The Volunteer Board Member
The Seat You Didn't Train For
For the volunteer director who took the seat without the training the seat requires.
Available now
Written for the director who took the seat without the training the seat requires. It traces where a board member's authority actually comes from, how the liability shield works, and what really happens on a Tuesday night — from running a meeting and keeping minutes to guarding the money, saying no to a neighbor, and handling fair housing, insurance, and the moments when it all goes wrong.
You won. The annual meeting wrapped at 8:40, somebody shook your hand, and a neighbor you've waved at for six years said “congratulations” in a tone you are still thinking about. You ran because of the fence thing, everyone knows about the fence thing, and you figured you'd fix it in a month or two. Then the management company's welcome email arrived with eleven attachments. The small one is 78 pages. The big one is the budget. Your first meeting is Tuesday, and item four is a motion to approve $48,000 of pavement work you have never heard of, recommended by an engineer you have never met, from a reserve fund you could not define under oath.
Welcome to the seat.
— from The Volunteer Board Member
- 1.The Seat You Didn't Train For
- 2.Where Your Authority Actually Comes From
- 3.The Shield
- 4.Tuesday Night
- 5.The Secretary's Craft
- 6.Committees and Resolutions
- 7.The Money You're Guarding
- 8.The Treasurer's Chapter
- 9.Saying No to a Neighbor
- 10.Fair Housing on a Tuesday Night
- 11.The Things You Can't Ban Anymore
- 12.The People You Hired and the Work You Contract Out
- 13.Risk, Insurance, and Exposure
- 14.When It Goes Wrong
- 15.Leaving It Better
- 16.Why We Serve
Get your copy
$28.99Softcover Book
Justifiable Association Expense
Prefer to read it today? The ebook edition — $24.99, perpetual read-online access plus 12 months of CICSC premium resources — is available exclusively through Quorum Governance Studio.
Disclaimer: CICSC provides educational resources, governance standards, and practical advisory support. CICSC does not provide legal advice, accounting advice, tax advice, engineering advice, insurance advice, or reserve study services. Board members and associations should consult qualified professionals for matters requiring professional judgment or legal interpretation.