Kiawah Island Digest April 2017

April 2017

April 2017

D I G E S T

The Official Publication of the Kiawah Island Community Association

Message from the Chair : Renewed Focus for 2017

In Jimmy ' s note on the following page you will see some of the initial steps we ' re taking toward this goal .
Governance Practices and Board Routines KICA is a large and complex organization , with nearly $ 15 million in annual income and expenses . In addition to providing maintenance , security and amenities , KICA is responsible for repairing and replacing roads , bridges and drainage systems . KICA has transitioned from being controlled by the developer to being controlled by homeowners . We have a rotating board made up of community volunteers that serve relatively short terms , and the chairman role is typically rotated in short bursts also , which puts a premium on having an effective governance model .
Having been elected last year to a two-year term on the KICA board , I am honored to spend the final year of my term as the chairman . I plan to focus the bulk of my efforts this year assisting our COO and the board in creating a deeper sense of transparency and community engagement , and enhancing our governance practices and board routines .
Community Engagement A sense of transparency is critical for KICA members to feel engaged and view KICA as effective and trustworthy . This can be challenging in an environment with the complexities of Kiawah . We have the " maze of K ' s " ( KICA , TOKI , Kiawah Partners , Kiawah Island Golf Resort , etc ); full and part-time residents ; homeowners and condo owners ; folks that rent and folks that don ' t ; Kiawah Island Club members , Governors Club members , and folks with no club affiliation .
We also have financial complexity . KICA ' s funds come from a variety of sources , including annual fees , real estate transactions and gate access fees . We have a special reserve for major repairs and replacements , which is funded differently than our operating budget , which primarily covers security , landscaping , maintenance and administration . This financial complexity , combined with members having varying interests and levels of engagement , puts a huge premium on the importance of great communications .
KICA follows a " Policy Governance " model . Under this model , the board approves the key policies that serve as guidelines for the KICA staff so they can make decisions and execute against longer-term projects . These policies limit the risk that rotating boards and chairmen make unnecessary changes to priorities . Although every board has the right to change any policy , a well-considered policy will likely survive intact unless sufficient change has occurred to justify a new policy . This allows the community to know what to expect , and allows the staff to make decisions and execute against long-term priorities .
Policy Governance was originally adopted in 2006 , and the current board recently reaffirmed its commitment to this model . We will work together in 2017 to clarify key policies , share them with the community for input , and then adopt them to guide the decisions and priorities of the KICA staff . Once finalized and published , these policies will support maintaining a strong sense of transparency , as KICA ' s priorities and actions should be directly traceable to these policies .
I am confident that the actions listed in Jimmy ' s note on the following page will go a long way toward improving transparency and community engagement . Then , by codifying our governance principles and publishing the key policies , we can ensure this sense grows as KICA works to fulfill its mission and keeps Kiawah the great place we all love .
Dave Singer KICA Board Chair