Board Member Liaison to Committee

Hi,

I am a member of the Landscaping Committee of Saturnia Lakes, a community in Naples, FL. We presently have a Board Director serving as a Liaison between our committee and the HOA Board of Directors. We are new to this, since our community was just turned over to the homeowners from the developer.

Do any of your communities have a Director serving as a Liaison on a committee and, if so, what is that Liaisons responsibility and role on your committee?

Thanks in advance for you help.

Tom White
Saturnia Lakes
Landscaping Committee Member

Just curious, does the board member liaison have the right to sit in while the committee is discussing budgets and such and add their views or is it just up to them to take what the committee decided and present it to the board as a whole?

We are in the process of identifying the roles and responsibilities of the "Board Liaison", so we're not sure what they should be yet.

Isn't the whole idea of committees, to give the assignment to a small focused group? Wouldn't allowing anyone to come and go as they wish defeat the purpose? I understand and agree that the liaison needs to have the knowledge and understanding to present to the board, but my question I guess is, Does that Board liaison need to be present through all of the deliberations of whatever the issues are at hand, or can this be discussed by the committee first and presented to the liaison later, once the committee has reached a decision? Since the board liaison cannot vote on the committee, instead doesn't he/she vote when the board votes on the items being presented by the committee? We have a board liaison who interjects his opinions at every committee meeting and causes disention among committee members and himself. Rather than have to battle with him on every item, our committee would function more smoothly without his presence when deliberating issues. It would be much easier and less stressful for everyone if he just took what we had topresent to the board and discussed it at his board meeting. Am I wrong? It has gotten to the point where we will have lost several volunteers because they no longer want to sit at a meeting where he is present. This would be an unfortunate loss for our community, where it is hard enough to recruit volunteers in the first place.

There is no good reason to have a board member as liaison to the committee. The committee chairperson can present the committees report at a board meeting and make a recommendation for approval. However, that liaison board member may be appointed the chair of the committee by the board.

As a past Board Member, Vice Chair, etc, I question why any Committee feel that they have complete knowledge of the budget & other constraints, that they would object to the Board Liasion attending & making suggestion to a Committee....the Committees Members work at the descretion of the duly elected Board...their job is to research & suggest not make policy. We all appreciate volunteers, & in most cases the Board members are just that ...VOLUNTEERS! Why make it harder on implementing your ideas by rejecting & NOT working with the Liaison. If you feel there is a personality conflict..then I suggest you request the President of your Association for a replacement..but don't be a bit surprised if you have problems with the replacement..You must remember that your function is just to advise the Board..not set policy! Good Luck!

Hi

I am a member of the Board of Directors, and I act as the liaison for the Landscape Committee. I also act as a part of the Committee. We have discussions at our Committee meetings, and when I present ideas and info to the Board, it is always done on the basis that the Committee has voted as a whole on the subject. I also have the option to present and deal with issues using my own judgment. In our assn. the Committee consists of some very knowledgeable people, and I value their opinions, so I generally take their suggestions verbatim to the Board.

We also do a monthly walk-through of our community. This is open to the Board, our landscaper, and one rep from the management company only--so that we don't have committee members spending a lot of time on conversations that can be handled in committee meetings. However, if I am unable to do the walk-through, I will send one of my committee members to take my place.

Hope that helps,
HelenS