Board request to a member to resign

If anything in the email related to the HOA, then as a Board member and officer I would copy such e-mails to all Board members to make them aware. This is not something that warrants you to resign, but that request is a strong message on their feelings. If the other Board members feel this way, then why not establish policies and procedures for HOA communications?

A homeowner (Mr. A) had objections regarding the following:

1) Management influence our annual voting process.
2) Money decision being made outside the board meting.
3) Our CC&R has gray areas.

So he composed a letter trying to get help from the management. He sent a draft to me and asked me to send it to Mr. B in confidence for his opinion. Mr B is the oldest member of our community and I have asked his opinion in confidence on a lot of things before.

Mr. B to my surprise sent the confidential email to other members of BOD. So much for confidentiality. In the email there are few comments regarding who has done what wrong and why we need to correct the process to prevent it in the future.

A few days later our management droped us for a silly reason and the BOD thinks that the email had something to do with that. Mr A has not sent any letter to the management he decided not to do so for now.

The email was not meant for BOD members. Do people need permision to send emails and ask for opinion? BOD or otherwise?

Your responsibilities as a boardmember do not exclude your rights as a homeowner. I get a lot of email in confidence. That means, someone wants to talk to ME, not to the BOARD.

If you have a private email address, you don't have a problem. If "private" email is going through an official board address to get to you, then find a different way.

The way the others "feel" is overrated. Their preferrences do not necessarily jibe with their duties or responsibilities. If they fear your communications, then THEY should resign.

Hank

They did remove me. Their loss. Hank you were very right. It was all about how overrated their feelings were. They clearly have made their mind up based on their feelings and not responsibilities. They told me they didn't like the way I behaved!? Sending private email!

Here is what I handed out at the meeting:

You have asked me to resign because I have forwarded a private email to Dave.

1) My responsibilities as a board member do not exclude my rights as a homeowner. I get a lot of emails in confidence. That means, someone wants to talk to ME, not to the BOARD.

2) I have a private email address, I don't have a problem. My "private" email is not going through an official board address to get to me.

3) The way you "feel" is overrated. Your preferences do not necessarily match with your duties or responsibilities.

4)If you fear my communications, then YOU should resign.

ET

I believe EdR is exactly right. If the membership voted you in, only the membership can vote you out unless there is a specific provision to the contrary in your governing documents. Whether or not you wish to fight it when the majority is against you is a personal decision. I am a Board member and I frequently consult with residents in the community to get their opinion. Whether this is done in person or by email should not make a difference.
Bill

I am a member of a board. During one of our meetings a flip remark regarding a violation of the covenant was made by another board member. He stated his concern regarding the violation and mentioned three lot as possible violators. The issue concerns the cutting of trees 6+ inches without board approval. All the lots mentioned had approval to build and the final construction was approved by the then board and the road bond returned. The allegation had no basis in fact and an official complaint was not submitted for the board's consideration.

My lot was one of the three mentioned. I felt compelled to respond as a private individual and sent an email to the entire board to address the unwarranted suggestion that I may have violated this rule when my house was built eight years ago and that the board at that time had no such issue when the construction was completed.

A couple of days latter the same issue was presented to me by another lot owner that was not present at our board meeting. I remarked that it was a rather great coincidence and stated that I sent an email to the board in response to a flip speculation that I and two other lot owners may have violated the rule. The lot onwer requested to see the email and I was anxious for someone else to advise me. It happens that this lot owner's lot was also one of the three mentioned at the meeting and He also responded by email.

Consequently, my fellow board members were very upset. They felt that my email was confidential and should have not been forwarded. I feel that I have a right as a private lot owner to respond to flip remarks that are not based in fact. I also feel that I need to be held to a higher standard as a board member and needed to reply. There are no statutes of confidentiality in my state that can be applied to how I handle my own personal email to the board. I am also concerned that someone on the board leaked this information into the community. Please advise.

Lisa.
Thank you for the excellent advice. It makes a lot of sense and I will be guided accordingly if it should happen again. John.