4 Steps to an Effective Board Meeting - Before and After You Leave The Meeting Room

We often hear Board Members and homeowners gripe about ineffective community meetings where nothing get's done. In response to these complaints we've developed a simple process we use to train our Board Members on holding effective and decision focused community meetings. We outlined this process in our recent Blog titled Decision Making at Board Meetings.

However, we also often find that although Board Members may hold successful meetings where many decisions are made, there is very little follow up that occurs after the meeting. Our manager's are held responsible for leading community meetings, keeping the Board focused on agenda items throughout the meeting, and carrying out the wishes of the Board after the meeting. We've developed a simple 4 step process to running effective Board Meetings - before and after you leave the meeting room.

Through our simple 4 step process we are certain your Board of Directors will get more accomplished not only during your regular Board Meetings, but once you walk away from the meeting room.

Here are the 4 steps your Board can take to ensure your meetings come to a productive close and result in effective action after you leave the meeting room. The list is short and simple because the process is simple.

1. Action Plan. Your Board should always create an Action Plan before every meeting. The plan should include key decisions to be made at the meeting, follow up steps after the meeting, identify responsibility for each task, and provide completion dates or deadlines. Your Action Plan should be kept to one page or less. Usually the President or Vice President will prepare the Action Plan.
2. Communicate quickly. Many times a Board will not communicate for weeks after a board meeting. This is not very efficient and causes everyone to lose momentum on accomplishing their assigned tasks. We suggest you get an e-mail out to meeting participants within 24 hours after the meeting, to ensure momentum is not dissipated. The e-mail can include meeting minutes or a simple summary of your Action Plan that reiterates the Board's goals and realistic deadlines.
3. Follow up. Your Board should assign a specific Board Member with the duty of following up. As deadlines approach this persons responsibility is to send out reminders to make sure everyone is on track. By following up your Board remains informed on the status of a project and whether or not the deadlines will be met. This will also help you prepare for future Action Plans and in setting realistic achievable goals in the future.
4. Inform. Once all the tasks have been accomplished or are nearing completion, inform the group of the status of each item. E-mail all Board Members the Action Plan for the following meeting and outline any further steps necessary, if any.

By making these 4 Steps to an Effective Board Meeting - Before and After You Leave The Meeting Room a part of every community meeting your association holds you will never again be accused of wasting people’s time, nor will you yourself have to sit through hour long meetings to accomplish very little.

We take pride in holding effective Board Meeting for our clients and in preparing our Board Members to do the same. Should you have any questions or if you would like additional information, please contact us!

5 Tips to Green Your Home

Four Points Property Management wishes you a Happy Earth Day! Yes, we know, Earth Day was days ago... We're sorry for the late post, but in keeping with our commitment to Green Communities, we've decided to prepare a list of 5 easy ways to green your home.

Over two years ago we began the “Green Our Office” initiative. Through equipment upgrades, paper recycling, using recycled and earth-friendly print/copy ink, and by making lighting improvements we have reduced our total energy consumption and our office is officially Green. However, we are constantly looking for ways to become more energy efficient and we enjoy passing these green ideas to the residents of our community associations.

In our efforts to provide residents with tips and ideas on how to better green their homes and reduce their energy consumption, we’ve compiled 5 green tips for making your home more eco-friendly.

1. Turn off your home office equipment when not in use. This can reduce energy by 25 percent. Turning off televisions and entertainment equipment can save an additional 50 percent.
2. Tightly turn off all faucets, one drop per second wastes 10,000 liters per year.
3. Need new home or office furniture? See if your existing furniture can be refurbished which saves waste and money.
4. Use a Smart Strip power cord that can sense when a device is turned off and cut their “phantom power” (the power that electronics use even when they’re turned off). The savings provided are huge!
5. Efficiency heating and cooling saves the earth and money. Have a technician repair and test leaks, and check regularly for faulty filters, coils, compressor fans, and drains throughout your home.

For more eco-friendly ideas feel free to contact us. We are always interested in learning from you and sharing valuable information. You can reach us online at www.FourPointsProperty.com or at 305-403-0575. 

