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Neighborhood College Program
Spring 2009Class Schedule
In Scottsdale, the success of our community is defined by how we as individuals address and respond to neighborhood issues and challenges. Believing that one person can make a difference, the City of Scottsdale developed the Neighborhood College to provide residents, neighborhood groups and homeowners associations with the information, resources and tools needed to become effective neighborhood leaders.
Whether you’re getting started as a new board member, are a seasoned board member, or just want to keep an eye on what’s happening in your neighborhood, our professional, volunteer instructors invite you to participate in the following free Neighborhood College classes (pre-registration is required for all classes):
Class Descriptions
HOAs from the Inside-Out & Reviewing Arizona's New HOA Laws
Your HOA is a business, a nonprofit corporation governed by the declaration of covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&R’s), articles of incorporation and by-laws. This overview will define HOAs, the governing documents, organizational structure and rights and responsibilities of boards of directors and homeowners. Specific topics to be covered include characteristics and types of HOAs, organizational structure and board structure, hierarchy and purpose of governing documents, statutes and regulations and fiduciary responsibility and duty. Also, the new HOA laws passed by the Arizona Legislature will directly impact how you operate your HOA. Learn what you need to know to stay within legal expectations.Thursday, April 2, 6-8 p.m. – Mustang Library Auditorium, 10101 N. 90th St.
HOA BOARD MEETINGS: How they can be run legally, fairly, smoothly and expeditiously
Legal, effective and efficient board meetings create productive boards, increase morale and make it easier to recruit volunteers. Students will be given a primer on how to conduct themselves as board members or what to expect from board members.Monday, April 6, 6-8 p.m. – Mustang Library Auditorium, 10101 N. 90th St.
- Follow the law! The Arizona Open Meeting Law: quorum, notice, procedure, minutes
- What is the role of the individual board member?
- What are the roles of the officers: president, vice president, secretary and treasurer?
- How to plan and prepare for a board meeting
- How much notice are residents to be given pursuant to AZ law?
- How to structure the agenda
- How to determine the type of parliamentary procedure to use
- How to keep the meeting moving
- How and when may residents participate in the board meeting
- How to deal with conflicts that occur during a meeting
- How to take perfectly proper meeting minutes
- How to enlist community input
A mock HOA Board meeting will be conducted at the end of the class – class attendees will participate in the mock board meeting!
Self-Managed or Professionally-Managed...How To Select a Management Company That's Right for You!
How do HOAs assess overall effectiveness of their management company? What are the “warning signs” you need to know in order to determine if your management company is working FOR your association? How do you go from being "self" managed to "professionally" managed? Industry professionals that have extensive experience in community management will teach this session. The class is designed to provide insights for homeowners association board members on how to ensure their association is receiving adequate service from their management company and, if not, how to take corrective action. It will also answer questions about the differences between self-managed and professionally-managed communities. Most importantly, it will provide attendees with a standard list of responsibilities any legitimate management company should be held accountable for, regardless of location, age, size, or relative wealth of an HOA.Monday, April 20, 6-8 p.m. – Mustang Library Auditorium, 10101 N. 90th St.
Hit a Home Run with Neighborhood Watch
Learn all the In(nings) and Outs of what it means to have a Neighborhood Watch group in your area. This interactive session will give you insight to the history and benefits of Neighborhood Watch, the role of the Captain and its players, and provide you with a plethora of resources for you to share. Bring your calendar with you as you will also have the opportunity to sign up your neighborhood for your first meeting and hear about upcoming events that are happening in Scottsdale.Thursday, April 23, 6-8 p.m. – Via Linda Senior Center, Multi-Use Rm. #1, 2 & 3, 10440 E. Via Linda
1st Inning - The Starting Line-up (Introductions)
2nd Inning - Old Stories from the Dugout (The History)
3rd Inning - Contract Negotiations (The Benefits)
4th Inning - The Manager (The Captain's Role)
5th Inning - The Players (The Participants' Role)
6th Inning - Play ball! (Your Events)
7th Inning Stretch
8th Inning - The Commissioner (What will the NW Coordinator do for you?)
9th Inning - The Outfield (Resources)
Code Enforcement Basics
Tuesday, April 28, 6-7:30 p.m. – Granite Reef Senior Center, Rm. #9, 1700 N. Granite Reef Rd.
Code Enforcement is a process using various techniques to ensure compliance with zoning, sign standards, property maintenance, and nuisance and housing regulations. This course will focus on the City of Scottsdale’s code enforcement process including how individual residents, neighborhood organizations and community groups assist in code enforcement. It will also help you gain an understanding of how violations are handled, how inspections are conducted and documented, and how the court process works for code violations. Participant feedback is strongly encouraged.
