Having been a board member, I tend to get on and off the board with the intent of allowing all residents to serve as officers, so they can develop a better understanding of the responsibilities involved in managing the community’s physical, financial, and collective goodwill. Some choose to step into the role, while others choose to stand back and criticize rather than create.
However, there is an implied contract between the board of directors and the residents. This isn’t always clearly defined, with everyone agreeing that residents are good neighbors and that the board is creating a healthy, safe, and fiscally sound environment.
The governing documents provide guidelines to clarify the provisions that residents and the board of directors are expected to comply with. Often, the rules and regulations are glossed over until a crisis forces a deep dive into who is right, who is responsible, and how to address the questions that arise.
Residents and the board of directors can fulfill their roles in the implied contract by engaging in open discussion, acknowledging divergent points of view, and working toward common solutions before issues become major crises that require significant time, expense, and personal anguish to resolve.
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