Master Assoc BOD mtg question

I will tell you how my situation works, I do not know if any of it will apply to your situation. My development is made of 5 separate sub-associations (each has from 70 to 125 single family homes, and one association is still being built so the builder is still in control). Each sub-association has its own documents and operate on their own with boards for each sub. The master consists of one member from each sub. The master is in charge of a tiny amount of common property, most of the property belongs to and is managed by each sub. The master has nothing to do with each sub other than negotiating the bulk cable contract and managing the small amount of common property.

The master has decided to have full property management services, and I cannot for the life of me understand why since there is so little to do. Each sub pays for dues and cable tv so I could maybe see why there should be bookkeeping services but its a waste of money for full management. I am on the master and so are 3 old men who would wear robes, crowns and carry staffs if they could get away with it, and they vote in a block together all the time. They love to hear themselves talk and are rude and inconsiderate, and they have no idea what 'fiduciary relationship' means. Rant, sorry. Anyway, no other property management companies attend the master meetings, in fact, my property manager does not attend my sub meetings because they only do bookkeeping for us, otherwise we are self-managed.

The master association should have its own documents that says what its in charge of in terms of common property, amenities and contracts. I like to think of it like the master is the federal government and the subs are the state government. Like real life, too much government costs money and sometimes creates problems. Some masters rules allow for different numbers of representatives of the subs, maybe based on population, although I don't necessarily agree with that arrangement. I also do not like the electoral process, I will not rant about that. The meetings should be run just like your sub meetings but you may have significantly fewer meetings depending on what the master is in charge of. If you have subs that are quite different demographically and with different amenities, you may run into problems trying to fund things that some subs wont care about.

If you are not comfortable being at a meeting without a property manager, I do not see why they could not go to the first meeting, especially if questions arise about the subs that you cannot answer.

Is MI an open meeting state? If it is, you have a better chance of having your PM attend over the objections of the other members of the master association.

Have you notified the master association of your intentions yet?

IMO, the open meeting rules would apply to the MA even before it comes into existence. Recommend that notify all that you will have your PM there as an observer.