How does the Association know I own my lot?

Through the county records. The By-Laws say that to establish ownership, your name must appear on one or more of these, recorded in the office of the Clare County Register of Deeds:

- A deed
- A land contract
- A document reflecting equitable or legal ownership

The Association keeps its own membership records, and the By-Laws say those records are based on the Register of Deeds records as of a date the Board sets.

**Who gets the mail.** Where several people are on a deed, the By-Laws say notice goes to the **first person named** on the deed or other ownership document. If you want it to go to someone else, all the owners of that property have to ask the Association in writing.

**The date that matters for voting.** For the annual meeting, the By-Laws set a record date of **May 1**, unless the Board sets a different one. Only members on the records at the close of business on May 1 are sent notice of the annual meeting and allowed to vote at it. So if a sale closes in late April or early May, the record date decides who votes that year.

If your deed changes for any reason — a sale, a transfer between family members, adding or removing a name — tell the office. The Association's records do not update themselves.

*Source: By-Laws (Revised 2021), Sections 13.3, 5.3 and 5.7.*