Spring Valley Manor (SVM) is a non-profit organization formed in the early 1970s. The business of SVM’s Property Owner’s Association (POA) is conducted by its Board of Directors. Your Board members are volunteers who play a vital role in the management of SVM.
If you are interested in nominating yourself or another neighbor to serve on the Spring Valley Manor POA Board, please email your nomination to info@springvalleymanor.com or SVM’s Board President. Proposed Board members and officers are presented for approval to SVM residents at the annual General POA Membership meeting held each year during the month of October.
Here is the process the Board follows when looking for new Board members:
Step One: Need for Specific Street Representatives
When considering new board members, the Board first looks to see which sections of SVM need a representative. We try to have at least one board member from each neighborhood section; Manor, Cooper Orbit, Vista, Echo, Gorgeous View and Secluded. Multiple Board representatives are preferred for streets with large number of members (Vista and Gorgeous View).
Step Two: Board Member Requirements
Each nominee must meet the following requirements:
- Must be a member of the Association
- Must be a member in good standing with the Association
- Must not currently be in violation of any rules/regulations contained in SVM’s Bill of Assurance, Rules of Conduct and Safety and/or By-Laws.
- No documented violation(s) in 18 month period prior to nomination
- Current on POA dues
- Must be available for minimum 3 Board meetings annually
- Nominee agrees that if elected he/she will work for the best interest of SVM as a whole, uphold all Association Documents, as well as be unbiased in regards to dealing with complaints reported by SVM Members at large
- Participate in majority of SVM events
- To serve as an officer on the Executive Committee, nominees must have been a board member for a minimum of 1 year
Step Three: Skills
The Board evaluates each nominee’s skills in an effort to find individuals who would be beneficial to the Board, such as: finance, hospitality, legal, technical, real estate, marketing, etc. Overall, nominees must demonstrate their love and dedication to SVM and all its residents as this is key to having a successful and productive Board.
Limit of Terms: Board member shall serve a term of three (3) years and until his successor is elected and qualified. Board Members may be re-elected to serve unlimited consecutive terms.
Traits of a Good Board Member:
Fair: “It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt. Board members need to be able to set aside personal relationships and biases. They need to make objective decisions and set an example for the community with their actions.
Conscientious: “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” ~ Marcus Aurelius. Board members should be driven by a strong sense of integrity, across all situations. They need to abide by the laws that they enforce, even when no one’s watching.
Cooperative/Collaborative: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ~ Helen Keller. The definition of collaboration is the act of working with another or others on a joint project. Board members should be motivated by a desire to seek consensus. They have to be able to listen to all sides of an issue and work with people from varied backgrounds toward the common goal of improving their community.
Adaptable: “The measure of a person’s strength is not his muscular power or strength, but it is his flexibility and adaptability.” ~ D. Mridha. Board members can’t be resistant to change. If there’s a better way to do something, they need to be open to changing their strategy for the good of the community.
Ability to Listen Well: “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” ~ Stephen Covey. Are you able to empathize with the person you’re speaking with? Able to listen more than you speak when discussing an issue? A good listener understands that every conversation isn’t going to resolve a larger issue — but it can place you in a position to start problem-solving an issue.
Thick-skinned: “Sticks and stones…” The ability to remain calm during conflict or when someone is verbally attacking you is vital to being a Board member. Disagreements are inevitable, and our Board can’t afford to have a member who’s vindictive, biased, or petty.
Discretion: “Abner…Abner…” No Gladys Kravitz please. Board members must be discreet and avoid gossip. There are certain privileged or private matters that should not be discussed outside of a board meeting, such as; communications with the association attorney; discussions by the board regarding possible litigation; private issues involving specific homeowners, such as covenant violations and collection of delinquent assessments.
SVM POA Association Mailing Address:
SVM POA
c/o Jena McDonnell
114 Secluded Circle
Little Rock, AR 72210