Being in a Community Association (Condominium, Homeowner, or Cooperative) is like living in your own little city. And one of the things you need to remember is that when you are a citizen of a city you vote for the people in office and if you want change you run for a government position. It is the same with a Community Association’s Board of Directors.
A community Board of Directors is like your City Council. The Boards duty is to ensure that the Association is run in compliance with State Statutes and your community’s By-Laws. When a unit owner decides to run for the Board and gets elected, they are required to uphold those laws. In the state of Florida, a Board Member is required to do the following:
“Within 90 days after being elected or appointed to
the board, each newly elected or appointed director shall certify in writing to
the secretary of the association that he or she has read the association’s
declaration of condominium, articles of incorporation, bylaws, and current
written policies; that he or she will work to uphold such documents and
policies to the best of his or her ability; and that he or she will faithfully
discharge his or her fiduciary responsibility to the association’s members. In
lieu of this written certification, the newly elected or appointed director may
submit a certificate of satisfactory completion of the education curriculum
administered by a division-approved condominium
education provider. A director who fails to timely file the written
certification or educational certificate is suspended from service on the board
until he or she complies with this sub-subparagraph. The board may temporarily
fill the vacancy during the period of suspension. The secretary shall cause the
association to retain a director’s written certification or educational
certificate for inspection by the members for 5 years after a director’s
election. Failure to have such written certification or educational certificate
on files does not affect the validity of any action.”
So, if you are unhappy with how things are run in your community, and do not feel like the Board is acting in the best interest of the Association, run for office. If you are unable to run for office, at least attend the Board Meetings and have your voice heard. As with city government, if you are unhappy with things and do nothing to change it, your voice won’t be heard. Be a responsible Association Member and participate in your community.
For more information on Board Member Education and Certification, check out this article at myfloridalicense.com.
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When searching for a professional property management company to manage your Association, consider us,J Brooks & Associates, Inc. We will do more than exceed your expectations.
