Community Matters – Fall 2024
The Fall 2024 edition highlights two essential aspects of community association management: the importance of meeting minutes and the process for handling unpaid assessments. David C. Boy, IV, Esq. emphasizes that meeting minutes are crucial for ensuring transparency, accountability, and legal compliance. Properly documented minutes provide a record of board actions and decisions, serving as vital evidence in disputes. To be effective, boards should prepare minutes in advance, capture key discussions succinctly, and include action items. Prompt finalization and secure archiving of minutes are essential for good governance. Stephen A. Finamore, Esq. outlines the board’s responsibilities when homeowners fail to pay assessments. Initial steps may include sending letters or recording liens, and if necessary, filing lawsuits. Importantly, even after a judgment is satisfied, homeowners can still owe additional amounts due to new assessments and ongoing legal fees, creating a cycle of collections. Boards must ensure that settlement discussions cover all outstanding debts and consult legal counsel to develop effective collection strategies. Together, these insights underscore the importance of diligent record-keeping and proactive management in maintaining the smooth operation of community associations. Community Matters is published on our website on a quarterly basis, and if you would like hard copies, we can make those available for you as well. Thank you!