board meeting out of control

besides robert's rule. I would like to hear how other assoc handle their meeting. We have five Board Members. 96 units.about 5 residents come to meeting. Ours no matter how we conduct meeting - by the rules, relaxed, roberts rule, let them talk, put request to speak before meeting,and the list go on

problem - when we open up the meeting to residents, Some have their list ready for us to answer. But if they disagree with our answer they go off the wall. To much input from other residents on subject or answers. If the President trys to go or bring the meeting to order. We get comments like the Board is going to do what they want to anyway, Board cuts me off, We try very hard to allow our Residents to be involved in the running of the property. We have been self-managed with on site property manager for the last 6 years.I am sure that most of our problems about our meetings could be handled by the Board. I just wanted to know how others handle their meentings. Who makes your agenda out? Property Manager, President.

They are trying to bully and intimidate your board. . .and they are succeeding.

It might be worth your while to hire a security guard for the next meeting.

At the beginning of the next meeting the president needs to clarify exactly how the meeting will be conducted and exactly how much time for input the residents have.

He/she needs to make it clear that the agenda is the primary concern, and comments are welcome, but the process will be followed.

People who continue to disrupt, regardless of what they are saying, will be asked to leave. If they do not leave, then the security guard will escort them out.

Let the membership know that constructive criticism is allowed, but bullying and intimidation, verbal or otherwise, or attempts to hi-jack the business of the meeting will not be tolerated.

Carol,

Are you required to invite non-BOD Members, or is that an option you have chosen? If it's an option, how about you finish all your BOD issues FIRST, then let the kids have their say. And if they don't like the procedure, or continue to act out, just don't invite them any more.

Carol, funny you should ask....

We've had an ongoing problem with disgruntled people showing up at board meetings just to gripe about things not on the agenda. Or they thought that board meetings were open bitch sessions to verbally beat up the board members.

So this year, at the first meeting, our president read the following statement:

1. BOARD MEETINGS ARE NOT MEMBER’S MEETINGS.

2. BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS TO DISCUSS ASSOCIATION BUSINESS

3. BOARD MEMBERS ARE NOT TO BE DISRUPTED WHILE AGENDA
TOPICS ARE BEING DISCUSSED

4. AT THE END OF THE BOARD MEMBER’S DISCUSSION THE BOARD
WILL ASK FOR COMMENTS FROM THE MEMBERS

5. MEMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO COMMENT ON THE AGENDA ITEM TOPIC
AT THAT TIME.

6. MEMBERS ARE LIMITED TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES ON EACH
AGENDA ITEM.

7. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL CONSIDER EACH MEMBER’S COMMENTS,
BUT IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO DELAY THEIR DECISIONS BASED ON
COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS.

8. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WERE ELECTED TO MAKE DECISIONS AND
RUN THE ASSOCIATION ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.

9. MEMBERS NOT WILLING TO COMPLY WITH THE PROCESS OR ANYONE
WHO IS DISRUPTIVE WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING.

ALL OF THIS IS TO PROVIDE A PROPER, EFFECTIVE MEETING, IN ACCORDANCE TO THE RULES, COVENTANTS AND STATE STATUTES.

Not only was it read at the meeting but it is posted on our bulletin boards. Members had previously been given information on the proper proceedure to request an item to be included on the agenda. It's a shame we had to go this far, but too many people thought they had a part in running the board meetings and that THEIR decisions should override the board members decisions.

Association members who wish to speak at our Board meetings must sign-up before the meeting starts. Additionally, they sign their name below the following statement:
"Residents wanting to address the Board must sign-up between 7:15-7:30 – immediately prior to the meeting. Allowed time will depend on the number of residents desiring to speak, but will NOT exceed 3 minutes. Comments should be addressed the Board and not a specific member."

We(BOD) feel no obligation to respond directly to the comments presented. We have adopted this method and it works for us.

Anna,

I don't expect our members are that different from your. When we have a couple of people 'out of order', the solution is to run the meeting your way - not theirs.

There is not a lot of satisfaction when the 'disruptors' see the meeting continue without regard to their comments. The primary thing is not to respond to comments from the 'peanut gallery.' Stick to your agenda and refuse to recognize people who interrupt.

Easy to say, but harder to do. We are doing better and attendees are realizing it!!!!!

Jon,

In many states, the legislature feels all assn members have a right to attend all meetings of the assn, including board meetings. AZ, FL and CA, to name a few, have this law. I agree with this concept. Why shouldn't I have a right to attend a meeting of my assn's BOD meetings, just as I have the right to attend my city council meetings? Your mindset that members have no business at a board meeting is totally wrong, IMO. If the shoe were on the other foot you might also agree!

I agree, disruptive members need to be dealt with accordingly. There are 1,702 members in my assn, and if we get one to attend a monthly board meeting, we're lucky. Generally the only members who do attend are ones that have a dispute to discuss with the board and after the discussion they generally leave although they are not required to. IMO, when an assn has a high number of dissatisfied members and ones that appear repeatedly at board meetings to complain, often times it's because of a lack of communition between the board and the members.

