Condo Media - May 2013 - 16

by Frank A. Lombardi, Esq.

C A I

R e g i o n a l

N e w s

RHODE ISLAND

The Importance of Volunteering
Why Everyone Should Consider Serving on an Association Board or Committee

received a summons for jury duty
the other day. My first instinct was
to say, “Ugh, what a waste of time
and money—let someone else do
it.” My mind raced with ideas about
how to get out of it. But then I realized: I am that “someone else.” Who
am I to pass on what is essentially my
civic obligation? I live in this country, I
partake in its benefits, and now with this
summons, I must accept the obligations (yes, sometimes, aggravations). So
what if it means losing some time from
work? At least I will learn how a jury
works from the inside. As an attorney, I

am used to being on the outside of the
jury box, persuading, and sometimes
pleading with juries. It would be fun to
be inside the box. More than likely, I
would not be picked to serve, but who
knows? The point is, I owe it to myself
to show up willing and able to serve.

Association
Obligation to Serve

I would hope that most people reach
the same conclusion about the obligation to serve on an association’s governing board or subcommittees. Since each
unit owner that lives within a communi-

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Condo Media • May 2013

After going through two
management companies, I was
amazed to see the unit owners
actually stand up and applaud
the eﬀorts of Essex Management
Group. They are really the
cream-of-the-crop when it
comes to property management.
—Joe Arone,
Home Association Annual Meeting

ty association partakes of its benefits, so
too must each accept its obligations—
perhaps by serving on a board or committee or in some voluntary capacity.
To be sure, those unit owners reading
this magazine and article are more than
likely already on a governing board or
have been in the past. Thank you for
your service, and there is no need to
show you the importance of volunteering. You feel it already. My point here
instead is to urge you to cast a wide net
within your community to bring other
unit owners into the mix, whether it
would be to fill a vacancy on the board
or to join a subcommittee.
For those reluctant to take on a big
role, use baby steps. That is, encourage people to first serve on, say, a
landscaping committee or a committee to search for contractors to do
a major capital improvement. This
would serve a dual purpose: It would
more fully educate a unit owner as
to the inner workings of the association while at the same time instilling a
sense of confidence so that next time,
he or she would feel comfortable seeking a position on the board itself.
Is your association having issues
with covenant enforcement? Do your
unit owners believe that the governing
documents are outdated? Why not seek
out and solicit unit owners to serve on
a document review committee? What to
do about the infamous “backbenchers”
who complain all the time at meetings?
(We all know the type: “Why are the
fees going up? Who picked this contractor? Why is this contract so onerous?”
Now, if these backbenchers were to be
encouraged to join a contractor search
committee or even a finance committee,
more than likely at the next meeting,

Condo Media - May 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - May 2013