MINUTES OF THE MEETING
OWCAM BOARD OF DIRECTORS
TUESDAY, JULY 9, 2002
RIVERPLACE CONFERENCE ROOM
SW HARBOR DRIVE
PORTLAND, OREGON
8:30-10:00 A.M.

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Marshall Fant, President, Bryce Stephens, Treasurer, Cheryl Brendle, Secretary

MEMBERS PRESENT: Rich Thompson, David Schwindt

I. CALL TO ORDER
Marshall Fant called the meeting to order at 8:30 A.M.

II. MINUTES APPROVED
The minutes of the May 13, 2002 minutes were tabled for consideration at a future meeting.

III. FINANCIAL AUDIT LEGISLATION
The issue of requiring Oregon homeowner associations to have annual financial reviews is discussed. Several of the participants think this is an important idea for OWCAM to support. Whether this will solve concerns the State of Oregon (real estate commissioner) had expressed about not having jurisdiction over community managers is discussed.

Possible Features of Legislation:

  • Annually the members of HOA's should be able to vote down this requirement
  • Very small HOA's or those with very small budgets should be exempt
  • Legislation should be retroactive so that all existing HOAs are subject to requirement Require financial review, not audit

Advantages of Promoting It:  

  • This is a way to help deter and/or detect fraud and embezzlement 
  • Oregon can avoid problems that have occurred in California and Washington.
  • This may advance the professionalism of our industry. 
  • Rebuilding image and rebuilding a relationship of trust is more difficult that taking measures to make sure this never happens.
  • 80% of HOA's are not professionally managed. The requirement of an annual review would give some protection to the members of these Associations as well as Fraud & Embezzlement is not a problem exclusive to management companies.

Disadvantages:

  • If Real Estate Commissioner is not going to demand manager licensing, do we need to promote financial audits as an alternative to licensing?
  • Additional administrative requirements and fees are unpopular with our clients and prospective clients. The burden this additional cost will be difficult for many associations to bear.
  • Will this be perceived as self-serving?
  • CAI's Legislative Action Committee will not be supporting this issue because National CAI will not approve this topic.
  • CPAs are not interested in this issue.
  • OWCAM would become, by default, the primary sponsor of this issue.

DECISION: It is decided that Dave Schwindt will draft "talking points" on this subject so that the issue can be presented to OWCAM members (especially managers) so we can get a consensus of the members' opinions. Dave will get this information to Rich Thompson by July 23rd.

IV. 2002 EXPO
Marshall went to Seattle to see how they organized their successful CA Day. Attached are Marshall's preliminary ideas of the OWCAM EXPO. December 6, 2002 is the targeted date for this event. Marshall suggests we try to get companies to bring all of their staff (including clerical, accounting) and as many vendors as we can get. Holding the event at the Radisson Hotel where Rich Thompson holds his seminars will be explored. Ideas for a keynote speaker and a topic are discussed in addition to the cost of speaking fees and travel expenses.

V. PROMOTION OF OWCAM
Directors discuss the recent OWCAM promotional insert in the Regenesis newsletter. All are satisfied with the flyer.

VI. DEVELOPMENT OF LOGO
Marshall Fant presents some artwork prepared by his staff reflecting logos, memo and letterhead ideas. It is decided that this artwork will be given to a graphic artist for further development. Bryce Stephens will supervise this task.

VII. NEW MEMBERS
Bryce Stephens reported that W.R. Conrad, one of the speakers at the last meeting has joined OWCAM.

VII. BYLAWS
Cheryl Brendle reported that Landye, Bennett and Blumstein have agreed to help with the drafting of the Bylaws. They have given her an electronic copy of some Bylaws that can be modified to suit our purpose. Cheryl Brendle will make the initial modifications to the document and send them to the Directors for any additional changes they may wish to suggest.

VIII. ETHICS
Marshall will draft the OWCAM ethics statement and circulate copies of it to the Directors.

IX. UPCOMING PROGRAMS
Steve Russell of Landye Bennett Blumstein will be asked to speak at our August meeting. Cheryl Brendle will extend this invitation to him.

X. OWCAM's PUBLIC POLICY POSITIONS

  1. Need for Lobbyist - No discussion took place on this matter.
  2. Implement Educational Standards for Managers - No discussion took place on this matter.
  3. Resale Disclosure - There was a brief discussion on this topic. No action taken.

XI. TREASURER'S REPORT
No report given.

XII. NEXT MEETING DATES CONFIRMED
The next meetings of OWCAM will be held on Tuesday August 13 (speaker) and Tuesday September 10 (Board meeting).

XIII. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 A.M.

SUBMITTED BY: Cheryl Brendle, Secretary

 

OWCAM EXPO
Friday, December 6, 2002 

The following is a talking paper to outline for discussion some alternatives for the proposed OWCAM Expo.  Everything is subject to change and/or approval by the Board, but time is running short to get marketing efforts underway, so decisions should be made as soon as possible.

Purpose: To provide an educational program for OWCAM management firms and their staffs.  To allow one-on-one marketing exposure for vendors – both members and non-members – with management personnel.  It also gives OWCAM a chance to promote it’s goals and objectives, plus upcoming events, programs and efforts. 

Format:

Time:   8:30 am to 3:00 pm. Times subject to change depending on length of educational programs.  Schedule will be drafted to allow for morning gathering   and reviewing of vendor booths, first seminar meetings, trade show review, luncheon and speaker, afternoon seminars, and finally closing speaker and drawings, with final chance to talk to any vendors.

Theme: Provides for decorating and marketing opportunities, and possibly some motivation to vendors to decorate their “booth” areas accordingly.       

Location: To be determined, but probably a hotel banquet room.

Room Layout:  Vendor tables (booths) around the edge, with table space for eating, talking and listening to a general guest speaker, possibly at lunch.  Smaller rooms may be appropriate for some of the educational programs.

Educational Programs: Oriented to specific manager topics.  Question arises as to whether there should be concurrent sessions with different topics, which   means attendees will miss some topics, but will have choices depending on  their subject of greatest interest.  Some topics might include Budgeting, Specification Writing, Rules, Reg’s and Enforcement, Legal Forum, Managers Only – No Holds Barred, Designing Maintenance Plans (Anticipation is Key)   Recommended that the legal program be last, since it draws a good crowd usually.

Vendors: Depending on size of room and response, probably 8 to 12 vendors. 

Marketing:  Solicitation of vendors and “Keep this Date” reminders need to go out ASAP. 

E-mail can be used extensively, but some direct mail pieces will also be needed.  Hooks for attendance can include drawings with donations by each vendor, allowing them to collect business cards, and then having individual drawings at the end of the program.  Being in attendance to win is a must.

Speakers: If we can provide a lunch-time buffet, it would be a good time to use the primary meeting room for a general speaker.  Alan Crandall suggested that we might consider inviting the Karen Conlon, the President of CACM to speak to the group on ethics for the CA industry.  We should have our own ethics program in place by then, and it would be a good means of publicizing it to our own members.  It might be possible to use the primary room for the legal forum at the end too. This brings everybody together for the closing and the drawings. 

Pricing: Members of OWCAM certainly get a special price for attending.  It would be well to encourage all members of the management company to come, including clerical, accounting, maintenance, etc.  The more attendees, the better the marketing appeal to the vendors.  Non-members who are management companies may attend, but at a higher fee. There should be a fee per attendee.