Meetings are the mechanism for conducting homeowner association business. They should be properly choreographed to ensure that real business gets accomplished. While HOA meetings are typically less formal than those of Congress (and thankfully shorter), using parliamentary procedure goes a long way to turning endless discussion into done deals. Here are a few mechanisms on how to run an effective board meeting:

• Schedule & Publicize the Meetings. Board meetings should be scheduled and noticed well in advance to avoid scheduling conflicts. Rather than schedule them on the fly, set dates, times and locations a year in advance. Strive to hold meetings consistently (like the second Tuesday of January, April, July and October at 6:30-8:30 pm in the Clubhouse). Post the schedule on the HOA’s website, newsletters and common area postings. Distribute it by e-mail and/or regular mail...

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