
Board Duties
Painting Director
The painting and siding tasks includes signing the painters and carpenters, doing a walk-through to marking repairs on the homes to be included in the bid, preparing a detailed bid by house, collecting any monies needed from owners for repairs in excess of the cap, and supervising the project and bookkeeping of the project.
After receipt and acceptance of a bid, the task includes working with each homeowner to identify additional services (if needed) and to work with the bookkeeper to invoice any additional work to be done as well as collect any outstanding account balances - all homes must be current to be painted. When work starts, the task includes checking the work multiple times a week for good workmanship, monitoring the paint consumption to be sure the paint hasn't been watered or substituted, and to help solve any problems encountered.
The painting and siding project also includes offering "at cost" services to homeowners not on the cycle who want to make repairs between their scheduled annual paintings.
Landscaping Director
Landscaping includes the weekly lawn services (mowing, edging, hedge trimming) and irrigation management, as well as the periodic services like irrigation repair, tree trimming, fertilization and plant disease care, and the planting of the flower gardens. This task requires the develop monthly work lists and supervising/coordinating multiple vendors (maintenance crew, irrigation specialist, tree trimming crew, fertilization and disease control company, and a nursery).
Landscaping also includes encouraging homeowners (e.g., group planting projects) to remove/replace dead or dying trees and shrubs in an effort to maintain the overall appearance of the community and keep within the architectural standards of the community.
Financial Director
These duties are assigned to the Treasurer. Financial oversight includes management of the weekly paying of bills, monitoring expenses consistent with the budget, overseeing dues collections, and developing member payment plans, liens, etc.
It also includes allocating dues received (and not commingling) into the operating accounts, capital reserves, and emergency/self insurance reserve.
Financial oversight also includes:
- having the reserve study updated and managing the reserves saving plan;
- filing of tax returns and paying taxes;
- preparing of files for the annual audit;
- billing homeowners for painting services above the cap and for any "group purchases" (e.g., plants, tree services).
Architech Control & Security Director
Security and architectural control covers a broad list of small projects. It includes management of all security systems including the replacement of lamp posts and common property lights bulbs and electric eyes, monitoring the mailroom and the security gate in real time, as well as managing the security cameras and recordings. It includes traffic and parking management and maintenance of traffic control devices (doors, gates, signs, cameras) as well as relations with neighboring business. It includes architectural control tracking of roofs, garage doors, etc. and sending of notices to non-compliant properties, the issuing and tracking of fines, and resale certificate requirements (what a seller must do to bring a home in compliance before selling). It also covers management property trash.
IT & Documentation Director
These duties are typically assigned to the Secretary.
Information technology includes member communications ranging from email to voting and website operations, as well as member database management, meeting minutes, community news releases/newsletters.
Information technology also includes the development and filing of legal documents.
Special Projects Director
Special projects are tasks such as updating the bylaws, , negotiating the sale of property to TxDOT, building a mailroom, making foundation repairs to the 2023 building, major street/concrete repairs, installing a security gate, landscape renovations, etc.
Who is eligible to be a board member?
An owner of townhouse or, if the owner is a firm, partnership, corporation, association or other legal entity, the authorized representative of such entity.
How long is the term?
Five homeowners serve on a volunteer basis for a two year term.
Is this a governing board or a governing/working board?
The owners determine (by vote) the policies and projects for the Association when the policies are not already stipulated in the Deed Restrictions (CC&R), Bylaws, written policies, Texas Property Code, or Fannie Mae and the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The board then implements and directly supervises the policies/projects of the association.
Beverly Oaks is a working board. The communications with members and the"general contracting" tasks of landscaping, painting, and capital repairs that are normally performed by a paid management company are performed by volunteers.
These functions are in addition to the fiduciary responsibility to advise the community on its long and short term financial management.
How do board members find the time to supervises projects like road repairs, painting, landscaping, and programming?
A key component of a successful "working board" is (1) building upon the existing systems in place and nurturing long term mutually beneficial relationships with contractors. Changing systems and vendors is very time consuming - writing the specifications, recruitment, adapting new systems, training and troubleshooting. It's also a crap-shoot - the market is flooded with problem vendors because it's so easy to open a landscaping or painting business.
Finding contractors who will do good work for a reasonable price and do it with minimal supervision is challenging. Once we have one, we should hold on to them.
The board will have its hands full with forced contractor losses (e.g., personnel changes, quality changes, pricing changes) and should consider any vendor change with an eye on the long term stability with revolving door of board members with their very different skill sets.