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I attended the AGM last night of one of the several OCs that I am a member of. This OC has 190 lot owners. At the AGM only 5 owners attended including me (I don't know about proxy votes) . Half way though the meeting a 6th attendee arrived. So a less than 3% attendance rate.
On another occasion, the AGM of another OC I am a member of (12 lots) was attended solely by myself. And this time I know there were no proxy votes. I suppose at least it was an 8% attendance rate …
These meetings were stark reminders that for many owners, the OC AGM seems to be of little or no importance unless there is some major issue that concerns them personally.
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What's worse? A situation like Austman's…
Or one like ours where the meetings are well attended because there are lots of controversial issues caused by an Executive Committee created by the equivalent of a gerrymander and inappropriate proxy clustering… who do next to nothing while the place is going to rack and ruin? The Strata Manager? Well, he can only do what the Executive Committee lets him do, he'll tell you.
Apathy is endemic in Strata Plans, and that's made worse when most of the Units are tenanted.
As Secretary of a 27 Lot self-managed Plan, every AGM Agenda that I prepare includes a front-page plea for attendance, and still I'm continually e-mailing our 23 non-resident owners to encourage participation or to obtain their proxies and voting instructions in advance of our Meetings.
Most e-mails are never responded to (not even a read-receipt), but thus far, with personal attendance by E/C Members, I've held sufficient proxies to reach a quorum and to hold the Meetings; just.
There are days when I wonder why I bother, and right now as the date for our AGM approaches, I'm contemplating whether to use trickery in order to elicit attendance by placing an Item on the Agenda to increase the Levies by some outlandish percentage, or to do/say nothing, then adjourn the Meeting and reconvene 7 days later to resolve to pass everything.
I don't think there's a solution to this problem, but if there is I'd like to read it.
Whale said:
……I'm contemplating whether to use trickery in order to elicit attendance by placing an Item on the Agenda to increase the Levies by some outlandish percentage, ……
Reading the posts on this topic I was thinking the same thing myself.
Maybe you need to check with the Strata Manager to be sure you have the latest contact details for the Owners.
As Secretary, send out the Agenda Items as usual, with a proposal for a huge increase of levies, or turning common property into a child care centre or something outlandish.
Later, enlist the help of another caring Owner, and from a hotmail address send an email, or door knock offering to take on proxies to vote at the AGM!!!
That would sure stir people up.
The honey-trap agenda motion is a tempting idea – but don't make it levies … don't know why but that just feels irresponsible.
Pets, parking and parties are the dog-whistle issues in strata. How about a motion allowing noisy parties on weekends to 2 am?
Or one banning cats but allowing dogs. Or vice versa.
Or a by-law introducing free-range parking on a first in, best-dressed basis.
Any other ideas for stirring up the natives?
The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
Don't be too hard on me Jimmy!
Seriously though, my non-resident Proprietors don't give a damn about anything else but their Levies and their Rent, and their Property Managers don't care about anything other than keeping their Clients' costs down by making sure that the O/C pays for everything; but don't get me started on that continual try-on (that doesn't work)!
I'm reluctant to include that Levies Item on the Agenda (and may not), but I feel that adjourning the AGM and reconvening 7 days later to have a meeting with myself in order to rubber-stamp all the Agenda Items, that I wrote in the first place, could be equally irresponsible.
Note to “Flatchat” – I'm the “Strata Manager”, Secretary, and Treasurer, so I do have all the correct contact details.
Whale said:
Don’t be too hard on me Jimmy!
I thought i was being supportive …albeit in a slightly nit-picking way.
People who imagine that those who are left to run things themselves (as you are) actually want that, have clearly never been cornered in a lift by someone spluttering in rage becasue a problem they haven’t told anyone about hasn’t been fixed.
My sympathies and support are 100pc with you. I actually think the bogus agenda item is a good idea. Honest!
The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
As we have no lifts to be cornered with here, the owners wait to rage about something they haven't brought to the EC's attention at the AGMs. This despite instructing the SM that only the matters on the agenda are to be discussed and decided on. This despite the owners being told that only the items on the agenda are to be discussed and decided on. But it continues. So we get good attentance, but for the wrong reasons.
So I have all but given up. I used to attend all AGM's, EGM's, be on the EC. Used to care about the maintenance and upkeep so much that I was prepared to put my own time, effort and money into the complex. I don't anymore. I have taken the “I'm alright Jack” approach.
Levies do get the most interest and best response for an AGM. Our owners gasp in horror at the thought of a 3% rise. Any more than that and many say they will sell up and move out. Am praying for a 10% rise – will help them pack.
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