Is your board divided?

Started by DanaB1 • 19 replies • 1995 views

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DanaB1 (Connecticut)
Posts: 319

Posted:

Hi all,

Just sort of a survey question here; I'm curious how many boards out there deal with divisive boards? Do you have a split board constantly over certain decisions; such as rule enforcement, raising fees, etc.? Or do you happen to have a sitting board that are pretty much in the same frame of mind?

Thanks,

Dana

SusanW1 (Michigan)
Posts: 5,202

Posted:

I'd say it's those with vision and those without and those who spend conservatively, those who don't.

Any "exaggerations" of governing styles cause the problems, though.

SusanW1 (Michigan)
Posts: 5,202

Posted:

I'd say it's those with vision and those without and those who spend conservatively, those who don't.

Any "exaggerations" of governing styles cause the problems, though.

DanaB1 (Connecticut)
Posts: 319

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SusanW1 on 06/11/2009 5:30 AM

Any "exaggerations" of governing styles cause the problems, though.

Could you give me an example?

AnnaD2 (Florida)
Posts: 960

Posted:

Dana, I've sat on BOTH. We had a tyranical president who belittled us to no end, made decisions and signed contracts with no board input and finally quit because we "wouldn't cooperate"....meaning her way was the only way.

Our CURRENT board all respect each other, treat each other kindly and do not always agree on issues. We agree to disagree but are mature enough to handle it like adults. When the majority of the board votes in something that a couple of other board do not agree with the "losers" take it in stride and go on.

MaryA1 (Arizona)
Posts: 7,043

Posted:

Dana,

Referring to a board whose members have differing opinions as divisive hits a raw nerve with me. As a board member on the first board after declarant turnover, a board member once called me divisive because I didn't always agree with everyone else. Disagreeing is not necessarily being divisive. Being devisive means disagreeing by causing dissension. Just stating an opposing view is not being divisive.

My HOA board generally votes with pretty much the same mindset although the individual members are not afraid to state a differing view. I don't detect any members who "vote with the flow", as was the case with my former board of which I was a "divisive" member!

MicheleD (Kentucky)
Posts: 4,491

Posted:

Our boards have had varying levels of disagreement among members over the years.

I can't remember a single incarnation where all the board members were of one mind on everything.

I remember one year the board was discussing adding a certain member to the board (we were 3 members short of our maximum), and two of the board members didn't like this person and felt he would not bring "cohesive" ideas to the board. They instead wanted some other resident on instead.

These two board members were trying to get more older white males on the board and this was a younger black male.

They actually said out loud that they didn't think his vision of the community would "gel" with "ours."

Based on absolutely no contact with this person whatsoever!

This resident had lived in the community as long as I had and had never, ever had a single complaint filed against him and was never late with assessments. . . he was an IT manager at a local company. . . had a new baby. . . his wife was a nurse. ..

I'm like, "how do you KNOW his 'vision' of the community would not 'gel' with 'ours'?"

At any rate, I made a strong case for the need for diversity of opinion and background on a board like ours. We can't exist if we smoke our own exhaust. It's crucial to have dissenting views and people who bring a perspective that we may not have heard before.

AnnW (Ohio)
Posts: 29

Posted:

I was not voted on a previous board but invited to fill a vacancy. At the time I finally accepted the invitation, I was aware there were those in the community who did not agree with many of the boards decisions. I thought I would listen and be able to bring them together by being fair and forthright! I am also a Realtor and had been dealing with difficult situations for 30 years. Unfortunately my wisdome helped not one iota! I eventually resigned because I felt certain the management company was taking advantage of this nieve board...possibly even mishandling funds. There were two of us who tried our best to open the eyes of the other three board members but to no avail. We resigned within 2 weeks of each other. A well off owner then sued the board after months of trying to secure the financial records. The board defaulted on the suit because they depended on the manager and did not even listen to the attorney! After the default they fired the management co and filed a suit on them. That suit is ongoing...
Our present new board started off being pretty much on one page...and we were hopeful to now be able to do things correctly. But then the young board president turned on the board and sided with the old board...takin petitions to unseat this board. Never been done before. At present this group headed by the rogue board member is still trying to get the needed amount of signatures to do just that....
Check my notations on Rogue Member...
Ann W.

Ann W.

RobertR1 (South Carolina)
Posts: 5,164

Posted:

One thing I will comment on.

Drop this term "Divisive".

