Creating A Board for Your HOA or Condo Association in Georgia

WHO SHOULD BE ON THE BOARD?
The board should be composed of a diverse group of individuals who are interested in working toward the organization’s mission and have the particular skills that will help to contribute to a well-run organization. For instance, you may want to seek out people with financial, marketing, or legal backgrounds. You may want to consider bringing on someone with an entrepreneurial
background, or someone who is proficient with emerging technologies. You may
also want to recruit members who have influence in the community, work at similar types of organizations, or are representative of the community you are serving. Having this collective knowledge from the beginning will help you make informed decisions. You will also find that as your organization matures, your board composition needs may be very different from those of your founding board. The role of the board tends to change over time as the organization
develops and matures. Early in an organization’s life, the primary need for the board may be individuals who are prepared to give a great deal of time and energy. Later, you may find that as paid staff are brought on, the board focuses primarily on the governance functions of the organization and is less involved with the smaller details of bringing the organization up to speed.
HOW BIG SHOULD THE BOARD BE?
Boards can vary in size from three to more than 50 members.  Each state has regulations that determine the minimum size of the board, but the optimum number of people who sit on the board should be determined by the needs of the organization. Assess the list of tasks that the board needs to accomplish and plan your board around the jobs that need to be done. There should be enough meaningful tasks for the board to accomplish without leaving board
members feeling overburdened or uninvolved.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD THE BOARD MEET?
As with the size of your board, the number of board meetings each year should be determined by the work that needs to be accomplished. For logistical and practical reasons, larger boards often meet less frequently, leaving much of the work to the board’s committees.
Regular attendance at board meetings is one of the individual responsibilities of board members. Your organization’s bylaws should include an attendance policy that clearly states the number of meetings that can be missed by an individual board member before he or she is asked to leave the board. Develop an annual schedule of meetings determined a year in advance. Circulate clear and thorough information materials, including an agenda, to all members
two to three weeks before each meeting. Maintain complete and accurate minutes of all meetings, and keep meetings brief and well focused. An organization’s bylaws should also state the number of board members required to constitute a quorum. Without a quorum, the board is unable to conduct its official business.
WHAT KIND OF TERM LIMITS SHOULD BOARD MEMBERS SERVE?
There are no hard-and-fast rules for determining board members’ tenure. Many organizations
do, however, limit members to two consecutive terms and require a hiatus of one year before a
board member may be reappointed. Many organizations also stagger terms of service so that
one-half or one-third of board members are elected every one or two years for terms of two to
six years. Such policies encourage institutional renewal because a board can profit from the
experience of veteran board members while welcoming the fresh perspective that new members
offer. Board members on hiatus can remain active in committee service or serve in an
advisory capacity. Term limits are a painless mechanism for rotating inactive or ineffective
members off the board. These policies should be written into the organization’s bylaws.

