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MEMBER MEETING PREPARATION
October 1, 2001
A majority of Annual Members Meetings occurs in the fall
and winter. Preparation for Members Meetings should begin
now and the Association's By-Laws will provide the
guidelines for such a meeting. In the absence of such
direction, state statutes will also help in noticing and
running the meeting. The following are generally the
reasons for member's meetings: annual member's meetings,
election meetings, amendment meetings, meetings to waive
reserves, meetings to waive audit requirements, some
special assessment meetings, recall of directors, some
meetings which require special expenditures and for any
other purpose whereby the membership is required to vote or
ratify an action taken by the Board of Directors. In many
instances, many of the above mentioned purposes of a
members meeting may be incorporated into one single
meeting. The requirement for separate meetings is
unnecessary.
Generally, a majority of the total voting interests is
required to constitute a quorum at a Member's meeting. In a
homeowners association, the quorum requirement was lowered
by statute to 30% of the total voting interests, unless the
By-Laws allow for a lesser amount. This was instituted in
order to increase the possibility of achieving a quorum at
a members meeting. In condominium and cooperative
associations a majority of the total voting interests is
required to have a quorum.
All associations are required to hold at least one members
meeting annually. This meeting is usually the Annual
Meeting for the association. The membership will elect the
Directors for the coming year and address any other
business that may be considered at this meeting. The annual
meeting is usually a meeting at which the members will hear
of the association's accomplishments for the past year and
the anticipated challenges and projects for the coming year
through officers and committee reports. It is a time and
place whereby the members will be able to ask questions and
participate in the meeting. In addition to the election of
officers, the membership may also be considering amendments
to the documents and other matters that require membership
approval.
Some association's By-Laws require additional members
meetings to be held throughout the year. These are usually
quarterly or semi annual meetings, which are generally used
to keep the membership apprised of the operations and
management of the association. Other member's meetings that
may be called from to time would be: a special member's
meeting to consider a special assessment, an amendment to
the documents, to expend funds over a certain amount as
required by the documents, or as prescribed by the
documents and by the state statues. The By-Laws will
indicate who may call the special meeting. In some cases,
the membership may be able to call a special meeting of the
membership by petitioning the membership and then
presenting the petition to the Board of Directors, The
Board of Directors will then be required to hold the
meeting. The special members meeting may be for the purpose
of reconsidering a budget, an amendment to the documents, a
recall of a Board Member or for any other matter that may
addressed in the documents. The documents may contain
special procedures for the special meeting. The condominium
and cooperative statutes provides for certain procedures to
be followed, in order for the special meeting to be valid.
In all cases, the special members meeting allows for the
membership to be involved in the discussions and decision
(voting) making process.
These special members meetings usually have limited
agendas, as their sole purpose is stated and announced in
the purpose of the meeting. Also, the meeting notice,
agenda and proxy form will all be for the same purpose. Any
other purpose, business or motion that come before the
membership would not be valid, as they were not for the
stated purpose of that special meeting. The following is a
suggested list of materials and supplies that would be
required for an annual members meeting:
Notice, Agenda, & Proof of Notice
Proxies, Ballots, Envelopes
Alpha Sign-In Sheet
Minutes of Last Meeting
Copy of Documents
Copy of Last Financial Statement
Law Procedures on elections
Ballot Box
Signature & Corp. Resolution Card
Report of Officers & Committees
Materials for Minutes and Sign-Ins
Extra pencils, batteries and tapes
In anticipation of a membership meeting, check your
association's By-Laws, review the state statutes concerning
membership meetings. Also, meet with your association's
attorney to review your agenda, notice and meeting
procedures.
Any committee which will be participating and or helping to
run the meeting should be formed and or informed of their
specific duties. Begin to recruit volunteers to help with
running the meeting now.
Begin your preparation now in order to insure for a well
run annual members meeting.
Copyright 2007© Associated Property Management of the Palm Beaches, Inc.
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