Anthem Highlands President Removed Must Personally Pay Hearing Costs
& Legal Fees
Anthem Opinions Nevada
By: Tim Stebbins
Basic
information
The Commission for Common-Interest Communities (the Commission) is a
tribunal of seven persons appointed by the Governor with the power to
impose disciplinary action on misbehaving directors and officers in
Homeowner Associations (HOAs).
The Nevada Real Estate Division (the Division) is the government body
responsible for enforcing the laws and regulations pertaining to HOAs.
When homeowners in HOAs elect directors to the executive board of their
community, those directors gain substantial powers and also real
responsibilities and accountability.
Often this goes to their head and the directors develop an ego boost,
particularly if they are elected by the other directors to be president
of the association.
Too often the association attorney “strokes” the ego of the board
members and tells them they are all powerful and can do whatever they
wish. The attorney assures them they will never be held personally
accountable.
This can lead to all kinds of bad behaviors to the detriment of the
homeowners.
In a significant and precedent setting ruling at a hearing last week
that has changed for the good of homeowners. The Commission held the president of our neighbor community, Anthem
Highlands, personally liable to pay hearing costs well over $4,000 for
autocratic and dictatorial behavior.
In addition the Commission removed the president from the board
effective immediately and ordered he not be a member of any HOA board
in Nevada for at least five years.
Normally the remaining board members can appoint a replacement, but not
in this case. The Commission ordered a new special election be held as soon as
possible.
The charges were brought by the relatively new head of the Division,
Mr. Joseph Decker.
Mr. Decker is a very competent administrator with a no nonsense agenda.
The prosecutor was Senior Deputy Attorney General Michelle
Briggs. She is a skillful and aggressive attorney recognized as the authority
on HOA law.
Because the president of Anthem Highlands chose to use the association
attorney as his own attorney for the hearing he must also personally
pay for all legal fees and costs. Neither the association nor the insurance company will pay anything.
This is really good news for the homeowners.
The president’s attorney tried all kinds of tactics to delay and
confuse the hearing with multiple motions. The Commission rejected all of them and proceeded with the
hearing.
The court stenographer was sworn in; witnesses were sworn in. Testimony
and cross-examination occurred as well as introduction of
multiple evidence documents.
The Commission stood in judgement and ruled as noted above.
The final result is the homeowners in Anthem Highlands were protected
from all costs and relieved of a very bad board member.
The message is now clear. The responsibilities of directors and officers are a very serious
matter.
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