Our commitment to Green Communities continues....

How to start a Neighborhood Crime Watch

Many of you have mentioned incidents in your neighborhood that could have been prevented if you had a Crime Watch group. Here is a simple step by step process on how to establish a Crime Watch Group in your neighborhood.

1. When a resident calls the Citizens Crime Watch office at 305-470-1670, a request for service is created listing to all their information and concerns so that it can be forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement department.
2. An initial meeting, which last about an hour, is scheduled for a weeknight at 7 p.m. — a good time for people to be home from work.
3. The meeting preferably is held in the neighborhood at someone's home. This way people can just walk to the meeting. This has been found across the country to be much more effective since the objective is to meet and get to know your neighbors. In some areas, this part may not be possible due to crime issues, so we try to find a safe location nearby for the meeting — a church, a clubhouse or in some cases, in the middle of the street. For those who live in apartment buildings, we have held meetings in parking lots too.
4. Once a meeting date has been established with the police officer and the host, a flier and brochure are provided to be distributed to all neighbors. English, Spanish and Haitian Creole versions are available. This is to inform everyone of the meeting; the brochure speaks to the implementation of a Neighborhood Crime Watch.
5. The night of the meeting, the police officer and someone from the Citizens Crime Watch office will attend. The officer provides information regarding crime trends, crime statistics, the police departments role in the community and what their department is doing to assist the community.
6. The officer also discusses alarm issues as well as how and when to call the police. The officer teaches residents what information is needed when calling police about a suspicious person or vehicle. The officer also answers questions.
7. The Citizens Crime Watch coordinator explains how to set up a phone chain — a collection of phone numbers, addresses and special needs or information pertinent to each home in the neighborhood. When the phone chain is completed, it is shared with all neighbors participating in the crime watch. 

Creating a phone chain is the most crucial part of Neighborhood Watch because it's how everyone stays in touch, as you witnessed from last week's article. Once the above is completed and the Neighborhood Watch is organized, the Citizens Crime Watch and Police Department then provide Crime Watch signs, house stickers and T-shirts. All of this is paid for with your tax dollars.

Implementing a Neighborhood Watch is not easy. It takes dedication and "sweat equity", but as the thousands already involved will say, it's the best thing that can happen to a neighborhood.

The above steps may differ for some municipalities that implement their own programs. If they don't have a Neighborhood Watch program, contact the Citizens Crime Watch office and they will be happy to supply you with some crime prevention materials.

Credit to Carmen Caldwell, executive director of Citizens’ Crime Watch of Miami-Dade for article content. She may be contacted at 305-470-1670 or carmen@citizenscrimewatch.org.

The Handy Pantry - 5 Items You Should Always Keep on Hand

So with this post I decided to stay away from the usual Condo and HOA Management talk and focus more on something "off-topic". Believe it or not, we're already planning for Hurricane Season, and I thought this fit right in. This post will focus on 5 simple, but very important things every family should always have in stock at home. 

It's been a long day at work, and you arrive home tired and hungry. After rummaging through the kitchen, you discover that your fridge is pretty much empty and your cupboards are bare. It's been such a long day that you just can't bring yourself to go to the market. So, what do you do? Chances are, you pick up the phone and call a local restaurant or pizza chain that delivers. Has this happened to you? It feels as though it happens to me at least once per week...

Ordering in can be a nice solution once in a while, but over time the costs can add up. Not only are you paying more for your food, you're also probably eating meals that aren't very healthy. Although it may seem difficult, this can be easily avoided by keeping a few very specific products in your pantry. With these items in hand you'll be able put together a quick and nutritious meal in no time.

The first step is to stock quality items that are flexible enough to work with the ingredients you may have on hand in your fridge. Here are five great products to get you started:

1. Canned Tuna (packed in olive oil) - Tuna has a myriad of uses. For starters, it's the key ingredient of a killer Salad Nicoise. Anyone who has a George Foreman Grill, panini press, or a grill pan can also use this tuna for an authentic Italian tuna panini. Canned tuna can even be used in making a great sauce for pasta. Simply drain the tuna and toss it into warm pasta, along with capers, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and olive oil.
   
   
2. Dried Penne Pasta - Everyone knows about the many different uses of dried pasta, but dried penne offers even greater flexibility. It is a fantastic replacement for elbow macaroni in mac and cheese. It can also serve as a terrific starch component in any casserole. Another nice feature of penne is its ability to be served at room temperature. If you've got cooked penne in the fridge, you can add it to leftover veggies, toss the mixture with a little Italian dressing, and serve it as an entrée pasta salad.
   
   
3. Canned Beans - Beans are great for chili, stews, and soups. They also make a nice addition to any salad. But maybe the best reason for keeping canned beans on hand is their use as a quick appetizer for guests who drop by without warning. A can of cannellini beans (drained) mixed with olive oil, garlic, chopped tomato, and any fresh or dried herbs you have on hand makes a great topping for grilled bread.
   
   
4. Canned Chicken Stock - This product has improved a great deal and is a far cry from the salty version you may remember from the past. Now, you can actually purchase organic and free-range chicken stock. Having stock on hand allows you to whip up a quick gravy or sauce for any meat dish. It's also a great base for many soups. Simply simmer one pound of vegetables, like carrots or cauliflower, in 4 to 6 cups of stock for 10 minutes. Process or blend until smooth, season with salt and pepper, and finish with a touch of cream.
   
   
5. Canned "San Marzano" Tomatoes (chopped and whole) - Imported from San Marzano, Italy, these are the best canned products on the market. Unless you have tomatoes growing in your back yard, you can't do much better, especially when it comes to making a great marinara sauce. They also make a fantastic tomato soup.

By keeping your pantry stocked with these flexible ingredients, you'll be able to prepare tasty meals in no time while also eating healthy and saving those pennies!

Decision Making at Board Meetings

It is easy at times for Board Members and Managers alike to lose sight of the Associations goals in between board meetings. This may occur for many reasons, including too few or too frequent meetings, lack of preparation between meetings, etc. It’s important to remember that the board meeting is the end of the decision making process for the board and not the beginning. The Board needs to be prepared to make decisions at every meeting.

Below are some tips that will assist your board and manager in preparing for effective decision making during your board meetings:

o       Schedule your board meetings in advance for the entire year. Notify your association members, board members, and management to note their calendars. Schedule them around holidays to guarantee high attendance and involvement.

o       Schedule your board meetings in accordance with your community by-laws. However, be sure to schedule them often enough to allow for timely attention to association issues, projects, improvements, and any other matter requiring management or board member action or decision. Some boards hold meetings monthly, others hold them quarterly. We believe these to be good meeting strategies.

o       Prepare and distribute your meeting agenda at least 3 to 5 days prior to the scheduled meeting. The agenda should be detailed and provide a time limit for each item. This will allow your manager and board to better prepare for the meeting and the decision making process.

o       Make room on the agenda to involve and invite members to join or start committees. Provide sufficient time for committee volunteers to provide their reports and suggestions to the board.

o       Once the agenda has been prepared, distribute any supporting documents such as meeting minutes, proposals, written requests, etc. prior to the meeting. This will allow board members to read each document, prepare questions, and attend the meeting ready to make decisions.

o       Train and educate board members to attend meetings prepared and ready to make decisions.

Now, we know your board may not hold frequent meetings, or may not even be used to preparing for meetings, but we are certain that by following these simple steps your community will run effectively, decisions will be made wisely, and homeowners will be happy to see the Board and Management taking timely action to the items that concern them.

New FHA Guidelines and Approval Process for Community Associations

On December 7^th, 2010 the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced the NEW expiration dates of their Condominium/Homeowners Associations Project Approvals and Re-Certifications. These new expiration dates will affect Community Associations and Unit Owners throughout the country.

It is recommended that all Community Associations wishing to obtain FHA Certification begin the lengthy application process as soon as possible.

In recent weeks we have received many questions about the FHA Certification process. A majority of the questions we receive have been regarding the length of time that it will take to get a community project approved by the FHA. We have also received a number of questions on the possible pros and cons to FHA Certification, as well as concerns on the differences between the FHA new project approval and the project re-certification process.

