Publications
Extra, Extra – Read All About It!
Published December 7, 2002 as
Condo newsletter helps communicate
"I read the news today, oh boy
About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad
Well I just had to laugh."“A Day in the Life” from Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
Lennon-McCartney, 1967
This is what I call "the silly season" for associations. The year end hustle of signing spring contracts, adopting a budget, considering a special assessment, having an annual meeting, all the while trying to get everything finished before the snowbirds fly south for the winter.
Meanwhile, people are testier and more ornery because of the uncertain state of the economy.
In attending a number of meetings, I note there is a common theme; "The board is not communicating with the members." Meetings are open month in and month out, yet no one attends and owners do not become interested in association finances until a large increase is proposed.
One of the easiest ways to curtail criticism of the board is to produce an association newsletter. Even if it is only a 2 page quarterly, it can be distilled into the barest essence of important information and minutes summaries which eliminates the all-too-typical complaint that the board is not communicating with the membership.
Once you have decided to proceed with sending out newsletters, a board needs to move from “idea” to implementation.
The biggest hurdle to overcome is getting a volunteer willing to take responsibility for producing the newsletter. Obviously the first pool of volunteers should be the people complaining the loudest, but seriously, the scope of the newsletter should be defined before a volunteer is solicited.
The content should include a summary of the current statement of financial condition and the minutes of the last meeting at a bare minimum. Important community information and announcements of upcoming events is easy to categorize. Selling ad space to local businesses is a good source of revenue and integrates local businesses with association members. Add a short president's message and you have the makings of a valuable publication.
Clearly, these essential elements can be supplemented with question and answer sections, helpful hints, community goings-on, etc. Newsletters run the gamut from slick professional publications to one-page amateurish efforts. However, this is mostly form over substance. The most important part is the information being provided.
Associations must give their members no less than 48 hours advance notice of Board of Directors meetings. A newsletter that publishes a list of the dates, times and place of the board meetings for the remainder of the year is in compliance with legal notice requirements.
A resourceful, 21st century group can produce a professional looking document from a computer program. However, the old fashioned type can cut and paste and it will still work just as well.
Some property management companies will produce and distribute a newsletter for a slight fee and there are even professional newsletter writers an association can hire.
Once you have a newsletter up and running and can comfortably fill it with worthwhile information, the opposite problem might arise as to limiting or excluding content.
A newsletter is the official informational organ of an association. It should not be used for political or propaganda pieces. It is not the personal podium for an individual's cause(s). A mechanism must be in place to screen submissions for editorial content by a neutral party. No subject matter should be broached without the approval of the board either as per a general policy or on a case-by-case basis.
Lastly, an association website might be the best way to communicate. As more and more people "log on," it can be a quick, shorthand method of having a newsletter to distribute to the largest possible readership.
By utilizing the communication tools such as a newsletter, website or even special mailings, it can never be said of the board of directors "what we got here, is a failure to communicate."