Issue link: https://www.cominghomemag.com/i/1505959
ASK A COMMUNITY MANAGER Q What Professional Advisors Bring the Most Value to the Board? A COMMUNITY MANAGER SHARES HER TOP PICKS. 1. Community Manager Managing a community is a big job—that's why many boards hire a community manager to support them, manage operations, communicate with residents, and resolve issues. What a manager does for your specific community will be outlined in your governing documents or service contract. Typically, they'll do things like oversee daily functions of the association; vet, source, and supervise vendors; prepare board meeting agendas; and assist with financials. 2. Lawyer In addition to a community's governing documents, associations must abide by certain local, state, provincial, and federal laws. These laws can be difficult to decode, so an HOA lawyer is the best person to recommend a course of action, survey policies, and review contracts. As an advisor and advocate, your lawyer might also need to represent you in legal proceedings to promote the community's interests. 3. Insurance Agent All HOAs are different, and when it comes to community association insurance, there's no one-size-fits-all approach, product, or service. Your community needs a qualified association insurance agent you can consult to protect your unique assets. A robust insurance program will not only shield your community in the event of a loss, but it'll also help your homeowners rest easier, knowing the association has appropriate coverage. 4. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Associations are usually required to work with a CPA who isn't the board treasurer. A third-party CPA is an asset, guaranteeing your finances are accurate, accounting is free of bias, and the community is following the law. A CPA can conduct audits and prepare tax returns and annual financial reports, too. 5. Reserve Specialist (RS) It's important for your community to budget for future replacements or repairs in a reserve fund. To facilitate this process, a reserve specialist or professional reserve analyst performs a reserve study. The specialist analyzes the condition of a community's physical structures and evaluates financials to create a plan that keeps your community well-maintained and your investment secured long-term. When the board partners with the right people, your community works better, looks better, and feels better. " Rose Jurczewski, CMCA®, AMS®, is a community association manager at Associa Chicagoland, An Associa® Company. Rose has over 36 years of industry experience and is an active member of Community Associations Institute (CAI) and the Illinois Legal Action Committee (ILAC). She is Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA®) and Association Management Specialist (AMS®) certified. She received the Rising Star Award in 2015, and was a top 10 finalist for the national Manager of the Year Award in 2016. HOA board members are smart people; they're elected to lead the community, after all. But some of that knowledge is thanks to their relationships with trusted advisors. With professional advice—whether for maintenance, insurance, or a capital building project—a board of directors can serve their community at the highest level. To learn what professional advisors matter most to an HOA, we asked Rose Jurczewski, CMCA®, AMS®, to share her top picks. COMING HOME MAGAZINE 33