While directors are elected by the membership, committees are formed (and committee members are appointed) by the board, and thus serve “at the pleasure of the board.” (Corp. Code §§ 7210, 7212.) Serving at the pleasure of the board generally allows for the board to appoint and remove committee members at any time with or without cause, unless otherwise stated in the association’s governing documents. The creation/dissolution of committees and the appointment/removal of their members are actions performed by the board in an open board meeting since they do not fall within the specified categories of matters that may be acted upon by the board in executive session. (Civ. Code § 4935.)
Committee Composition
Those Permitted to Serve
With the exception of executive committees that must be comprised entirely of directors, there are no statutory requirements that govern who is permitted to serve on a committee. Such restrictions may, however, be found within an association’s governing documents or otherwise established by the board. (See “Committee Member Qualifications.”)
Size of Committees
There are no statutory requirements or limitations on the size of committees. Some sets of governing documents may contain provisions establishing the size of certain committees (i.e., an architectural committee to be comprised of three (3) members).
