BY MAGGIE BEAMGUARD
Insider Editor
As the Seven Lakes West community prepares for its upcoming election cycle, several events and deadlines will guide the selection of the next members of the Board of Directors and the approval of the next budget.
Three Board of Director positions are open for reelection. The seats currently held by Kevin Gustafson, Rita Wanser and Frank Ingham will be on the ballot.
Residents interested in running for the board may enter the election through nomination by the recruiting committee, by submitting a community petition or by self-nominations.
All potential candidates must be in good standing under SLW Rules and Regulations. Eligibility is verified by the community management company, H.R.W Management, before being presented to the board for final approval.
The official slate of candidates will be released in mid-December and will be accompanied by candidate bios shared via the weekly E-Blast. To help residents make informed decisions, SLW will host at least one “get to know” the candidates night in January.
Ballots, along with the approved budget, will be mailed to residents during the first week of February. Completed ballots must be returned to the community office before mid-March to be officially counted.
The annual meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 21. Following the announcement of election results at the meeting, the seven-member board will convene to select four officers: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The remaining three members will serve as Directors at Large.
A budget town hall meeting will take place Dec. 16 to outline the proposed 2026-2027 budget which goes into effect on May 1, 2026.
Voting is the community’s most direct way to elect representatives who set priorities and oversee the responsible allocation of community funds.
“In SLW, the board is Of the People (residents), For the People (thru By-Laws, Rules and Regs, Budget priorities) and By the People (through the annual voting process),” said outgoing board member and President Frank Ingham.
“It’s been an honor to serve as a director for the past three years.”
Contact Maggie Beamguard at maggie@thepilot.com.