Divisive could mean to intentional cause dissent. I have been called divisive because:
a) I didn't agree with a decision
b)because I was a member of a group of homeowners interested in improving our organization:
c) I never said anything positive. If I did not, that does not make me "divisive".
d) I live in a condominium instead a a single family home.
E) I objected to certain expenditure of funds
f) and the list goes on and on and the crowning jewels is, because the person calling the names likes the intellectual sound of the word.

This country was built on differences as much as similarities.

"Divisive" really means, to some, they don't agree with me.

We are always divided. Look at the US Supreme Court, how many 5 to 4 decisions do they hand down? But we survive and move forward, and there will be some that take the aforementioned remark as divisive.

MaryA1 (Arizona)
Posts: 7,043

Posted:

Right on, Robert. I couldn't have said it better myself!

Many years ago I was called devisive by a fellow board member because I didn't always agree with the other 4 board members. Say what? I'm not allowed to have a mind of my own? Being a board member means you're obligated to "go along with the flow", lest you be labeled devisive. Hogwash!! No one should be afraid to have the courage of their convictions. All board members always agreeing could be a sign of brainwashing or of people being afraid to voice their opinions -- neither is a good thing.

BonnieE (Illinois)
Posts: 338

Posted:

Hi Dana,

Focusing on your 2nd question:
“Do you have a split board constantly over certain decisions; such as rule enforcement, raising fees, etc.? Or do you happen to have a sitting board that are pretty much in the same frame of mind?”

My observations for the past couple of years is that our Board members appear to be of the same frame of mind as they are voting the same. Note that we have had the same 3 core members during this period and have not had a full 5 person Board for about 2 years.

I was on the Board prior to that and we did not agree on everything, but were able to work through our disagreements.

Now for your 1st question: “…how many boards out there deal with divisive boards?” I can recall a few instances when I was on our Board and we had directors whose actions, IMO, would be considered divisive (not in the way that Mary, Anna and others have mentioned, but in ways that involved secrecy of actions taken against other Board members).

Bonnie

TracieS (Colorado)
Posts: 460

Posted:

My little apathetic association Board is pretty much of the same mind. Keep fees low and keep the property nice. There's not much else they really care about. They kind of just roll with the punches.

JohnK3 (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 967

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By TracieS on 06/30/2009 8:43 AM
My little apathetic association Board is pretty much of the same mind. Keep fees low and keep the property nice. There's not much else they really care about. They kind of just roll with the punches.

Tracie,

Except for the apathetic part, your logline describes our BOD accurately. And we've been pretty successful since we went self-managed in 2007. Sooo....are you complaining or simply observing?

TracieS (Colorado)
Posts: 460

Posted:

Oh, I'm NOT complaining!!!! Well, not about how we roll with the punches. We're very casual, and we want to keep it that way. Other than keeping fees low, and trying to keep the property nice...What else is there to REALLY worry about? We've got no pool, no playgrounds, no clubhouse, no golf course, no tennis courts, no greenway, no utilities to care for (we're in town), no roads...

Other issues I have...I'll complain! And, I have! Just not on this post! ;)

RobertR1 (South Carolina)
Posts: 5,164

Posted:

Good post John,
Your coveted suggestion to think about selfmanagement or change management to stimulate interest should be considered. I would like to think SOME HOA's can be thrieving busy happy places to live.

AnneM2 (North Carolina)
Posts: 30

Posted:

I don't think it is healthy for an HOA Board if all members are of the same mind-set. The HOA benefits by having a group of directors who bring to the table diverse backgrounds and experiences who can discuss issues with an open mind and then make decisions based on honest opinions of what is best for the organization and without personal agendas.

MaryA1 (Arizona)
Posts: 7,043

Posted:

AnneM,

Amen to that!

JohnK3 (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 967

Posted:

Tracie observes:

>>>We're very casual, and we want to keep it that way. Other than keeping fees low, and trying to keep the property nice...What else is there to REALLY worry about?<<<

Yup. Same here. Also, we pepper Membership with detailed, emailed Updates every 4-6 weeks covering virtually everything our BOD has been up to, along with an accounting of every cent of their dues we've spent.

We tell; they don't ask. Nor complain about our modus operandi.

AnnaD2 (Florida)
Posts: 960

Posted:

JohnK what you say is exactly the best piece of advise our attorney ever gave us. To be PROACTIVE rather than REACTIVE. Most people simply want to know what is going on.

MaryA1 (Arizona)
Posts: 7,043

Posted:

Anna,

Your words: "Most people simply want to know what is going on" are very prophetic. That's why I think the open meeting law is a good law. A member of an HOA in a state with such a law doesn't really have a legitimate complaint that the board doesn't communicate with them when they have the right to attend every board meeting and hear exactly what is going on.

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