 states and what Annad2 states
Lets start with does my hoa, have such a line item the answer is no .

But after reading everyone,s words of wisdom that I do not take lightly as right now I am in month number 2 of a ongoing budget battle between 2 community stirrers in out\r community and 8 familes out of 307 families that feel due to the tough times we are in compliments of the Federal Community Reenvestment Act the we must not raise the cost of runing the HOA from $100 to $110 per month.

Background we own the streets the driveways the entrances the sewers under our community have 1 medium pool and 1 kiddie wading pool. 1 Olympic size basketball court which we closed after Hurricane Wilma and refuse to re-open due to it being a magnet for nasty people with foul mouths and bad habits by bringing in outsiders and starting money leagues. Our local Police Dept is totally oblivious to our plight of holdups in the driveways of our homes so we hired our own security and they are on duty 12 hours a day 361 days a year. 4 of the 6 holidays they do not work it is a budget buster. We have in place a method of collections but once homes are foreclosed on it is very hard to get the banks to pay there share and the state got who created us is doing there best to destroy us.

It is rather evident that Anie H2 does not serve on a BOD or she would not make the statements she made as the state legislature are a bunch of liars. Why say I simple at the expense of not showing up for the award of a plaque to me for 20 years of service on the BOD in various positions except president. I instead attended a hearing of the State Select Comm on HOAs and one of ther things they suggested in there white paper was that BOD members should recieve some type of financial reward for doing there duties as BOD MEMBERS . Of course when they wrote there white paper they went the exact opposite way. There is a group of disidents in Florida that wants to take away all discision making from the BODS and place it in the hands of the state govt. Can you imagine the stupidity of that. Nuff said they pour money into the reelection campaign of the Chairman of the select comm so nuff said on that issue

Anna D2 no offense but what you state is in error it only applies to Condo Boards not HOAs thank god but what the fools from the state capital did do is stop us from having staggerred elections that way nobody on the BOD has any knowledge of past difficulties and how they were rectified, Brilliant say I so the same mistakes are made over and over again.

Please do not tell me that the property manager is supposed to do that? Please most pc that I have met know there BODs are inept and bulldoze them into silly things that are important to that person only. Example in the State White Paper they state it is bad form for a MC to also do Lawn Service but put no teeth into that to force the issue. But they did pass a law that forced us to spend $640 dollars to put a stupid drain cover in our 18 inch deep wading pool that was caused by some parent not superviseing there child while in a munipal pool run by a state agency the childs hair got caught in the bottom of the pool and she expired or died which ever you prefer. So because of that cities mistake the naysayers lobbied and got passed a law that gave us 90 days to pull a permit from our city to remove the existing drain cover and put this new special cover on that just has a few bits of plastic to keep heads away from the drain when the drain is draining the pool. Sounds great right sorry they stabbed us twice on this issue since pools in Florida are controlled by the Board of Health we have to have there inspector in and he-she has to witness the work which is a scheduleing nightmare and the Pool Company has to certify on a special form that the work was done nobody in Florida can find the form so now we have 2 nice pools that nobody can use till the form is found.

This is common of the foolish things that State Leg. do to HOA to appease naysayers grow up America 7 percent unemployment means in English that 97 percent of the population has a job. We as a group have got to stop being naysayers. I am personally upset about people who refuse to pay there assements but want things done where does the money come from the tooth fairy. These same people are the ones that go " to there country in south america 4-5 times a year at what price airline ticket?
Then you go to there homes to listen to why we have to allow them to be on a 6 month re-payment plan and sitting in there driveway is a bRand new BMW sedan asitting next to a Lincoln SUV..................................

Sorry but a lot of built up anger over the institutionalized laziness of the Government. By the way the permits took 5 days to get and 45 days waiting on a Board of Health inspecor so far?

The closest thing we have is a line item for membership in the Community Association Institute (CAI) - I represent our HOA, but our local chapter hasn't really been that active lately (it does have an annual meeting). Besides reading this site and the CAI magazine (and forwaring the magazine to our president), I try to stay on the lookout for other articles affecting HOAs and bring those to Board meetings.

It would be nice to have an education budget because we really need a way to provide consistent training to new board members and I'd hate a repeat of 4 years ago, when our president abruptly quit and didn't do ANYTHING in the way of a useful transition.