Meeting in Work Session on Monday, January 11, the SLLA Board clarified their expectations of new management including a lengthy discussion on whether the new manager should be required to participate in community activities ‘outside the gates.’
    “As their time opens up and is available, I think we should give them a list of activities they should be aware of,” Director Sally Kindsvatter said.
    Treasurer Denny Galford agreed, noting that it is important for the Community Manager to understand the area so that Seven Lakes will remain competitive, especially as new subdivision developments come on-line.
    Director Kent Droppers suggested the new manager, as well as other community managers, should be encouraged to attend meetings of the Greater Seven Lakes Community Council, “To build those bridges. They’ll have interface and get to know each other.”
    Droppers also recommended forming a Board subgroup that would meet monthly with the new Community Manager to provide feedback and performance evaluation.
    Galford concurred, “The most important factor for the Board of Directors is to process — to evaluate the new Community Manager. This has been our shortcoming over all the years.”
    In a related conversation, the Board continued a discussion on improving committee continuity from year to year, director to director.
    Zielsdorf said he sees continuity in committees as a task for both directors and the manager.
    “If management is doing their job, they should provide the bulk of continuity between one board to the next,” he said.

   
System of Governance
    One component of the overall SLLA management search process has been a study of the system of governance, with recommendations for the future. Of specific concern was the historical pattern of committees overstepping their advisory role and pressuring the manager to make decisions.
    Treasurer Galford distributed proposed changes to the Bylaws for discussion, which included a summary narrative of the expected roles of the Board and the Manager [The Times was not provided with a copy of the proposed changes].
    Kindsvatter opposed the lengthy document presented, stating instead that minor revisions to the existing Bylaws with the addition of the summary would satisfy the need. In particular, she recommended substituting the word “oversight,” in the many places where the words “control” and “manage” are used in the Bylaws.  
    Galford argued they could write and rewrite, but that what it comes down to is the attitude of the board.
    “Each board has to decide whether they want to be controlling or for oversight. All we can do is spell out to the Board of Directors a recommendation and hope future boards will want to be oversight,” said Galford.
    Droppers suggested the summary description would be more prominent and carry more weight if it was moved to the Forward section of the Bylaws: a recommendation that met with unanimous approval of the Board.
    Zielsdorf suggested continuing the discussion at the February Work Session and asked Kindsvatter to identify each Bylaw where she would recommend substituting ‘oversight’ for other board actions, such as control or manage.
    
Committee Meetings, Open or Closed?
    Picking up on a suggestion made during the December Open Meeting, Zielsdorf opened a discussion of whether or not residents should be able to attend committee meetings.
    “Clearly things come up at Public Comment that could be better addressed at the committee level, but I do not agree there should be an open invitation to meetings – particularly Community Standards and ARB may be discussing issues private to a landowner,” Zielsdorf said.
    [Public Comment is a standard agenda item that provides a set period during each Open Meeting when members of the community may directly address the Board.]
    Director Bud Shaver, who heads up the Maintenance Committee, said he has no problem if residents want to attend his committee’s meetings and that if something private arises, he would call a Closed Session.
    “I would rather people come to committee meetings with a problem, than come to Public Comment,” he said.
    Caulk agreed, “Anyone should be able to attend any meeting – not participate, but attend. They are all members of the community.”
    Zielsdorf suggested that discretion should be left to the individual committee chair.
    After going around the table, Droppers recommended tabling the discussion until the February Work Session when the Board will hold a more in-depth conversation on improving communication, to include a discussion on better ways to utilize the SLLA web presence and/or a community newsletter.
    
Shaver will seek re-election
    Director Bud Shaver announced he will run for another term on the Board. Since the nomination period has closed, per SLLA Bylaws, Shaver must submit a petition signed by at least fifty residents at the January 27 Open Meeting.
    “As many of you know, I have not been operating on all cylinders. But now that the doctor has found the cause, I’m running pretty well. I’m back to my ornery-self.”
    In a charming display of camaraderie, his fellow directors ticked off the decreasing number of votes he still needs as each pledged their support of Shaver’s petition.