Neighbothood Cookout

Started by SidneyP • 5 replies • 2136 views

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SidneyP (Florida)
Posts: 302

Posted:

As I have stated before, we are a newly formed HOA. I am the secretary on the new BOD's. I do not live in my TH(it has been empty for a year) but I go over there often to clean or just hang out. On Aug.28th I found a notice taped to my door, it stated there was going to be a Neighborhood Cookout on Sept 2. I had not heard a word about this until finding this notice, so I suppose the President and treasurer made this decision, though it was I that had suggested this long long ago. I felt this would be a great way to present ourselves to the HO's and that this event might well draw them out(we had 16 show up at our last meeting and most were couples). I didn't like what I read and would not have agreed if I had been ask about this. The notice stated the cook-out would be held in the cul-de-sac(in front of the Presidents house, the cul de sac is the same place she had the meeting), we have a nice little park w/a gazabo and 4 concrete tables w/benches. It went on to state that "we have grills", "please bring whatever you wish to grill, bring your own beverage and bring your own seat." They would provide paper plates, utensils and condiments. I feel that the HOA should have furnished everything (I would have gladly bought the hot dogs/hambergers and drinks myself if need be). I felt it would not have cost that much and was hardly appropiate to invite people to a cook-out and ask them to carry their food down the street. Am I wrong in thinking this way or was this the correct way in doing it. I know I wouldn't go under these conditions and actually I didn't. It was Labor day week-end (bad choice) and I had out of town guest coming and most people have plans on that week-end. Now maybe if it was a yearly cook-out that the comminity planned it would be different. I would just like opinions on what you think. This may come up again....Thanks

RogerB (Colorado)
Posts: 5,067

Posted:

Sidney, each person could have different ideas but it would be best to have a social committee do the planning and present a budget each year for approval. If you want to be involved in making the decisions AND DOING THE WORK INVOLVED you could volunteer to chair a social committee.

BrianB (California)
Posts: 2,820

Posted:

it's just my opinion, but i see nothing wrong with the HOA doing the cookout in this manner.

here's my thinking: BYOM allows everyone to bring what they want to eat.. hamburger, brats, hot dogs, veggie burgers, chicken, etc. Some people are picky, and will eat a brat but never a hot dog. some will eat turkey burgers, not beef. Or perhaps someone wanted kosher... this allows everyone to bring what they know they will eat.

two: the HOA is responsible to spend my money wisely. Why is buying meat and perishibles a smart move with my money? Why should I pay dues to feed some neighbor's eight kids? Let him pay for feeding them, i pay for landscaping, etc.. Buying plates and cups isn't so bad, as what's not used can be saved for the next event. meat and buns go stale, spoil. plastic doesn't.

my two cents. you are just as valid in your opinon as I am in mine...

KathyS (California)
Posts: 145

Posted:

Then there's our association who paid for everything and no one came to the BBQ except a few renters and a couple of kids who sneaked through the gate.

I do think you should have been included in the decision though. You ARE the secretary.

SidneyP (Florida)
Posts: 302

Posted:

Thanks to all that voiced their opinion. It appears my thinking on this was wrong....Rodger...we have no committees, we can't even fill a Board...we started with five(5) BOD's, 2 quit and the President has been unable to fill so we are three(3).....Brian, I never thought of it as being a waste of money. We are new and I felt this was one way to bring us together. It would have been a one time thing. It very well may not have worked but we could say we tried. I figured the very most it would cost would be $75./$100., that would be $1.29 a HO cost at most. I can't recall ever being invited to a BBQ (church, club, company party. etc.) and being ask to bring my own food/drink/chair. You probably waste much more of your money than that providing services to the delinquent HO's. Offering a welcome hand to HO's and trying to get them involved could make all the difference in getting them to understand how important those dues are to maintaining our community. I guess I just think differently....Kathy, you are so right...only 20 showed up (maybe because of the late notice, date and the conditions), a few HO's and spouses plus one renter w/his 2 children. My feeling on this is that renters (whether we like it of not) are a large part of our community and I would wish to make them feel as welcome as the HO's.It appears that by him showing up, he was trying to be part of our community....I just know how I felt when I moved into my first and second HOA...there was no welcome, there was no information given me, nothing. If you can make HO's/renters feel they are appreciated and are needed, that their knowledge and opinions will help make the association work.

BrianB (California)
Posts: 2,820

Posted:

Sydney...

read my last line.. my opinion is as valid as yours, no more, no less. your's is not wrong, any more than mine is right. I merely wanted to give an alternative viewpoint.

I actually like what you your board tried to do (get folks together, etc.). Only because my wife and I don't eat beef do I say that we would prefer to bring our own food to a picnic...otherwise, we would just show up and not eat. It really comes down to propaganda: how did the board "sell" the idea? ie, we are cheap, bring your own food? we want everyone to bring something to share with each other? we respect the dietary choices of all our members, so ask that you bring your favorite choice. we will supply the non perishables to help keep costs down. I would not like the first one, but the other two are nice, even thoughtful.

as for a waste of money, that is subjective. to make it objective, you must do a lot of work: have a project goal, expected outcome, measurement method, return on investment analysis, and evaluation. In other words, you can't say "it was a waste of money" if you don't really know what the intent was. I encourage you to not look at it as a waste of money, but an expenditure that earned the board experience.

for anyone still reading... some examples of "waste of money" evaluations:

Using this example, we must ask "what was the objective?"... was it to hold a party? Then mission accomplished. Was it to get neighbors together? then that was accomplished, unless the idea was to get X number of neighbors together, in which case you must measure it. If it was to spend money, that was accomplished. If the goal was to make everyone like each other, then you would have to create a valid method to measure "liking", and then implement it.

So, it all depends on the board's goal in having this party... it may not have been a waste of money at all!

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