Online Violation Tracking System Proposal
The following is a specification to track and manage bylaw violations. The current management software does not have anything implement to perform this function. It is also better to have our own automated system so that the association is not tied to a management agent and can perform this function independently and autonomously.
While there are other systems out there that can provide this functionality, Jira is being highlighted because for our purposes we can use it for free. According to this proposal, the violation tracking system would be cloud based and completely separate from our website. The capability does exist also to provide summary reports that can be posted to the website. These reports would only be summary in nature to balance privacy with transparency without overstepping confidentiality.
Proposed Violation Tracking & Notification Procedure
Tool: Jira Service Management (JSM)
1. Purpose and Governance Rationale
The purpose of this proposal is to adopt a structured, auditable, and transparent system for managing property inspections, violations, notices, follow-ups, and resolutions.
The goals are to:
- Ensure consistent enforcement of Association rules
- Maintain accurate records of inspections and notices
- Support due process for owners
- Improve Board oversight and transparency
- Reduce informal, ad-hoc, or undocumented enforcement
This proposal does not change the Association’s authority, policies, or enforcement standards. It changes only the tool used to administer and document them.
2. Core Principle: Transparency with Due Process
The Association is obligated to operate transparently while also protecting owner privacy and due process.
Accordingly:
- Policies, procedures, and Board actions remain public
- Individual compliance matters are administered confidentially
- Aggregate enforcement data may be published to the community
- Board decisions (e.g., fines or escalations) remain subject to open-meeting rules and published minutes
This approach is consistent with common COA governance practices and reduces legal and reputational risk.
3. Role of Jira Service Management (JSM)
Jira Service Management is used solely as an internal administrative tool to:
- Track inspections and violations as individual “cases”
- Document notices, follow-ups, and responses
- Maintain a complete audit trail
- Support consistent timelines and workflows
- Produce summary reports for Board review and publication
Jira does not replace:
- Board deliberation
- Open meetings
- Published minutes
- Owner rights or appeal processes
It supports them.
4. Roles and Access Controls
A. Agents (Licensed Users – Limited to 3)
The Association will designate three agents:
- President
- Secretary #1
- Secretary #2
Agents may:
- Log into Jira
- Create and update violation records
- Send notices
- Record responses
- Generate reports
Only agents can access Jira internally.
B. Owners / Residents (Unlimited, Not Licensed)
Owners and residents:
- Do not log into Jira
- Do not see other owners’ information
- Receive notices by email
- May reply to notices by email
- Their replies are logged to the case by the system
They are not users, not agents, and not billed.
5. Violation Workflow (High-Level)
The BOD needs to refine this as per Article XV of the bylaws and make any modifications to timings it deems necessary.
- Inspection Conducted
- Violation Logged (internal case created)
- Initial Notice Sent via USPS and email. (USPS mailings can also be integrated to be automated and sent using a fee based system:
- Generate PDF notices from Jira tickets or WordPress forms (standard PDF reporting plugins can do this), then
- Use a paid mailing API like LetterStream or Click2Mail via automation (Zapier or custom scripts) to USPS mail those PDFs. (Section XV of our bylaws however state the initial abatement notice must be sent certified, so we need to see if the automated systems can do that.)
- Owner Response Period (10 days as per bylaws, then schedule hearing)
- Follow-Up Notice if Needed
- Resolution or Escalation
- Closure
Each step is time-stamped and documented.
6. Transparency Outputs (Public-Facing)
The Association may publish:
- Violation counts by category
- Resolution rates
- Time-to-abatement metrics
- Enforcement summaries by month or quarter
Example:
“During Q2, the Association recorded 22 violations.
18 were resolved within 30 days.
4 required follow-up notices.
No fines were imposed.”
No owner names, unit numbers, or identifying details are published.
7. Board Oversight and Open Meetings
At open Board meetings:
- Agents may present summary dashboards
- Enforcement trends may be discussed
- Decisions requiring Board action are voted on in session
- Minutes reflect outcomes, not private correspondence
Jira improves the Board’s ability to:
- Demonstrate consistent enforcement
- Respond to owner inquiries factually
- Defend against claims of selective enforcement
8. Risk Reduction Benefits
Using Jira:
- Reduces reliance on email chains and memory
- Prevents lost or inconsistent records
- Creates defensible documentation
- Supports continuity during Board transitions
- Protects volunteers by documenting good-faith administration
9. Requested Board Authorization
The Board is asked to authorize:
- Use of Jira Service Management (Free Plan) as an internal administrative tool
- Designation of three agents (President + Secretaries)
- Publication of aggregate enforcement summaries, excluding identifying information
- Development of written procedures aligned with this system
No financial commitment is required at this stage.
Closing
This proposal strengthens:
- Governance
- Transparency
- Fairness
- Operational discipline
It modernizes administration without altering authority, policy, or owner rights.
