NOVEMBER 2013
SUNRAYS | 7
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
Let’s Communicate!
Jim Romine, Executive Director
E
ven with a map, compass and a certified guide, some-
times it is hard to find the way to wherever we are go-
ing. Unfortunately, sometimes the same can be said for
those trying to understand how our Community Association
i
(the “CA”) is governed by reading its Governing Documents,
which include the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and
Restrictions (CC&Rs), the new Design Guidelines, the CA’s
By-Laws and the CA’s Rules and Regulations. Given the com-
plex nature of these documents, this article has been drafted
to provide residents with a general understanding of the CA’s
governance structure.
CORPORATION GOVERNED BY BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
The CA is a registered Texas nonprofit corporation. Everyone
who owns a lot within Sun City Texas (i.e., individual residents
and the developer, Pulte) is automatically made a member of
this corporation. As with all corporations, the CA is governed at
the top by a Board of Directors who are elected by the members.
ii
The Board is authorized to create committees to assist the
Board in running the CA. The role of these committees is to
advise the Board on various matters and to perform whatever
specific tasks are assigned to them in the committee charters
issued by the Board.
iii
The CA also employs a full-time staff
that oversees the daily functions of the CA.
CA COMMITTEES
To date, the Board has used its authority to create/charter the
following 13 committees to assist in the running of the CA:
• Chartered Clubs (Non-Sports)
• Communications
• Covenants Committee
• Elections
• Emergency Management
• Finance
• Golf
• Landscaped Maintained Homes
• Modifications
• Nominating
• Property & Grounds
• Sports
• Wildlife Management
Each of these committees is comprised of five to nine indi-
viduals, all of whom are appointed by the Board and must be
members of the CA (i.e., homeowners within Sun City Texas).
As mentioned, each committee fulfills the tasks assigned to
it in its charter. A committee only has those powers specifi-
cally delegated to it in its charter. Each charter prescribes the
committee’s purpose, composition, terms of office, delegated
authorities, committee officers, and other issues uniquely re-
lated to that committee. Typically, these charters require the
committee members to provide the Board advice and recom-
mendations on specific matters. For instance, the Nominating
Committee provides the Board advice and recommendations
about candidates for committee positions, while the Finance
Committee advises and makes recommendations on CA fi-
nancial matters. The Communications Committee advises
and makes recommendations for maintaining and improving
communication between the residents, the Board, CA staff,
the developer and the Georgetown community at large, and
the Wildlife Committee advises and makes recommendations
related to wildlife and habitat management.
The Modifications Committee and the Covenants Committee
are somewhat different than the other committees, in that their
roles are not limited to providing advice and making recom-
mendations. Rather, these two committees are authorized to
make substantive and binding decisions on behalf of the CA
and the Board. Specifically, the Modifications Committee is au-
thorized to review, and to approve or reject, proposed modifica-
tions, additions, or alterations to existing homes. Likewise, the
Covenants Committee is established as the “hearing tribunal”
of the CA and is authorized to impose sanctions for violations
of the Governing Documents or any rule or regulation of the
CA. Only the Covenants Committee and the Board may assess
fines for violations of the Governing Documents.
HANDLING OF RESIDENT CONCERNS/ISSUES
If you ever have a concern that needs to be addressed by the CA,
you should first approach the appropriate CA staff member in
an attempt to resolve the issue. If staff is unable to adequately
resolve your issue, you should then contact the appropriate
committee. (Note: If you have any confusion about which com-
mittee to contact or how to do that, staff will be able to answer
those questions.) In the rare instances where a resident does
not believe the staff or the committee has resolved their issue,
the resident may request a hearing before the CA Board of
CA NEWS
Residents’ guide to Community
Association governance
Continued on page 9
