New DICA board set

The Daniel Island residents recently elected to the Daniel Island Community Association’s Board of Directors could be in for a history-making term. The top two vote getters on the DICA election ballot were Bob Sauer, who was elected to a second term, and newcomer Otto Orr.

Currently, the board consists of three developer representatives and two resident representatives. But an important milestone is nearing.

As per the board’s bylaws, once the island reaches a benchmark of 5,625 units (75% of the 7,500 allowed units), which is expected later this year or early next year, DICA will hold an election within 90 days to appoint one additional resident to the board. At that time, the developer-appointed seats will diminish to two, instead of three – a shift that will give resident directors majority control for the first time in the board’s history.

Then, at the DICA annual meeting in the fall of 2020, the association will announce an election in January 2021 for the election of four DICA residents to the board – essentially creating a seven-member body consisting of two resident directors elected by residents in January 2020 (Sauer and Orr), four resident directors elected in January 2021, and one developer-appointed director. If the benchmark is reached in the first quarter of 2021, instead of this year, the election of the four new resident members would take place at DICA’s annual meeting that fall.

The change is significant for any master planned community, noted Jane Baker, vice president of community services for the Daniel Island Property Owners Association.

“Having talked with many other master planned community managers and researching best practices, I think that DICA is poised for a very smooth turnover to a resident-controlled board in the fourth quarter of 2020 or first quarter of 2021,” she said, citing adequate reserve funding, a clean financial audit, board education, and amenities in good condition as the main tenants of a successful transition.

“We are fortunate to have all those things in place now,” she continued.

Both Sauer and Orr report they are thrilled with the opportunity to serve on the board and look forward to navigating the transition process.

“When the actual transition occurs it will be incumbent on each of us as residents to ensure that our requirements are clearly spelled out and directed to the proper organization for resolution,” stated Sauer, an active community member who has lived on the island since 2005. “It follows that we also need a tracking process to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.”

“It is a pivotal year,” said Orr, who oversees real estate and facilities at Blackbaud. “I think one of the keys to this transition is for our resident board members to fully understand the original vision of the island and the background of the prior decisions made by DICA and DINA (Daniel Island Neighborhood Association) throughout the development of the island … The historical information and thought leadership that went into the island is important to understand and carry forward. I plan to do just that.”

Orr said he was prompted to run for a seat on the board from both a personal and professional perspective, citing his role at Blackbaud and the company’s “collaborative culture” as among the reasons for stepping up to serve.

“Daniel Island has been so supportive of Blackbaud,” added Orr, who has lived on the island with his family for more than four years. “I just felt that I needed to do my part and help in any way possible given our place in the community.”

For Sauer, the decision to run for a second term was based mainly on his desire to help the board in its leadership transition.

“That level of 5,625 units had been forecasted to happen sometime during my first term,” he said. “Given that the pace of new Certificates of Occupancy has slowed somewhat in the past year, it is now expected that the transition point will be reached late this year or sometime during the first quarter of 2021.”

Sauer’s goals include ensuring that the upcoming transition process “goes smoothly with no surprises” and that residents are encouraged to participate to a greater extent in local community initiatives and organizations. He’d also like to see enhanced communication during the transition.

“In my opinion, the DICA board needs to agree on a communications strategy to keep all residents updated thoroughly and frequently on the status of the transition and highlight actions that must be taken to address any potential problems,” Sauer stated.

Baker said she is looking forward to working with both Sauer and Orr on the board.

“I have worked with Bob Sauer since I first started on Daniel Island in 2012 when he led the tree pruning committee,” she said. “His more recent role as a DICA board member was a great experience as he was able to lend sage advice and counsel to our staff while always being supportive of our work. That is what is considered a ‘dream’ board member in the community management business. I am very excited to have Otto Orr on our DICA board. His professional experience at Blackbaud, one of our largest island employers, and his passion for living on Daniel Island make him extremely well suited for the position.”