Annual elections for dock reps and alternate reps will be conducted in November. To be nominated, an individual must be a member of the Floating Homes Association, and a resident of the community (homeowner or renter).
Responsibilities and Opportunities for a Dock Representative:
- Attend monthly FHA board meetings (dock rep or alternate) where floating homes issues and news are discussed. You will meet people from other docks at these meetings and thus expand who you know on the docks. Some meetings are in person, and all meetings are on Zoom.
- Let residents know by email about events and issues from the FHA Board meetings. This informs your dock neighbors about what is going on what may affect them or alerts them to an activity they might want to help with or attend.
- Solicit input from dock residents about issues they have about living in the community and about issues the Board is considering. This can be done easily if you have dock meetings, parties or other activities. You become a leader on your dock.
- Work on emergency preparedness plans. There will be emergencies. This is a time when knowing your neighbors is important and everyone can work together, be it a fire, a boat sinking, or a medical emergency. Find out what skills are in your community that can be drawn upon in an emergency.
- Encourage residents to participate in FHA activities such as Day in the Park, fund-raising tours, etc. The dock rep is the important conduit of information to their dock residents to inform and help generate interest in activities through emails, posters and word of mouth.
- Get new residents’ contact information (boat number, email, phone, and if they rent or own their boat). Each dock rep keeps their own list of their dock residents’ info up to date and provides the same info to the FHA Membership Chair in a timely manner.
- Forward community-wide emails from the FHA to their list of residents.
- Welcome new dock owners/residents and explain what the FHA does for the floating homes community and their dock neighbors. Deliver welcome packet to new residents and encourage FHA membership. Answer questions about the dock (where is the trash? Carts?, etc).
General perks of being a Dock Representative:
- Connecting with neighbors.
- Building community.
- Getting to know your dock and its residents (owners and renters).
- Meeting with your counterparts from other docks at FHA Board meetings, to share what works and what doesn’t.
- Listening to what would be meaningful activities for your neighbors, and then overseeing the use of FHA funds given to each dock annually, to initiate these activities (parties, landscaping projects, etc). There is a sense of satisfaction when you see activities or improvements on your dock come to fruition.
- Being a dock rep is an opportunity to take part in your community as a leader. It can be rewarding and does not take a lot of time or energy.
Dock reps who choose not to continue for another year are asked to recruit their replacements.