The Community of Big Canoe - The Six Promises: November 2008 Election for POA Board Elected Director

In my opinion, if elected, all of the candidates running in this election will represent the property owners’ interests very well. I wish that all three of these candidates could be elected to the Board. Choosing only two of the three of them will be difficult.

To help you decide, ask each of the candidates the four questions listed below?

Questions for the candidates:

Many of the property owners believe that some of current Board members actively push all of the Developer’s agendas; in other words, what is best for the Developer is best for the Big Canoe property owners?

(1) What is your belief on supporting the Developer’s agendas rather than what are in the best interests of the property owners?

Due to Developer’s stranglehold on our governance and the decision making process due to our By-laws (see the most important example below), it is difficult for the Elected Directors to act in the best interests of the property owners.

Big Canoe By-laws: Article III. Directors3.1. Joint Venture Concept: “It is recognized that the Developer has a substantial investment and must be free to undertake to develop and market profitably its property without undue hindrance or interference from the POA.”

(2) How will you overcome the Developer’s stranglehold on our governing and decision making process so that the property owners’ best interests are accomplished?

(3) How will you go about getting our By-laws changed so that they are “entirely” the property owners’ By-laws?

A current POA Board Elected Director has told me that the POA Board lies to the property owners because they don’t want to be second-guessed.

(4) What will you do to keep the POA Board from spinning the truth or knowingly or intentionally distorting the truth in their verbal and written communications with the property owners?

For all candidates – No reply on the following is necessary:

If elected to the POA Board, I would hope that you would promote the following actions:

If elected, I promise that the POA Board:

1. Will tell the property owners “the whole truth” and nothing but the truth in all of the Board’s verbal and written communications; spinning the truth or knowingly or intentionally distorting the truth will not happen.

2. Will stop having “closed” work sessions. All work sessions will be open to all property owners, and minutes will be taken and published.

3. Will not make “confidential/secret” agreements with any party; there will be no secrets. All past and current confidential/secret agreements, or other similar documents, will be made public (employee related “personal employment” documents will be the only exception).

4. Will “uninstall” the current POA Board’s “corporate” governing structure” and return a “democratic” community governing structure to the POA Board and to our community.

5. Will follow its very own Rules and Regulations. Will use the bidding process for all projects over $50,000, as required by the Rules and Regulations; all projects greater than $50,000 will require three bids. Will never again let projects, such as the Sconti Clubhouse Rebuild, be built without first getting three bids.

6. Will address the special interests block/s of votes, and property owners’ elections apathy by looking for ways to “fairly” limit block voting and to address property owner voting apathy. Most of Big Canoe elections are very close: large block-of-votes will decide most of our elections.

(In the recent election on the Capital Initiation Fee, parties outside the POA Board organization stepped in to over come property owners’ apathy. When outside parties are required to get involved, and to get-out-the-vote, it becomes unpleasant for the community as a whole; but when more property owners vote, a truly democratic election takes place and the true feelings of the property owners become known.)

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To all of the candidates,

Bill Wilson <wwilliswilson@aol.com>,
Sue Hauseman <suehauseman@hotmail.com>,
Richard Andersen <rvandersenbc@aol.com>

Thanks for running for the POA Board. I don’t think the property owners can go wrong with any of you being elected to this POA Board.

From the author:

Everyone needs to realize that the Community of Big Canoe is a common interest development in which the Developer is still active and that things will not change anytime soon.

The Developer is doing everything possible (like any corporation) to protect his right to make a profit. Therefore, we need to realize that “some” of the Elected Directors are doing their best under difficult conditions, but they still must be fully truthful with the property owners.

There are opportunities for better governance under these conditions – seek out the voting records of the Elected Directors and analyze them, and if need be, voice your concerns to them and to your neighbors.

In the coming elections, ask the Developer to stand down from voting his block-of-votes and any other block-of-votes that he may have excess to.

If the Developer refuses, refuse to vote in that election, and tell others of your decision, as your vote worthless. See Promise Number Six.

If the Developer agrees, vote for the candidate who campaigns on real issues. Vote for the candidate who understands and shares your views on real community issues. And most importantly – VOTE in that POA election.

Only through change can we take control of our community’s governance. Therefore, ask the POA Board Directors to make and to uphold these promises.

Please feel free to share this website address with your friends and neighbors.

Acknowledgements:

I would like to thank the many property owners and past POA Board Directors who cared enough to contribute content to this website.

More from the author:

A Message From Billie Ann Rice (POA Board Director) – An Important Issue and More Questions

A Parting Director's View

Our Board today is trying to decide what it is. Is it a corporation or a Property Owner Association?

Of course, it is a corporation according to Georgia law, but it is also a POA made up of lot owners and homeowners. Some believe that our Board should emulate a corporation where the Board of the corporation is in charge and is not answerable to the property owners while others believe the POA should be directly involved in all decision making.

Probably the most important issue today is:

Should the governing structure of Big Canoe be designed as that of a corporation where the Board makes decisions which are passed down to the property owners, a top down approach, or do the property owners select Board members who try and represent them on Board issues, a bottom up approach?

In the first case, the Elected Directors believe they know what is best for Big Canoe and share information with the property owners after the decisions are made. Whereas, in the second case the Elected Directors consult and listen to the property owners prior to making decisions and try to represent the property owners in all decision making.

Having the President of the Board make decisions without being answerable to the property owners or any other Board members is a new concept to Big Canoe. This is not the way we have operated in the past, but it is the direction that the Board is moving now and maybe into the future. We have abolished the democratic governance structure of the past.

So the question becomes what type of governance do you want your Elected Directors to support, that of a corporation or a democratic POA?

"Should we have a corporate structure where the Board members know what is best for the Association or should the Elected Directors ask you the Property Owners to help them make decisions?"

Before casting your vote, ask yourself what type of governance you want and then ask each candidate where he stands on democratic vs. corporate governance.

The Community of Big Canoe - The Six Promises

November 2008 Election for POA Board Elected Director - Questions

From the author:

The original web site. It all started here.

More from the author:

Community of Big Canoe - Related Links

These Are Must Reads! Governance of Property Owners Associations

Local Newspapers:

A Message From Billie Ann Rice (POA Board Director) – An Important Issue and More Questions

POA Board Directors Email Addresses: