VOLUNTEER CANDIDATES for BOARD of DIRECTORS: Where are you?
Volunteers are needed for several NTRA committees, two important offices of NTRA's Board of Directors, and for two newly vacant slots on the 5-person Board of Directors. Sounds like old news, doesn’t it, until you get to the end of the sentence.
Yes, those of us remaining on the Board, have reluctantly accepted the resignations of John Ryan, elected by the Board last summer, and Caitlin Melchior who was elected in December's Member election. A special election is being planned in order to fill John Ryan’s replacement for a term to end December 31, 2023. The appointed replacement for Caitlin also will serve only until December 31. NOTE: Since two of three remaining Board members live in Village Walk, candidates to fill the currently vacant board openings must come from the other NTRA neighborhoods - Abbey Commons, Charlotte Park, Chelsea Green, Savannah Park, and Shirley Park.
Of course, anyone elected or appointed to the Board now may run for a full-term on the Board in NTRA’s next regular election scheduled for early December, 2023. At that time, there will be four vacancies to fill since two current Board members will be completing their two year terms then. Are you a Village Walker interested in Board of Director’s service? Consider running in our next regular election at year’s end!
What is needed in a Board of Directors member?
Time: A willingness to serve, and a schedule sufficiently flexible to allow for participation in sometimes long monthly meetings, preferably on weekday afternoons. Also needed - time to relate to committees for which one is the assigned Board Liaison, time to attend extra work sessions or called “emergency meetings”, and time to address special projects in areas related to your gifts and skills. What else? Commitment to taking seriously legal and fiduciary responsibilities associated with attending to the essential business of the community. Do you have sufficient commitment and ability to function as part of a team where members must value, respect, and support one another if the vital work is to get done? How about the self-management needed to keep confidential information confidential? Will you prioritize the Board’s legal responsibilities and the best interests and welfare of the whole NTRA community, over personal agendas or loyalties to a limited group within the community?
In addition: No outstanding violations: Candidates for the Board of Directors or any of our official committees cannot have uncleared or unaddressed violations. If you think you would be willing to serve the NTRA as a Board member — please, please, please! - clear your violations before you put your name forward. Catch up on your assessment payments if you are behind.
Paint, power-wash, make repairs identified as needed during last summer’s inspections. Ask ARC to review an alteration or addition to your home or your property, even if made years ago before you realized you were supposed to get permission first. Fill out the form and show up for consideration of your application. Whether you have to pay off a backlog of assessments, plus late fees, or pay fines, or modify your additions to come into compliance, commit to doing what you are told you must do to make things right, and apply yourself to doing it. THEN, volunteer!
Finally, ability to handle criticism as it inevitably will come your way. Be prepared for criticism, justified or not, and whether it’s offered as friendly suggestion, or as an ugly, meanspirited jab, or even the well-deserved rebuke and a call for your apology. Can you learn from negativity as you weather it? Can you swallow your pride and say “I’m sorry” when that is warranted? Good luck on growing a thicker skin, but can you slough off some unmerited criticisms - to prevent them from hobbling you? CRUCIAL: Can you serve on the Board and preserve a life balance that helps you to stand through the rougher seasons?
Thoughtfully consider what may be involved in serving as a Bard member. If you think you can handle the time commitments, the investments of self, and the responsibilities of an NTRA Board member, and
are not in violation, please put your name forward! Do this by sending an email with your full contact information to
NTRA.secretary@gmail.com, along with a picture and a brief biographical statement which includes relevant vocational information, your special skills, or earned credentials, and your reasons for being willing to apply your particular gifts, skills, available time, and energies to serving your community in this way.