Richard Ian Porter

Vote Porter!

I will listen to you.

And then speak to you like the human being you are.

I have done this in many roles:
– Marine Officer through two combat tours
– Tech Product Manager at Amazon, IBM and startups and through my – Civil Servant in the Executive Office of the President (of the US)
– Father to my 10 and 5 year old girls and Husband to my wife Abby here in our own neighborhood of Briar Chapel.

Our family in our house in Briar Chapel

Listening and then speaking humanely is always the right way to do things, and it is my commitment to you.

I would love to get the chance to meet and talk with each of you, and earn all three (3) of your votes (you can give all three to your most preferred candidate) on the ballot 29 October -12 November.
(HOA info page on elections is here)

If the above video doesn’t load right you can view it on Loom!

This is the same video I embedded in my official candidate bio here.

Contact me about the Board election or neighbor business?

  • Email vote-porter@richardiporter.com
  • Text or voicemail 252-881-0538
    (til I get my campaign specific one going)
  • In person: most evenings at great meadow playground!

What can you expect from me other than talking to you like a human?

More community engagement and communication efforts like this: leveraging tech to be more concise yet thorough, ultimately more human.

Listening better with data:

I will use modern data tools and clear communication to listen to all neighbors, not just the most vocal.

Why it matters: Our community’s data is disconnected. Current HOA surveys don’t fully match the census, meaning the needs of busy residents (like working parents) are under-represented in HOA decisions.

Key points:

  • The Data Gap: The recent HOA survey shows different priorities than the 2020 Census data. The census shows parents are the community’s plurality, but they are often too busy to attend meetings or fill out surveys.
  • The Toolset: Porter proposes using modern tools (like AI) to analyze all available data—the budget, census, and surveys—to “correct for the bias” and get a complete, accurate picture.
  • The Goal: To leverage transparent data and “asynchronous communication” so the board can operate with positive intent, listen better, and ensure HOA spending aligns with the entire community’s priorities.
  • The Ask: Porter is asking for your household’s 3 votes, noting all three can be allocated to one candidate.

The Bottom Line Data-driven inclusion.

Go Deeper? Review it all below in writing or audio or video

  • This below synthesis was made by Gemini based on:
    • The strategic vision PDF Including preference survey
    • The 2026 Budget as drafted (and converted from PDF to Google Sheet)
    • The population statistics drawn from the gold standard population survey data from the US Census.
    • Below is also available as a 6 min Gemini made audio chat.

Briar Chapel HOA: Your Candidate Briefing

Here is your scannable guide to the community, its problems, and its money.

Your One Big Thing: As a board candidate, your platform is pre-written. In October 2025, the community approved a new 5-Year Strategic Plan based on a detailed survey identifying clear frustrations. Your job is to execute this plan.

1. Your Mandate: The 2025 Strategic Plan

This is your roadmap. Your success will be measured by your progress on its three pillars.

  • Pillar 1: ENHANCE
    • What it means: Protect the money and the assets.
    • Your goals: Strengthen reserves, create a preventative maintenance program (stop fixing, start preventing), and implement sustainable, cost-saving practices (e.g., native landscaping).
  • Pillar 2: ELEVATE
    • What it means: Fix the governance and transparency issues.
    • Your goals: Clarify who does what (board vs. management), improve staff training, and make governance consistent and professional.
  • Pillar 3: ENGAGE
    • What it means: Fix the broken communication.
    • Your goals: Hire a dedicated “Communications Manager,” hold quarterly town halls, and create a New Resident Orientation program.

Why it matters: This plan is a direct mandate from residents. You don’t need to guess what to do. You need to focus on how to do it.

2. The 3 Big Problems You Must Fix (2025 Survey)

The Strategic Plan was created to solve these specific resident frustrations.

  • 1. Trust is Broken
    • The Data: Residents are “neutral” on board satisfaction (54.87%). Their #1 demand is “Transparency & Communication.”
    • Why it matters: You can’t lead a community that doesn’t trust you. You must over-communicate to rebuild this trust before you can tackle other big issues.
  • 2. Rule Enforcement is Seen as Unfair
    • The Data: This is the #1 pain point. A 59.55% majority disagrees that enforcement is fair and consistent. Residents are tired of “neighbor conflict” and slow, unclear design review (DRC) processes.
    • Why it matters: This is the most emotional issue in the community. It breeds daily resentment. The board must create and communicate a consistent system.
  • 3. Communication is Failing
    • The Data: Only 55.48% rate communication as “good or excellent.” This is why the plan budgets for a new “Communications Manager.”
    • Why it matters: This is a practical, budgeted solution. You will likely vote on this hire. It’s a key first step to fixing the trust problem.

3. By the Numbers: The $5.2M Operation You’ll Manage

This is not a small club; it’s a large-scale business.

  • The Big Number: 2026 proposed expense budget is $5,239,731.
  • The Income: $5,165,568 (98.6%) comes from resident assessments.
  • Where the Money Goes: Almost 73% of your budget is in three contracts:
    1. Landscape: $1.82M (34.8%)
    2. Administrative (Staff): $1.28M (22.3%)
    3. Utilities (Solid Waste): $855k (15.5%)

Why it matters: Your financial oversight is most critical in these three areas. A 5% saving in landscaping ($91k) has a massive impact.

4. The Critical Data Mismatch You Must Manage

This is the hardest part of the job: balancing the “vocal” residents with the “silent” ones.

  • The “Vocal” Resident (2025 Survey)
    • Who they are: 54.38% are 55 or older.
    • Who they are: 54.93% have NO children at home.
    • What they want: Adult-based programs, clear rules.
  • The “Silent” Resident (2020 Census Data)
    • The reality: Only 28% of the actual population is 55+.
    • The reality: ~29% of the actual population is under 18 (approx. 1,500 children).

Your Takeaway as a Leader: The survey feedback is vital, but it’s heavily skewed. The residents who responded (your most engaged, vocal group) are not representative of the whole community. As a board member, you must govern for the 1,500 kids and their families, even though they didn’t answer the survey.