Traci Baker, Director of Community Activities and Communications and Sue Wilson, Contributing Writer
A Conversation with Bob Paine
It’s hard to believe that it’s May already, nearly half the year is over, and before we know it, it will be fall, and time for another PebbleCreek Board election. This year the open spot on the board will be the one being vacated by current HOA Board President, Bob Paine. Bob’s commitment to the community has been clear through his many years of volunteer service here in PebbleCreek, punctuated by the last several years as a board member. One of the things most important to Bob is ensuring that our community is prepared for the future when PebbleCreek becomes a self-governed association. Recently, Sue Wilson, who volunteers on the Election Committee, had the chance to talk with Bob about this topic, and here are some highlights of that conversation.
“This year’s board election is important—as it is every year,” declared Bob Paine, president of the PebbleCreek Golf Resort Homeowners Association (HOA). “Our developer, Robson Communities Inc. (RCI) has indicated that they intend to turn over control of the HOA to the homeowners no later than January 2027 (and maybe sooner!)—so the person we elect this fall will be playing a big role in the transition process.
“There won’t be any incumbents running in the 2024 election so it’s a great time for interested homeowners to declare their candidacy. I think there is a lot more interest in elections where there is a wide-open field, and certainly having a lot of candidates running puts pressure on the community to listen to the candidates and understand their positions before casting their vote.
“There is no training period to be on the board, but fortunately we have tremendous leaders in so many areas and they are all willing to give input and help you understand the issues. For example, I didn’t know much about pickleball prior to being on the board but knew pickleball was a big deal in PebbleCreek, so I asked the club president what I needed to know about their issues and needs. Same with golf. I’m not a golfer but our golf chairman, Lyman Gallup, has been very generous in helping me understand the concerns and needs of our very active golf community. I think the most important quality for a board member to have is a focus on what is best for everyone in the community.
“A lot of people think there’s an adversarial relationship between the RCI representatives on the board and the homeowner representatives. Nothing could be further from the truth. RCI is very supportive and has made my job easier because of their willingness to work with us. We may not always agree on everything, but we find a way to do what’s best for everyone. I think we are good, effective partners.
“I find that every day on the board is different. One day I might be dealing with code of conduct issues, the next day the budget, then maybe an interpretation of our rules. So the person we elect must be multi-faceted and genuinely open to learning and asking good questions. There’s too much going on in PebbleCreek to focus on one specific issue. And no board member can come in with a narrow agenda. That just doesn’t work.
“We have great leaders living here and many are already working with our committees and I hope some of them will throw their hat in the ring. As I mentioned before, while there is no formal board training, there is a monthly meeting that exposes interested homeowners to leadership at PebbleCreek. It’s a great venue to learn.
“If you don’t think you’re ready to serve on the board quite yet, then find a position in one of our many clubs or committees and get some good leadership experience under your belt. We’re always looking for the next great board member!”
Thanks to Sue for sitting down with Bob to learn more about this important topic. For more information about running for the HOA board, visit the Election Committee website on the PebbleCreek HOA website: pebblecreekhoa.org, select the “HOA Board” tab, then the “Election Committee” tab. For questions or additional information, contact Election Committee Chairman Cliff Crooks at [email protected].