Carin’s Corner — A Look Back Can Give Focus for the Year Ahead
By Carin Rosengren, Keller Property Management
Why not make 2015 the year you get published?
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hat a year was 2014! A highlight for many was the All-Star Game, bringing baseball’s greatest players to Target Field and giving Minnesota a chance to showcase this beautiful park for baseball fans everywhere. Now that the season is over, ball clubs are analyzing the year, taking a closer look at what they did (and didn’t do), and determining which strategies worked and which gave way. It’s also time to look ahead to 2015, using this self-assessment to increase the number of successes for your team. The same goes for us at the CAI-MN Communications Committee. With our primary responsibility being the magazine in your hands right now (or maybe you’re one of the first to read it online!), the committee members want to make it a valued resource for you and everyone involved with community associations. We want to present helpful information in the best and most interesting way, bringing you not only expert resources and advice, but sometimes being able to put a real face on the story. We want to tell stories about Minnesotans who live in, work for and contract with homeowners associations. We want to tell stories of people you may know, or who live in a community in the next town over, someone whose experiences you can relate to. However, our success will take a team effort. As a small group of volunteers with limited contacts and clients, we’re asking you to share your experiences and expertise to help us personalize stories where we can.
Themes and Topics for 2015 The January/February edition will be a special issue dedicated to helping associations make informed decisions regarding proposals for installation of solar systems.
Suggestions for the upcoming 2015 issues: March/April — Storm Season: Disaster recovery, create an emergency box or folder for disaster, remediation, with emergency plans for fire/water, insurance requirements, what to do with kids and pets as part of emergency plans. May/June — Sustainability topics: fertigation, stone vs. mulch vs. other options, furnace updates; other “spring topics” like walkthroughs, irrigation start-up, launching a landscape committee. July/August — Green living: contact at a sanitation company; recycling, water conservation and strategies to reduce consumption; other “summer issues” like strategies for enforcement of pet owners’ compliance and doggy DNA programs; neighborhood get-togethers. September/October — Energy Efficiency: electric cars and accommodations by associations; lighting strategies; energy audits; moving away from paper and toward electronic communication. November/December — What is ahead for 2016; holiday hints and tips; surviving winter/beating cabin fever at home.
Additional thoughts, ideas and topics to launch an article, anytime:
Please review the list of story ideas and themes at right, compiled by the committee for the bi-monthly publication, Minnesota Community Living. Maybe there’s a topic you know well and want to try your hand at an article. Maybe you know the perfect interview subject or resource for an article, and can help get that person in touch with a contributing writer. Maybe you see something important, relevant or terribly interesting that is missing from the list. We want to know that, too!
• Managing the board • Filing a complaint • Are the rules working? • Lackadaisical enforcement of rules and the outcome of ignoring them • Top 10 FAQs • Hints and tips for self-managed associations • What is an association? (some think they are apartment-living instead of owners) • What to know when buying into an association (balance sheet, assessments, learning about the HOA)
In short, all ideas, articles, contacts, photos and submissions are welcome. Please peruse the outline of topics and themes for 2015. And please, don’t wait until September if you have an idea for October, as the magazine deadline is about 60 days before publication. So, start thinking, start writing, start an email to me with your ideas, and help us make 2015 a groundbreaking year for an improved Minnesota Community Living.
The topics for 2015 are an outline from a committee brainstorming session, and except for January/February, no issue will be exclusive to the ideas here. Remember, don’t wait to start writing, and don’t hesitate to share information, ideas and resources that could help us attain our goals in 2015.
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Minnesota Communit y Living