Board declines PORA request for mandatory $15 member fee referendum

The governing board on Jan. 23 declined a motion to conduct a member referendum proposing a mandatory $15 annual fee per RCSW member to fund PORA (the Property Owners and Residents Association) general operations and long‑term maintenance of the PORA building and property.

Why it mattered: PORA leaders spoke to the board and outlined decades of government relations and advocacy work — including water, utility and transit committees — and presented estimated resident savings tied to PORA activities. PORA requested the association facilitate a referendum asking members to approve a mandatory fee to support PORA’s operations.

Board discussion focused on legal and fiduciary constraints. Directors noted prior legal advice that the association could face significant legal risk if it attempted to act as a mandatory collection agent for an independent nonprofit or to retroactively require homeowner participation; some directors said a referendum would require unanimous member consent to be enforceable under the counsel’s prior reading. Directors expressed empathy for PORA’s work but said the board’s fiduciary duty to the association limited options.

Chair Horvath read the motion to conduct the referendum and multiple public speakers (including PORA president Ralph Johnson) described PORA’s activities. After board debate, directors voted against conducting the referendum; the vote recorded all directors voting “no,” and the motion failed. Board leaders said the door remains open for PORA to present alternate, legally permissible proposals in the future.

Ending: The board’s rejection closed this specific request; PORA representatives were invited to bring other proposals consistent with the association’s legal constraints.