2015 Board Initiatives
The 2015 BOD, seated on March 31, has the opportunity to lead The Isles into new ways of conducting HOA business.
Initiatives suggested for deliberation by the New HOA Board
1. Actions to improve openness and participation in governance:
MONTHLY Board meetings, at least nine months of the year.
Designate all committee meetings as concurrent “non-voting” BOD meetings, so that any number of directors may attend without violating sunshine law.
Develop a plan for reduction of accumulated operating fund surpluses.
Revise the newsletter to include full reports on Board activities.
1. Actions to improve openness and participation in governance:
MONTHLY Board meetings, at least nine months of the year.
- The work of the Board should be done openly, with deliberations involving all directors.
The Board sets its regular meeting schedule. Special meetings may be added.
- Directors are elective offices, each equal under Robert's Rules of Order (RRO).
- If the chairperson wishes to debate, the chair must be relinquished.
- Directors must have opportunity to be well-informed about all issues.
- It is illegal for one Board to encumber a later one.
- Having only five makes three a majority; this may be too few.
- Florida Statute 720.306(6) provides that homeowners may speak on any matter before the Board. Homeowners should identify themselves by name and property, so that the secretary can record their comments. Comments may be limited to 3 minutes, each.
- This is consistent with statutory requirements.
- Counsel serves the interests of the entire community. A licensed CAM should be able to answer most questions about HOA Law. A copy of the entire statute is available for $7. All directors are required to be familiar with the Isles HOA Documents and statutory law.
- Homeowners need immediate access to information about board concerns and decisions.
Designate all committee meetings as concurrent “non-voting” BOD meetings, so that any number of directors may attend without violating sunshine law.
- Directors should be encouraged to attend committee meetings.
- The purpose of committees is to give voice to homeowners.
- Recognize the latter as “board-approved activities.”
- With only three members, the work may often fall on two.
- The Board is responsible for exercising control over all budgeted activities.
Develop a plan for reduction of accumulated operating fund surpluses.
- Over $1 million in bank deposits has no legal purpose except to pay for operations.
- This is a basic responsibility of the property manager.
- Homeowners should have opportunity for input to the budgeting process.
- A Reserve Account is "reserved," i.e., it can be legally spent only for the item for which it was created. Having twenty reserve accounts adds complexity, reduces flexibility and defeats the intent of avoiding special assessments. They should be pooled into five accounts.
Revise the newsletter to include full reports on Board activities.
- The newsletter should inform homeowners on all board issues.
- Legal Counsel raised almost 100 questions about our documents more than a year ago, and homeowners have received no report of progress.
- Various HOA facilities are being used to serve indivuals and non-owners in a commercial way. Parameters for such usage need to be made clear.
- Current rules are inherited from the developer and were established for the purpose of attracting home buyers more than for serving homeowners.
- Homeowners should have some reference for their expectations of performance by HOA Contractors.