Build a Better Board for Your HOA, POA or Condo Association

WHO SHOULD BE ON THE BOARD?
The board should be composed of a diverse group of individuals who are interested in working toward the organization’s mission and have the particular skills that will help to contribute to a well-run organization. For instance, you may want to seek out people with financial, marketing, or legal backgrounds. You may want to consider bringing on someone with an entrepreneurial
background, or someone who is proficient with emerging technologies. You may
also want to recruit members who have influence in the community, work at similar types of organizations, or are representative of the community you are serving. Having this collective knowledge from the beginning will help you make informed decisions. You will also find that as your organization matures, your board composition needs may be very different from those of your founding board. The role of the board tends to change over time as the organization
develops and matures. Early in an organization’s life, the primary need for the board may be individuals who are prepared to give a great deal of time and energy. Later, you may find that as paid staff are brought on, the board focuses primarily on the governance functions of the organization and is less involved with the smaller details of bringing the organization up to speed.
HOW BIG SHOULD THE BOARD BE?
Boards can vary in size from three to more than 50 members.  Each state has regulations that determine the minimum size of the board, but the optimum number of people who sit on the board should be determined by the needs of the organization. Assess the list of tasks that the board needs to accomplish and plan your board around the jobs that need to be done. There should be enough meaningful tasks for the board to accomplish without leaving board
members feeling overburdened or uninvolved.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD THE BOARD MEET?
As with the size of your board, the number of board meetings each year should be determined by the work that needs to be accomplished. For logistical and practical reasons, larger boards often meet less frequently, leaving much of the work to the board’s committees.
Regular attendance at board meetings is one of the individual responsibilities of board members. Your organization’s bylaws should include an attendance policy that clearly states the number of meetings that can be missed by an individual board member before he or she is asked to leave the board. Develop an annual schedule of meetings determined a year in advance. Circulate clear and thorough information materials, including an agenda, to all members
two to three weeks before each meeting. Maintain complete and accurate minutes of all meetings, and keep meetings brief and well focused. An organization’s bylaws should also state the number of board members required to constitute a quorum. Without a quorum, the board is unable to conduct its official business.
WHAT KIND OF TERM LIMITS SHOULD BOARD MEMBERS SERVE?
There are no hard-and-fast rules for determining board members’ tenure. Many organizations
do, however, limit members to two consecutive terms and require a hiatus of one year before a
board member may be reappointed. Many organizations also stagger terms of service so that
one-half or one-third of board members are elected every one or two years for terms of two to
six years. Such policies encourage institutional renewal because a board can profit from the
experience of veteran board members while welcoming the fresh perspective that new members
offer. Board members on hiatus can remain active in committee service or serve in an
advisory capacity. Term limits are a painless mechanism for rotating inactive or ineffective
members off the board. These policies should be written into the organization’s bylaws.

Creating A Board for Your HOA or Condominium Association

WHO SHOULD BE ON THE BOARD?
The board should be composed of a diverse group of individuals who are interested in working toward the organization’s mission and have the particular skills that will help to contribute to a well-run organization. For instance, you may want to seek out people with financial, marketing, or legal backgrounds. You may want to consider bringing on someone with an entrepreneurial
background, or someone who is proficient with emerging technologies. You may
also want to recruit members who have influence in the community, work at similar types of organizations, or are representative of the community you are serving. Having this collective knowledge from the beginning will help you make informed decisions. You will also find that as your organization matures, your board composition needs may be very different from those of your founding board. The role of the board tends to change over time as the organization
develops and matures. Early in an organization’s life, the primary need for the board may be individuals who are prepared to give a great deal of time and energy. Later, you may find that as paid staff are brought on, the board focuses primarily on the governance functions of the organization and is less involved with the smaller details of bringing the organization up to speed.
HOW BIG SHOULD THE BOARD BE?
Boards can vary in size from three to more than 50 members.  Each state has regulations that determine the minimum size of the board, but the optimum number of people who sit on the board should be determined by the needs of the organization. Assess the list of tasks that the board needs to accomplish and plan your board around the jobs that need to be done. There should be enough meaningful tasks for the board to accomplish without leaving board
members feeling overburdened or uninvolved.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD THE BOARD MEET?
As with the size of your board, the number of board meetings each year should be determined by the work that needs to be accomplished. For logistical and practical reasons, larger boards often meet less frequently, leaving much of the work to the board’s committees.
Regular attendance at board meetings is one of the individual responsibilities of board members. Your organization’s bylaws should include an attendance policy that clearly states the number of meetings that can be missed by an individual board member before he or she is asked to leave the board. Develop an annual schedule of meetings determined a year in advance. Circulate clear and thorough information materials, including an agenda, to all members
two to three weeks before each meeting. Maintain complete and accurate minutes of all meetings, and keep meetings brief and well focused. An organization’s bylaws should also state the number of board members required to constitute a quorum. Without a quorum, the board is unable to conduct its official business.
WHAT KIND OF TERM LIMITS SHOULD BOARD MEMBERS SERVE?
There are no hard-and-fast rules for determining board members’ tenure. Many organizations
do, however, limit members to two consecutive terms and require a hiatus of one year before a
board member may be reappointed. Many organizations also stagger terms of service so that
one-half or one-third of board members are elected every one or two years for terms of two to
six years. Such policies encourage institutional renewal because a board can profit from the
experience of veteran board members while welcoming the fresh perspective that new members
offer. Board members on hiatus can remain active in committee service or serve in an
advisory capacity. Term limits are a painless mechanism for rotating inactive or ineffective
members off the board. These policies should be written into the organization’s bylaws.

