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| WATCHDOG © 2012 |
Watchdog wanted to bring you the cliff notes on this month's meeting. The graphic may be curious to you. You had to be there! Explanation to follow later.
First of all, the agenda was not as filled with items as has been in the past. The meeting was organized for swiftness, as it should be. Members were invited and allowed to speak to Agenda items at the beginning of the meeting and during the various discussions/motions pending during the meeting. It is difficult -- as the Chair -- when your board wants to 'get through' the agenda and comments from the Members slow that process down. To her credit, she allowed the comments nonetheless. Practically speaking, to sit and discuss matters which will have an impact on the Members, like institution of user fees for the Park for events or groups of more than....; or, details of the various reports that may spark Member interest during the report;. or, clear up confusion on matters arising out of the various agenda items -- without Member input/query would not necessarily stand up to the campaign promise for transparency and accountability. Watchdog truly appreciates the Board's tolerance of the Members's thoughts. And we did see few chairs empty for this meeting.
Second, Reports were well organized and not as time consuming. There are still some rough spots on fine tuning committee procedure and reporting and Board understanding of the same but having the reports delivered and informative validated the need for Members to be present at the meetings to know what is being said/done.
One of the most informative portions actually was centered on Members who were present to discuss issues not on the agenda but of concern to them. In the community we are seeing two sides of the economic depression that has hit everywhere. We are seeing an attempt at increased crime -- mostly against personal/private property and the flip side, an increase in 'dogs' and their barking as a deterrent to that attempt at crime. The barking dogs and what can be done about them was topic one and managed to go down the road of ineffectual CCR's when 'enforcement' is bridled because of the lack of procedure or policy to do so. Currently, a 'nuisance' violation [#'s 20 & 22] cannot be addressed by the very Board the governing documents appoint to 'manage and maintain' relative to the governing documents beyond a letter being sent out by the Office to an owner requesting compliance. Watchdog believes it can be dealt with a little more forcefully by having the corporate counsel sending out an additional warning at the owner's charge, though that would need to be a policy developed and promulgated so that owner's understood their inaction will eventually require them to 'pay' when compliance may have been a lesser expensive tact. It is a topic that has been visited and has been daunting off and on for at least the last 6 years. So, what to do? There is a law on the books that allows a complaint to be made to the police of barking dogs ... but, the police have to go to the location and sit there to verify the dog/s barking for 20 minutes. While it may be a most irritating matter to have barking dogs how many neighbors would rather the police be utilized for real issues of crime? It is apparent, no matter what rules, regulations or laws, no matter what agency, association, department and at what level...if you have no mechanism for enforcement it is an ineffective rule/regulation/law.
The other matter addressed by a member was that of owner concerns on a road where there are multiple homes but only a single owner occupant. Again, a sign of the economic times. In the instance mentioned at the meeting, the 'renters' on the road allegedly have no interest in preserving the aesthetics of the neighborhood as it relates to the road and the road shoulders. Watchdog visited the street yesterday and found there is a car parked on the road shoulder that appears to be abandoned which will likely be addressed by the foreman, but the road shoulders at a long view glance did not appear to be fraught with debris, rocks, or disrupted with gouges by vehicles doing 'wheelies' on them. Not to say a closer examination may have produced evidence of the tire impressions, but the road shoulders appeared free of obstruction, which is compliant with the CCR's. This discussion point however points up yet another long standing issue: Owned by possession! Folks through out this community, as a matter of pride in their neighborhoods, maintain the road shoulders either in front of their property or for the whole side of their street, or both sides. Well intended exertion of their energies helps that neighborhood appear well mannered. However, though it is a wise and noble venture it is of their own volition. When something happens to disrupt their sacrifice it is taken personally and sometimes erupts into a bigger issue than is necessary. No one asks them to do what they do and they cannot honestly expect the Board to discipline or punish another simply for not respecting the self sacrifice. This community is not unique to this scenario nor will it ever be absent the common issues this Board and every Board must deal with diplomatically but efficiently.
How one deals with the day to day issues, small or large, or the crisis issues as a director reflects upon that director...a position which one day may find them on the other side of the issue. Diplomacy is key to making sure the party who has vested themselves understands the Board appreciates their kind hand in dealing with their neighborhood while at the same time explaining and educating the same member as to the area or responsibility for the individual lot owner vs those of the Association. At this past meeting, the dog barking issue was dealt with partially by assigning a member in the audience with homework. The other issue was dealt with more diplomatically by the office manager. Hard call to be sure but valuing the member's concerns regardless of personal feeling should be part of the 'director's' reason to serve. Watchdog's humble opinion.
All in all, there were some moments of 'DRAMA' but the rest of the meeting should be reflected easily when the minutes are posted in a couple of months.
