2006 HOA Board Elections

I hate to say this, but since I'm moving out of Broadlands, I guess I'll let loose a Broadside !!

There was a DISMAL turnout at the annual HOA Community Meeting and Elections last night. We had 50 to 60 people in the hall, and only about 250 to 275 proxy votes arrive at the HOA in time for the count.

As is usual, we have more people who like to complain, than who want to take the time to find out what is going on, and to ask questions. As I always say when I see the sad turnout at county elections: If you didn't vote, don't complain.

The results:

Top vote getter, elected to a three year term: Cliff Keirce
Elected to fill the remaining year of my term: Stevens Miller

The HOA Board thanks those who took the time to attend or to fill out a proxy vote sheet.

 

Thanks for your service Neil! It's an honor to have been elected to complete your term. Looking forward to it, and my thanks to all those who supported me.

Stevens R. Miller

 

it was nice putting faces to names last night- (I'm the Broadlands Live emcee on crutches) and I am glad I attended my first meeting. I have to say the meeting are very well run and kudos to the board for such professionalism and keeping things moving.

 

There were actually 45 in attendance, not counting the Board and HOA employees. Of that 45, 4 were contractors and another 4 committee members that we asked to give a report. Of the remaining 36, there were several couples. My estimation is that about 28-30 households were represented in the audience.

 

While attendance was lower than in previous years, I thought there was little or no complaining going on.

Large attendance usually means people have something they want to complain or voice to the HOA in a public forum.

I remember those past HOA meetings with large attendance with heated debates regarding the hospital or traffic lights which took up the majority of the meeting time.

Bottom line is that we want Broadlands to be an awesome place to live and something we can be proud of. When those things are being met for the community as a whole, I wouldn't expect large attendance at these meetings.

Its not because people are not interested in voting or being part of the HOA process, rather its because people are reasonably content with how the HOA is handling and managing the various issues relating to the Broadlands.

In addition these forums provide an excellent feedback loop to the HOA for any issues that come up throughout the year (i.e. the initial trash problems with New Vision or lack of traffic lights).

Maybe I'm being too optimistic here, but it is what it is.

Thanks again for your service Neil and to the rest of the HOA.

 

I didn't mean there was complaining there ... I meant that there were lots of people who complain, and still didn't take the time to come to the meeting.

Agreed, but then that's the flaw in the system

However, since this is the one time people can express their preferences by voting, I would like to see a large attendence. Shoot, all they had to do was fill out a proxy and mail it in or drop it off, and only 250 people did that.

But why am I surprised, considering the normal turnout for the county elections.

 

We planned to have someone from our house attend the meeting which was why we didn't send in the proxy...

Then there was a family emergency so no one was able to go.

We did have someone there the past two years so hopefully, next year!

 

One thing about the proxy is the rqmt for a witness not of the house hold. What does that really accomplish? It's annoying and it can be easily faked.

 

Not only is it annoying, it is deterent to completing the form. I'm not always sorting my mail, doing bills and the like in the middle of the afternoon when I can get a neighbor to come sign my form. Why not just have it that the adult members of the house have to sign it.

 

You know .. if you drop it off at the Nature Center. one of the staff can witness it .

 

We don't require witness signatures on our cards. Each card has the address on it. If someone wanted to "rig" the election they'd have to get a hold of printed cards. We match proxy votes, and all votes for that matter, to a roster of residents.

 

Gee ... how much is your budget and HOA fees ??

 

Neilz,

I am not sure I understand the relevance to your question.

 

I think he is implyiing the card stock you use is expensive compared to the run at Kinkos our HOA does.

 

Oh, thank Homer, ...well, probably nothing different than the stock used for the normal announcement mailer. I just provide the idea as something to compare too.

 

True ... not to mention the extra time it takes to match the card, and the address on the envelope.

Or the extra cost of the window envelope that may be used so the card's address label can be seen.

All we do is have the letters stuffed, and a label placed on them.

That said, having a identifiable number, or printed address on the proxy would eliminate that need for a witness; much as the proxies one gets from a company you own stock in.

 

Linux,

Neilz makes this into some type of huge "investment", not me. We mail out proxies with the election announcements, like any other mailed communication. There is no special investment. I pointed out the way we do it as a procedural observation. The original complaint/comment was that it was a pain to have a signature on each proxy. If you remove the proxy signature requirement it would seem more folks would return them. How many more, I have no idea.

Off hand I don't know the answer to your percentage question. I am not sure if that answer would reflect "higher", or "lower" because of a signature requirement.

Maybe Neilz knows the percentages and our turnout ratios.

 

I was just wondering how much it cost to have it done. If it didn't cost much more than just having the envelopes stuffed, then labeled, it would be feasible for Broadlands.

FWIW ... the percentage question was legitimate. Does the lack of a witness increase the rate of return? Again, if it does, it may then justify the slight extra cost.

While I was giving you a poke when I first asked ( ), I was also looking for an answer to see if the cost difference was minor. Anything that would increase the homeowner participation would be welcome.