Study Your Board Candidates - Vernell Butler

Contact your "recognized Voting Member" and ask him/her to elect only directors who are 

  • of the highest caliber, 
  • selected for interpersonal skills,
  • dedicat(ed) to the betterment of our Association and community, and 
  • free of any personal agenda.

(Source: HOA Mission Statement, Nominating Committee)

OK, let's look at the candidates, one by one.

Secondly, Vernell Butler

Vernell elected to the Board on December 1, 2020. He became Treasurer after Paul Hill died in April 2022. Vernell was re-elected to the Board in November 2022. In November 2023, after he was not re-elected by the Board as Treasurer (which is a one-year term), he abruptly quit. I heard it wasn't too quietly. 

The Board is supposed to hold officer elections in public, but they don't. So there weren't too many witnesses to his exit.

Vernell's reports as Treasurer were always that everything was in good shape. But finances weren't. Costs were going up, but he didn't propose an increase in Assessment. Contributions to Reserves were being reduced each year without fanfare, but the Assessment wsn't going down. The difference went to pay increases costs of operation. All very quietly and behind the scenes.

Vernell tried to physically block me from entering a Board Meeting at the church. He blocked me at the entrance door and at the door to the meeting room. He even asked the two deputies to eject me. They told him they weren't going to do that. I'm still enjoying that one. I'll bet he's not.

Now Vernell wants back on the Board and wants to be Treasurer again. 

The Voting Members should say NO. If he manages to squeak through in a vote for four directors, the Board should not elect him as Treasurer. 

A Treasurer must inform the Board when finances are weakening. If he doesn't, who will?

A Treasurer is not a "good guy" for not increasing dues, when costs are going up. When dues need to go up, he should say so. Vernell didn't do that.

Should the Voting Members elect Vernell Butler as a director? No.

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