I had a few comments regarding the meeting as of yesterday (Sept 2). First thanks for all your volunteering and helping keep things going as smoothly as they have been. All and all, I love living here and think things are great. There will always be issues, and as I said yesterday not so elequently, communication will continue to alleviate things in my opininion. Up until about 2 months ago, I didn't realize how long the HOA had been established and didn't even know how to get a hold of the HOA . We may have overlooked the earlier flyer that was distributed (ok I did, Claudia doesn't miss much). In any case the website (as many I think agree) is a great forum for keeping everyone on the same page so to speak. Envolvement and communication between the HOA, committees and the community, as well as communication between neighbors is where the focus right now should be and is in my opinion. Especially due to the growth over the past year or two.
The comments of having a HOA meeting more than once a year? I was of this persuasion initially too, before I came to the meeting. I have changed my point of view since; as I think my initial perception was due to the lack of familiarity with the community and HOA, which all stemmed from the lack of information.
a. The HOA meeting seems to me as a point of business. As discussed at the meeting, if budget notes are conveyed Quarterly via this website (saving costs as opposed to sending out paper) for instance would suffice as far as I am concerned.
b. The meeting allows a hands on deliberation of several important issues. However, to use this meeting as the sole instance to deliberate this issues wouldn't suffice as I am sure everybody agrees and realizes. Committees should be one avenues to achieve greater communication vs. having more HOA meetings. I am more aware of the committees now (and since I am still looking for employment I plan on being part of at least one) and would expect that these committees would meet on a monthly or at least every other month type basis to address many of these issues, and creating events.
c. The website is a great focal point for all of our communication and can be the outlet many should and can use. Allowing everybody to view and contribute to what 3 additional (if quarterly) HOA meetings (in my opinion) wouldn't likely accomplish.
d. More importantly, we all should do more to get involved. For example, I don't want to have to babysit or hold a neighbor accountable for their child(ren) at the pool. Getting to know each other, can alleviate this. Knowing your neighbor and your neighbors kid(s) facilitates at least respect (or hopefully does right). I may not be like most, but I will tell a kid to leave the pool if they are not accompanied, or make them clean something up if I see it (whether I know them or not). However, knowing your neighbor and your neighbors kid(s) facilitates at least some familiarity and hopefully this familiarity likely will help when you need to say something :)
e. Knowing the "rules" is just as important...continue to talk to everybody about them (committees, website, and your neighbors).
Anyhoo, this is my two cents and just a perspective. Kudos to the progress (from what I understand it was worse before), thank you Randy for your assistance, the website is great, and take care.
Sean
