Email Addresses of Community Members (Security of them)

Some thoughts:
1. he did not use the emails to sell something
2. you might have a hard time proving that he gleaned the emails addresses from your source
3. anyone who does not want an email from you or any other person has the option to block it
4. too bad you lost a board member over this.

What I see between the lines is that someone who didn't know better had a bunch of people jumping down their throat for trying to be helpful.

I would say that your Board should put together an orientation packet detailing a lot of things including that you have a distribution means in place to notify residents via email. It should include a lot of stuff to help people come up to speed on serving.

Get a web site and any homeowner who wants to visit it can do so.

Stop sening out mass mailings if you are so concerned about corruption of the process.

We have a site. A good one. We use BCC to hide email addresses.

Susan, the original poster is the webmaster of the HOA's website. He stated that in the very first sentence of his post.

FhadminF: First, the fact that the then board member "built" an email distribution list with a paper copy of the board's own directory has absolutely nothing to do with the website, and I'm not sure, if you're not a board member, why you are involved in establishing board member communication rules to the community. I can see that you would have input, possibly, and be the one responsible for emails that go out through the website you built and maintain, but the board should determine it's own communication policies. Besides, apparently the email box access is available to all the board members?

Otherwise, how did this person manage to use the HOAs email as the FROM?

No offense, but that's just asking for mistakes like this (and worse) to happen. If the board wants to have the flexibility to have several people access the mail account, that's fine. But perhaps there should be a separate (no-reply) email that is used solely for mass member communications that no board member has access to.

And I may also be reading between the lines, but you seem to be "concerned" that this member has the list that has all sorts of other information on it besides email addresses. Frankly, that's none of your business.

As a board member he most certainly would be allowed to have access to that information. Did he include everyone's address and dues status in the "Meeting Notice" mass emailing? I doubt it.

Why is it even being mentioned, then, that he has that list? Again, that seems to be an internal board issue about which you really shouldn't have any say.

BCC is the rule from our email box.
Thanks

I'm not sure what the laws are in West Virginia but in Maryland any homeowner is allowed to distribute information relative to the HOA or condominium without the permission of the board. I believe this can be by mail, door to door or by e-mail. This really is democracy in action.
Jeanne

Fhadmin, I have to say I don't know at all what it is you are really seeking here.

The board clearly already has an effective and well-thought-out communication policy.

And, as you clearly pointed out, the board set those rules, not you.

Contrary to what you are saying in this post, you were very much "concerned" about the board member having the directory.

The worst he did, in terms of releasing "personal" or "private" information is expose the emails of all residents to other residents.

And don't forget that there really is an unrealistic expectation that people have regarding the privacy of their email addresses, or even their email content, for that matter.

It seems to me what you may be seeking is confirmation (best practices??) that your response to the board member was not out of line.

It seems to me that you are looking to obtain support for the fact that whatever it is you said or did that caused the board member to react strongly enough to resign was appropriate.

I don't think you're going to find that here.

For one thing, it was merely a notice of a meeting. He "broke" the board-created rules, but it appears to have been a one-time event and possibly an error in judgment. Yes it revealed everyone's emails to everyone else, but, again, that isn't the same sort of "private" information as say, someones SSN or their amount due and owing a creditor.

What, exactly, was your response?

Perhaps if you could share with us exactly what you said and did, and how you said and did it, we can let you know if your response was appropriate or over the line.

Actually, as I'm thinking about it, you should not have had a "response" to this board member.

It was the board's internal rules that were broken, and, therefore, it is the board that is responsible for any "response."

I have no reason to believe that the board members are stupid, especially given the above communication policy they developed. So it stands to reason that they would be quite capable of admonishing, or "responding," to their own board member regarding a breach of that policy.

Long story short? My recommendation for "Best Practices" is to let the board handle their own breaches of policy and for vendors (even volunteer ones) to stay out of it.

And, more "best practices," like it or not, each and every board member is entitled to see all documents that the board handles, including a "directory" that includes such things as account status of members.

First time actually sent out yes. As far as harm or complaints no clue at this point.

Fhadmin:

I'm still curious as to what your response was that drove the board member to resign?

Perhaps we can work on helping you fix that?

The board could probably still use his assistance.

No, Fhadmin, that's not what I'm talking about.

I'm asking you what your "response" to the board member who sent the email was.

How did you handle that, because it was that response that you claimed contributed to the board member resigning.

Now, I'm starting to get a little concerned about your role in this HOA.

And I feel that, for whatever reason, you are not being completely truthful with us.

First you say you are just seeking . . . something, I don't know what . . best practices about . . . something . . . that you really haven't clarified.

Then you go into what a bad thing this one board member did.

Then you say that you advise the board on communication policy.

Then you say that, no, they developed the policy themselves.

The board established the communication policies that I am following. 1 .All board emails come from the official email box. 2. All emails are BCC. 3. No emails from board members personal email accounts to the community. 4. No releasing of the community members personal information electronically outside of the board. 5. Mass emails and website content are vetted by the board prior to going out. 6. Email content sent to webmaster and sent out by webmaster from the official mailbox. They also mandated that a website be established and maintained. The board set these rules not me.

Now you say that it was done with your help after "serious issues" with their previous site.

You then say you are seeking confirmation to the board on this matter. . . but yet you have yet to share with us WHAT those comments were, specifically.

Would you care to relay that?