Landings Association Board Candidacy – The Myths and Realities

Each year, your Landings Association Board puts together a five-member owner committee to recruit candidates to run for election to our Board of Directors. Serving on the Board is both an honor and responsibility. It is an honor to be elected by residents to represent them in all matters involving the current operations and management of our community.

It also is an important responsibility to help in planning for the future of The Landings so that we may meet the challenges and needs of our existing members, and strive to make our community attractive to potential future residents.

The Landings Association’s Board of Directors Nominating Committee members will ask some of you to consider being a candidate for an election this fall. Please listen to what they have to say and feel free to ask them any questions you may have.

On average, Board Members spend 12-to-15 hours a month at Board and Committee meetings. Meeting times are set a year in advance so that you still can schedule and actively pursue all your other interests and obligations.

If you are interested in applying to run for the Board or have any questions, please email Herman Stone (hstone.tla@gmail.com or Judy Monaco judymonacotla@gmail.com) You also can fill out a Board Candidate Application on The Landings Association’s Website. Thank you for your support and participation.

Following are answers to questions you may have or myths you may have heard regarding Board candidacy.

MYTH #1 - Only Captains Of Industry Need Apply!

REALITY - All one has to do is to look at the composition of the current and past boards to dispel this myth. What is true is that we live in a community that is a melting pot of high achievers. Notably, achievement is in a wide variety of fields, with contributions made both inside and outside of career and/or family responsibilities. Participation in volunteer activities is highly valued in the nominating process whether prior to living here, within The Landings, or in the greater Savannah area. We are seeking a diverse slate of nominees, (young or old, male or female, etc.), who care about our community and have a demonstrated willingness to serve.

MYTH #2 - The Nominating Process Produces Candidates That Seem To Have Little Differentiation Among Them.

REALITY - The community will continue to have a choice, with six nominees for the three Board positions available. The Nominating Committee and Board are aware they are responsible for promoting a climate where applicants are confident that their unique background and perspectives are valued and will be fully considered.  To ensure a diverse mix of candidates, we need a diverse pool of applicants. Particularly, we encourage female candidates and younger candidates with families. Women have had outstanding success leading a broad variety of organizations in The Landings and surrounding areas, yet for whatever reason, they often choose not to apply as Board candidates. We want this to change. Younger residents with families is now a significant demographic within our community. It is important that their voices are heard. We realize some are hesitant to run because of work commitments, and the Board is committed to working to accommodate their need for flexibility. Candidates are evaluated by a seven-member Nominating Committee selected to represent the diversity of the community. Each Nominating Committee member’s input carries equal weight in the candidate evaluation process. However, the key starting point of this process is your willingness to step up and apply to serve.

MYTH #3 - Losing The Election Ends My Opportunity To Serve The Community Via Landings Association Activities

REALITY - The Nominating Committee selects six candidates, each of whom it considers fully capable and willing to serve the community as representative of all property owners. Only three of six will receive the greatest number of votes cast by the community. Hoping to gain the valuable contributions of any of the candidates, the Board encourages the candidates who are not elected to participate in one of the standing committees of the Association.

MYTH #4 - There Isn’t Enough Time Available For Me To Do This And The Other Things I’d Like To Do.

REALITY - While Board membership involves a time commitment, it is specific and well-planned. Meetings are scheduled in advance for the calendar year and can be attended remotely. The additional time required for reading and meeting preparation usually can be done on a flexible schedule. Our very competent General Manager and staff proactively deal with all operational issues and offer proposals on items that the Board must resolve. The Board’s work is strategic, creative, and most often deals with long-range concerns. New Board members are involved in about five one to two hour meetings per month plus occasionally scheduled special meetings. Involvement in additional projects and Board leadership positions is the Board Member’s choice. Any Board member, past or present, will attest to the fact that Board work is interesting, covers a wide breadth of governance issues, and is personally rewarding from the standpoint of one’s ability to contribute to the community.

Interested in candidacy? Have someone you would like to nominate? Please contact me at hstone.tla@gmail.com. On behalf of The Landings Association’s Board of Directors, thank you for your support.

Editor’s Note: This article is modified from an article previously published in The Landings Journal by Landings resident and past Board Director Chuck Beck in 2012 and past Board Director Nancy Paven in 2017.