micro-manage board vs umbrellas

Spending money is a board issue. This should be brought to the board and discussed in your next open meeting. When and if a positive decision is reached your property manager would be given a go ahead to purchase it. Just because another association has umbrellas it doesn't mean you automatically get one.

oops. I mixed my Hanks up.

HankP is looking at bringing legal action. Not HankV.

Sorry about that.

The board hired a manager to handle the day-to-day operation of the association and delegated its authority to the manager. The board should have given the manager a budget and set limits on what he can or cannot do.

Let's put the umbrella purchase into perspective. The association has a pool. How much did it cost to acquire the property and build the pool? Pools require regular cleaning and chemical maintenance. How much does the association spend to maintain the pool each year? Pool equipment breaks down from time to time. How much do they spend on repairs each year? There is apparently some furniture already in the pool area. How much does the association spend on pool furniture? Finally, how much does the umbrella cost and how does that effect the overall cost of having the pool?

The problem with most HOA boards is that they are made up of people who lack experience in business, management, and law. Not knowing how to delegate, they insist on micro-managing everything. Not everything belongs in front of the board and the purchase of an umbrella for the pool area is one such a petty matter.

Larry, I might have agreed with you if there was an umbrella previously and it needed replacement. In this case it was something purchasing of something new.

If this is a 'no-brainer' decision it should take exactly 30 seconds to vote on.

If there is a pool committee and they have a budget, then the purchase of the umbrella is a cosmetic things under that committee's budget. The board should be glad that the committee is overseeing the details of the pool area and step back.

I, myself, think that this is micro-managing. Boards forget that they don't have to personally do EVERYTHING, just make sure everything gets done.

I suppose a real factor in all this is how big this HOA is.

I would like to thank all of those who took the time to respond.
There are two small tables that did have umbrellas at one time.
The manager can spend on his own up to $ 300.00 for general
maintenance items or expenditures. I did as previously mentioned
speak with the manager about the request, he felt that this fell
under his preview. It is my concern that we have a manager who
has his (CPM) and is familiar with our documents.
At each board meeting we have a managers report at that time
He can inform the board of items that were handle sense the last
meting ,along with informing the board of any major expenditures
coming up. It appears we have board members that feel they need
To control everything that goes on, and ok only items that suite
Them. What options are there?

Hank,

Based on this additional information, I would concur that this item was under the property managers authority to make the decision and make the purchase.

It's also a nice wake up call for me that additional questions typically are always needed. It's also a good reminder for all posters that members of this forum can only reply based on the information that is provided. What might be common knowledge to the poster is not common knowledge to those they are asking opinions from.

Tim

As much as I respect and appreciate Tim's wise advice and observations, I disagree with his most recent post.

Perhaps in HankV's HOA, directors can instruct the mgr. to purchase something. In my HOA, no director has such authority. We directors also have no authority to direct management to do anything. Only the board acting at a meeting may direct management or any of our other vendors.

Our manager does have the discretion to make certain expenditures without board approval such as repairs of various kinds. This sounds like HankV's manager, who may spend limited funds on "general maintenance items or expenditures." Umbrellas, though, are not maintenance items, they are common area amenities. That there were umbrellas "some time ago" (How long ago? Why are they gone?) doesn't matter.

Honestly, it sounds to me as if HankV wants to go behind the board's back because he doesn't think they will support his request. Why do some directors oppose umbrellas, HankV?

Thank you again for the insight.
With regards to some comments that have been made.
For the sake of time I gave the Cliff Notes version.
1st as a board member I will pass on any request made
By a resident, I will not screen any request or concern given to me
I do not, nor do I pretend to have the authority
To spend the association money, however the manager does.
The manager could have said that he felt the board should
Handle this, then I would have told the resident that this
Is now a board issue and that they may want to come to the next
board meeting and plea the case. I also owe all the members
Of our community a timely response to any and all questions
That they have concerning the community.
No more the 24 hours from the time of the request ( I requested
That the resident email me the request so that I would have
A hard copy and that it was not just from me.)
I have found that if you are willing to put it in writing it is important
With regards to the President & VP my response to the resident
Did include the president and the manager, I have enough emails
To handle with regards to my business and members of our community.
The President if he feels the issue requires all of the boards attention
He can and should copy all brd members. A little common sense goes a long way
Perhaps next time we should just tell our members go and take
It up with the manager, he has all the time and has
Nothing better to do.
I will always work for the resident they are down here to have fun
and those that have skin disorders CAN use the pool also.......