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MarieL (Illinois)
Posts: 82
Posted:
Iam an owner/residentin a Illinois Common Interest Community.Our HOA pays a hired one man free-lance bookkeeper about $240.00 an hour to heep the books.We have 34 units,annual assessments total $44,400.00 and about 60 checks or less are writen anually for expenses A small scale operation.

I recently learned that several years ago the hired bookkeeper in our HOA neglrected to pay a tax installment on the common property of about $140.00.The common property was sold to a tax buyer and cost the HOA s over $1,100.00 to redeem it. This negligence was conceled from the HO's with false information about this expense documented in the annual income and expense report the bookkeeper submitted and falsely documneting this expense in the annual minutes. The bookkeeper was shielded by the board president and treasurer who wrote and signed the check to redeem the property and the bookkeper still works for the HOA..

My question, was this concealed, deceitful cover-up illegal or possibly criminal action? Should the bookkeeper be fired and the board officers involved in this questionable costly cover-u be asked to resign from the board??
SusanW1 (Michigan)
Posts: 5,202
Posted:
Several = 3 years?

The treasurer was complicant in this, equal in blame for not overseeing the tax obligations. It take quite a long time for a piece of property to go up for sale for back taxes.

Was this issue brought up before the entire board? The president really had no choice except to make sure the common areas remain in the ownership of the HOA.

The board should have a Financial Committee that also would have caught this.

Leave it alone, but get another set of eyes on the entire financial picture of the HOA.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836
Posted:
If it is a cover up then how do you know about it? It sounds like a mistake or an accidental overlook. The tax bill may not have been sent out properly or not aware it existed. It sounds like the only mistake over several years. No need to throw the baby out with the bath water. It's all documented and paid for now. Just make sure it won't happen again. Which I doubt it will now that this person is aware of this issue.

Former HOA President

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