Riverside County Community Association Management

Association meetings are conducted by following parliamentary procedure. In the United States the most common parliamentary authority is Robert's Rules of Order (http://www.robertsrules.com/history.html). The process is very formal, and in a neighborly setting can be difficult to employ because most people do not understand or care to follow the process.

The structure of this process is pretty simple. Business is conducted by making a motion, and passing the motion puts something into action. However, just like any vote where a decision is made there is usually a debate. If these debates are not properly managed a simple topic can turn into multiple hour long discussion (not kidding). I have been through hundreds of these meetings, and when a filibuster (a process used to delay legislative action) starts to snowball, I'm always tempted to start referring to myself and others as Senator. For example, I would be Senator Rutherford, part of the Independent Party from the State of Management. Actually, I'm not a voting party so I'm more of a lobbyist or secretary, but the joke resonates with me just the same.

My company employs a very active style of management compared to other association management firms. I draw up an agenda of around twenty topics to discuss; keep the meeting on track; run through agenda line items, and take all the notes for decisions that were made. Other management firms leave the public speaking parts up to the President of the association, and have the association's elected Secretary keep the meeting minutes. I employ this active management style because I know parliamentary procedure, have been through hundreds of these debates, and can keep topics on subject as a moderator. If an independent moderator is not conducting the meeting, you can end up just debating and never taking the topic to vote. Keep in mind these meetings are democratic in nature, and the motion is passed by a majority. Let opinions be vented and voiced, but do not let that stop everyone from making a cumulative decision.

Keeping a meeting timely is important, but more important is staying on topic. SB 563 states that if a topic is not on the posted agenda, then the topic is generally not open for discussion. Simply stating this has helped me move many meetings along in the right direction, and I hope it does the same for you.