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Maine Alliance for Road Associations

Association officer vacancies

  • 25 Apr 2023 11:01 AM
    Quote
    Message # 13180037
    Anonymous member

    If an association has difficulty getting members to serve as officers, does anyone have any suggestions for how to go about filling these positions?  Are there consequences to simply leaving positions unfilled?  Can someone who is not a property owner on the road and not a member of the association be elected?  Can officers be offered a stipend as an incentive to serve?  Any ideas on how others may have handled this situation are appreciated.
  • 26 Apr 2023 7:08 AM
    Quote
    Reply # 13180971 on 13180037
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    These are great questions - challenges faced by many, many private road associations. Thank you for posting!

    In 2020, at our Annual Road Association Conference, MARA Board Member Roberta Manter spoke on member participation. You may find helpful suggestions in her handout on our Resources Page entitled,  Encouraging Member Participation.Expanded Notes.pdf

    Association by-laws are a good place for members to "vote in" answers to some of the questions you raise. Unless your by-laws so state, it is not necessary to fill every officer position. In Sample by-laws 2, on our Resources Page, Article 4, Elections, the four officer positions may be held by only 3 Board Members who manage the association between annual meetings.

    Our association confines our elected officers to the owner/members.  We believe the vested interest inherent in ownership of property along the road will foster the best possible service to the association. I believe your members, as a last resort, could offer officers a stipend by majority vote. 

    Last modified: 26 Apr 2023 3:20 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
  • 26 Apr 2023 12:01 PM
    Quote
    Reply # 13181442 on 13180037
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Under 23 MRS 3101, paragraph5, road associations "may choose a commissioner or board..."   So if you're struggling to fill all officer positions, one solution allowed by the statute would be to vote to change your bylaws to say you will just have a road commissioner.

    The same paragraph allows member dues to be spent on "costs of administration."  It seems to me it could be argued that would include a stipend for officers.  But that would be a good question to put to the attorneys who will be speaking at MARA's annual conference in the fall.

    Last modified: 27 Apr 2023 6:50 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

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