As a Board member, the responsibilities and tasks to keep the association running smooth can add up quickly. And as a leader, the art of delegation is incredibly important. Committees can be a great resource to, and outlet for, the Board of Directors. The goal of this article is to understand the roles and responsibilities of committees, define the types of committees, and to provide some keys to successful utilization of them.
Types of Committees
- Mandatory
- Boards should check their governing documents to find out if they are actually required to have committees. Typically, this can be found in the ByLaws. It is not uncommon for an association to be surprised that they are, indeed, required to have some type(s) of committee(s). Some fairly common mandatory committees include Elections, Nominations, and Architectural.
- Standing
- A Standing committee is one appointed by the Board to handle categorical type of initiatives and responsibilities of the Board. These committees are often established by the Board and should be noted in meeting minutes. Some example committees might include Budget, Finance, Grounds, Social, Welcome, and Rules.
- Ad Hoc
- Exploratory committee on a singular issue. These committees should have a very specific goal/ purpose and include an end date. Examples of this type of committee include a traffic safety study, neighborhood awareness, new governing documents or amendments, reserve study, or decorating projects.
Stop by our blog next week for Part II of Committees.