A list of Do’s and Dont’s for Community Management:

Community Associations

• Customer service. Answer your calls and emails within 24 hours of receipt. Even if you don’t have an answer, let your client/homeowner know that you are working on it.
• Know your community. Set your goals to be proactive, not reactive.
• Be respectful. Treat that nasty, arrogant man or woman with respect; they may be your next Board President.
• Maintain your cool. If a homeowner is calling you names and yelling, don’t take it personally. Nine times out of ten, they are just having a bad day and you have been chosen to take it out on. Surprisingly, after they have vented, they will often call you back to apologize.
• Support staff. Acknowledge and appreciate those that are there to support you. It only takes a second to add a line to your email after they have gathered information for you to say, Hey, I appreciate all you do for me.
• Never, ever lie. If you have forgotten or not completed a task given you by the Board, tell them I am sorry. I overlooked that directive but I will follow up immediately. The Board will understand that sometimes unforeseen things happen. If you are straight forward and provided you don’t make a habit of overlooking your assignments, they will understand.
• Rumblings of dissatisfaction. Working for a management company means client retention. If you feel, hear or suspect any dissatisfaction, then you need to address this issue with your supervisors. What begins as a tempest in a teakettle ultimately could lead to a hurricane. Less clients for your company can mean cuts backs in the work force.
• Ask questions. No one has all the answers all of the time. Ignorance is not bliss if you have read the documents wrong or given your Board misinformation. Better to say, I don’t have an answer at this time, but I will research the issue and report back promptly.
• Stay focused. On the days that every call you get is from a cranky homeowner, every email seems full of hate, you feel sure that your supervisor appears to be looking at you with thoughts of terminating your employment, and you are ready to just give up. . . you might be surprised that the next call is from a homeowner or Board member telling you how much they appreciate you, the next email is one giving you a glowing reference on a job well done, or you are paged to come to the reception desk and find a floral delivery from a grateful Board/Homeowner, and you see your supervisor in the hallway and well, three out of four ain’t bad.

Riverside Property Management in Kennesaw works with homeowner and condo associations providing a variety of management, code enforcement, consulting and educational services, reserve studies, budgeting assistance and maintenance planning expertise.

Sample Meeting Minutes Template for Your HOA or Condo

MINUTES of [Organization name]

Meeting date: ________

Call to order: A ______________ [kind of meeting] meeting of the _________________ [organization name], was held in ____________ [place, city, state] on __________ [date], 20__. The meeting convened at ______ [time], President __________________ [name] presiding, and ______________________ [name], secretary.
[Some small organizations choose to list attendees. This works well for boards of directors.]
Members in attendance: [optional item]
Members not in attendance: [optional item]
Approval of minutes: Motion was made by [name], and seconded to approve the minutes of the ______________ [date] meeting. Motion carried.
Officers’ reports:
President
Vice president
Secretary
Treasurer
Board and committee reports:
Unfinished business:
[Subject title]
Motion: Moved by [name] that [state motion].
Motion carried. Motion failed. [leave only one of these]
New business:
[Subject title]
Motion: Moved by [name] that [state motion].
Motion carried. Motion failed. [leave only one of these]
Announcements:
Adjournment:The meeting was adjourned at ______________[time].________________________________     ___________________
Secretary                                                      Date of approval
[Organization Name]

