kicking member out of meeting

Last night at our board meeting we had a member talk for the entire meeting. The chair didn't ask her to be quiet so at one point the manager asked the person to be quiet, and the person continued to talk and make comments for the rest of the meeting.

I talked with the chair and told her if this person acts like that again, you have to say something, you are supposed to be in charge of the meeting. I added if she ignores the request to be quiet kick her out of the meeting, and if she won't leave call the police. The chair said she will ask her to be quiet, but won't kick her out of the meeting, that we should just ignore her.

This person talks and makes comments at every meeting she comes to.(she doesn't come to all the meetings) We had important business to discuss and it was a big distraction for the rest of the board and manager.

What would you do if you were a board member at this meeting?
thanks
Barbara

Tim,

Barbara is in Florida, where every vocal(bigmouth) member is allowed to attend the entire meeting. If a member wishes to address the Board, they are entitled to request IN WRITTING, a chance (3 Minutes) to speak. Now, when you have someone like this woman who just is rude and thoughtless toward the other members and the Board, then she should be put on notice by someone. Be it a Board member or the P.M., she needs to be reminded of meeting etticate and removed from the meeting if she does not comply. No ifs, ands or buts, out she goes. Call a Deputy if nescessary. We did it once and never had any problems after that. Here again, why do we babysit people who act like rotten kids.

Robert,

I surely hope that you said the above with tongue in cheek. As an ex Naval Officer, did you not have to request to speak to the higher powers?

From Fl Statutes 720:303 (b) " Members have the right to attend all meetings of the board and to speak on any matter placed on the agenda by petition of the voting interests for at least 3 minutes. The association may adopt written reasonable rules expanding the right of members to speak and governing the frequency, duration, and other manner of member statements, which rules must be consistent with this paragraph and may include a sign-up sheet for members wishing to speak"

Donna,
Yeah, I do tongue in check, foot in mouth, hands over eye, and head up my butt, all equally bad. I have asked for permission to come aborad, to leave the ship and to order too many shots and a beer. The only thing I fear is someday I might meet you face to face and get my a-- kicked. But I never had to take a "chance" if I wanted to speak. Is this take a chance something like the DMV office when you go in they give you anumber. But............I don't think I am ringing any bells so I will swear I didn't write any of this.

MichaelK,
Not a critical observation, just an observation.

Our Board operates pretty much along the same lines as yours, and it works pretty well, but only a few of us attend and we actually have two times during the meeting we can speak. At the beginning after meeting is called, we have 3 minutes and at the end of the meeting we get an additional 3 minutes. The later of course is to provide an attendee to comment on any Board action or subject covered that evening.

I understand there is concern for out of control emotion at a meeting. I have a little problem with thinking everything should be considered without emotion. Many things bring up emotions, both board members and attendees or other owners. Personally I would rather see someone concerned and be emotionally than just ignoring the association. At a meeting or a chance meeting on the street, we all deal with emotions, and we pretty much can handle it. It does take skill and knowledge to hold a meeting together if things start to get out of hand. There are some that can do this effortlessly, it seems, and some that struggle, and some that just can't do it. Same with owners and their concerns. Our meetings are prefaced with a statement of the rules and I would believe the few regulars that go to these meeting are well aware of the rules and don't need to be reminded each and every time. To me this smacks of a "Boardish Practice." Something a Board will do because...........I don't know, because they are a Board maybe.

RobertR,

It sounds like you do the same things we do (except having the opening Q&A in addition to the one at the end). To what are you referring as a "Boardish Practice"?

We also read the rules at the beginning. This Board does not generally shut people down or rule them out of order. We don't ask them to be robots.

Having them hold their thoughts until the end results in more thoughtful and less emotional content. People still discuss the things they care about, but they have less opportunity to shoot from the hip or react angrily, and they phrase things better. Do you find you get the same result from this practice?

To avoid confusion, that is to say:

Barbara,

Perhaps you need a "sergeant-at-arms"?

Tim,

She wasn't speaking on any issue that was being discussed. She received a violation letter so she is claiming she is being "targeted" by the board and the manager. This is completely not true.

Barbara

MichaelK11,
Oh sure, I think all Board meetings should be open, (except ES) and include opportunity for members to notice the Board of their concerns. I expect the opportunity to speak at start of meeting is to allow an owner to have his say and leave if so desiring. The one at the end is an opportunity for owner discussion about what came up in the current meeting.

I think I coined this "Boardish Practice" term, and to me it appears some boards just feel they must act presidential and sometimes do things because that is the way they have been done in the past, some Boards also like to fall back into a defensive position about some item they take as an attack, and will assume the position, "it's a Boards decision.", or, "well that is what the Board has decided." They could be right, but I like reason better than edicts.

No big deal, just a slight "poke" at the Palace Doors.

Hi Donna,

She has just received her second notice, she will have a meeting with the fining committee next week.(which she announced at the board meeting that she will not attend) She informed a renter that they were targeted for being renters, so the renter came and complained too. (yes, the chair let the renter talk, for probably 20 minutes)

This woman has always complained about everything.(every board,manager,neighbors and vendors)Just one of those trouble makers(she is 67 yrs old and acts like a 2 yr old)

thanks for your response
Barbara

Old hippies don’t die, they move into HOA’s and continue to fight the “man”.