Association Essentials

​Association Essentials is a multi-part series, created by our firm, designed to empower homeowner, townhouse, condominium and related association Board Members with the knowledge, skills, tools and relationships to effectively lead their organizations.
UPCOMING SEMINARS
For 2021, we will hold free monthly Association Essentials sessions via Zoom to address the changing topics and issues facing our clients. These 1-hour sessions will feature a topical presentation and a Q&A session.​ 

July 1, 2021 at 6:00pm (Eastern) via Zoom
​Topic: Responding to Member Requests to Inspect Books & Records
In this session, we will discuss what “books and records” are, the types of books and records the Association should keep, how to respond to member requests to inspect books and records, and best practices for handling your books and records. As always, the last part of our session will be spent answering your questions about these and related topics.
CONTACT FOR MEETING ACCESS

Please contact us to be added to the email list for notification of future dates and topics. 

​OTHER 2021 DATES

August 5
September 2
​October 7
November 4
​December 2
Reproduction or communication of the content on this website, including files downloadable from this website, without the permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.

2021 Virtual Seminar Resources

June 3rd SEMINAR: Meeting Best Practices
Our June session covered best practices for structuring your meetings, how to address sensitive topics, and how to handle common pitfalls and time-wasters. With these tips, your board will be empowered to have better meetings in less time.

Review the June materials:
May 6th SEMINAR: Summer Time Issues & Member Participation
Our May session addressed strategies to deal with common summertime issues: swimming pools, noise complaints, parking violations, play equipment, and rowdy behavior. Our second segment addressed improving member participation. Low participation is one of the biggest complaints our clients have about their HOAs. Review our Do’s and Do Not’s to help you improve member participation.​

Review the May materials:
April 1st SEMINAR: Collections
Our April session provided an overview of the collection process, complete with best practices and strategies for keeping your accounts receivable under control. We will also discussed an important legal update regarding COVID-19 foreclosure issues and developments with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Review the April materials:
March 4th SEMINAR: Covenant Violations & Enforcement
Our March session discussed covenant enforcement, which typically ramps up in spring. Often we receive questions about proper enforcement techniques and procedures. This session covered covenant interpretation, enforcement best practices, the “grandfathering defense” (“The Board told me in 1989 that I could put this hot tub on my roof, and even though I didn’t get that in writing, you can’t make me remove it now!”), and more.

Review the March materials:
February 4th SEMINAR: Fundamental Board Excellence
Our February session discussed strategies for improving and sustaining your Board’s performance by consistently implementing basic board fundamentals and “best practices.” Many associations elect new Directors/Officers at the end of the year, and the information covered in this session is a great resource for new Directors/Officers to hit the ground running.

Review the February PowerPoint presentation:

2020 Seminar Resources

Association boards faced uncharted waters in 2020 as they navigated the onset of a global pandemic while still leading their communities. Below are a few of the resources our firm provided association leaders to meet that goal. All seminars in  2020 were conducted virtually. 

Best Practices (March 2020)
Sample Letter to Members re: COVID-19 (March 2020)
​Best Practices (April 2020)

2019 Seminar Resources

SEPTEMBER 21st SEMINAR: Laying the Foundation: Recordkeeping and More

Our September session dug into decision making, running meetings, and record keeping. This seminar focused on giving board members the tools to effectively make and record decisions. Understanding your Association’s record keeping process is important for every board member, and this seminar provided the tools necessary to do so. In addition, we addressed the Kentucky Supreme Court’s recent decision in Helmsley v. Gadd, which provides guidance on short term rentals in deed restricted communities.​

Review the September PowerPoint presentation & materials:
MARCH 23rd SEMINAR: Laying the Foundation: Establishing a Solid Footing on Financials
Our March session broke ground by digging into financial and accounting issues. We focused on giving board members a basic understanding of accounting principles and processes and of critical financial documents such as a Balance Sheet, Income Statement, and A/R Report. Understanding your Association’s financials is important for every board member, even for those without a financial background.

Review the March PowerPoint presentation:

2018 Seminar Resources

SEPTEMBER 22nd SEMINAR: ER Visit - Evaluating Risk, Reasonableness & Readiness

Our September session helped Associations develop emergency preparedness plans to proactively navigate critical circumstances to: Evaluate Risk - What could happen?; Evaluate Reasonableness - Implementing sound judgment.; Evaluate Readiness - How to prepare? During our Judges Q&A we queried two sitting Fayette Co. judges regarding various HOA related topics. 
Review the September PowerPoint presentation: 
MARCH 24th SEMINAR: Annual Check-up: Is Your Association Healthy?​
Our March 2018 session addressed what healthy Associations look like, helped you evaluate the health of your Association, and identified steps to improve your Association's overall health.
Review the March PowerPoint presentation: 

2017 Seminar Resources

SEPTEMBER 23rd SEMINAR: Board Transitions, Budgets & Emergency Plans 

Our third and final Association Essentials seminar for 2017 focused on three topics: Board Transitions, including best practices for elections, annual meetings, and transitioning operations from outgoing to new board members and officers. Budgeting which covered strategies and processes to develop a budget and set dues amounts to strengthen your Association’s financial position. And finally, Emergency planning to provide your Board the tools to develop an emergency preparedness plan to use for unexpected or unfortunate events.

​JUNE 24th SEMINAR: Covenant Enforcement, Policies & Compliance

Our second Association Essentials seminar focused on Covenant Enforcement, including strategies, practices and procedures to understand and respond to violations of restrictive covenants. 
Review the June PowerPoint presentation: 
Sample Documents & Policies:

MARCH 25th SEMINAR: Board Best Practices & Collections

Our first Association Essentials seminar focused on two important Association aspects: Board Best Practices & Collections. Best Practices addressed information about Board communications, decision-making, running effective meetings, minutes and records, and outcomes. Collections included strategies, processes, and procedures to improve the payment of dues and assessments, the life-blood of all Associations.
Review the March PowerPoint presentations: 
Sample Documents & Policies:
BLF has experience representing more than 90 homeowner, townhouse, condominium and related associations in Central Kentucky. Our proven processes have aided these Associations in various areas including implementing policies & procedures, litigation alternatives, conflict resolution, streamlining member communications and improving collections. 

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All Association Essentials content is Copyright © Billings Law Firm, PLLC 2018
Reproduction or communication of the content on this website, including files downloadable from this website, without the permission of the copyright owner is strictly prohibited.