M.D. from Ozaukee County, Wisconsin writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
Hello, again! Over 6 weeks, 3 separate notices were distributed throughout the community, expressing:
1. The majority of the Board no longer wishes to serve
2. The Board has resigned
3. The Board intends to resign
Three notices with conflicting verbiage (and several typos). After 6 weeks of drama, the Board did no such thing. It was all a ruse. Furthermore, it was revealed openly (though unintentionally) at that meeting that the Board has a history of using submitted proxy forms as “carte blanche” votes to apply in whatever way they wish! Stacking the deck!
There was no presentation by a property management company, as expressed in the 3 notices sent out over 6 weeks. But via proxy forms that the “resigning” Board used in whatever way they wished, the Board achieved the approval for a property management company. Enlistment of a property management company is sorely needed here–the buildings are aging and no one here has the skill set to tackle the issues properly–but the way the matter was presented and ultimately determined was not due process/proper procedure.
Drama, drama, drama. Chaos, chaos, chaos. I am not on the Board, but I have helped out here in my condo community many times–gladly! Happy to be of assistance! But good god, the ineptness and dysfunction…
Mister Condo replies:
M.D., I am sorry that your condo association is going through this type of leadership drama. Condo leadership needn’t be that difficult for the association. Clearly, the folks serving on the Board are doing so reluctantly. The simple solution is to relieve them of the burden by voting in interested and dedicated volunteers. Finding those folks isn’t always easy but it should be a priority at this point. Otherwise, the drama and chaos will continue and might even get worse. It’s time to find some adults to serve on the Board. Childish antics like these have no place in condominium association governance. All the best!
Well, such is the way with undirected proxies, you are letting them vote as they deem fit. Our complex has rummaged through so many property managers, it is not good. We never know what happens to them, if they cut bait and quit or got let go. A property manager is useful to help navigate projects, etc, but won’t be able to create a miracle – when a board doesn’t recognize they are the problem, and instead fells blame on the neck of the property manager when things don’t seem that different. If so, not much may change, hate to sound like a Debbie downer. We were lucky for a while that a quiet board member would come to each meeting equipped with all relevant state statues, Robert’s, and a history of the minutes and votes in memory that helped stay the course and make progress. If you want to volunteer to do that, or for instance help track items needing approval or research, or help in a way you recognize is needed, it sounds like the board could use your help navigating through the maze. Nobody wants to join a board in such disarray, it is repelling, but would be a good deed, if you can hack it, it might help turn things around and help make a property manager’s job be more effective. All you need is one actual resignation to get appointed! Sounds like it could happen. I recall when learning how to sail, the big thing was to come back into the marina and dock quietly and looking pulled together, not yelling, squealing about what you’re about to hit, running with bumpers, tripping, or gasp .. motoring in due to realizing ineptness! A class act, everyone wants to be part of, but a crazy crew, you want to run! or watch the ‘train wreck’ from afar. But heroes run “to” the problem, so think about it.