As the leaders of HOA’s, board members have various responsibilities that can depend on their position on the board. Like the national government, the president has different duties than the secretary, who has different duties from the treasurer. However, they are all important and crucial to the government and board alike. If you are on the board in your HOA, refer to the article below to educate or refresh yourself on the responsibilties of your calling.
President
Like any other institution or corporation, the president is the man in charge. They represent the HOA when working with third party companies, law firms, or attorneys, and speak for the other board members and every homeowner in the association. Included in their responsibilities are planning agendas for board meetings, conducting meetings and do any paperwork that is needed for the association. Their name should be on any legal documents that is done on behalf of the association. Keep in mind that the president should work for the people, and their actions should reflect that.
Vice-President
Because HOA board members are normal people with lives separate from the association, the vice-president may be enacted more often than vice-presidents from other corporations. If the president is unable to attend meetings, file paperwork or delegate duties due to illness, emergencies or simply being out of town, the vice-president should step in. If needed, the vice-president has all of the same powers as the president, and can act as a temporary head of the HOA. At times when they are not acting president, the VP is just another voice on the board, and should be delegated business by the president.
Secretary
The secretary has an essential, yet simple job. At board meetings, the secretary should keep track of the business that is discussed, record it, and then file the document away for future reference. They should also be taking minutes of the meeting. Depending on the association and the state, some HOA’s allow for there to be an assistant secretary, or a time keeper to record the minutes of board meetings. Overall, they are the record keeper, and the person to go to if records, meeting agendas, or minutes need to be accessed.
Treasurer
The treasurer has perhaps the most important and high-risk job on the HOA board. The treasurer is the one that handles the funds, taxes and budgets for an HOA. They will be working with banks or third party management companies to handle the money involved in running the association. They should be building annual budgets for the other board members to review and approve. Treasurers do not require years of experience, rather a basic understanding of money and HOA’s.
HOA board members should be continually working together to improve the nature of their association. Keep in mind that board members should not do anything or make deals with anyone out of personal opinion or without the approval of the rest of the board. Similar to being a homeowner in an HOA, working on the board should be a community effort. Knowing your place and responsibilities in that community effort will greatly benefit everyone.
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