POA candidates hear about commitment
With 26 candidate packets out, the POA’s General Manger Tom Judson introduced a new program to make sure board members know what they are getting themselves into. The first candidates’ workshop was held on Friday, Jan. 5, with about 30 people in attendance. Judson plans to make the workshop an annual event.
Last year there were five candidates for three board positions, but in 2016 only three candidates ran. In both 2016 and 2017, the deadline to return packets was extended into February. This year the deadline is Jan. 12 and Judson doesn’t expect it be extended.
The packet contains a blank petition that the candidate can use to collect the 50 signatures needed to be on the ballot. Judson warned his audience that it’s safer to have extra signatures. The signatures only count if they are from members in good standing, so if a neighbor who isn’t current with assessment payments signs a candidate’s petition, it’s not counted. Also only one name is counted for each lot in the POA. If a husband and wife only own one lot, the second signature won’t count.
“Leia will check every signature,” Judson warned. Corporate Secretary Leia Bush receives the petitions and checks the signatures. The names of potential candidates will not be released until the board meeting on Jan. 25.
There are four seats on the 2018 ballot. Three of them are regular three-year terms, and the fourth is one year only — to complete the term of a board member who resigned.
The election begins on April 9 when the ballots go out and ends on the day of the annual meeting, May 15. The winners will be announced at the annual meeting. Four candidates can be marked on each ballot. The one who comes in fourth will serve the one year term, Judson said.
When the ballots go out, the POA will include candidate information supplied by the candidate, Judson said. Each one is asked to answer the same questions on the candidate profile document and to come in for a photo. The profile information won’t be edited, Judson promised, except to remove offensive or harassing language. Spelling or grammar errors will be cut and pasted exactly as received.
“It’s a three-year commitment,” Judson said, “please make sure you’re committed for three years.”
He said candidates who run because of an interest in a specific issue don’t make good board members.
There are several meetings each month for each member, including a closed meeting with the general manager, a work session and the regular monthly board meeting. In addition, most board members serve as liaison to one of the Joint Advisory Committees and on board committee that deal with Rules and Regulations, Marketing or Auditing. There are also ad hoc committees like the Valley Task Force that is investigating flooding along Little Sugar Creek.
Along with information about the rules that govern the POA, Judson passed out a schedule of board meetings and encouraged all the candidates to attend between now and May 15.