The FHA has set the following deadlines for community project approvals. Due to the large number of communities nationally, it is important to remember that time is of the essence in order to avoid the potential delays in application processing. 

Initial Project Approval Date	New FHA Expiration Date
1972 - 1985	December 31, 2010
1986 – 1990	May 31, 2011
1991 - 1995	July 31, 2011
1996 – 2000	August 31, 2011
2001 - 2005	September 30, 2011

Although it may seem simple, a very common question we get asked is why go though the process and why get certified? The answer is quite simple. It is estimated that approximately 40% of all new loans will be insured by the FHA. The FHA has the most aggressive loan programs in the market and without them the owners of the properties within the association would be at an EXTREME disadvantage when it comes to selling and/or refinancing their homes. Not being FHA approved would obviously drive property values down in your neighborhood. 

Community Board Members are encouraged to begin the approval or recertification process as early as possible, as it is still uncertain if any further extensions for project approvals will be granted.

Fortunately, we have been helping Condominium Association communities get FHA approvals since the new guidelines have been in effect. We’ve successfully helped many Associations obtain FHA Recertification or FHA New Project Approvals and we recommend that all Associations begin the process or recertification immediately. 

Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions about these deadlines or the FHA application process. We look forward to the opportunity of getting your Community Association approved by the FHA.

8 Tips for Communicating with Your Community Association

How you view a condominium or homeowners association is going to depend on what you have heard and what you believe. Some people think that community associations are the best form of residential living because the association is responsible to provide services that you would normally have to do yourself. On the contrary, some people believe that homeowner's associations are not a good idea because the people who make up the board and management have a reputation for being power hungry and that they usually do not care about the general upkeep of the property.

In order to assist you in communicating and dealing with the common misconceptions of community association living we’ve prepared our 8 Tips for Communicating with Your Community Association.

Tip #1:
You need to communicate with the board and management. If you do not communicate, you are never going to have a good relationship with them, nor will your opinion ever be heard. Never hesitate to ask questions or to question what the board is doing, but you do need to remember that in order for your opinion to be heard you must maintain a courteous and positive communication level.

Tip #2:
Get involved with the association and participate. In order to maintain a positive relationship with your association you are going to need to get involved with the board. This can be as simple as attending membership meetings and voting when necessary. You can also attend the monthly board meetings, join or form a committee, or even become a board member. There are many ways to get involved with your association which can help you maintain a positive relationship with the association and management.

Tip #3:
Never assume that the board or management does not care. It’s important to remember that the board and management will always consider any circumstances that affect property maintenance, violations, or anything else that can negatively affect the community. However, unfortunately, there are always matters out of their control that may be cause for delay. Additionally, the board and management may not always have a realistic understanding of the urgency of some items, therefore, it’s important that you maintain constant communication with them about what is going on so that they can work with you on the issue.

Tip #4:
In order to fully understand what the association is and what they do you need to take the time to learn about them. There are numerous things that you can do to learn about an associations including reading books, attending board meetings, and attending educational seminars. By learning about the associations, you will find out that although some can be power hungry, most associations work hard to make their community a great place to live.

Tip #5:
Always expect the best out of your association. Remember that the board is made up of your own neighbors, who want the best for their community. Since you are paying for the services you should expect the best, if things aren't going as expected make it a point to talk to your board or manager to see if things can be changed, but be prepared to provide specific issues and examples that can be addressed.

Tip #6:
If you have something that you want to take up with the board or management be sure to plan ahead. The reason for this is that time is needed to research and to respond to your requests and questions. By giving plenty of notice, they can provide you with the best answers and assistance.

Tip #7:
Learn to appreciate your board. The board members are there to help you resolve problems and to fix things for the best of the entire community. Board members do not get paid for their positions, they simply volunteer what time they have to serve the community.

Tip #8:
If you do not like how things are going then you need to do something to help change it. By running for a position on the board you can start making the changes that you feel are necessary. You can also begin to make your board or management aware of what you think is needed to make positive changes. In order to better serve the community, they are always welcoming feedback and input on what is going on throughout the community.