A SUCCESSFUL ANNUAL MEETING
The annual meeting can be a chance for the current board to shine on the past year’s performance, promote the plans of the community, and answer the myriad of questions that come with being a board member. This is usually the meeting with the most residents in attendance. A statement prepared by the board president giving an overview of the past year can set the stage of welcoming community members to the annual meeting. Annual meetings can become contentious as well, so the board and manager should be prepared to explain all procedures in advance. This meeting can change the way business continues within the community.
Planning your communities’ annual meetings shouldn’t be so stressful and mind-boggling if conversations begin at earlier meetings. Discuss with your board members at open meetings the subject of whose term is up and who plans to run again. This starter conversation allows the manager to begin the preparation for the annual meeting and light a candle under new members into running. Reviewing board obligations may ease the minds of potential candidates and encourage them to run for the board.
Before preparing your meeting notice, review the bylaws to determine the terms of the positions up for election. Start a folder and on the inside flap make notes that are easily understood for the next annual meeting. Review required quorum for annual meetings which, as you should know, is not the same as quorum for board meetings. This information should be highlighted in your notice so owners understand the importance of returning their proxies and/ or attending the meeting. Determine whether or not a proxy
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vote is allowed and the type of proxy allowed. Different types of proxies include: quorum only proxies, ballot proxies, designated proxies. Determine if only secret ballots are allowed which must be mailed in as opposed to being hand solicited and carried into the meeting. If you are unsure, you should check with the association’s attorney, who may also prepare the association’s proxy for them. Your meeting notice should contain the day, date and time and include the purpose of the meeting. Clear instructions on the use of the proxy, a candidate form for those wanting to be on the meeting ballot, and possibly an agenda if the association declarations calls for it should also be included.
To prepare for your meeting in advance start accumulating your gifts. A good tool to have is a checklist and box available which holds a reminder notice of what should be brought to the meeting including an owner list for signing in, plenty of pens, a calculator for tallying owner percentages, or a laptop with a spread sheet formatted to tally owner percentages (much easier) and copies of the ballots (at least enough to cover the number anticipated in attendance). It is also a good idea to have copies of the agenda and annual meeting minutes from the previous year available for residents in attendance so they can feel like part of the meeting. You can then use the box/file for ballots being turned in.
Treat your annual meeting like a party, with a cheese, sausage & cracker tray, fruit bowl or cakes and
A Publication of CAI-Illinois Chapter
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