Corrected link: HOAleader.com - Tip of the Week - May 5, 2017
Published: Fri, 05/05/17
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Here's a Tactic for Meeting Away from the Gaze of Those Meddlesome HOA Owners
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Want to get stuff done without owners peering over your shoulder?
How about trying a calling a "working" meeting, and since it's not an actual meeting, you don't have to provide notice and let owners attend?
(Full disclosure: You probably can't do this.)
Matthew A. Drewes, a shareholder at DeWitt Mackall Crounse & Moore S.C. in Minneapolis, is sympathetic to busy boards.
"I have had clients reveal to me that they've done this or are doing this," he says. "I did discourage them from the practice, although I understand the basis for it. The board may have a lot of topics they're trying to get to, they're trying to prioritize their work, and they want to make sure their actual meetings are run efficiently. I find that there is sort of a laudable goal in mind in most cases.
"So I think the practice isn't without merit for those goals," adds Drewes. "In particular, I can sympathize with a situation where a board may have a decision they need to make, but they may struggle with making it on the spot. You can't always think of the best questions to ask or the points you want to make when you're presented with a topic, even if you have a little time because the agenda has been prepared in advance.
"If the board is meeting it to flesh out the subject they're going to be talking about, there could be a basis for doing that," states Drewes. "Just like there might be emails among board members between meetings to prepare for upcoming meetings. In most cases, those board members aren't making decisions but are trying to make the best use of time during the meetings. If that's truly the reason, these meetings can have a legitimate purpose. But the danger of meeting to make decisions and excluding members is what boards need to restrain themselves from falling into."
Whether you can do this depends on your state law and governing documents, and those can be all over the board.
Find out more in our new article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/2544.cfm
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President
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Upcoming Event
Are You a Self-Managed HOA or Thinking About Going It Alone?
Know the Risks—and How to Minimize Them—to Protect Your HOA and Yourself
An HOAleader.com Webinar for Condo and HOA Boards
Thursday, May 25, 2017
2-3 p.m. Eastern
Many condo and HOA boards have decided that they can effectively manage their community on their own. It can work for some associations. Maybe it's working for yours. Being self-managed can also be a very risky business—for your HOA and for you personally as a board member of a self-managed association. Find out where the hazards lurk—and how to minimize your risk—in an in-depth webinar on May 25.
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Recent articles posted at HOAleader.com:
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Can You Have "Working" HOA Meetings and Exclude Homeowners?
A new type of meeting has sprung up among some HOA boards--the "working meeting." It supposedly permits boards to meet in private outside of regular meetings and not provide owners notice or the opportunity to attend. Is this legit?
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Can-You-Have-Working-HOA-Meetings-Exclude-Homeowners.cfm
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Here's a Tactic for Meeting Away from the Gaze of Those Meddlesome HOA Owners
Want to get stuff done without owners peering over your shoulder? How about calling a "working" meeting, and since it's not an actual meeting, you don't have to provide notice and let owners attend?
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Heres-Tactic-for-Meeting-Away-from-Gaze-Those-Meddlesome-HOA-Owners.cfm
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Why You Should Care About Another HOA's Balcony Collapse
In this week's tip, we talk about what you should do in the wake of the February collapse of a second-floor, wood balcony of a condo association in the Florida panhandle. Thankfully, the incident caused only injuries, not fatalities. But 11 people harmed is nothing to dismiss, even if it didn't happen in your community. It's still smart to understand how condo associations can get to this point and what to do to prevent it from happening in your association.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/public/Why-You-Should-Care-About-Another-HOAs-Balcony-Collapse.cfm
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Florida Condo Balcony Collapses: 5 Things You Need To Do
A second-floor, wood balcony of a condo association in the Florida panhandle collapsed in February, thankfully causing only injuries, not fatalities. But 11 people harmed is nothing to dismiss, even if it didn't happen in your community. It's still smart to understand how condo associations can get to this point and what to do to prevent it from happening in your association.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Florida-Condo-Balcony-Collapses-5-Things-You-Need-Do.cfm
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How to Notice Up Your HOA Board Meetings
An HOAleader.com reader writes, I live in Minnesota. Our HOA consists of 600 units. I have sent an email request three times to attend the next board of directors HOA homeowner forum according to our HOA governing documents.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/How-Notice-Up-Your-HOA-Board-Meetings.cfm
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Why It's a Bad Idea to Create an Executive Committee of the HOA Board
An HOAleader.com reader writes, We have a five-member board. However three
of the five board members have formed an executive committee to exclude me
and another member from executive session meetings/participating in most
board business.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/members/Why-Its-Bad-Idea-Create-Executive-Committee-HOA-Board.cfm
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HOA Board Members and Fiduciary Duties: What You Must Know to Fulfill Your
Duty to Your Association and Protect Yourself from Personal Liability
When you volunteered to serve your community association as a board member,
did you realize you were agreeing to set aside your own interests and act as a
fiduciary on behalf of the entire association? Are you confident you know
every scenario where you might trip up and expose yourself to personal
liability by failing to live up to this important duty? Set aside an hour of
your time to learn what you need to know and ensure you're not risking your own
financial security by making common--but easily avoidable--mistakes
while volunteering as an HOA board member.
Click here to read full article:
https://www.hoaleader.com/products/fiduciary-duties-and-hoa-board-members-b.cfm
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