Choosing candidates
“We'd all like to vote for the best man, but he's never a candidate.”
—Kin Hubbard

This can be tough. One one hand, you need volunteers that agree with you that the present directors needs to be replaced but on the other hand, you do not want to replace poor-performing directors with others that may be worse.

Qualifications
What qualifications do directors need? What questions should you ask a candidate who is interested in running for the board?

1. Does the candidate have time to serve on the Board?
The directors need to attend board meetings, attend some training seminars, read e-mails, contract proposals and correspondence and spend some time touring the property.

A person who works at two jobs or puts in 12 hour work days probably will not be able to contribute the required time or be able to attend evening board meetings.

2. Can the candidate make tough decisions?
Is the candidate willing to authorize liens and forecloses on owners who are in arrears? Will they pass needed monthly fee increases? How about a necessary special assessment? Will they bend under the pressure if the owners resist increases in payments?

3. No favourites
Will they act in the best interests of all the owners or will he or she look after just the landlords or members of a particular ethnic group? Is the candidate running so he can give contracts to relatives, friends or to certain contractors that he has ties to?

4. The ability to learn
Can the candidate read the Act, the Declaration, the by-laws and the rules? He don't have to memorize them but he has to have to have a good grasp on what they are. Is he willing to abide by them? 

Is he willing to learn how to review the monthly financial statements? Will he follow the meeting rules that the corporation uses. (Nathan's or Roberts.)

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