Director Shortages Plague Village Ahead of January Elections
As election season kicks off, approximately 50 buildings across the village are currently without the required number of COOCVE directors, leaving many residents without proper representation for the upcoming January elections. According to village election officials, of the 414 available director slots, 75 remain unfilled, meaning 18% of the village's seats are empty. This shortage may raise concerns about fair representation and the effectiveness of the upcoming elections.
Two areas, Islewood and Keswick, stand out as the only neighborhoods that have met their director requirements. In stark contrast, some of the village's largest areas are struggling the most to fill their positions. Durham, Newport, and Oakridge neighborhoods are missing eight directors each, contributing significantly to the overall shortage. Durham, which is the largest neighborhood with 25 buildings, has failed to fill over 30% of its available positions. Newport and Oakridge, each with 22 buildings, are similarly short, leaving residents in these areas underrepresented.
Village election officials estimate over one thousand residents will not be properly represented in the upcoming election.
“As of now, over 1,500 owners will be unrepresented in the upcoming elections due to the associations lacking COOCVE Directors,” said Ron Sandler, a member of the Village’s Election Committee.
“There’s still time to make changes. CVE building associations can add or modify their COOCVE directors by submitting an updated COOCVE Officers and Directors (O&D) form to the COOCVE office by November 29,” said Sandler.
COOCVE directors play a critical role in electing board members who oversee the major organizations that manage village life. These organizations collectively manage an estimated $30 million in resident dues, making decisions that affect everything from infrastructure and landscaping to the management of amenities such as the clubhouse and pools.
Given the significant responsibilities of these boards, the lack of representation in many areas of the village may be troubling to some. The absence of directors in so many buildings means that residents in these areas will have no voice in choosing the leadership that will guide the village through the coming year.
