At the 20 November, 2024 meeting, a quorum being present, the members unanimously approved amendments to the 2006 Bylaws that better reflect how the Council does business. The major changes include:

• Changing the previous Council officer titles of Chair and Vice-chair to President and Vice-president, respectively, to comport with the usual titles for corporate officers (and associations as well). (The new title is reflected in the new name for this article)

• Adding the non-elective position of Webmaster and enumerates duties. Also mentions the non-elective position of Aging in Place Program Coordinator and makes both of these key positions part of the Executive Committee by practice

• Eliminating all standing committees with the exception of the Best of Braddock Awards selection committee in favor of utilizing special committees appointed for a specific purpose and a limited time period

• Eliminating one appendix listing current members (Membership rolls are maintained by the Treasurer and since they change yearly, an appendix in the Bylaws requiring annual updates—essentially a new amendment—makes no sense)

• Making other technical changes in language, important operating year dates, the difference between required meetings and sponsored events, certain meeting procedures, etc.

The approved new Bylaws are posted on the Council website. I encourage all association representatives to review them and notify me of any spelling/punctuation/grammatical errors.

In other business, Treasurer Barbara Smith informed us that membership stands at 36. We are still shooting for 40 members and our outreach continues. She also reported that the Council has applied for a renewal of tax-exempt status. We have received verification of our Employee Identification Number (EIN); the actual determination letter from IRS takes several months to issue. Finally, in December, Barbara will file the Beneficial Owner Information (BOI) report required by the Corporate Transparency Act. While various actions are underway to add community associations to the ‘exempt from reporting” list, these steps will not be completed by the due date for the report. The last “From the Chair” has further information about the CTA including a link to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Center website. Please take a look. I encourage all associations to consult with legal counsel to receive guidance on reporting requirements and procedures. Better to be safe than sorry.

VJ Dante, president of Starlit Ponds HOA, asked if there would be some way that association presidents could contact each other in between meetings to share best practices or offer other advice on specific issues. He also asked if the Council could offer mentorship to new association boards since many members come onboard with little to no experience in association management. The Executive Committee will discuss this proposal at its January meeting and will present the ideas developed at the 15 January, 2025, BDC meeting to get input from members.

Mike Perel (Oak Hill), the Braddock District representative to the Fairfax County Commission on Aging, briefed the members on the concept of a “walk audit” for neighborhoods to check for safety and accessibility issues affecting residents, particularly senior citizens or mobility-impaired residents. AARP has a kit that provides how to conduct such an audit. A link to this information is posted on the BDC for associations interested in doing this.

Paul Hartwell, Aging in Place coordinator, announced that the second in a  new series called “Braddock Storytellers” will take place in February. Stay tuned for more information as to the topic/speaker/date/time/place. A recording of the first installment of “Braddock Storytellers” (Paul’s tour of historical sites in England) can be found on the BDC website.

At the Board of Supervisors meeting on 12 November, Supervisor Walkinshaw, in his role as Chair of the Board’s Environmental Committee, announced that the Hickory Farms Community Association (a BDC member) was selected as the winner of the 2024 Fairfax County Environmental Excellence Award in the “Business/Organization” category.

The next regular BDC meeting will be held on 15 January, 2025 in Braddock Hall. Please plan on attending. The meeting will feature a presentation by the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District on grant programs designed to assist associations in dealing with erosion, flooding, poor soil quality, and other issues.

In closing, the BDC is co-sponsoring the Best of Braddock Awards presentation ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, 4 December, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Kings Park Library meeting room adjacent to the supervisor’s office. The BDC Executive Committee, joined by Doug Dane (Stone Haven), assisted staff in the selection of this year’s recipients. There were numerous nominees in each of the six categories and each and every one of them deserves our thanks for their contributions in making Braddock District such a great place to live. Come early to enjoy some delicious food provided by various local restaurants and stay to be impressed by the winners.

Finally, as this is my last article for 2024, on behalf of the other BDC officers, I extend my best wishes to you for a happy and healthy holiday season and the hope that 2025 will be a great year for you, your association, and the Braddock District Council!

​

Bob Cosgriff

President