Each year at least three members are elected to the POA board of directors for a three-year term. Because of a resignation, there are four positions open for the 2018 election and the nominating process has already started.
According to the POA governing documents, to run for a seat on the board a member must present a petition with 50 signatures from members in good standing. The deadline to turn in the petition is Jan. 12. The election takes place in April and May, ending with the annual membership meeting which will be held on May 15.
Corporate secretary Leia Bush said that she has already handed out eleven petition packets, but she can't release the names of the potential nominees.
Included in the packets is the conflict of interest form that is required for board members.
Four incumbents are all eligible for reelection. All positions are elected by all the members. The three candidates with the most votes will have three-year terms, and the one-year term -- the result of Andrew Davis' resignation -- will go to the candidate with fourth-highest number of votes.
Pat Laury said he is running for another term, but Josh Hart and Chairman Ron Stratton could not be reached.
David Whelchel was appointed in July to fill the vacancy but, according to bylaws, his appointment was only good until the next election. The term ends in May 2019.
Whelchel said he will not run in the next election.
He wrote in an email: "I have enjoyed the short time that I have been on the board as this is an exciting time in Bella Vista, and hope that I have been able to contribute and add my expertise as a golf course architect to the various projects that we have done and will do in the future to make our golf courses and community a better and more attractive place to live. But I am still fairly active in my profession and just don't have all the time I need to devote to the various board meetings and discussions that must be attended and issues that need to be studied so that, as a director, you will be informed well enough to make a decision that is right for Bella Vista and our POA members."
In recent years, the nomination period was extended because there were so few candidates. In 2016, even after the extended deadline, only three candidates filed for three board seats, but the election was held and all three were seated.
General News on 12/13/2017