President’s Comments
April Board Meeting
April 5, 2018 

Board Activities This Past Month: 

As we reported last month, the Board voted to do a Survey and it would be handled similar to a Ballot for the Directors.  The Survey would be anonymous.  The Board is now working on a final copy.  The Survey will not be at the same time as the Director Election to avoid any confusion.  This Survey is to gauge the thinking of the Members.  The survey may or may not result in changes by the Board.  There are many factors to consider in making changes, such as the Community benefit, money to pay for it, legal issues, insurance requirements, etc. 

The Association Attorney approved the language for the monthly payment plan.  The Association is expected to begin this in June of 2018, for the 2019 season.  There will be no monthly billing.  It will be up to the Member to pay dues for the following year over a 10 month period, or less.  1/10th of the anticipated bill each month.   All payments will be credited toward the following year.  There is no cost to make monthly payments. 

Director Election:  Your current Board is comprised of mostly appointments to the Board.  Appointments are where a vacancy occurs and the Board elects a person to fill the empty Seat.  The second most prevalent situation is where there have been just enough candidates or not enough candidates to fill the vacant Director Seats.  

This election is your opportunity to shape the Board.  There are more candidates than Seats.  Three candidates for two Board Seats.  

The current Board is a great Board.  Although the Board may not be in complete agreement on issues, those that did not get their way move on to the next issue without holding an ax to grind.  A true working relationship.  

For the upcoming Director election, it is my recommendation that you ask questions to understand the intentions of candidates.  Vote for candidates who are truly interested in the long term direction of the Community, representing the entire Active Membership. Remember, there are 1100+ paying Active Members to be represented. 

Most importantly VOTE. 

The Village: Despite the constant barrage of comments that the Association needs to “work together” with the Village and vice versa, cooperation, in my opinion, has never been better.  Sharing of equipment, ideas, and information hasn’t been this good in many years.  The Association thanks the Village Management for this cooperation.  Hopefully the new Village Management and the new Association Board will continue and expand this true “working relationship”.  

The Annual Meeting:  The Association Annual Meeting will be held at the Clubhouse on April 28, 2018 at 1pm.  Everyone is invited, paid up Active Members and Inactive Members.  The Annual Meeting will be followed by a Social where you can meet your Board and your neighbors.  Following the Social, the new Board will elect the Association Officers for May 2018 thru April 2019.  Plan to attend and see what your Association has been doing and has planned.   

Tonight’s Meeting:  As always after each Board meeting, please join the social at the Kitchen area of the Clubhouse for coffee and dessert.  Meet your Board and your neighbors. 

Best regards, 

Tom Sopko 

President’s Comments
March Board Meeting
March 1, 2018
By: Tom Sopko

Board Actions in the Past Month:

1. The Board voted to do a Ballot type Survey. Including the following issues:

1. 1. Whether food and beverages should be allowed inside the pool areas.
   2. What is the interest in other amenities. And how to pay for them.
   3. The Board asks that Members make suggestions.
      The Survey is expected to follow the Director Ballot and not overlap or be at the same time
2. The Board voted to provide WiFi at the Clubhouse area. It is now in service and will be in service year-round.
3. The Board voted to study monthly dues payments in an effort to implement monthly payments. Many Members have commented that they can afford $75/month and cannot afford $750 all at once. It was a suggestion brought to us by Ed Baitt based on Member feedback. The Board is targeting to begin this in June of 2018, for the 2019 season.

Board Actions Tonight:

1. John Martin has resigned from the Board. His resignation needs to be accepted. John’s remaining term is 1 year and two months.
2. A new Board Member will be seated. The Board will be at full strength which is seven.
3. Candidates for the upcoming Board election have to attend three regular Board meetings in the past year. The policy for monitoring Board Meeting attendance has been by signing in, however, it is not in the bylaws. Two Nominations are in question. The Board will decide if and how these Nominations are accepted.

Commentary:

What is Indemnification and Why Do We Have It? Indemnification which includes Directors and Officer Insurance protects volunteer Board Members from the costs of lawsuits and other legal claims whether criminal or civil. Indemnification should encourage Members to be on the Board because their personal assets are protected. Indemnification is now in question and under attack. Personally, I would not risk my retirement which took 40 years to build, to be on this Board if it were not for Indemnification. Put yourself in this position, would you risk your home or all your assets to manage this Association? Understanding Indemnification was my primary focus before deciding to join the Board. I used a third party law firm to help in that evaluation. No volunteer Director should be personally sued, imprisoned, accused of a felony, or have his/her life destroyed especially by another Member. These lawsuits and legal claims are the true money wasters of the Association and Community. Association Members need to step-up and question the accusers, as Members now question the defense decisions of the Association. Remember the Association Board of Directors represents you the Member. These actions could be handled internally by the Community if we were truly “working together”. These accusations are designed to intimidate the Board and to make the Board look bad, nothing else.

Director Election: For the upcoming Director election, it is my recommendation that you ask questions to understand the intentions of candidates. Vote for candidates who are truly interested in the long term direction of the Community, representing the entire Active Membership.