In Process of Replacing PM

I’m currently on the Board of my small (less than 10 units) condo association in California. My previous posts have outlined multiple issues we’ve had with our PM. We are currently in the process of replacing the PM. During our last meeting, the Board voted & approved a contract for a new PM and voted to not renew the current PM contract. Per the terms of the contract though, 90 days’ notice is required. The PM was not present during the meeting. The following business day, the PM was notified via emailed by the Board that we had voted to terminate the current PM contract and we had voted and approved a new PM contract with "XYZ company". The Board also voted in a new landscaping contract/vendor during the meeting. The signed contracts were attached in the email to the PM.

The email to the PM instructed that they cancel all current landscaping agreements effective immediately and to execute the newly approved landscaping contract. Part of the problem with the PM is that our current landscaper was a renter who lives on the property and the previous Board only had a verbal agreement, nothing in writing and the person isn’t insured as is required by our ByLaws. The PM’s response when the current Board questioned this was effectively “so what, who cares?”. 2 of the 3 Board members did care which is why a new landscaping contract was voted on and accepted…..

A week after the PM was emailed to execute the contracts, the President called the PM to ask if the new landscaper had been contacted. The PM responded “oh you want me to do that?”. The President replied yes. It’s been 2 weeks and the landscaper says that the PM still hasn’t made contact. The landscaper has left a few voice messages for the PM but hasn't received a response.

This PM is self-employed and has no other employees so there is no one else in the “company” that the Board can contact or complain to in the hopes of producing a professional, productive result. When I was looking for a new PM, I spoke to someone who said they had acquired one of her clients and their experience was the PM has questionable practices. Rather than handing over the property documents to the Board or new PM, the PM placed the documents in a storage locker located on the property unknown to anyone else. The documents weren’t discovered until months later.

Since our assoc. is so small, we don’t have much participation from anyone else. Calling & emailing the PM aren’t providing much of a result. The PM currently handles all the financials. Would you recommend the Board take steps to remove financial control from the PM at this point? Any suggestions of what to do as a next step or advice on what worked/didn't work from anyone who has experience replacing a PM?

I agree.

Thank you, I appreciate the responses. The contract between our Assoc and the new PM isn't effective until the 1st of the year therefore we wanted the current PM, since we are still paying, to continue to process payments for the Assoc (collect monthly assessment and pay garbage & water bill). BUT I do see and agree with Larry’s point of the PM not being motivated to do their job. My opinion is if the PM is being paid, they should still have to abide by the terms of their contract…..but life isn’t fair and is it what is it.
As far as executing a landscape contract. The Board had approved a contract. The signed contract was sent to the PM. The instructions to “execute” the contract was basically the PM calling the vendor to see what day they could start and entering the vendor into her database so they would be setup to receive payment. But back to what Larry said, I agree and just need to take the situation for what it is.