POA Board seeking input through committees

The Canyon Lake POA Board sent out a plea recently to its members to participate in one of its various committees. The current board has attempted to add clout to committee participation in the decision-making process of the board.

“Board Committees are an important opportunity for Canyon Lake POA members to become involved in the Canyon Lake POA’s on-going activities,” the board said. “Committees provide an important ‘citizen oversight’ function ensuring that members’ voices are heard on a number of important topics.”

The Canyon Lake POA’s Committees are comprised of representative members of the community. The important topics the board seeks input on include long-range planning, budget review and forecasting, recreational needs including the golf course, member appeals regarding citations, issues relating to the Estates and ensuring that Planning & Compliance requirements are adhered to.

There are currently seven Standing Committees, three Ad-Hoc Committees, and two Work Groups. A complete description of each committee is available on the Committees Page of the POA website. Every Canyon Lake POA committee meeting is open for all members to attend.

Understanding the importance that the committees have within the community, the Board of Directors updated the Committee Policy in July 2020 to reflect this philosophy, it said. Prior to that time, the committees reported through various staff liaisons to the General Manager and via the General Manager to the board. That process was changed by the current board and the committees now report directly to the Board Liaison. The Board Liaison updates the entire board, ensuring that the committees’ voices are heard.

Additionally, the current Board of Directors modified the Committee Policy to allow for the appointment of Sub-Associates. In the past, only Prime and Associate Members could volunteer.

“We realized that there was a missed opportunity for different voices to be heard,” the board said. “This board defined one of the core values and guiding principles of the board to be a ‘family-oriented culture to match a wide-ranging demographic.’ This policy change allows for a previously-overlooked demographic, such as our younger members, to be represented if they wanted to volunteer.”

Committee member applications are accepted year round. If there is room on the committee for members or alternates, those applications are acted on immediately. If not, they are held for consideration when openings occur.

“As we work to transition to meet our diverse community’s needs, committees are the best way to communicate your wishes for our community as we move forward,” the board said.