The Governance Committee has stepped away

After weeks of meetings and research, the full committee is no longer working with the board. Members have chosen to continue their work independently for the community.

This did not happen suddenly.

The committee created a report with a clear plan for updating the bylaws. It explained what work had been done, what steps would come next, and where the board’s input was needed.

Read the Report

They also offered recommendations to help the board and committee work together more clearly going forward.

Read Governance Committee Minutes

At the most recent board meeting, those recommendations were not discussed or acknowledged.

This matters because committees are made up of volunteers. They give their time to research issues, build plans, and support board decisions. For that system to work, there needs to be a clear connection between the work committees do and how the board uses that work.

Right now, that connection is not clear.

The former Governance Committee members are continuing their work so that residents still have access to research, documents, and ideas about the bylaws.

This group is called the Homeowner Document Review. Their focus is on building governing documents that support the community and reduce conflict.

Some contributors from Friends of Ken Lake are participating, but this group is separate. We encourage residents to engage with the Homeowner Document Review team the same way you would with the Governance Committee — it is the same volunteers continuing the work.

Homeowner Document Review

Note from Elle

I can no longer effectively or confidently lead a committee when my team’s work product is rejected without meaningful consideration, or even acknowledged understanding, by the board. I cannot ask that volunteers show up to be ignored or dismissed, and therefore I cannot continue in this role. 

I feel that this is a failure of board leadership to support its volunteers, who invested their time and energy to bring recommendations to the board.

I would ask the board 3 further questions:

• What happens if you are wrong? 

  • Choose a topic. No-bid process, work plan, individual article recommendations.

  • Even if you could never be wrong, play it out: what are the consequences each way? 

• How do you know if you are wrong? 

  • If the answer does not come from anything the committee can recommend or research, there was never a point to the committee.

• What work are you doing to not be wrong?

  • For example, we established criteria to ensure every article passes a minimum bar and to ensure that we do not accidentally leave gaps in the revision.

Part of the role of the board, which you all volunteered for, is to show your work. If you do not believe you are wrong, prove it. Seek out bids, and ask consultants whether it is relevant for them to know our HOA, then show us, the members, the answers. Talk to whoever you need to ensure you are following best practices, and show us what was said along with the basis for claims. This is the job.

This is the standard you ask of your committee volunteers.