Board Tips: Meeting Room Setup
As some associations resume in-person meetings, one thing to consider going in to your 2023 meeting schedule is the oftentimes overlooked detail of simply how the room is set up. Remember, a board meeting is a BOARD meeting. It is not a membership/homeowner meeting. Homeowners can be there for observation or to address the board during an allocated open forum part of the meeting. Outside of that, interaction should be between board members. How are most board meeting rooms set up? Usually, some form of auditorium style seating, right? The board sits in a row at a head table facing chairs lined in rows. It invites participation from the audience, gives the impression the board is reporting to the audience, but hinders eye contact–and thus interaction–between board members. Another setup we commonly see is a round table room. The physical setup of that puts no barrier between the board and membership and makes it feel all-inclusive. It’s a nice sentiment, but not a good way to run a business meeting of the board. The best setup you can create is some form of a U- or V-shaped table for the board, and audience-style seating for homeowners. This way, no one’s back is to the audience, but interaction and eye contact is crossed between board members. Most city hall and other government meeting rooms are set up this way for a reason. If you have difficulty controlling interaction between board members and homeowners, try this type of board meeting setup. Little things can make a big difference!
Sharper Gives Back
Sharper Management is happy to have recently provided a gift to Ruff Start Rescue with the proceeds from the 6th Annual Sharper Scramble Golf Tournament, which was held earlier this summer. Each year Sharper chooses a cause or organization that will be the benefactor of this annual event. Ruff Start is a wonderful organization that is “dedicated to saving the lives of animals in need….and improving animal welfare in communities through adoption, education, and providing resources for people and pets.” Check them out at https://ruffstartrescue.org/ “Giving back to our community is one of our core values at Sharper Management,” said Dan Cunningham, owner and CEO. “Ruff Start was awesome to work with. We have always wanted to find a way to support our furry four-legged friends at this golf event. It was fun to have them out on the course – and it means a lot to us to be able to support them with this donation.”
Ivy League Condominium Association Added Under Sharper Management
The Ivy League Condominium Association in St. Paul, MN is the newest addition to the Sharper Management clientele, with 35 units under management. Built in 1982, these upscale, family-oriented, loft space condos are located near other associations under Sharper Management, including Summit & Grotto Condominium Association Inc., The Oxford Hill Association, Inc., and The Waldorf Flats Condominium Association. “We’ve been fortunate to earn the business of growing communities in the area and we look forward to working with the Ivy League Condominium Association Board,” states Dan Cunningham, Sharper’s CEO and Partner. Known for their reliable and committed approach to services for condominium and townhome associations in Minnesota, Sharper Management specializes in providing exceptional property management solutions. Offering a full-suite of premier services to the Minneapolis-St. Paul seven-county area, Sharper Management continues to expand their service area and look forward to building more new relationships throughout the Twin Cities.
A Sharper Focus on 2022
Looking back on 2021, it was certainly a rollercoaster ride for Sharper Management. The successes are many. Continued growth and securing 20 new association accounts. Retention of existing accounts remained strong at 98%. The processes and structure of the Client Care Department continues improving our customer service level. The partnership with Finite Business Solutions has already shown great value in efforts to collect outstanding assessments. The switch to Alliance Association Bank for all Operating Checking accounts has better streamlined accounting and reduced banking cost to clients. Our team of 15-portfolio community managers is as strong as we’ve ever had. And, as previously mentioned, we closed out the year taking home half (four of eight) of the awards at the Community Association Institutes’ Annual Gala and Vision Award event held earlier this month. It has been an amazing year of change and success! The low of the year, of course, was the untimely and tragic death of Sharper patriarch and founder Matt Froehlich. A void that certainly can never be filled; however, in tragedy comes opportunity. Opportunity to refocus and to retool, and to emerge from the loss and make Sharper stronger. As we enter 2022, Sharper has made significant changes in our leadership structure that we are excited to share. 30-year industry veteran and 10-year Sharper leader, Candy Lee will take on the task as president of operations. She will oversee and provide leadership to all functions and departments of Sharper Management. Sharper leader and seasoned veteran, Natalie Martynow will fill the role of vice president of community management, overseeing all 170 accounts and mentoring the growth of our 15 community managers. Experienced community managers Tom Parsons, Kim DuPont, and Chris Gosse will fill newly created roles as senior community managers, providing mentoring and support opportunities for new and in-training managers. Grant Peterson, director of client care, will continue leading the ever-growing and evolving client care team. Returning to Sharper is another industry veteran and long-time employee, Josh Reams, who will fill the role of director of business development and education, focusing on continued company growth, marketing efforts, and education opportunities for Board members and staff. Todd Essig remains the accounting manager, overseeing all areas of financial management. Dan Cunningham and Nick Schilling remain the owners and operators. We are extremely proud of things accomplished in 2021 and are even more excited about the great things to come in 2022!
