Challenging
the board
“What we don’t get is how often
winners will do whatever it takes to win.”
—David Denby
It is very important that you understand what you are going to be
getting into before you undertake such a struggle.
Why?
The first and most important thing is to have a clear understanding of
why you are dissatisfied with the board’s performance and why are you
planning to fight the board of directors.
Do you honestly understand your motives? It is revenge? Did you get a
couple of parking tickets and you were ordered to keep your stereo down
so you want to get even? Did they paint your hallway beige when you
wanted it painted green?
Perhaps you want to repeal a by-law or a rule that you do not like.
Does
the building have a ban on large dogs that you think is unjust?
Are you upset because the board announced a maintenance fee increase or
a special assessment and you want to roll it back?
If these are your reasons, battling the board is probably not a good
idea.
However, if you are upset that dogs are pooping on the carpets and in
the elevators, loud music keeps residents awake at night, people are
dropping lit cigarettes and garbage off the balconies and people are
smoking dope in the staircases, then you have a good reasons to
challenge the board.
If you are upset because the hallway carpets are badly stained, the
elevators regularly breakdown, graffiti is not cleaned up and the roof
leaks, then you also have good reasons to want the board replaced.
Are you concerned that there are financial irregularities and wasteful
spending? Is the board showing favour to the commercial units at the
expense of the residential ones? Are the townhouses favoured over the apartment units?
If the reserve fund is under-funded and the corporation is running
annual deficits, the board needs to be replaced.
You need to have a clear idea of what the present board is doing that
is harmful to the corporation. You need to be clear on what your goals
are, what you will do differently and how this will benefit the
condominium corporation for now and for the future.
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