Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1536614
On April 30, the membership of the Solera Oak Valley Greens Association passed both the CC&Rs and Bylaws amendments, officially replacing the original governing documents with the restated versions. A total of 734 ballots were received and counted by the Inspectors of Election. While this may not seem like a particularly high number given there are 1,290 properties in the community, it represented an important matter for the Association. For reference, the past several years' annual Elections of Directors have all yielded less than 700 ballots each year. Perhaps more important than the number of members who participated in the election by casting their vote were the conversations and questions that were all part of the process. Since early last year, the Board of Directors began discussing the importance of amending the documents and the process to do so. Then began the drafting of the new documents and the ongoing Board and townhall meetings. Board members worked with staff on new and creative ways that we could use to get the word out to homeowners, increasing awareness and participation. Homeowners did their due diligence to read through the documents, asking thoughtful questions, and giving everyone involved an opportunity to learn. Understandably, the importance of amending the documents caused many members to have questions. After all, the Bylaws and CC&Rs are not typically something that you have to think about very often once you move in and become familiar with the community. The community was originally established over 20 years ago, and since then, many applicable laws have changed. As a result, having current governing documents provides the Association with stronger legal protection. The project of amending governing documents is one that few Boards are willing to take on, because of the difficulty to achieve a majority membership approval. Without hard work, continuous communication, and the participation of members, this would not have happened. The achievement speaks to a part of Solera's vision statement, "a community where common values are shared." ~ Ellen Racobs, General Manager 4 | LIFE IN SOLERA | JULY 2025 | Governing Documents: Bylaws and CC&Rs Restatement Gets a Big Thumbs Up! Photos by George Vawter