The coined phrase, “it takes a village” is true when it comes to running an HOA. Board officers and members-at-large, committee leaders and members, vendors, volunteers and homeowners all need to work together to create a thriving community. Below are some of the volunteer roles that make your association a wonderful place that you call home.
President
This officer presides over meetings, executes contracts and other documents on behalf of the association. The president has general responsibility for day-to-day association operations. Typically, he or she serves as the spokesperson for the Board. This chief executive officer (CEO) position is responsible for training other directors and officers for future leadership roles.
Vice President
The primary role of this position is to assist the president with all duties and to assume those duties in the president’s absence. He or she may also chair committees and lead other major efforts for the association. This role can be misunderstood because many of the duties is working hand-in-hand with the president to ensure that association business runs smoothly. It’s a busy position that requires a lot of volunteer hours to do it well.
Secretary
This person is responsible for maintaining the official records for the association. The records should be easily accessible to association members and other authorized people, so this role requires excellent organizational skills. Your Board secretary may choose to work alone or recruit others to help. Make sure that access to all your documents doesn’t rely on gaining entry to the secretary’s garage! Board members should know the storage location and the backup should the secretary be unable to attend to his or her duties.
Treasurer
This position handles the association’s funds, coordinates developing an annual budget and prepares financial reports. While he or she may engage a management company to manage daily financials, the treasurer is still responsible for the financial records. Typically, financial duties require additional volunteers so that one person doesn’t have access and responsibility to all financial accounts. Know what’s happening in your association’s financial world so you don’t put your community at risk.
Members-At-Large and Other Volunteers
These people assist the officers with projects, chair/serve on committees and handle other association business work. Volunteers may also serve a specific purpose because they have special skills. At-Large Board members can be excellent potential officers. These people are part of the “village” that you need for depth and resources in your HOA.
Property Management Company
Volunteer homeowners don’t usually have all the skills and/or time to do everything necessary to keep an association running smoothly. If your Board can’t quite stretch to handle all the projects and tasks, you may need to add a property management company to your “village”. Explore how outsourcing specific tasks can move your community forward.
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Wise Property Solutions is a property management company serving East Tennessee with offices in Knoxville, TN and the Tri-Cities, TN-VA. Specializing in Condominium Association Management, Home Owners Association Management, HOA Management and Gated Community Association Management.