End of Season (Part Two)
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n the last edition of Minnesota Community Living I ended my article by stating, “The goal of my end of season assessment is to do all that I can to help my team win. I know no other way.” Each year, after completing an end of season assessment, the manager of a baseball team then starts the process of making preparations for the next season. This includes such things as scheduling, changes in the coaching staff and player roster. The same may be said of successful community association managers. In preparing for the next season, coaching staffs spend time focusing on key scheduling dates such as trade and roster change deadlines. They also have to assess travel dates and how they will impact the team. Scheduling key events and dates is also a post-season task that community association managers should be thinking about now. For example, to avoid conflicting board meeting problems, managers should prepare meeting schedules for each association they manage before the current calendar year comes to an end; if conflicts in schedules exist, they are easier to resolve now rather than later. If meeting rooms need to be booked this task should also take place now, especially the booking of locations for 2015 annual meetings. If you snooze, you lose! The task of scheduling annual meeting dates should also include preparation and mailing dates. When must the annual meeting packet be completed by and when must they be mailed? Getting these dates wrong can void any action taken at an annual meeting. I’ve seen it happen. Planning is in the details — and the sooner a manager puts a schedule together for next season the less likely they are to fail. Planning for next season begins now. A good coach plans early if he or she wants next season to be successful. The same can be said about successful community association managers. For example and for the sake of this article let me focus on one topic, 2015 maintenance/capital improvement projects. Success next year begins with proper planning now. Over the next few months managers should ask the community association boards they work with the following questions:
By Bob MacDonald, CMCA, AMS, PCAM
After answers to these questions are obtained a manager can then begin the process of hiring consultants, if needed, and discussing association plans with various vendors and/or contractors. Once a scope of work for each job is developed bids may then be obtained. The goal here is simple: be ready to play ball when spring arrives. Managers who get proposals early get the best pricing and scheduling dates for their clients. As I stated in a previous article, “The job of a baseball manager is to strive to have the right players on the field whenever possible. Our job mirrors this. A good manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of his team…Over the years I have attempted to seek out and build a relationship with vendors that will consistently provide my clients with exceptional service at a reasonable price. Those who do become part of my team. Those who do not meet my expectations don’t get to play another day. And believe me, from year to year the team does not look the same.” With this in mind, part of the planning for next year has to do with roster changes. If a player (vendor) failed to perform adequately this season, he may need to be replaced. With this in mind, now is the time to start looking for replacement players. In fact, this is one of the benefits of the CAI Tradeshow. It introduces you to a number of vendors who serve the needs of Community Associations. Don’t be bashful. Take the time to meet, greet, and interview vendors who might be a good fit for your team and then check their references. If you find one that impresses you, give them the opportunity to show you what they can do for the team. Perhaps this could be the beginning of a new long term relationship between you and a previously unknown vendor/contractor. A good season begins with forethought and lots of preparation. Benjamin Franklin put it this way, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Make next season a good one by starting the planning process now.
1. What work are you interested in having accomplished next summer? 2. How much are you willing to spend on each project? 3. How will you fund each project? 4. Who will determine the scope of work for each project? 5. Does a consultant need to be hired?
Vigorous, cost-effective community association representation and outstanding customer service
Jennifer C. Toohey 763-746-0845 | tooheylawfirm.com
November | December 2014
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