Coming Home Magazine

B O A R D M E E T I N G S These are the bread and butter of association living. Board meetings are where leaders conduct business and residents can voice concerns. Have questions about trash pickup or upcoming clubhouse renovations? Ask here! Who goes? Board members must attend, and residents are encouraged to go. Your manager may also be there to help. What happens? The board might go over operations, set community policies, review maintenance reports, respond to questions from an open forum, and make plans for the future. When is it? Boards often meet monthly or quarterly. Residents should get a heads-up seven to 30 days in advance to prepare. A N N UA L M E E T I N G S Annual meetings are the biggest association event of the year. A huge deal, annual meetings are legally required and have a lot of moving parts. In one, a board might cover large-scale projects, accomplishments, and goals to keep residents in the loop and prepped for the year ahead. Who goes? Residents, board members, and management should be there. What happens? Communities celebrate successes, elect new board members, present annual budgets, hear from committees, and more. When is it? It's all in the name. They happen once a year, and you'll get at least a month's notice. E X E C U T I V E S E S S I O N S When boards need to touch base on confidential topics, they'll have an executive session. Closed to the public, they're a safe space for sensitive content. While residents have a right to know when one takes place, most details are kept under lock and key. Who goes? Board members and directly involved parties. What happens? Private matters are navigated, like resident appeals, personnel issues, delinquencies, and violations. When is it? These are on an ad hoc basis, typically before or after a regular board meeting. C O M M I T T E E M E E T I N G S Many communities form volunteer committees to share the board's workload and oversee areas that need extra support. You may see welcome committees, social committees, architectural committees, and more in your neighborhood—and just like boards, committees host meetings, too. Who goes? Committee and board members. What happens? Committee members give updates on related activities, timelines, and tasks. When is it? Associations usually hold these monthly or quarterly. E M E R G E N C Y O R S P E C I A L M E E T I N G S Boards jump into action when severe weather, natural disasters, or unforeseen circumstances arise. In these situations, the board president or two other board members can call an emergency or special meeting so operations remain cool and collected. Who goes? Board members. What happens? The board reacts to an event or crisis that must be immediately addressed and determines how to move forward. Afterward, residents are advised about the next steps. When is it? These occur rarely and only as needed in person, by phone, or via email. Because they're short notice, advance notification may not be provided. All communities are different. And not every community will host the same meetings. Follow your governing documents and state statutes for your community's specific meeting requirements. Meeting Roundup BREAKING DOWN COMMUNITY MEETINGS. You've relied on your neighborhood know-it-all as your source for community happenings for far too long. While this person may be well-intentioned, they're likely not closely connected to the real goings-on of the community. To get the scoop on what's truly going down, you must show up and listen in at community meetings. Community meetings are where you'll get an accurate report of the state of your association—they're important and have a purpose. Here's a roundup of the five essential meetings you need to know about. 32 COMING HOME MAGAZINE

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