Committees: The Farm Team for Condo and HOA Board Members
Just as great baseball players are first groomed in a farm team, community board volunteers are developed and groomed in committees. Therefore, a board that is concerned about finding quality board volunteers should take the long view and develop a plan that establishes committees that are relevant to the operations of the community. Often times, committees revolve around the community amenities such as a swimming pool, tennis court or golf course. They are also organized around business processes such as capital reserves, finance, insurance and maintenance. Each committee should have a Committee Charter that defines its purpose and assigned tasks. Once you have this, it is easier to recruit a volunteer for a committee that has a clearly defined mission and tasks in their area of interest.
As committees become an established part of the culture of the community, it will be easier to identify and recruit board members from the committee “farm team.” Able and dedicated committee volunteers make the board work easier as the board concerns itself more with reviewing recommendations of the committees rather than doing the work of the committee. Another benefit is the cost savings that can be realized by reducing the work load of your manager and therefore the fees that the management company charges. Keep in mind that committees can also increase the work load of the manager if committee members are not willing to do the often time consuming work defined by its charter.
When productive committee members are doing meaningful work that benefit their community, interest in board membership is a natural next step.
Tom Simon is the Managing Member of WestGate Properties LLC and is a Certified Professional Community Association Manager® (PCAM®)