For Board Members

As a board member of your homeowner’s association, you will be called upon to make many decisions.

Decide on professional management wisely. The success of your association experience depends largely upon the working partnership between the board of directors and your managing agent. You can rely on Cadden Community Management to put our time, knowledge, and team effort to work for you.

To the New Director

Part of Cadden Community Management’s dedication to delivering total peace of mind is providing a level of service that will help make your life easier as a homeowner. That is why we offer the option of paying your homeowner assessments online.

If you have just been elected to your homeowner association’s Board of Directors, congratulations! You are about to embark on a new and challenging experience. You will meet and make many new friends, especially the other members of your Board, with whom you will share and solve the many problems that normally confront homeowner associations. As a Board member, you will be called upon to make many decisions. As the homeowners’ elected representative, each time you vote, be sure you ask yourself this question, ’Is my decision in the best interests of the association as a whole?’

Your association is chartered by the State of Arizona for the purpose of owning, operating, and maintaining the ’common area’ properties of your complex and for the enforcement of its Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&R’s). Your association may bring suit to enforce these regulations and it can be sued for not enforcing them.

To the Continuing Director

Having previously served your Association, you provide an ingredient vital to every organization … continuity.

Be sure your new directors are thoroughly oriented regarding Board and other procedures and that they understand the purpose and function of the governing documents. Perhaps now is a good time to reflect upon the success of some of your past activities and, if necessary, to plan improvements.

For Example:

At Board meetings are we expediting a well prepared agenda resulting in productive meetings?

Are we fully utilizing the professional guidance of our partnership with a managing agent?

Are we communicating our many activities adequately to the homeowners through newsletters and other means?

In what other areas need we take new directions?

As a Board Member

Your association is chartered by the State of Arizona for the purpose of owning, operating and maintaining the ’common area’ properties of your complex and for the enforcement of its Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R’s). Your association may bring suit to enforce these regulations and it can be sued for not enforcing them.

The Board’s basic power is derived from its Articles of Incorporation, CC&R’s, and the Bylaws. Be familiar with them.

Maintaining and increasing property values are prime objectives. Another is keeping your community a good place in which to live. These objectives are the reasons for most Board actions.

Association Policy is created by a majority vote of the Board; not by individuals acting alone. Attend and participate in all meetings. Emergencies should be the only reason for not attending.

As a President

Board meeting agendas which are well prepared, mailed in advance and then expedited at the meeting, result in productive accomplishments, happy Board members, and satisfied homeowners.

Schedule Board meetings on a regular basis, on an established day and place. Be familiar with the basics of Robert’s Rules of Order.

Committees are sometimes appointed, but responsibility and accountability remain with the board. Committee recommendations received at Board meetings may become instructions to the management company. The committee chairperson is usually a Board member.

Plans for the proper conduct and documentation of your association’s annual meeting should be initiated early. This meeting is an important event in terms of verifying that members have a clear understanding of community responsibilities and Board actions.

As a Vice President

Be involved in the activities of your Association to the extent that you could take over the President’s duties at any time.

As a Secretary

Your role is to prepare and distribute Board of Directors meeting notices, and to record meeting minutes and resolutions.

As a Treasurer

Financial statements need to be furnished each month to reflect the continuing financial health of your association. Be prepared to interpret them at anytime, especially during the annual meeting. Budgets are the basis for maintaining financial stability. Understand and help create them each year. It is the whole Board’s responsibility to modify, reject, or approve the budget.

Make certain that proper insurance for your common area and for your officers and directors is in place.

As an Architectural Control Committee Chair

A board member most often chairs the Architectural Control Committee. Maintaining and increasing property values is the main objective of this important committee. Responsibilities include liaison between the Board and homeowners, review of applications, and preparation of letters of approval, modification or denial, as well as enforcement procedures.