Board Elections at Transition

Our HOA may be transitioning from the Developer to the Residents during 2009. The big question is how to handle the "new" board elections. If anybody is willing to share their HOA Board Election procedures, I would greatly appreciate it. They are currently trying to decide how many should be on the board, what officers are necessary, should the President be elected separately, should the President be paid a small stipend, etc.

Thank you!

They do, but for some reason our Advisory Board wants to change them. So, I was asked to see how other HOA Boards are elected.

Most common is: at Annual Membership Meeting: Membership elects Board; board elects its own officers at its first meeting.

(However, our HOA has elected officers first, then 5 members at large to equal 9 members. This has caused problems in the past, but they won't let go of "tradition." I do not recommend this.)

IMHO ----
Most important thing is to appoint a Nominating Committee that finds qualified, willing people/members to present as a slate. Nominations are also taken from the floor. Write-ins allowed. If you use proxies, don't allow them to go towards elections, only to establish the quorum.

A "teller" should be appointed to oversee the election process, verfiying the ballots, counting the votes and presenting the results to the presiding officer, who announces the actual count and winner of election.

I recommend more than one teller; at least 2 (to check on each other); maybe 3.

Justine,
You and the Board want some good advice, I can give you some good advice.

You posting so far show an acute lack of what in the world is going to happen to you all. You give out information piece meal and expect to receive all the answers to to what is an extremely important time in your association life. You throw out how you are going to consider a stipend for your president as if this has anything to do with your transitition, and your board wants to change things and have directed you to tell them how other Boards do it.

Look my friend, your association is about to assume considerable responsibility when your are free from your developer. Your prime concern right now is to absolutely know, without a doubt what you are taking over. Does the developer have a board, who is on that, are there any owners, what do they say. My advise, because if you can afford to pay a Board president anything, you can afford a lawyer, so hire a damn good one and make sure he has done transitions before. Let him deal with the developer, get what you can get, don't start in a hole with delevopers debts or promises, business is business. Now if you are just a bunch of foplks that agreed to help out, then best you get a lawyer if you have any doubt or anyone in your association has any doubt.

Once your lawyer gets your ducks in a row and the transition finally takes place, just accept what you are handed as far as covenants and documents are concerned. Tell the developer it has been fun, walk into the next room and call your first association meeting. Have a slate for elections, take the vote, certify the election, sit the New Board at the head table and conduct your meeting. No way should you change things until you know your documents on how changes are made (means follow thr Damn good lawyer's direction) and begin the process on what you want to consider changing. It is a process, will take time and owner participation. If you get this far you will have faced 1000 things I have not told you about but you will be smarter by far and capable of knowing what to do.

Once you all get up to steam, tell the damn good lawyer you will call him when you need him.

Mary,
You totally lost me. Normally I am in step with ya. You said--"Remember the declarant is normally the Pres. of the board which is staffed with his appointees."--- You do mean PRIOR TO TURNOVER? "Holding the annual election is not a matter that the members traditionally become involved with; this is a board matter." --- Again, do you mean prior? I think that Justine is a HOA novice and we better be really clear with information. I got confused so she might also. Sorry friend.