Creating A Board for Your HOA, POA or Condominium Association

WHO SHOULD BE ON THE BOARD?
The board should be composed of a diverse group of individuals who are interested in working toward the organization’s mission and have the particular skills that will help to contribute to a well-run organization. For instance, you may want to seek out people with financial, marketing, or legal backgrounds. You may want to consider bringing on someone with an entrepreneurial
background, or someone who is proficient with emerging technologies. You may
also want to recruit members who have influence in the community, work at similar types of organizations, or are representative of the community you are serving. Having this collective knowledge from the beginning will help you make informed decisions. You will also find that as your organization matures, your board composition needs may be very different from those of your founding board. The role of the board tends to change over time as the organization
develops and matures. Early in an organization’s life, the primary need for the board may be individuals who are prepared to give a great deal of time and energy. Later, you may find that as paid staff are brought on, the board focuses primarily on the governance functions of the organization and is less involved with the smaller details of bringing the organization up to speed.
HOW BIG SHOULD THE BOARD BE?
Boards can vary in size from three to more than 50 members.  Each state has regulations that determine the minimum size of the board, but the optimum number of people who sit on the board should be determined by the needs of the organization. Assess the list of tasks that the board needs to accomplish and plan your board around the jobs that need to be done. There should be enough meaningful tasks for the board to accomplish without leaving board
members feeling overburdened or uninvolved.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD THE BOARD MEET?
As with the size of your board, the number of board meetings each year should be determined by the work that needs to be accomplished. For logistical and practical reasons, larger boards often meet less frequently, leaving much of the work to the board’s committees.
Regular attendance at board meetings is one of the individual responsibilities of board members. Your organization’s bylaws should include an attendance policy that clearly states the number of meetings that can be missed by an individual board member before he or she is asked to leave the board. Develop an annual schedule of meetings determined a year in advance. Circulate clear and thorough information materials, including an agenda, to all members
two to three weeks before each meeting. Maintain complete and accurate minutes of all meetings, and keep meetings brief and well focused. An organization’s bylaws should also state the number of board members required to constitute a quorum. Without a quorum, the board is unable to conduct its official business.
WHAT KIND OF TERM LIMITS SHOULD BOARD MEMBERS SERVE?
There are no hard-and-fast rules for determining board members’ tenure. Many organizations
do, however, limit members to two consecutive terms and require a hiatus of one year before a
board member may be reappointed. Many organizations also stagger terms of service so that
one-half or one-third of board members are elected every one or two years for terms of two to
six years. Such policies encourage institutional renewal because a board can profit from the
experience of veteran board members while welcoming the fresh perspective that new members
offer. Board members on hiatus can remain active in committee service or serve in an
advisory capacity. Term limits are a painless mechanism for rotating inactive or ineffective
members off the board. These policies should be written into the organization’s bylaws.

High Performing Board Practices

The public debate on boards often focuses on catastrophic failure. In many cases, the boards actually meet the standards and follow the right policies, but were not committed enough and left to ask the right questions.

Exceptional boards center around four key concepts or practices:

Strategy
This includes being mission-driven, using strategic thinking, and maintaining of sustainable resources.

Responsibility
This includes having  compliance with integrity, being results-oriented, and promoting a spirit of transparency.

Building relationships
This includes developing a constructive partnership between the home owners and the board, ensuring revitalization, and implementing intentional board practices such as thinking about the board’s size, structure, and meetings.
Dynamic
This includes fostering a culture of openness to ensure that all voices are heard, respective practice when making decisions, and demonstrating continuous learning through guidance, education beyond the boardroom and self-evaluation of the board as a whole and the members of the Board.

The true essence of an exceptional board is in the way members of the board and homeowners are interrelated to create something much richer and more powerful than anyone can create one.

When thinking about each other’s participation differently in the meeting, you want to make sure you understand why. It is not just because of better conversations; it is because they have better information and ask better questions which lead to more robust discussions, more authentic debates, and better decision making.

By strengthening our Boards, we will have stronger organizations, and in time much stronger communities. HOA Board leadership is critical to serving the public good and the impact of our State and Country.

How To Increase Attendance or Participation in Home Owners Committees

1.     Make sure you understand and committee chairs can convey the role of the commission members, and that the president and members are up to date job descriptions.
2.     Ensure proper orientation describing the organization and its unique services, and how the committee contributes to this mission.
3.     Remember that your organization and its committees deserve support and participation. Do not fall into the view that “we are lucky to get just anybody.” Establish a standard for the best.
4.     They have rules that support the participation and assistance. Review the basic rules that each meeting and post them on the bottom of the agenda.
5.     Leave the “dead wood.” They often help to reduce the number of committee members rather than increasing them.
6.     Consider using subcommittees to increase individual responsibility and focus on goals.
7.     Annual assessments of the committee, which includes a clear evaluation process and where each committee member evaluates the other members, and each member receives a written report on their strengths and how they can improve their contributions.
8.     Attempt to provide individual assignments to committee members.
9.     Have at least one staff member to participate in each committee to help with administrative support and provision of information.
10.     Monitor the quorum requirements for the entire plate (as set usually in the bylaws), or the minimum number of board members must be present for the Board to officially adopt business. This quorum, if not met, will serve as a clear indicator or signal that the card is in trouble.
11.     Develop an attendance policy committee that specifies the number of times a member may be absent in consecutive meetings in total meeting time.
12.     Generate minutes for each committee meeting to reach a conclusion on the issues and help members to understand the progress made by the committee.
13.     In the Committee‘s meeting report, including signals that is present and absent.
14.     Consider the possibility of low attendance members involved in some other form of service to the organization, for example, “friends of the organization,” or something, attending special events rather than ongoing activities.
15.     They have a “summit meeting” with members of the committee to discuss the problem of low attendance, and the use of a panel method so that each person should speak with their opinions.
16.     Turn to new members each year.

