Ignored Board Member

Yep, it's frustrating as all get out when you are continually outvoted on issues. The best advice I can offer is to keep yourself versed on your governing documents and State laws. If the Board proposes something that is against the law or documents make sure that they know it prior to the vote. Then, if you are voting against the issue, that your name is listed in the minutes with that vote.

In time you may be able to win a few of the people over to your way of thinking. It's also possible that you will be able to gather support in the community and slowly shift the tide, so to speak, on the board as others are elected.

To combat the lack of understanding, you may want to write articles for your Associations newsletter or conduct classes. If you do this, don't fight issues in your articles/classes, just instruct on the process. Hopefully others will see what is happening.

Hope this helps,

Tim

Bill, that sounds exactly like the situation in my community except that our property manager plays the heavy.

Bill, I can understand your frustration, however, if you are simply getting outvoted in a legitimate vote then there isn't a whole lot you can do.

I found this string of comments because I am looking for ways to deal with the odd-lady-out on our board. We have a great board, with one old gale with nothing better to do than write emails to all the owners when she does not get her way. Three of the board members, competent professionals who have done a stellar job, are ready to quit.

How can we counter this trouble making narcissist, so common in CA HOAs.

Bill - if you're being completely ignored at meetings, you have an influence problem and there could be a dozen reasons why that would so - especially if you're on the butt-end of many super-majority votes on your HOA issues. Usually, the heavier-handed the board director, the more isolated they can become on matters of HOA business. "It's not what you say, it's how you say it" is the old-time term.

Becky - there is absolutely no problem with a hired property manager serving as a "heavy" for certain board affairs. Property managers are just that - they handle the day-to-day operations under the guidance of the HOA board. Property managers who are empowered to make motions or dominate the board meetings do need to be checked. The more an HOA president and board meddle in the domain of the PMs, the worse service you'll receive. MIcro-managing reflects distrust.

Lee - The president of the board needs to communicate better with homeowners, including a notification that emails sent from an individual board member do not reflect the actions or sentiments of the board, then welcome any dues payer to write the president or property manager so that all correspondence can then be assuredly shared with all the HOA board members. The frustrated board members should simply "black list" this board member from their email lists. I'm a president who filtered a board director for several months as the correspondence was corrosive in many levels. It worked and saved my sense of volunteerism. People forget that being an HOA director doesn't entitle them to absorb abuse. You're not getting paid in 99% of the cases. After all, it's not official unless it happens in a board meeting with a board vote. Emails are technically a nothing form of communication. That's how you save competent professionals. After all, the "nag" in question is welcome to write the PM or the president, just like any owner. Dues payers see through these "nags" anyway.

Great line of discussion! I've walked in all these shoes, both in the antagonist and protagonist roles. I try to learn from every step.

Lee, Your topic is slightly different than the original poster, so I think you'll get more response if you start a new thread and provide more detail. I like your topic!

Is the woman always outvoted and that's what bothers her? On what types of issues does she not "get her way"? Or are there somehow other board decisions made that she's not privy to?