Anna,

What a great idea. We are fortunate in that we have few members that think they are part of the board. If so, we just let them know that AFTER the agenda has been addressed we welcome comments which are limited to three minutes.

First, if you don't have thick skin, then you really need to resign from being a board member. Stay long enough and you will make someone upset at you. That is the end of it all.

Second, I would not try to answer the questions at the time they are brought up. If an owner raises a question the best response is to thank them for the input and that you will get back to them. Then answer them in a very public forum such as your web site. But do take the questions seriously and you may need to put some items on a future agenda.

Third, you need to have an agenda and stick with the agenda.

Fourth, you need a leader who will actually lead the meeting. Ideally the person will neither be meek, nor unbending. To be sure it is a skill that doesn't come naturally to most people.

Carol, you've gotten some real good advice here - you (the president actually) has got to maintain control of the meeting!

An alternative no one has mentioned yet is to nominate a new president. If one of the other board members has a stronger personality and can do a better job, make him/her president! You just can't let the homeowners be so interruptive!

Jon,

In many states, the legislature feels all assn members have a right to attend all meetings of the assn, including board meetings. AZ, FL and CA, to name a few, have this law. I agree with this concept. Why shouldn't I have a right to attend a meeting of my assn's BOD meetings, just as I have the right to attend my city council meetings? Your mindset that members have no business at a board meeting is totally wrong, IMO. If the shoe were on the other foot you might also agree!

I agree, disruptive members need to be dealt with accordingly. There are 1,702 members in my assn, and if we get one to attend a monthly board meeting, we're lucky. Generally the only members who do attend are ones that have a dispute to discuss with the board and after the discussion they generally leave although they are not required to. IMO, when an assn has a high number of dissatisfied members and ones that appear repeatedly at board meetings to complain, often times it's because of a lack of communition between the board and the members.

MaryA1:

I have no idea what the current breakdown is for states requiring "open" meetings versus those with no such requirements. Nor does it much matter. Your suggestion that one way or the other is "wrong" simply seems not to matter much as the Board is required to operate under its current obligations within state regulations. What FL,AZ, or Ca require does not affect the legal or moral requirements in NY.

If you were to own a single share of GE stock that would make you a shareholder in the corporation. Period. As in most associations a Board is elected to oversee the operation of the corporation and make decisions. Would your ownership of one share entitle you to attend the corporations Board meetings? NO. My thought is that a Board is elected to make informed decisions and does not need to rely on the opinions or beliefs ( uninformed some times) of the shareholders. Just like the elected Board of a corporation.

In order to succeed hire or elect smart, competent people get out of their way and let them do their jobs.

As for the shoe being on my other foot..... I was at one time simply another unit owner. 22 years ago I joined the Board and got involved because I wanted to protect my home and investment. My feelings about whether a meeting should be open or not never changed if I wanted to be a part of the decision making process I simply needed to work for a position on the Board.

Your description of a 1,700 member property with just one member perhaps attending the monthly meeting speaks for itself. Most owners have no real, informed interest in the operations of the Board. Simply when they have an issue to complain about or address. We simply handle this through a requirement to contact the Board in writing rather than having to work to maintain order at our monthly meetings.

It has nothing to do with a lack of communication we simply don't want to subject 9 volunteers to the rantings of a small group of unhappy folks.

Our Board meetings are productive rather then trying to survive the disruptive behavior of supposed "adult" property owners.

No right or wrong just the way we do it here.........

Jon,

You said: "I joined the Board and got involved because I wanted to protect my home and investment. My feelings about whether a meeting should be open or not never changed if I wanted to be a part of the decision making process I simply needed to work for a position on the Board."

Therein lies the difference between members being allowed to attend board meetings or not. I have no reason to seek a position on the board because I know my assn. is being run efficiently; my home and investment are being protected. I know this because I am able to attend the monthly board meetings and see exactly how the assn is being run. If I were to see something questionable I have the right to stand up and ask questions b/4 the board votes on a particular issue. I don't have to wait for the board to send info to me in a newsletter. You, on the other hand, feel you must hold a board position to insure your home and investment is protected against a board of directors that might not be able to effectively operate the assn. You have no other choice because you don't have the right to attend meetings and see firsthand what is being accomplished and in what manner. You must rely on communications from the board to tell you what has happened and hope they are giving you the whole story.

But, of course, as you say, it really doesn't matter, because that's the law in NY. All I'm saying is that I believe the states that have requirements for open board meetings realize that the members should have some rights; the basic one being the right to attend board meetings and, in AZ at least, the right to speak b/4 an issue is voted on by the BOD.

In twelve or more years of our HOA, we've only had two people ever ask to attend a monthly board meeting.

I dunno. Maybe three.

We're lucky if we get a huge turnout for the annual homeowners meeting, and they have all year to plan for that one. . .