March
1, 2008
McGuffey
Park Homeowners’ Association
P.O.
Box 1365
Ozark,
MO 65721
HOA
Members,
I
have completed the annual audit of the McGuffey Park Homeowners’ Association
books for the year ended December 31, 2007.
Once again, Joanne Bennett has done an excellent job in maintaining the
records in an orderly and consistent manner.
The funds of the association appear to be properly handled and accounted
for. Joanne has done a commendable job
in maintaining appropriate records of expenditures in addition to making every
effort to collect on all dues owed the association.
No
discrepancies were noted and all expenditures appear to be appropriate. Additionally, all revenues appear to be
properly recorded and reported.
However, in an effort to maintain transparency and accountability, some
minor suggestions to the Board of Directors of the HOA are recommended:
Ř
Although
the bank no longer verifies the dual signature requirement of the HOA, it is
recommended the HOA maintain this requirement.
With only three Board members, the dual signature clearly indicates
approval of the majority of the board for the respective transaction. Although the bank alleviates itself of this
responsibility, this can be verified during the annual audit for
consistency. Additionally, when
presenting a check for electronic account debit, the check would still be
expected to include the proper signatures.
Ř
While
it is recognized that according to the covenants, the HOA has the ability to
ensure that properties are maintained appropriately and charge the related
expenditures to the respective property owner, this practice should be
administered consistently. For yard
maintenance, it is recommended that bids be taken at the beginning of the mowing
season, with the bid awarded to the lowest bidder to perform all services
needed. If the lowest bidder cannot
keep up or withdraws, the next lowest bidder should be hired. This would ensure fairness to the specific
homeowner and the association as a whole.
Although the fees will eventually be paid back to the HOA, the time
value of money is lost. This practice
also gives the HOA a defendable position if the charges are disputed in court.
Ř
Checks
made payable to an HOA director, with the exception of professional fees to
Director 2, should be signed by the remaining two directors. This ensures the knowledge of all directors
and avoids any appearance of impropriety.
Ř
Significant
decisions made by the Board of Directors outside of general HOA meetings should
be documented in meeting minutes. Although this would not be as important if dual signatures are
maintained, since this practice indicates majority approval, it is still
recommended to protect Board members should disputes arise at a later date.
If
there are any questions, comments or concerns, please contact me at judyaug@gmail.com or 582-0332.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy Aug