SCARLET LETTER
H OW TO AV O I D THE
any of us may have had to read “The Scarlet Letter” in high school and may be familiar with the story. The Puritan unmarried woman, Hester Prynne, had a child borne out of wedlock; something deemed unforgivable in 17th century Massachusetts. As a result, she was forced to wear a crimson “A” to identify her as an adulteress and to bring her shame. Translating this to modern-day, the scarlet letter in the community association world could stand for a board who was “apathetic,” “adrift,” or worse, “abhorrent.” I’m sure we all have a horror story or two to tell about dealing with a dysfunctional board or director and the frustration they can create, but this article is intended to focus on the positive. With the following helpful information, a cooperative group of board members can become that “well-oiled machine” and avoid the scarlet letter and become “that” board with the great reputation and attitude!
Balancing what is right and what is expected can be difficult for boards. Remember, these are volunteers who don’t get paid, but are serving to provide and protect your investment. My story is about a dream board that I worked with who were successful in every aspect of serving their community. This was a 12 member board who thoroughly impressed me by how they conducted meetings, how they treated owners and the entire management team, and their ability to achieve results. Their backgrounds were varied, but they were all interested in running a successful association. A diverse board of directors can bring different perspectives to the table which is helpful in the decision making process.
By Mary Seego, AMS, CMCA, PCAM ACM Community Management
The board president did a wonderful job conducting the board meetings. All board members arrived early and meetings were contained to less than two hours. Spirited discussions did occur and board members were allowed to voice their opinion without being disrupted. If a topic did start to spiral out of control, the board president quickly reeled everyone back in, but there was never screaming or yelling, and no one was ever disrespected. There was always some humor during the meetings which brought a sense of humanity. Unlike most board meetings, this board had an average homeowner attendance of 25-30. The board members came prepared to the meetings, instead of opening up their board packets when they sat down at the table. That is a sure way to send the wrong message to your ownership, and to your manager! The board secretary typed up all the motions that were on the agenda and distributed to the board prior to the board meeting, which assisted in keeping the board on track. The board always adhered to the agenda, which resulted in a smooth running board meeting.
This board made decisions with the overall interest of the entire community. There is nothing worse than having board members get on the board for their own personal agenda. They read and understood their governing documents, and prepared extensive clear cut rules & regulations that were
12 | COMMON INTEREST® A Publication of CAI-Illinois Chapter
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