How to ‘entice’ more owners to join the EC

I feel your pain Miranda, but be careful what you wish for. In our scheme of 9, we have 7 Committee members, 4 of whom do precisely nothing.

We had a Committee meeting last night, after a series of emails from outraged members as to why certain things haven’t been progressed. As it turned out two of the members were unfinancial so couldn’t vote. Two of the other members didn’t turn up, including the Chair (no show at the last one either).

So we didn’t have a quorum. When the AGM is held they will all insist on being on the Committee again, and nothing will change.

If it makes you feel any better Miranda, all of the people on our Committee bar one are resident owners, and they are just as hopeless. At least you’re trying to do the right thing. 

It’s an interesting one, I’ve found that among the owners there will be others who have the experience and the interest if they are personally invited, and they think it’s (or some individuals are) not a basket case. If it’s the later you need to consider a plan of attack you can sell to the others to help right the ship. Be prepared to play the numbers game if that’s what it takes.

In Qld, current executive (chair, treas, sec) committee members can go around again just by not resigning so if you have trouble with any or all you need to put up someone for that position and the owners will vote between both candidates. If incumbents have been there for more than a few years and not doing stuff I think other owners will be open to give someone else a shot. Then that prior person is out of the gig, unless you don’t yet have a full dance card and they offer to join as a regular committee member from the floor of the AGM.

But be careful what you wish for as getting new folks can be a bit of a frying pan into the fire experience so pre-screen all candidates before you invite them for having the Skills required, Timely intent to get on with stuff, self Application to do the job they are volunteering for, and knowing Value. Avoid old folks who have poor eyesight and mobility and that buck change, and upper level professionals who think they can manage hands-off and just delegate the work away with a tick and a flick. Investors can sometimes be better than owners because their motivations are likely different. 

Strata committees can be a nightmare with some members more intent on attaining “power” than actually achieving anything.  I wonder if the reason other owners don’t want to join the committee as they already know how things are working (not) and prefer to just keep out of it.

In my experience with strata committees and committees in general, you can always use the “lazy” strategy. Create work for the committee that requires members like the secretary to have to use their time to take care of strata work, or keep asking the treasurer to clarify things like expenditure, how contractors were selected, did they sight licenses etc etc.   A lot of these power mongers are basically lazy and full of insecurities, give them a bit of work to do make them embarrassed because they don’t know what to do and they’ll scurry away like cockroaches.

Of course you can always ask the non-participant owners join the committee and appoint you to act for them at each meeting (NSW), that way you will hold more votes than just your own.

Your best tool is knowing the legislation and bylaws. Read the SSMA and the bylaws so you can quote them at meetings, it will often shut up people who have used the ignorance of other members in order to gain control.

 These tactics have worked for me in the past so might be worth a shot.

I should point out that I don’t see that there is any “Power” in being on a strata committee, it’s just a lot of work, but it’s your best way to protect your property.

Add a little item to the AGM agenda along the lines of

“We have to consider a matter so serious I dare not even put the details in print.  This could cost each of us thousands of dollars and is guaranteed to seriously diminish the value of our properties.  Your urgent attention is required.”

And then when everyone gets there you tell them that the committee is dying because everyone else is too selfish and lazy to contribute.

They let you carry the can and offer zero assistance. So, if you don’t get at least two new members, you are going to walk and the building can fall down around their ears – and that’s where they will lose tens of thousands of dollars.

Has to be worth a try.

Or, if they don’t buy that, when it comes to the election move that there only be one member of the committee (you) and then you can just make the decisions that need to be made.

@chesswood said:
I know that unfinancial lots can’t vote at general meetings except for matters requiring unanimity but committee meetings are different. 

Not so. Schedule 2, Part 3, Section 9 (4) of the Act says this:

Voting rights cannot be exercised if contributions not paid

A member of the strata committee is not entitled to vote on any motion put or proposed to be put to the strata committee if the member was, or was nominated as a member by a member who was, an unfinancial owner of a lot in the strata scheme at the date notice of the meeting was given and the amounts owed by the unfinancial owner were not paid before the meeting. 

Seems pretty clear to me. Also significantly, that unfinancial member can’t be counted in terms of the quorum, either.