We are currently offering the board the ability to hold virtual meetings using our Zoom webinar abilities. A Zoom Webinar allows board members to appear as panelists, they can easily communicate with each other and conduct all the normal business required to run the association and make business decisions. Non-board member owners can also attend by Zoom and observe the meeting. While they can not interrupt the board or speak to other owners like board members, they can use Zooms Q&A feature to ask questions as well as express their views for board members and owners alike to see. Should the board decide then wish to know more about an owner inquiry posted in the Q&A that owner can temporarily be promoted to the panel, where they can be seen and heard by all. Once the interaction has been completed, they can then be returned to the audience, removing them from video and audio interaction with the group.
Zoom allows meeting to be conducted and recorded so that association business can be accomplished. It also allows meeting to be recorded and the recording can then be posted on the web portal where it can be viewed by owners.
Zoom meetings work best when the agenda is well known by all and is followed. Boards using Zoom meetings should be prepared to allow time on each agenda item for owner questions to be addressed before voting on each item, however they should limit owner comments to no more than 3 minutes per owner. Board members wishing to address any owner comment should wait until all owners wishing to speak on an item have had a chance and only respond after the time for owner comments is closed. This will help to allow the meeting to proceed and the board to get its work done.
Zoom webinars can also be used to poll owners. If the board wishes to see what the consciences of the owners attending the meeting is on a topic or idea, however poll must be set-up prior to the meeting and it must be understood that polls and their results are in no way binding upon the board. For questions not set-up in advance for polling, the board can ask for a virtual show of hands.
While we are still learning how to conduct meetings using Zoom, it does offer a way to maintain social distancing while still encouraging member participation and keeping the lines of communication open.
Since we only have the ability to conduct one Zoom webinar at a time, we ask that boards that would like to use Zoom let us know well in advance and be flexible when it comes to the time and date, they are scheduling their meeting.