How to remove a member of the HOA Board

Every homeowners association is to maintain the welfare of their community by maintaining an acceptable  standard protocol in all relevant areas of importance to the community itself. This means putting the needs of the community as the first priority in the objectives of each and every member of the  Home Owners Board of Directors. However, in some cases, individual board members can not or will not properly handle the responsibility given to them. When this happens, the council as a whole should consider removing the board member in particular.

But before getting into the best ways to remove a board member, consult first with the statutes of the association. These vary from association to association, and state laws relating to association management should also be checked as there are limitations – for example – Florida laws do not apply in Georgia.

If one or more members of the board shows an irresponsible behavior,   legitimate removal is necessary for the good of the community. However, before starting a potentially very complicated and long process, the board as a whole must put everything in perspective.  Make sure that the removal is based solely on the basis of verified facts and documentation. If a resident plans to file a complaint, he or she – and the HOA went to officials to solve the problem – there is a need to investigate whether the board member is really the culprit.

If it is determined that the board member in effect, be removed, there is a specific process to be followed. Once all the evidence gathered, a formal request to resign must be made to a member of the Board. If the request to opt-out does not work, a more formal meeting between members of the Board is held to discuss the situation. If after this conversation has determined to be in the best interest of the community that this board member is removed, the board has to consult the manual for the board to plan the next steps.

The first step usually involves giving proper notice, either on a scheduled annual meeting – or if more urgent, in a special meeting. A special meeting may be called if the necessary signatures are obtained from members of the community. This ranges from 5 to 50 percent of the members of the community, according to the Covenants and Bylaws of the community themselves. Once enough signatures are acquired for the Board to approve the meeting, a quorum must be established (a minimum number of voters). All homeowners in the community and investors are invited to attend.

At the same meeting, the member of the Board subject to removal must be given an opportunity to defend themselves. Supporters, opponents and Board members should be given enough time to make their case. After the debate is over, the President should appoint independent inspectors to count the votes present. If the board member is removed, the next step is to hold another election to fill the position now vacant.

A board member may be unfair and should be eliminated for the good of the community. However, prevention is always the best tactic. At day’s end, HOA board members should be chosen based on the positive attitude and the good sense to avoid such situations arising in the first place.

High Performing Board Practices

The public debate on boards often focuses on catastrophic failure. In many cases, the boards actually meet the standards and follow the right policies, but were not committed enough and left to ask the right questions.

Exceptional boards center around four key concepts or practices:

Strategy
This includes being mission-driven, using strategic thinking, and maintaining of sustainable resources.

Responsibility
This includes having  compliance with integrity, being results-oriented, and promoting a spirit of transparency.

Building relationships
This includes developing a constructive partnership between the home owners and the board, ensuring revitalization, and implementing intentional board practices such as thinking about the board’s size, structure, and meetings.
Dynamic
This includes fostering a culture of openness to ensure that all voices are heard, respective practice when making decisions, and demonstrating continuous learning through guidance, education beyond the boardroom and self-evaluation of the board as a whole and the members of the Board.

The true essence of an exceptional board is in the way members of the board and homeowners are interrelated to create something much richer and more powerful than anyone can create one.

When thinking about each other’s participation differently in the meeting, you want to make sure you understand why. It is not just because of better conversations; it is because they have better information and ask better questions which lead to more robust discussions, more authentic debates, and better decision making.

By strengthening our Boards, we will have stronger organizations, and in time much stronger communities. HOA Board leadership is critical to serving the public good and the impact of our State and Country.