This is the eligibility provision in FS 720.306(9)(b): “A person who has been convicted of any felony in this state or in a United States District or Territorial Court, or has been convicted of any offense in another jurisdiction which would be considered a felony if committed in this state, may not seek election to the board and is not eligible for board membership unless such felon’s civil rights have been restored for at least 5 years as of the date on which such person seeks election to the board.” You’ll find the same language in the other community association statutes.

And while many board members are eager to run background checks on everybody else, they ignore the necessity of doing background checks on themselves — some even for a very good reason.

Even if the laws carry a disclaimer like: “The validity of an action by the board is not affected if it is later determined that a board member is ineligible for board membership due to having been convicted of a felony,” it’s still embarrassing for the whole board if one of the owners finds out that one of their own isn’t eligible to serve on the board due to a prior felony conviction.

So, how about it: Run background checks on all newly elected – or appointed – board members to make sure that there isn’t some issue in the past of this new board member that makes him/her ineligible to serve on the board?

It may save some of the other board members from serious embarrassment!