Apathy from Owners for Election to the Board

Question:

Hi Betty
We are having great difficulty find persons willing to be on the Board. What can be done if at the AGM there are no volunteers to be on the Board. Do the persons attending the AGM form a new Board?
thank you for your reply
I. T.

Answer:

Dear I.T.

This is not a unique concern for condominium corporations. Often only a few of the owners are willing to stand for election to the board. Before I respond to what your options are I would like to look at what can cause such apathy. There are generally a variety things that can cause apathy to result. The most common is that owners don't feel they have anything of real value to offer, in other words they are not needed, and that the existing board is doing just fine so why change things. When apathy results it is usually because the current board did not make the owners feel important and included in the operation of the corporation property.

The vast majority of owners in a condominium do not realize that the investment they have in the condominium property is impacted by the management style and that for this reason they need to be involved in the management, whether directly as a board member or indirectly as an interested owner. This also adds to the apathy factor. Providing information to owners is part of the solution.

The best way to resolve this issue is to be creative in the management of the property. Include the owners, that are not in the board, in as many ways as are possible without loosing sight of the fact the board is to make the decisions. When the board needs to make a decision the owners can provide input, research, etc. For example, if you're planning a landscaping project- form a committee of owners to determine the scope of the landscaping project and to identify the things needed to complete the project. Or for example, form a social committee of owners who become responible for finding ways for owners to get to know one another. Condominiums that have a community lifestyle have fewer problems all around; from security to election to the board. Be creative and budget for professional assistance in strategic planning if necessary. The most important component to condominium management is the relationships between owners and board members.

Now, in response to your question. If no-one is willing to be on the board, the retiring board will need to hire a company to act as the Board. This is costly and difficult to find as the liability that that company takes on is huge, especially in a condominium where owners are not interested in the business of the condominium to such a great degree. Often informing the owners of the increase in cost that will result motivates them to get involved.

I hope this answers your question. Be sure to read "10 Secrets to Surviving Life in a Condominium (live the dream-not the nightmare)". This book has great information on living in community in the condominium setting. It is available on the web site www.condo-check.com

Betty