allegedly named in a trust that allowed for the man to serve on the board as a unit owner, when in truth the trust did not name the board member. That poor association could have saved itself thef
or rut ass anxiety and expens
Next, it’s about relationshipst want them. What
Good business relationships hip w soc se off a needless lawsuit
by simply ensuring that ownership was verified for those who run for the board.
s. We’ve alll got t do we do with hem
relative or friendr runs the janitoria someonewho member isr o after ther
manag
Sometim when the
or the treas iends
untab bers s
mes t e bo eas
r too many ociations that a board member’s is t
ial line any
o works offered
al service. Mae. Maybe a board member sr is dating s for anr n ass
y asso the ow ervice. M
y or ting
d empl agement mployment at a management co
management contract is awarded. on
mploym t contra
in the on-site management office. T and friends sition
on-site man
d ev sho
ty fr ve
the relatio oard presid surer’s da -site m
dau
accountability from board members a d their rela To avoid even the appearance members should disclose any relat potential conflict of interestf hone
e to the association. Do demand bility
they ho e ass
s and of
ation
closet, because sooner or late dea
entia nest d oset, ad b
Lik
it this way: Does your boa k and shadowe rec
ke r thi
wed son s, o on f
pens for
bodies.
relationships, there’s good and bad business. Think board
good nd b o busines ed back nally from
undisclosed compensation from association business, you’ve got reaso
re benefitting personally m the contracts awardeds awa at a property, are receivin for all unit owners or oth mpe
on a brightly lit street? O? Or does youes our board do business in a dark are a
ard do business in an open ack allk alley? If boardf
ceivin
nsation alarm
alarm.
There’s one class of ownership in communityassociations, so be wary
lass if
eager to volunteer to negotiate a business contract, select additiona board members to be part of that process board member suddenly provides an alternate and lowernd lo priced proposal to a project after all bids have been receiveden r and reviewed by the board, be suspicious of the motivation. Boards should make business decisions at open meetings with all board members having been provided with the same
other homeowner.
meow volun
boar mbe po
nal bo me pro vie
ds a
me information. Board business should be conducted 58 | COMMON INTEREST® • Fall 2023 • A Publication of CAI-Illinois Chapter
rk dok wner ntee
ss. Iff a f owne f bo boar mu y
services or work done that isn’t also available to every Iff one board member seems overly elect
board members seem to be getting ly
therwise find some w to obtain ation
ng serv herwi
n’t emb nk k of
n way sine
members
al co di
disclosure will help you
for the u avoi er so
e commu
oid those s somebody
skele alw
side
ionship problem is more sident’s son is the salaried daughter is the administ
nistrativ To be
for position th hold, and some may b service
ay be o nd t
re e ed ha
ssociation vendor. Maybe a bo om
n a relationship? It’s a dirty wner ofr
ociat wne
f the roofing company ny
board mpany
evident, handyman
ative assistant fair, relativ
ativ
ds off board members may be perffectly qu ns t
f improprie nship that c
arency and ationships. riet board at could be a
par
mparabl a
ationsh ety, bo coul
munity. Full and e skeletons in the dy always finds the
of incompf transpa
atives ualified mparable
or an individual board member n
t of thf ndi
ne in wit them? It’s a touchy
t them. We all y subject!
operation off a community assoy association. What happens when the good relationship tu relationshipin the best interest interest when it’s the board or crosses the proverbia secret at far
turns into something more than a est in
ps are esre essential to the successful ocia
theproperty? What happens r who y little
r t th
in an open and transparent manner members to honor their fiduciary d exp
Finally, nothin a communi rogue bo
Duuum embod
sing
alway who e
Da Duuummm is embo al
mmm
ays! Watch otch out for those power-hungry board members who may be ready to wreak ends throu in a singl loving
odied in e re
the community rules are somehow differen You
ng c
mem are th
the
gue vio
single a g neighb communit don’t w
mber tol
ember’s loud parties and sexua scapades on the balcony e tolerable, do you? You’ll a he board member routine uests at the pool und iolation complaints.
want to live in a community where the board xual esca ant to di
mmunity scapa
ll want inely a der t aints. Sadly, one r rogue
mmuni ppose
of a comm nity assoc votes oppose er wh
nzy o
ters, and the boa fictional
histrionics y
istrion
What po
power mem
you do t hat ca
over fi nics
s at the don’t won’t want s
e is f fully capable off ruining the reputation ciation. The board memberwho
y cap ciation
member who gossips iin the elevators about confidential matte frenz
powerless! Remember that pu
can you do? Don’t forget th special
rvices that aren’t provided movies, there’ sae’s saf way t
We all know a
sociati
Howev sca
confronting the crazy man safety in num
w the he
fice the community to avoid niiac. Aswe know from scary numbers so don’t go it alone!
ifice umb here are good community association
boards and b d commbad community association boards. There are wonderful peopleerful pel peo associations
followed by A Nightmare on Elm Street 2:t Freddy’s
eopl who contribute time and talent to their ations every single day and do so well and with care. However, the examples used in this article are real; and real cary. Iff your board has acted badly, don’t wait to be haunted
or terrorized by the past. Don’t forget that A Nightmare on Elm Street wast
Revenge and then after three more franchise movies later by the inevitable Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare; but Freddy somehow still came back afterk
that! Boards can and
do go bad, and that’s a real nightmare on main street for your community. If your board of directors reminds you of a horror film, don’t be afraid to do something about it!
members may be called by thy the p sident off the unit owners. Consult wionsult with cou special meeting for t e purpose of board member. Don’t he cr
cial m presid ouns
peopl meet
pe
sed to everything jthing just to be contrary, the board board member who whips the owners into
o
fictiona issues just so there is an audience e board meeting, are all board membersrd mem serving your association.
ience fe for membe
the people are not meetings of
the
president, board or 20% ounsel about calling a
or the purpose of removing the rogue n’t sacrifice
y and in the gui
ntrusi ise o
different ity
dista
y whe ades
distance yourself fromf ntrusively photographing uis of documentingf
rules ers k mayhem to achieve
ugh any means. Maybe the rogue is only inter agenda item, like somehow evicting bor. Often the rogue just
e their wnr own interes
g an o
oard member. (Cue the music and evil laugh: Da HaHaHa!) At times, this scary specter n the person of the board president – but not embe
hing can spread terror more quickly throughy nity assoc d mem
ere. ca
sp asso m! MuHa
sociation than the actions of a lone r
ociat ot
interested opera-
t wants to be certain ent for him or her.
nne . Do expect your board uciary duty to the association.
That means you should expect undivided loyalty and reasonable business judgm conducting the association’ the dark! We all know romow fro good happens ther
judgment from board members in ciation’s business affairs. Don’t go into om every horror movie that nothing
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