What You Need to Know to Amend Your Documents
Thursday, April 30, 6-8 p.m. – Via Linda Senior Center, Multi-Use Rm. #1, 2 & 3, 10440 E. Via Linda
Associations often look to amend their governing documents for a variety of reasons: (1) they were written by the developer and do not fit the community well; (2) the community is 20 years old and much has changed in that 20 years; (3) the association is not following the provisions in the governing documents; (4) the association wants to change the restrictions imposed on its members; or (5) a combination of all of the above. If an association wishes to amend any of its governing documents, there are many issues that need to be considered, including, what is the law on the subject? Which documents need to be amended? What are the amendment requirements imposed by the association’s governing documents and the law? Does the proposed amendment violate the law? What language should be adopted? This seminar will discuss all of the above questions, and provide general guidance as to how an association should tackle amending its governing documents.
Computer Crimes…it Could Happen to You and Your Family – Learn to Prevent It!
Monday, May 4, 6-8 p.m. – Mustang Library Auditorium, 10101 N. 90th St.
Computer Crimes Unit Detectives will teach the latest scams, the latest fads, and discuss the latest technology and what that means to you and your family. We will review the social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and others. Instant Messages, e-mail, and mobile technology. We will discuss wireless networking and security. We will look at the latest e-mail scams, where they originate and how to recognize them. The detectives will give you tips and tricks that they themselves use to keep safe on the Internet and not get ripped off!! Bring your questions, problems, even suspicious e-mails you have received and the detectives will take a look at them. This is a completely interactive class and the topics will be what YOU want....
Be a Life Saver
Learn from Scottsdale Fire Department how to save the life of a loved one, coworker or a stranger in cardiac arrest by using a new CPR technique called Continuous Chest Compressions (CCC). This new technique is easy, safe, and does not require mouth to mouth contact. CCC can dramatically improve a person’s chance of surviving a heart attack. Scottsdale Fire Department staff will teach you how to respond to a cardiac emergency including important tips for calling 911, performing chest compressions, and how to use an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED).Thursday, May 7, 6-8 p.m. – Via Linda Senior Center, Multi-Use Rm. #1, 2 & 3, 10440 E. Via Linda
The ABC’s of CC&R Enforcement
Tuesday, May 12, 6-8 p.m. – Granite Reef Senior Center, Rm. # 8, 1700 N. Granite Reef Rd.
Legal enforcement of covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&R’s) is an important part in maintaining overall quality of life and basic community standards for HOAs. However, enforcement can be a time-consuming and costly task for any HOA governing board. How do you encourage residents to abide by the rules without taking legal action against them? Get practical advice on how to effectively administer CC&R’s.
HOA Budgeting, Financials and Reserves & Insurance – Budgeting, Financials and Reserves
Thursday, May 14, 6-8 p.m. – Mustang Library Auditorium, 10101 N. 90th Street
Financial security is critical to the welfare of any HOA governing board and the residents it serves. When do you need to pursue a special assessment? How often should your HOA finances be audited? What are some of the financial trends you should look at on a regular basis to ensure your organization is in the black? Periodically reviewing your homeowners association reserve account ensures that your association has accurately projected its future funding needs for planned and unanticipated (emergency) costs, while also helping to establish a correct level of funding in anticipation of these costs. This session will cover reserve studies, reserve accounts, operating accounts and budgets—all of which will help ensure the long-term future of your most important investment: the neighborhood in which you live. Insurance: The role of insurance is critical in protecting one of your most important assets, your home. As a homeowner, a board officer, or general board member, what do I need to know to protect myself?
Pre-registration is required for all classes.
For more information about these classes or to register,
call (480) 312-3111 or visit www.scottsdaleaz.gov/education
This information is available in alternate format upon request
Special Information about the Neighborhood Enhancement Partnership (NEP) program: The Neighborhood Enhancement Partnership (NEP) program helps to prevent the decline of mature neighborhoods by encouraging property owners to enhance their own neighborhoods. NEP provides funding opportunities that can assist in neighborhood-based improvement projects. Improvements/enhancements must benefit the entire neighborhood (applications for individual homes will not be accepted).
Please Note: At this printing, due to expected budget restrictions in the City of Scottsdale’s budget for Fiscal Year 2009-2010 (July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010) we are not certain that this program will be available during the upcoming budget year. For further information, questions, and/or to verify the status of the program, please contact Joanie Mead at (480) 312-2543, or jmead@scottsdaleaz.gov . Thank you.
Volunteer Opportunity:
Mediation Program - Are you interested in becoming a trained mediator? The City of Scottsdale is starting a new mediation program and is seeking citizens who would like to become trained volunteer mediators. Applications need to be received by April 6 and all interested citizens are encouraged to apply. If selected for the program, all volunteers will attend a 40-hour training session (at no charge to the volunteer) will be fingerprinted and must agree to a 2-year commitment to the program. Training is planned for the first two weeks in May. Our new mediators will assist with neighbor-to-neighbor disputes for issues such as barking dogs, general landscape issues or noise disruption. To receive an application, confirm training dates or for further information, please contact Joy Racine at (480) 312-2342 or jracine@scottsdaleaz.gov.
