Bylaws FAQ

Facts from those who actually know.

Because a lot of mis- and dis-information has been put out there, it is worth a brief recap from those responsible for this endeavor as to why the CC&Rs and Bylaws needed updating, and how that benefits YOU. And, yes, we know it’s long. But it is important you have the facts. 

Which ballot? The BLUE one.

By now, you should have received your updated Bylaws ballot – make sure it’s the BLUE one. Previous ballots are no longer valid. IMPORTANT: Please vote this week.

Reasons to vote yes

  • Eliminates stacked voting, Only one vote per open board seat per well-established best practices. No other HOA in Westlake Village has stacked voting … for good reason. Cumulative voting rules were put in place originally for Three Springs developers in the 1990’s before homeowners bought the homes.
  • Democratic voting. Elections are about the majority deciding together. Updated bylaws will no longer allow a small group to amplify their voice over what the majority wants.
  • Extends Board Terms from one to two years for better Board stability.
  • Staggers Election of Board Members. This eliminates disruptive “winner-take-all” elections and fosters a more peaceful, consistent leadership.
  • Eliminates quorum requirements for a board election only. Three Springs has had a history of struggling to make quorum at times, this simply eliminates the issue — those that vote, decide.  The Bylaws define a default quorum of 50%, and State law defines the additional non board election steps if that is not met. These are both based on elections being decided by those who vote, which is best practices today.
  • Eliminates proxy voting. Makes the process simpler — ballots are cast at any time during the voting period.

 

Common Questions

Question: Why are we voting again on the Bylaws

Answer: Last April, the previous board refused to extend the voting period and count the Bylaw ballots. When they were finally forced, by law, to do so, an astounding 88% of those who voted had voted to approve the new Bylaws (226 of 258). Unfortunately, under our current rules, we were 15 votes shy of passing the Bylaws. This was the single most compelling issue that fueled the recent Board Recall because the community was rightfully outraged at the prior board’s interference with the passage of the amendments (including sitting board members telling people not to vote to thwart reaching quorum). While we can’t change what happened in April with the prior board majority, we can fix it now. After all, we live in a democracy, and the majority should control their own destiny in Three Springs through passage of fair, modern rules.

Question: Why is stacked voting bad?

Answer: Stacked (aka cumulative) voting amplifies the votes of a small group of people over the wishes of the majority. This is not democratic nor fair. We’ve seen a history of a small group forcing what they want despite the majority wanting otherwise. Every election in the past several years would have had a different outcome if we used democratic methods, which are best practices and what are commonly used, instead of stacked voting. This is the root cause of the terrible divineness you feel in the neighborhood.

How do we propose to fix this particular problem?
The vast majority of HOA’s are moving away from cumulative/stacked voting. By giving one vote per home per candidate, extending board member terms to two years instead of one year, and staggering terms (three one year; two the next) in the same way as the Westlake Village City Council holds elections, we will create a calmer election process and a more harmonious atmosphere for Three Springs. It is time to put an end to the annual contentious elections and divisiveness.