Town Hall meetings

Our wise & experienced AZ posters can help, I'm sure, Scott. It could be that if the Board would not vote or make any decisions, there's a way to do this. But I definitely defer to them.

Are you on the board?

What concerns you about terming this a board meeting?

Meantime, you could look at AZ statutes especially those concering open meetings of boards in HOAs.

If I would in your shoes I would proceed this way.

Have the meeting noticed to all the Members as a open meeting. Have someone other than a Board member be the host of the meeting. Make sure that the Board doesn't sit at the same table giving the appearance that this is a board meeting. Make sure there is no promise that action will be taken at that meeting or subsequent meeting. Let anyone in attendance know that items discussed could be included at a further Board meeting, but no promises.

Per ARS 33-1804 (D):

4. Any quorum of the board of directors that meets informally to discuss association business, including workshops, shall comply with the open meeting and notice provisions of this section without regard to whether the board votes or takes any action on any matter at that informal meeting.

Therefore, at the very least, you will need to comply with notice requirements.

Typically, if a quorum of Directors are together and discuss association business, it is considered a board meeting.

This certainly sounds like something being done at your proposed meeting.

My suggestion, rather then a town hall, make it a special membership meeting for the purpose of discussing where the Association is headed along with Q&As. this way, it's a general membership meeting vs. a board meeting and different rules apply.

Sorry, "notice."

Serve liquor. This is my plan for the town hall meeting a number of members at my HOA are proposing.

ScottF5 : In addition to the above good comments, may I respectfully suggest that the initial approach may be to track down instead what your jurisdiction may or may not define as the lawful prior essentials for Notice of a Board meeting & who sends the Notices & content etc & who convenes. Then then do the same within the community's subordinate site-specific governance documents.

That may not 'exhaust' the criteria. But if your idea of a Town Hall Meeting is not on common elements nor advertised & notified using association funds but rather your own, wouldn't management opposition raise legitimate concerns about your own freedom of association, free speech etc ?

Is management concern about facilitating a potential election meeting for a potential candidate or a forum for kvetching at a meeting they would not be convening & chairing ?

Do members fear commenting during Other Business at the end of a typical Owners meeting ? Do they have trouble keeping awake if it's left to midnight ?

You can absolutely hold a town hall-style meeting for your community. Rules regulating "official" HOA board meetings are there to protect against covert board business being conducted and not to thwart citizen feedback in an open forum.

However, I'll tell you that the town hall meetings will grow very old very quickly if you join the board. They won't generally lure residents who are content but will be a magnet for naysayers and complainers who you'll find are difficult to please no matter your transparent approach. I'd hate to see you join your HOA board with honest intentions and get "eaten alive" by complaints and groaning.

If you and your new board are doing business in a manner that satisfies the dues payers ( who are the boss), then your town halls will be sparsely attended anyway. A good email newsletter will do the trick, keep everyone informed on a level footing and keep the complainers out of your face.

Well said.

Thanks. This isn't my first trip to the rodeo, but first hoa in AZ

That is what we do and we have a good time .