Virginia Code 55.1-2212: Time-share owners’ association books and records; meetings; use of email.
A. Subject to the provisions of subsection B, all books and records, or copies of such books and records, kept by or on behalf of the association shall be maintained so that such books and records, or copies of such books and records, are reasonably available for inspection after written request by a member in good standing or his authorized agent. The association may charge such member or his agent a reasonable fee for copying the requested information. No books or records shall be removed from their location by the examining member or his agent. The right of inspection shall exist without reference to the duration of membership and may be exercised only during reasonable business hours and at a mutually convenient time and location, under the supervision of the custodian, and upon 15 days’ written notice.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 55.1-2212
- Association: means the association organized under the provisions of § Virginia Code 55.1-2200
- Board: means the Common Interest Community Board. See Virginia Code 55.1-2200
- Board of directors: means an executive and administrative entity, by whatever name denominated, designated in a time-share instrument as the governing body of the time-share estate owners' association. See Virginia Code 55.1-2200
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Developer: means any person or group of persons acting in concert that (i) offers to dispose of a time-share or its interest in a time-share unit for which there has not been a previous disposition or (ii) applies for registration of the time-share program. See Virginia Code 55.1-2200
- Executive session: A portion of the Senate's daily session in which it considers executive business.
- in writing: include any representation of words, letters, symbols, numbers, or figures, whether (i) printed or inscribed on a tangible medium or (ii) stored in an electronic or other medium and retrievable in a perceivable form and whether an electronic signature authorized by Virginia Code 1-257
- Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- owner: means a person that is an owner or co-owner of a time-share other than as security for an obligation. See Virginia Code 55.1-2200
- project: means all of the real property subject to a time-share program created by the execution of a time-share instrument. See Virginia Code 55.1-2200
- Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
- Situs: means the place outside the Commonwealth where a developer's time-share project is located. See Virginia Code 55.1-2200
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
- Time-share: means either a time-share estate or a time-share use plus its incidental benefits. See Virginia Code 55.1-2200
For purposes of this subsection, the requested books and records shall be considered “reasonably available” if copies of such books and records are delivered to the requesting member or his agent within seven business days of the date the association receives the written request. However, the requesting member or his agent shall be permitted to inspect the books and records wherever located at any reasonable time, under reasonable conditions, and under the supervision of the custodian of the records. The custodian shall supply copies of the records where requested and upon payment of the copying fee.
The association shall provide members of the association with the location of the books and records, along with the name and address of the custodian, by any reasonable method, which may include posting in a reasonable location at the situs of the time-share project or in the annual report required by § 55.1-2213.
B. Books and records kept by or on behalf of an association may be withheld from inspection to the extent that they concern:
1. Personnel records;
2. An individual’s medical records;
3. Records relating to business transactions that are currently in negotiation;
4. Privileged communications with legal counsel;
5. Complaints against an individual member of the association;
6. Agreements containing confidentiality requirements;
7. Pending litigation;
8. The name, address, phone number, electronic mail address, or other personal information of time-share owners or members of the association, unless such owner or member first approves of the disclosure in writing;
9. Disclosure of information in violation of law; or
10. Meeting minutes or other records of an executive session of the board of directors held in accordance with subsection D.
The association shall be under no obligation to provide requested records to the extent that they are matters of public record or are otherwise readily obtainable from another source.
C. The association shall maintain among its records a complete, up-to-date list of the names and addresses of all current members in good standing who are owners of time-share estates in the time-share project. The association shall not publish such list or provide a copy of it to any time-share owner or to any third party except the board of directors or the developer. However, the association shall mail to those persons named on the list materials provided by any member in good standing, upon written request of that member, if the purpose of the mailing is to advance legitimate association business. The use of any proxies solicited in this manner shall comply with the provisions of the time-share instrument and this chapter. A mailing requested for the purpose of advancing legitimate association business shall occur within 45 days after receipt of a request from a member in good standing. The board of directors of the association shall be responsible for determining the appropriateness of any mailing requested pursuant to this subsection whose decision in this regard shall be final. The association shall be paid in advance for the association’s actual costs in performing the mailing, including postage, supplies, reasonable labor, and attorney fees.
D. Meetings of the board of directors shall be open to all members of record who are eligible to vote and who are in good standing. Minutes shall be recorded and shall be available as provided in subsection A. The board of directors may convene in closed session to consider personnel matters; consult with legal counsel; discuss and consider contracts, potential or pending litigation, and matters involving violations of the time-share instrument or rules and regulations adopted pursuant to such instrument for which a member, his family members, tenants, or guests, or other invitees are responsible; or discuss and consider the personal liability of members to the association upon the affirmative vote in open meeting to assemble in closed session. The motion shall state specifically the purpose for the closed session. Reference to the motion and the stated purpose for the closed session shall be included in the minutes. The board of directors shall restrict the consideration of matters during the closed portions of meetings only to those purposes specifically exempted and stated in the motion. No contract, motion, or other action adopted, passed, or agreed to in closed session shall become effective unless the board of directors, following the closed session, reconvenes in an open meeting and takes a vote on such contract, motion, or other action, which shall have its substance reasonably identified in the open meeting. The requirements of this section shall not require the disclosure of information in violation of law.
E. Notwithstanding any provisions of the Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act (§ 13.1-801 et seq.) to the contrary:
1. The bylaws of the association may prescribe different quorum requirements for meetings of its members; and
2. A director of the association may be removed from the office pursuant to any procedure provided in its articles of incorporation and, if none is provided, may be removed at a meeting called expressly for that purpose, with or without cause, by such vote as would suffice for his election.
F. Whenever this chapter requires communication between the board of directors and a member of the association by mail, any electronic means may be used in the alternative, including email, provided that such electronic communication is personal and only between such board and such member.
G. Filings with the board may be made by any electronic means, provided that such board is willing to accept such format.