Rules, Regulations Committee sends recommendation to board

The POA’s Rules and Regulations Committee agreed to send a recommendation to the board to be approved before the 2021 election season after a meeting via Zoom on Tuesday.

Membership will vote for four board positions in the spring. Board terms are staggered so three terms are open each year but, because of a board appointment last summer, one more board position will be filled, but only for the length of the original term.

In the past, when four board positions were filled and one was for less than three years, the candidate who came in fourth was given the shorter term. But the governing documents don’t require that. Now, if the board approves the committee’s recommendation, the custom will become the rule.

In July 2020, the board appointed Mike Abb to fill the term of Steve McKee who had been removed from the board before the election but after the filing period for candidates. Since the slate of candidates had already been announced when the vacancy occurred, it was not filled as part of the election but was filled by appointment. According to governing documents, appointees only serve until the next regularly scheduled board election. McKee was elected in May 2019 so the term ends in 2022.

The three directors whose terms are up in 2021 are Mary Sinkus, Jerry Hover and David Whelchel.

Packets for the 2021 election are available now by contracting Corporate Secretary Tammy Loyd at 479-855-5012 or tammiel@ bvvpoa.com. They are due back on Jan. 15. Candidates need signatures from 50 members in good standing and, this year, there will be an option for electronic signatures included with packet information.

The election begins April 15 and ends with the annual membership meeting on May 18.

On Jan. 28 a lottery for candidate ballot listing is held and candidate names are released at the regular board meeting. On March 16, a “Meet the Candidates” event is planned, although the location is being determined according to changing restrictions as a result of the pandemic.

For the first time, candidates will be asked to sign a release for a background check when they pick up their packets, Loyd said.