Cynthia Sloop

The Sentry Office in Indianapolis welcomes our new District Manger, Todd Whitlock. Todd has been with Sentry Management, Inc for 6+ years and comes to us from the Clermont, Florida office. Please join me in welcoming Todd to Indianapolis.

I am reprinting information from a letter that Todd Whitlock has written (with his permission) that provides some further explanation as to what a property management company does for homeowner associations.

Often I am asked, "What does a property management company do for my association?" and "Why do we need a property management company?"

Strangely enough, let me start by stating what Sentry Management, Inc does not do. Sentry does not "run the show." Your homeowners association is a corporation, a business entity. The Board of Directors as per its governing documents and state law manages the affairs of the business. The Board hires vendors and signs contract, approves the budget, approves collections and covenant enforcement systems, prioritizes projects and all the 'day to day' decisions needed regarding the operation of the association. What Sentry Management, Inc. doesdo is provide the Board with full service administrative and accounting support and guidance and advice based on our 30+ years of managing community associations.

Sentry's local Indianapolis office has a large support staff based out of our Longwood corporate office. We have an Accounts Receivable department that maintains bank accounts, posts payments and late charges, and prepares regular and late payment coupons. We have an Accounts Payable department that processes invoices, prepares and submits payment, and tracks vendor insurance. We have a General Ledger department that prepares the best and most comprehensive monthly financial report in the business. We have a Collections department that monitors and tracks all facets of the process. We have a Closings department that coordinates sales, prepares sales certificates as requested by the Title Company, and updates association ownership records. We have a Client Services department that prepares, collates and mails all association correspondence, including meeting notices, and tracks other 'miscellaneous" items including CPA engagement, tax preparation, and required state reports. Finally, Sentry provides a 24 hour emergency answering service and maintains all association records. All of these services are included in the monthly management fee. What is not included is normal business costs such as supplies, copies, long distance phone call charges, etc. . . that any business incurs as well as the administrative costs for closing and collection services.

All of the above is done "behind the scenes." Usually, the only person seen and thought of by the members is the property manager. Your property manager provides periodic inspections of the property, assists in enforcement of covenants and rules and regulations,monitors vendor compliance, assists in tracking insurance and other contracts, obtains informational packets for meetings, attends meetings and often prepares minutes, directs support services, and provides support to the Board. In general, the property manager performs any task the Board wishes as long as it is reasonable and/or legal.

If you have any further questions or would like to know more about the services Sentry Mangement, Inc. can provide for your homeowners association, please feel free to email csloop@sentrymgt.com.

Being a Board Member on behalf of your association comes with responsibilities. Below is a list of what is expected.

1. All members of the Board serve the owners as Fiduciaries and must act in the best interest of all its members.
2. No officer of the corporation has the authority to make unilateral decisions on behalf of the Board unless specific authority to do so has been given by the Board.
3. Decisions are made at Board of Director meetings where items are addressed and agreed upon. Items on the Board of Directors meeting Agenda are thoroughly researched, studied and analyzed to make sure its financial feasibility, legal implications, and practical in application to the operation of the community
4. The Board of Directors sets the policy for the corporation and Management implements that policy.
5. All Board Members should make sure that there is Directors and Officers liability insurance in place.
6. All directors must keep careful watch over the finances of the association and make sure that the association rules and deed restrictions are enforced.

I am always in awe of the time and dedication Members of the Board give to their communities. Most Boards work very hard to uphold the Covenant and Restrictions while making improvements to the common areas and keeping their neighborhood informed of the happenings around them. Kudos to the dedication of HOA Board Members.

Often when I tell people I'm a Community Association Manager I need to explain to them what I do. The short version could best describe me as the person that manages the common property and services of planned communities and/or condominiums through their homeowners' associations.

At my office, most of the community managers have eight to twelve properties that they are responsible for and oversee. I currently have 8 properties that I manage and I co-manage two more with another person. Our typical day starts about 8:00a.m. and each of us can construct our day to the needs of our communities and job responsibilities.

When we are in the office, most of us are answering emails, taking and returning phone calls, negotiating with contractors, paying association bills, monitoring finances, writing letters, relaying information, organizing paper work for upcoming meetings or completing paperwork from a meeting the night before. As well as maintaining the association files.

When we are out of the office we are often out at one of our properties for an inspection of the community. A community inspection can involve a variety of things. Some of the items we check are what's called the common areas of the property. An example for this time of the year would be to go out and make sure the entrance signs and entrance way are ok, street lights are working, to check the landscaping making sure there's no broken limbs, dead trees or damage to the property. If there's ponds/lakes we check them, we also check any playground and park equipment. If there's been a snow, we check to make sure the snow was plowed and removed properly by the contractor for that community. When the weather is warmer, we are often checking on the landscape, coordinating maintenance work, checking on pools and clubhouses and working with homeowners, the board and the architechtural committee on various homeowner improvements. The other important part of our commnunity inspections are to make sure no one is in violation of the covenants for that community. Each community has there own set of covenants and restrictions that we monitor and help to enforce.

This job also requires the community manager to attend each community's board meeting. Some of the communities are monthly and others are bi-monthly meetings. Most of these meetings are in the evenings. There are days when I do not return home until after 9:00p.m.

What I like best about my position is the diversity the job provides and that I get to meet and help some wonderful people along the way. Well, I hope that helps to answer the question "what is a community association manager?"

Here in Indiana, one of the last things on anyone's mind is a swim in the HOA pool. But on December 19, 2008, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act will require all public and semi-public pools and spas to have anti-drowning drain covers installed on their drains. (This new law does not require private pool and spa owners to comply.)

This law came into being after the drowning of 7-year-old Virginia Graeme Baker, granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker, when she got caught in a hot tub drain in 2002.

As it stands now, those who do not comply will be forced to close or face civil and criminal penalties. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, it will effect hundreds of thousands of pools nationwide.

If your HOA has an outdoor pool, you will need to install the Federally Approved Drain Cover before opening your pool for the 2009 swim season. For more information about this new law, you may want to contact your Community Manager or Pool Service Company. Be safe and be ready for the 2009 season.

In today's economy almost everyone is feeling the money pinch and this includes most Homeowner Associations. Now more than ever it is important to have a written collections procedure in place. It's a good idea to have these procedures in place whether you are self-managed or have a management company.

Here's some of the items your Board may want to establish as a written procedure:

1. Due Date (s) - Be consistent with your Delcaration and/or By-Laws

2. Provide a "grace period" and explain the late fees or interest that will be charged after the grace period.

3. Specify the order of applying monies received as payment.

4. Specify how past due notices will be sent.

5. Specify the procedure for referring to the Association Attorney for collection.

As you know, any written procedures must be a part of your HOA Declarations of Covenants and/or By-laws to be enforcable. So, before your association takes any action to address assessments and written procedure, be sure to contact legal counsel and/or your community association manager. Being on the Board of Directors is a wonderful way to be involved with your community. Thank you for your commitment.