What is an HOA and what is its purpose?
The Homeowner's Association
(HOA) oversees and manages the common areas and amenities as well as insures property owners obey the Covenants, Conditions
and Restrictions, Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws and any other governing documents. The Sachems' Head HOA consists of
a voluntary board of directors elected by fellow residents to make decisions on the residents' behalf.
What are the HOA board member positions?Four
primary board of director positions include President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. HOA leadership roles and
duties can be outside of these titles, as well. Depending on the number of members a board has, there may be Directors whose
title is just that. They have the same voting power as other members, and may volunteer or get assigned ad hoc duties.
What does an HOA Board President do?
The president leads
the Board and is responsible for overseeing and handling many of its procedural duties. In order to succeed in this role,
the Board president must be knowledgeable about the community's Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions, and
understand how to run an effective meeting. He or she serves as the authority on all association rules and governing
documents, and appoints committees if dictated by the bylaws. The president also leads community and association meetings,
handling such responsibilities as calling the meeting to order, announcing the agenda and ensuring adherence, maintaining
attendee order and decorum, proposing questions, calling for votes and announcing the results, and recognizing others
to speak on the floor.
What does an HOA Board Vice-President do?
The Board vice president
shares many of the leadership and procedural duties with the president, including assuming the leadership role when the president
is unable to do so. The vice president's responsibilities include ensuring order is maintained during meetings and parliamentary
procedures, ensuring a smooth flow of business and serving as an informed source about association rules, bylaws and governing
documents.
What does an HOA Board Treasurer do?
The Board treasurer is
responsible for the association's funds, securities and financial records. He or she oversees billing, collections and
disbursement of funds, and coordinates the development of the association's proposed annual operating budget and reserve allocations.
In addition, the treasurer is responsible for monitoring the budget and reporting on the association's financial status throughout
the year, as well as for overseeing year-end reporting and any required audits. In self-managed communities, in which many
of the day-to-day financial responsibilities are handled by a property management company, the treasurer is responsible for
ensuring that all association funds are collected, disbursed, invested and reported accurately and remain in compliance at
all times with the association's by-laws and governing documents. (Note: The duties of the Board treasurer for Sachems'
Head HOA have been, through decisive vote, outsourced to an independent CPA firm. The Board treasurer position itself,
therefore, remains vacant. The CPA firm does not having voting power.)
What does a Board Secretary do?
The Board secretary maintains
the association's meeting minutes and official records, reviewing and updating documents as required and ensuring they are
stored safely and accessible to association members. He or she is responsible for providing proper notice of meetings, as
well as distributing documents, such as official records, agendas and meeting minutes, on a timely basis to association members
and/or their authorized representatives. In addition, as the custodian of the association's official records and documents,
the secretary ensures the association meets all legal documentation requirements, such as annual filing deadlines.
What is the purpose of the Architectural
Review Committee?
The purpose
of the Sachem's Head (community) Architectural Review Committee (ARC) is to administer the community established design standards
by overseeing changes and modifications to a property through an application and approval process. The established processes
are designed to balance the interests of individual homeowners and the community, ensuring that architectural guidelines are
met, and property values are protected.
How are my quarterly HOA fees used to better the community?
The Sachems's Head HOA collects a quarterly assessment from each homeowner. The assessments
are used to pay expenses related to the care and maintenance of the common areas, snow removal, down tree removal, accounting
and legal services, and insurance. Most importantly, it is prudent and common
practice for the HOA to maintain a contingency fund for unexpected expenditures. The HOA may increase assessments and
may levy special assessments for projects. It is important to note that members of the HOA board of directors are not
compensated; their service to the community is strictly voluntary.
Why is there a fence installed around the lake?
The purpose of the fence is to control the Canada Geese population, and is effective in two
ways. First, the Canada Geese will not venture too far out of sight of the safety of the lake. The foliage that grows
along the fence blocks thair view of the lake and limits the areas on shore that they will visit. Second, Canada Geese
prefer to land in water. Upon landing on the water, they will attempt to find an egress
that provides access to surrounding grassy areas. A well maintained fence prevents the geese from grazing from the surrounding
lawns. After enough time has passed, the geese will typically fly to other lakes seeking food.
Why is it considered bad practice to feed the waterfowl?
Feeding the geese and ducks on Evergreen Lake is prohibited. Feeding the waterfowl human foods
such as bread and popcorn provide them with no nourishment and enables them to become reliant on a free meal. Feeding
the waterfowl foods and seeds that are high in proteins is the leading cause of "angel wings" disease, which renders
the bird flightless. Please follow the link to the Canada Geese Information page on this site to learn more about the
dangers of feeding the waterfowl.