Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Annual budget increases & capital improvements

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 21 Feb 2012, at 7:30 AM, David Clements and Evan Richardson wrote:

> The Bylaws currently say that the Board has complete authority over preparing 
> the budget and spending from the budget.

Our lawyer explained it this way — the Board can delegate decisions. What it 
cannot delegate is the responsibility. 

The board is responsible for the lawful and beneficial execution of the 
business of the homeowners association — protecting capital investments, etc. — 
but those decisions can be made by others and "ratified" by the Board.

We make policy decisions in Membership Meetings, then the Board ratifies the 
decision and records it in Board minutes. By ratifying it they are both saying 
it was made according to the bylaws of the community and it agrees/accepts the 
good of the decision.

(Policy decisions are those that constrain/control/guide/dictate future 
actions. Operational decisions are day to day decisions covering the immediate 
circumstances.)

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org