Huge Night for Sharper at CAI Vision Awards
A huge night for the company, Sharper Management took home half of the awards presented at the annual Holiday Gala and Vision Awards for the Community Association Institute-MN Chapter (CAI) held on Thursday, December 2nd. CAI, the international trade organization for community associations and regarded as the national experts in education programs, publications, association governance, and advocacy and the accreditation body, holds this annual event to recognize and celebrate managers, business partners, and homeowner leaders. There are eight awards given out for both associations and for individual managers. Nominations are submitted by CAI members and a special voting committee reviews all nomination applications for specific criteria. The awards are a high honor and significant recognition by industry experts for industry professionals. Sharper took home the following: Mark Ownes – Above & Beyond. This award recognizes an individual for substantive achievement in performing tasks and services beyond the typical job description and scope of responsibilities. Kimberly DuPont – Financial Impact. This award recognizes a manager who positively impacted a community(s) in a significant manner, such as budget management, capital improvement project management, insurance claim navigation, etc. Tom Parson – Sophomore of the Year. This award recognizes a manager with less than two years’ experience that excelled in all aspects of community association management functions. Fountain Woods II – Association of the Year. This award recognizes an association Board of Directors whose members clearly understand their roles and fiduciary responsibilities, putting the association’s interests ahead of and above all personal agendas. Volunteer of the Year – Melissa Cushing. A special award given by the Board of Directors of CAI to an individual that has made significant contributions to the organization in their volunteer efforts. In addition to these winners, Sharper had two other nominees and two runners-up candidates. Sharper Management was quite visible throughout the evening, with 28 staff members in attendance, and Josh Reams, the outgoing Chapter president, facilitating and speaking much of the evening. It was a great night to celebrate Sharper Management in front of 350 industry friends and colleagues!
The Responsibility of an HOA Management Company
Sometimes, the roles of an HOA and an HOA management company can get confusing. Questions about what we do are common, and the answer varies depending on each association and their needs. Some associations need help in certain areas, while others need full-service management. Here’s a quick look into our two service packages: Financial-Only Services Assessment collections Budget preparation Accounts payable Accounts receivable Reserve transfers and management Tax prep assistance Resale disclosures Coupon book management Free banking Full Service Plan If your HOA needs a full-service plan, the above services are offered, in addition to: Meeting coordination Maintenance requests (mostly light work) Vendor negotiations Enforcing rules and regulations Insurance reviews Newsletter creation Builder transitions Communication services (board e-mail) Spring inspections Contractor bidding A dedicated community manager For a full list of financial-only vs full-service packages, check out the chart on our website. Sharper Management handles the details so that you can enjoy living in your home. Give us a call today to discuss our services!
Budget Season: Prepping for Spring
Many outdoor maintenance services are slowing down or stopping due to cold temperatures and winter being right around the corner, so now is the time to start budgeting for spring maintenance and repairs. If your board performed a property walk-through this summer, you’ll know what will need attention once the snow melts. If your roads, parking lots, or pathways weren’t in the best condition before fall came, they’ll only be worse when it warms up again. Due to the freeze-thaw effect, any cracks or potholes in the pavement will expand, causing further damage to the asphalt. Many paving companies honor 2021 pricing if your association signs now, but the work can’t be done until 2022. Proposals should also be requested for repairs to outdoor structures like fencing, decks, roofing, and siding. Winter storms may also damage structures that were in good shape before, so get in touch with a contractor immediately after to get it repaired in the spring. Big repairs aren’t the only type of maintenance that should be budgeted for—regular maintenance, such as lawn care, also requires your attention. Are you sticking with your current lawn mower contractor? Do you have a company doing landscaping and tree care, or is that also something you need for the spring? Anything that requires regular maintenance should be discussed. If budget is truly an issue for your HOA, prepare contracts for the most pressing repairs first. Review last year’s financial reports—are there other areas you can cut back in to allow for more money to go toward maintenance? When you’re budgeting this winter, don’t hesitate to reach out to Sharper Management for vendor referrals or any other questions!
Welcome Clover Condominium Association to the Sharper Family
The Clover Condominium Association is the newest addition to the growing Sharper Management family of clientele. Built in 2009, these upscale, family-oriented condos are located near other associations under Sharper Management, including Copperridge Townhomes Association, Highland Shores Community Association, Mill Pond Condominium No. 1, 2 & Common, and Meadow Park Association. “We’ve been fortunate to earn the business of growing communities in the area and we look forward to working with the Clover Condominium Association Board,” states Dan Cunningham, Sharper’s CEO and Partner. Known for their reliable and committed approach to services for condominium and townhome associations in Minnesota, Sharper Management specializes in providing exceptional property management solutions. Offering a full-suite of premier services to the Minneapolis-St. Paul seven-county area, Sharper Management continues to expand their service area and look forward to building more new relationships throughout the Twin Cities.
Minnesota Computers for School
Today, not having access to technology is much more detrimental than it was just five years ago. Sharper Management is proud to announce our recent donation to Minnesota Computers for Schools. While doing some much needed spring cleaning, we did an office inventory clean-up and donated two pallets worth of computer equipment to Minnesota Computers for Schools. To help make sure that everyone has access to the technology necessary to succeed in school and in the workforce, Minnesota Computers for Schools recycles and repairs donated computers and repurposes them to provide technology access and skills training to people who need it most. MCFS is committed to the highest industry standards for recycling and data destruction. We are so proud to have donated to this wonderful organization!