How does the board communicate with residents?

I searched the discussion boards briefly to see if this was already covered, I swear! I am on the board of my HOA, and I think the email only communication is poor. Can you recommend other ways for residents to communicate?

Sometimes people write to the person who seems to be the most approachable, sometimes the president, sometimes the person who seems the most active. It is unclear just who will be cc'd in responses and who will not. And I have not mentioned the few who do not have email. Is there another way? Is having an email bulletin board for everyone the best way? No internet at all? (That seems unlikely.)
Tom

Well ..... we sure don't have anything like that. May I ask approx how much that runs you a month? My complex is only 22 units, I suspect yours is larger?

We publish a newsletter and maintain a website. We specify 3 points of contact:

Architectural Chair - Design change requests & suspected violations
Bookkeeper - Assessments
President - everything else

Thomas you could look into starting either a Yahoo or Google group, they're free or at least they used to be. One thing though, make sure that it's in the HOA's name and multiple Board members have access. There have been posts in the past where someone has set up websites for their HOA and then got their knickers in a twist and taken their toys and gone home, leaving the HOA up excrement creek without a paddle.

Our HOA had the motto "Newlyweds and Nearlydeads" live here...Plus we had technology issues with our provider. Using email was an issue. I tried to create a webpage once but it failed miserably. People just weren't into it or couldn't access it. Some people just don't own computers.

We had a message board above the mailboxes at the front entry. The official business went inside a locked glass case for viewing. I would post the meeting notes on the board. Plus they could write us letters and put it in the same box as the dues. The bookkeeper would forward them to me. I also had an "Open door" policy to talk about issues with anyone. If I didn't know the answer, I would defer them until I had looked it up. If anyone had issues, I'd tell them to address them at the meeting in front of the board. They were the ones who would give final approval NOT me.

I often used my dogs as a way to communicate to owners on a human level. I'd walk them around the neighborhood. It allowed me to keep an eye on things and find people to address issues with. It was a casual way of getting business done without being a "threatening authority figure". Remember, once your a Board member you become a "Them/They". Your no longer a "You and I"....Be professional at all times and know your limits...