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Subject: I've become the designated board scapegoat.

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JeremiahA
(Colorado)

Posts:1

08/17/2010 10:51 PM
Hi, I just signed up to these forums so please pardon my naivete. I need some advice. Sorry this is a long post. One and a quarter years ago I was elected as a volunteer board member and have filled the office of treasurer for the entire time. My problem is as follows. Our old president which held office for my first year was cherry picking the bylaws, misquoting them, playing favorites within the community, and even ignoring simple rules such as voting on motions. In fact, she was so confused that she thought a motion was a vote. After I argued enough, quoted bylaws, and then had have our lawyer explain the rules to her she finally changed how she ran the meetings. Sadly, she would never admit she did anything wrong when confronted about it. Over the course of that first year we butted heads endlessly and we always had to get the lawyer involved in order for her to take me seriously. I am 33 years old she is around 70. Additionally, she shared private board emails (even though she was advised not to) with a close nit group of community members that took the emails out of context and literally put me on trial at our annual meeting. My lawyer told me I could sue for slander but I am not a litigious person so I have held off because the community saw right through their lies and voted to keep me on the board. Due to other reasons to big to explain the annual meeting was put on hold and at the next annual meeting they put the board members, which support me, on trial as well in the same fashion. They both were not voted off either. At the postponed annual meeting the president was not reelected because I stood up and told the community that the problems originating within the board was leadership. I did not name her but pointed out what needed to be fixed. Since then I have had tires slashed on both my cars, constant slanderous remarks, and just an over all hostile environment. All these problems seem to have arisen from the old president's close nit friends which are all retired and take things way too seriously. Moreover, this group of people seem to have influence our new president in such a way that he is hostile towards me and the other members who support me. Plus, our old president and her close nit group of friends have suddenly began to attend every meeting which I assume is an attempt to gather as much crap on me as is possible. Finally, the board member that participates in violation walk through-es is a close friend of the old president and seems to always find problems with my unti even though he lets other community members slide. Thanks,

SusanW1
(Michigan)

Posts:5035

08/18/2010 4:10 AM
My advice to you is to continue to act objectively about your role on the board. Do your treasurer's job and be a board member and let all the other stuff go. You're fighting history and resentment. There is a nice way to say, "Madame President, we need a motion for this action. Shall I make it?" I have a feeling that there is a conflict in HOW you are "correcting" her procedures and how she is accepting them. Otherwise, resign from the position and do something else. PS Unless you have proof about the slashed tires being directly connected with this conflict, then don't spread rumors. Most seniors citizens can't bend down that far to slash tires, or for that matter, get back up again.

JonD1
(New York)

Posts:706

08/18/2010 4:24 AM
JeremiahA: Welcome to the world of HOAs, politics and human nature. You acted in a manner the the past President viewed as a threat to their actions and behavior and now and going into the future they seem to have the need to use the HOA system against you. Bottom line you may have won the battle but the war is still in doubt. Evidently, this 70 year old is not yet willing to turn the other cheek and holds some ill will towards you and those who align themsleves with you and she seems to have no problem using whatever tools or connections she has against you. Being in the right does not guarantee the other party will see it your way. (If in fact your actions were correct.) I would guess this is not the first or last incident when payback is delivered due to disagreements on the Board. I have always held out the belief that some folks won't simply go off into the night after doing things THEIR way for many years just becuase someone comes along with what they belive is a better and more "legal" way of doing things. Many times Board members and or MCs will take whatever action necessary to hang on and reek havoc when challenged. Bottom line it seems you now have quite a fight on your hands. My guess without your taking some serious actions it will continue until such time as you demonstrate your willingness to hold those responsible accountable for their actions. ie have the police been called reagrding the damage to your vehicles? How has your reluctance to take legal action served you? I learned some folks push till you push back.

DanielH1
(California)

Posts:481

08/18/2010 10:51 AM
Ok, the President has misbehaved but you can't really do anything about that. So what can you do? Honesty, integrity and conflict is a part of being a Board Member but another part is tact, fence mending and industriousness. I think that you really need to cool off this situation and then figure out more subtle ways of shifting the Board in a more legal direction. Take it easy for a while, apologize (if you can stomach it) for the situation (not necessarily for your actions) and try to help get things done that everybody can support. I've taken heat in this forum before but I think that the "fight-fight-fight", "people may not like me but I get things done" and "I'm the new sheriff and I'm here to clean up this town" approach often end up in your situation: the Board wants to freeze out and ostracize you. If you want to get things done, you need a majority of votes which means that you've got to convince enough other Board Members that you're right such that they vote with you. Board Members are more likely to vote with you if they don't hate you.

RogerB
(Colorado)

Posts:4647

08/18/2010 11:29 AM
Jeremaiah, thank you for volunteering to serve. As you are finding out it can be a thankless job, particularly when it has a disfunctional President and divided membership. Your attempt to follow the rules is admirable and should be the way all HOAs operation. Perhaps by following the adage "you get more using honey rather than vinegar" both sides can help heal the rift.

BarbaraD6
(Florida)

Posts:347

08/18/2010 1:02 PM
Jeremiah, Keep in mind that you are helping yourself by helping the community. I have to remind myself of that everytime that I have had enough and want to quit being on the board. You will always have those who enjoy complaining and spreading lies. I hope you have filed a police report on the tires, and any other damage done. If you can afford it get security camera's. They even have dummy camera's just annouce at a meeting "due to property damage you now have security camera's" They won't want to chance getting caught, so that might end the property damage. Good Luck Barbara

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