July 20, 2020
To All Home Owners regarding our Virtual Test Meeting:
Testing A Virtual Format for Our Annual HOA on Saturday, August 1@10-11am
Ihor Mandicz, our Board President wrote to you on July 17 saying that the Board has approved a TEST of a virtual Annual HOA meeting on Saturday, August 1@10-11AM. The actual date for the HOA meeting has not been set and will depend upon the outcome of this test.
The virtual format was approved by the NY State Attorney General for nonprofits unable to hold official meetings due to the statewide ban on large group gatherings. While we would all prefer meeting in person, your health and safety remain our primary concern.
We prefer not to wait until the ban is lifted This ban on gatherings could last rest of this year or even longer. There are topics that need to be reviewed and discussed – the budget, board elections, issues about handling our lake and other common grounds, etc.. More importantly, a meeting allows the airing of homeowner concerns and issues so they can be addressed by the Board in a timely fashion.
Why A Test
We are holding a test first vs an actual meeting so we can:
• Familiarize everyone with ZOOM videoconferencing and its polling, Q&A and Chat capabilities
• Direct resources to those who might want technology support
• Ensure that people feel they are heard and able to express themselves adequately
• Confirm that Homeowners are comfortable with this new format
Why You Should Attend
You may feel that you already spend too much time videoconferencing and know the technology well. But, this test is as much for us as it is for you. The more people who participate in this test, the smoother the meeting will be in real time.
We plan to run various scenarios to test how we can handle sharing slides, documents, voting mechanics and answering your questions and comments. Please, please help us by participating on August 1.
A Survey Afterwards
After the test, we will be mailing everyone a link to an online survey. It won’t be long. Please respond, even if you did not attend the test. Your responses will tell us whether a virtual Homeowner’s Meeting meets our needs and should move forward.
ZOOM Instructions
You can participate in the meeting in many different ways -- by computer, notebook, or smart phone, connecting via your device browser, You can also call in by phone if you are more comfortable doing so. Note, however, that you will only be able to listen in if you connect by phone or mobile device. Voting and Q&A may not be accessible on those devices.
Before August 1
You must register on ZOOM in order to participate in the meeting. We are requiring prior registration to keep our meeting private. NOTE: This meeting is for homeowners ONLY.
If you have not already received an email with a registration link, send an email to RuWeinger@gmail.com.
A Few Other Things:
• If you already have questions for the Board, mail them in. Ru Weinger, the HOA Treasurer, will hold them for the REAL meeting (date TBD). If we had some questions in hand before the meeting, they will be included in the agenda as topics to be discussed.
• If you plan to be away in next couple months for whenever the real HOA annual meeting takes place, but would like to vote in the Board Elections, email RuWeinger@gmail.com to request a proxy. After filling it out, mail it to: Lake Joseph HOA
PO box 469
Monticello, NY 12701
Note: ALL proxies must be mailed in. Proxies will no longer be accepted from third parties.
Thanks, we look forward to seeing you online on August 1.