Community Association board members frequently ask, "What is the standard we're held to when we vote and make decisions?" The standard of conduct in Oregon and Washington is colloquially known as the "Business Judgment Rule." Application of the Business Judgment Rule comes into play in nearly all board decision making from deciding how far to pursue a collections matter to selecting a contractor for multimillion dollar repairs to raising or lowering monthly assessments. read more

In times of crisis, Boards generally try to solve the specific issue in front of them, sometimes overlooking basic principles and procedures. So the best time to focus on these basic principles and procedures is before a crisis. Those times may be few and far between, but just after the annual meeting at which new board members were elected is the perfect time for basic board training or, as we like to call it, Board Boot Camp. Boot Camp is also good as a refresher for incumbent board members. read more