Clarification on the Upcoming Member Vote

Dear Neighbors,

I’m reaching out in response to several anonymous emails that have recently circulated in our community, containing misleading and inaccurate information about the upcoming Member Vote.

What This Vote Is About:

The purpose of this vote is to determine whether future updates to our governing documents can be approved by a simple majority of participating voters, rather than requiring a fixed number of 656 “YES” votes. Currently, that high threshold makes it nearly impossible to implement any necessary updates.

Contrary to what some are claiming, this change would not allow a small group of people to unilaterally amend our documents. Instead, it would ensure that the decisions reflect the will of the majority who actively choose to participate in the vote.

Addressing the Misinformation:

There have been misleading claims suggesting that as few as 15 people could make changes if this amendment passes—this is simply not true. The system ensures transparency and majority rule.

Some individuals, including certain Condo Association leaders, have stated that the condo owners outnumber the single-family homeowners, which raises voting power disparities between condo owners and single-family homeowners. It’s important to note that condo associations manage their own documents independently. The Master Association documents, which mainly govern the single family homes, cannot be updated without the entire community voting to do so. Single-family homeowners currently have limited influence due to the current voting structure, which this proposed change aims to make more equitable.

Voting Participation & E-Vote:

Before we introduced electronic voting (E-VOTE), total participation was often just 270 people. With E-VOTE, we’ve seen significant increases—over 750 residents voted in our first election using the platform, 850 in the last, and we’re already nearing 760 for this vote. This system has allowed far more residents to participate, which is exactly why updating the vote threshold is critical—so decisions can be made by the actual voting majority, not a nearly unreachable quota.

Why This Matters:

Updating the voting structure will make it possible for our community to operate more efficiently and stay current. The Master Association documents haven’t been updated since 2016, not because they don’t need it, but because the voting process is unworkable.

Let me be clear: the Board has no hidden agenda. We are volunteers dedicating our time and energy to serve the community. Unfortunately, some of the loudest critics are also the least involved. If more homeowners actively participated—especially by attending Board meetings—we would have more diverse input and stronger collaboration.

We are proud of the improvements made to our common areas, which benefit everyone, both condo and single-family homeowners. These updates help preserve and increase property values across the board.

We hope you will vote and stay engaged in shaping the future of our community.

Warm regards,
Nancy J. Perry
President
BLMA