Association Participation

I'm not a big fan of the limitations homeowners' associations place on the property owners who've shelled out for their own private space, but I live in such an association and it does serve some purposes. The association exists, in large part, to provide all residents with a beautiful 14-acre, tree-studded open space which we enjoy greatly. There are no parks in our neck of town, so this open space (plus the play structure in our backyard) does the trick.

All associations require leadership, and this year (and last, and the year before that) it's my turn.

The project:
Attend tonight's association board of directors meeting, serving as secretary.

Time:
Two hours for meetings and posting of minutes.

Why bother?
Someone has to do it. Not too many of our more than 100 property owners are interested.

Worth it?
Well, the park is maintained, and that's great, but I really don't care if people paint their house purple or keep chickens in their backyard. The association is a bit picky about that kind of thing. Then again, there's a fine line between keeping pets in the backyard and creating a stinky farmyard on less than 1/4 acre with only a thin fence to keep the smells, dust and noise out of the neighboring property. It would also be more fulfilling if more members were involved. We've tried events, we had a newsletter, we've posted invitations to serve on the board (or attend meetings). No dice. Not very fulfilling.