Length of Board Member Terms

We have a homewner in our small condo assoiciation who has requested a special meeting to change the number of members on our board from three to five. We are only a 14 unit complex. He has also requested that the current 3-year term be changed to a 1 year term for board members. I would like to go into the meeting with concrete data. How many units in your association and how many members do you have on your board? What is the length of your board member terms? How do you feel a one year term would work? Personally I think it's too short and a good compromise would be a two-year term. Thanks for your input!

1 year terms are ridiculous. we have three years, and rotate them, so that not all the board members expire in the same year. thus, we should always have an experienced member help the new ones (that is, if we actually had a board, members, etc.).

and i agree with the sentiment that owners don't get to call special board meetings. read your by-laws, i bet no where is that power given to the owners.

The number of directors and term of directors depends upon your association and how it is managed. In a very small association, three board members should be sufficient. It may be appropriate to debate and decide major issues in the annual meeting and other regularly scheduled members' meetings. The board can then be concerned only with operational and administrative matters.

The typical argument for longer terms centers on continuity. The continuity may be good or bad, however, and longer terms preserve status quo. By the time new board members understand something is wrong, they may have already voted for actions to maintain the status quo. With three-year staggered terms, it takes two years to replace two-thirds of the board members to establish a new direction. With one-year terms, it is more difficult for the board to be dominated by a cliche.

The continuity can be provided by good procedures maintained by the management company or secretary and treasurer. The first meeting of the board should immediately follow the election at the annual meeting to elect officers, authorize disbursement of funds, etc. Again, this can be part of the procedure, and perhaps required in the bylaws. Of course, if the board functions well, some directors will run for re-election which will provide favorable continuity.

Consider how things can go wrong with longer and staggered terms and how problems can be corrected.

Charles:

I think one of the things you will find with one year terms is you have a lot of turnover, and it typically takes new board members a few months to get their feet under them, then as elections are coming closer and their term is up and have no intention of running again they tend to not do anything again. AT least that is how it is here, so really you have continuity, which I think is vital to get anything done. When you constantly have new people, new ideas you can't have a smooth running association. I don't think it is too much to ask for a 2 year committment, if they get fed up with it they can always resign. Of course it may not be as big a deal if you have an MC on board, but in a self managed association, continuity is the key IMHO.