Statement on YS Board Term Limits, Expanded Eligibility, and Ranked Choice Voting for Yardley Station Board Members
To ensure that Yardley Station Condominium Association remains a well-governed and thriving community, several changes to the Board of Directors’ structure and election process are recommended. A single 3-year term limit for board members, expanding board eligibility to include residents not on the deed, and the implementation of ranked choice voting offer a strategic approach to improving governance, inclusivity, and efficiency.
- Benefits of a Single 3-Year Term Limit:
- Prevents Burnout & Encourages Fresh Ideas: A 3-year term ensures that board members serve for a meaningful period while preventing burnout. Serving longer than three years may lead to stagnation or decreased effectiveness. Limiting terms ensures that fresh perspectives, new ideas, and renewed energy regularly cycle into leadership roles, promoting continued innovation in addressing community challenges.
- Enhances Accountability: By limiting terms, board members remain focused on making a positive impact during their tenure. The knowledge that their time is limited encourages them to focus on making meaningful contributions, avoiding complacency that can sometimes arise in longer-term positions.
- Increases Participation: A single term encourages broader community participation by creating regular opportunities for new members to join the board. This helps foster greater engagement and allows more residents to take an active role in shaping the future of Yardley Station.
- Expanding Eligibility to Residents Not on the Deed:
- Includes Active Stakeholders: Many tenants, spouses, adult children, or other non-deeded residents have a vested interest in the community’s well-being. These individuals often participate in day-to-day community life and are impacted by board decisions. Allowing them to serve on the board ensures that diverse perspectives and experiences are represented, enriching the decision-making process.
- Increases Candidate Pool: With only 31 units, Yardley Station has a small number of potential candidates for board positions. By expanding eligibility to include responsible residents who may not be on the deed, the association can increase the pool of qualified and motivated candidates. This ensures that important roles are filled by individuals who are passionate about the community’s success, regardless of their technical ownership status.
- Adapts to Changing Demographics: As more units become rentals or occupied by non-deeded family members, it’s important that the governance structure reflects these shifts. Allowing all active residents to participate in leadership promotes inclusivity and ensures that the board represents the full spectrum of community members.
- Advantages of Ranked Choice Voting:
- Reduces Election Frequency: Ranked choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, ensuring that elections are less frequent and more efficient. This system minimizes the need for run-off elections, reducing the administrative burden on the association while ensuring that candidates with broad support are elected.
- Provides Clear Succession: Ranked choice voting creates a built-in succession plan by identifying the next most popular candidate after each election. If a board member departs early or is unable to complete their term, the “next in line” candidate, as determined by the voting process, can step in seamlessly. This provides stability and continuity without the need for an immediate election, allowing the board to operate smoothly and with minimal disruption.
- Encourages Collaboration and Long-Term Planning: Knowing that they may be next in line to serve, candidates who receive secondary or tertiary rankings can prepare themselves for future board service. This anticipation fosters a culture of collaboration, mentorship, and long-term planning, as future board members can work closely with current board members to ensure a smooth transition and effective governance.
Conclusion:
A single 3-year term limit, expanded board eligibility to non-deeded residents, and ranked choice voting are forward-thinking solutions that will modernize Yardley Station’s governance structure. These changes will foster fresh leadership, encourage wider community participation, and streamline the election process while ensuring continuity and accountability. By adopting these measures, Yardley Station can position itself for a vibrant, inclusive, and well-managed future. This creates over 10 candidates not previously eligible.
Amendment to Article 3.
Election and Term of Office.
- 3.3.1. At the annual meeting of the Association, subject to Article XI of the Declaration, the election ofmembers ofthe Executive Board shall beheld. The term of office of anyExecutive Board member to be elected (except as set forth in Sections 2.4.2 and 2.4.3 and 35. hereof shall be fixed at threeyears. The members ofthe Executive Board shall hold office until the earlier to occur of the election of their respective successors or their death, adjudication of incompetency, removal, or resignation. An Executive Board member may serve an unlimited number of terms and may succeed himself.
- 3.3.2. Persons qualified to be members of the Executive Board may be nominated for election only as follows:
- Any Unit Owner may submit to the Secretary at least thirty days before the meeting at which the election is to be held a nominating petition signed by Unit Owners owning at least five Units in the aggregate, together with a statement that the person nominated is willing to serve on the Executive Board and a biographical sketch of the nominee. The Secretary shall mail or hand deliver the submitted items to every Unit Owner along with the notice of such meeting; and
- Nominations may be submitted from the Floor at the meeting at which the election is held for each vacancy on the Executive Board for which no more than one person has been nominated by petition.