Committees

I feel compelled to write to you with my opinions about committees. This week I and some other owners met with three landscaping company reps who were asked to present bids for fertilization of our turf, trees, plants and shrubs. The bids were presented to Bill Deskus, our Manager, Sharon Vancil, the chairman of the landscape committee, Maxine Nosow, a member of the landscape committee, Jeff Weaver, our in house landscape crew supervisor, and myself.

Recent past presidents had chosen to appoint our previous manager Dennis Bucher to be the sole person in charge of landscaping versus having a committee and chairman. In my opinion this lead to tunnel vision and favoritism when it came to selecting outside vendors. When you choose to have committees to assist the Board and Manager with the operations of the association you are able to tap the knowledge and expertise of our owners such as Maxine Nosow a Master Gardner, Don Barker who was instrumental in getting TruGreen to give us a very competitive bid at least $35,000 below our current contract with Molter. Bill, our manager asked West Bay Landscape to give us a competitive bid which was substantially lower than our current contract. We were able to include Jeff who supervises the day-to-day work and knows our property better than anyone.

This type of input from staff, owners and committee members is what will bring this community back together. This process proves that we can have the top companies in their field working for us and save money too.

Sharon Bateman, a member of the Budget committee, has worked tirelessly gathering information and bids from pool companies. A few weeks ago Charlie Williams, a member from the Budget committee, Bill Deskus and I met with the reps from two pool companies. These bids are from top companies in their field and could save us upwards of $30,000 a year if the Board approves selecting one of them.

Imagine how much money we could have saved over the past few years if committees had been more involved in our association. Committees can only recommend to the Board, the Board is the decision maker. How much money could we/can we save if the Board would choose to make these and other difficult decisions to further implement austerity measures. The Board has made difficult decisions in the past But Wildewood Springs continues to absorb bad debt as a result of defaults and we must cut costs and operate efficiently everywhere we can.

I’ve included an article that I came across titled “Committees Rock “ for your reading enjoyment.

‘Till we meet again
Bob McDevitt
Association President


Committees Rock!
Many board members and managers say that committees are the
lifeblood of associations. More importantly, in a well organized
association, committees are where it's at. Community members often
consider the board as the "best" place to be involved. However in a
well-run community, important issues are first worked through and
refined by committees and the board merely puts on the final stamp of
approval and (with the assistance of management) makes it happen.
How do you find committee members when filling board positions is
such a challenge? It begins with the personal awareness of each
homeowner. Whether you're currently able to participate or not,
everyone can encourage someone to use their talents and skills to the
betterment of all. As an owner, neighbor and person of talent yourself,
watch for opportunities to tap the shoulder of someone in your
community and invite him or her to help out by accompanying you to
the next meeting.
The most powerful way to get volunteers is to ask someone to
participate and then follow up. The second best way to get volunteers
to participate is by clearly communicating the community's needs.
Simply making the statement at a board meeting that volunteers are
needed for the parking committee is generally going to fall short of the
mark. Potential members need to know some basic information:

1. What is the purpose, or charter, of the committee
2. What's involved in being on the committee
3. How much time will it take
4. What's expected of them
5. When will it end (is it a standing or ad hoc position)
Board involvement in committee development is. key. This is where the
infrastructure of the association gets strengthened and membership
becomes engaged. According to most association's bylaws, the
committees are appointed by, and report to the board. In order to for
committees to function effectively, the board must determine the
following:

Why do we need committees?
Help the board conduct the business of the association by:
Gathering information
Making policy recommendations
Recommending solutions to ongoing problems or challenges
Representing the opinions of the community at large
Additional benefits for the association:
More involvement of individuals in the community
Residents (including renters) can bring forth special talents
for the greater good.
Committees can serve as a training ground for those
interested in going further; e.g., serving on the board of
directors.
Allows residents to get to know each other on a more
personal level - live, work & play together.
Structures
There are two types of committees to consider:
Standing Committees (ongoing)
Ad Hoc Committees (seasonal and specific focus)
Within each committee, organizational structure is needed to facilitate
efficiency and value.
Committee Chair Person
Characteristics to consider:
Establish the Committee Members
Characteristics to look for:
Next, the board should develop the designated purpose of the
committees. A few of the more common committees in homeowner
associations are listed below:
Communications - can also have sub-committees:
• Newsletter
• Website
Covenants/Governance/Hearings - Assists with the governing process
of the association.
Finance - can be comprised of sub-committees:
Finance - reviews monthly financials
Budget -- helps develop the annual budget
Reserves - tracks and helps administer the Reserve Study
recommendations
Investments - develops and recommends the association's
investment policy and reserves
Landscape/Maintenance Oversees the "look and feel" and
sustainability of the community landscape
Nominations - Develops the criteria and the slate of board candidates
annually.
Social - The "glue" of every community; helps make an association a
community of friends.
Once committees are appointed, then what?
The members of the committee meet to put the organizational structure
in place,
select a chair and a secretary (timekeepers and parliamentarians are
optional).

Chair Duties:
• Facilitate members getting to know each other
• Set agendas to be sent out ahead of meetings (via email/web site)
• Preside over meetings
• Open and close meetings
• Establish ground rules of meetings
• Attend monthly board meetings to report on key activities of the
committee and receive direction from the board.

Secretary Duties:
Take minutes of all meetings
o Publish minutes within one week of meeting
o The minutes trigger action items that committee members have
committed to accomplish.
o Informs the community on the work that is being done.
• Establish a meeting schedule
• Determine what the board's mandate is for the committee
• Set goals and timetables to accomplish the work of the committee
• Delegate functions to individual members to oversee
• Celebrate your victories! Committees can get very focused on tasks or
working their way through issues. Celebrations keep members
motivated and engaged.
Keep the lifeblood flowing
People thrive on encouragement, acknowledgement and sincere
appreciation. Volunteers want to know that they're making a difference
and their contribution is appreciated. The annual meeting is a great
time to acknowledge all volunteers.
Tapping into local talent when you see it and keeping the community
apprised of the needs of the association greatly assists with keeping a
continuing source of volunteer leaders. Consider identifying someone
with good social talents and an encouraging spirit to be appointed a
volunteer coordinator.
Committees Rock!
Committees require teamwork. Teamwork works every time. Every
committee member brings an important piece of the puzzle.
Committees are the most effective place to have a voice or opinion
heard and to have the biggest impact on the success of your
community.

Corey Recla