Quite a few folks posted
already their reasons for running for the board on the blog.
Some reasons are really impressive and show that not only the
bad guys are occupying board seats.
Let’s make it very clear:
Yes, there are many good board members working hard for the
welfare of their community.
But there are as well many
folks who have very personal agendas to get elected to the
board.
You know that I always
say: Associations bring out the worst in people! And that seems
to be a fact!
The old saying: Power corrupts – and more power corrupts even
more! is a saying that seems to be written especially for
community associations.
And then there are the
ones who are on the board to get their hands on the finances.
Remember, everybody trying to rob a bank must not have heard
that lots of association money is laying around – pretty much
unprotected – and in big chunks. In most banks you can only rob
maybe $20,000 – to $ 30,000 – if you’re lucky and can escape law
enforcement, who will be after you like the devil after your
soul.
That amounts are peanuts
for community associations, where you can easily get your hands
on more than 10xtimes that amount – and even if somebody finds
out that you embezzled lots of money, many law enforcement
agencies are reluctant to go after you and actually prosecute.
According to the FBI – bank robbers are one of their favorite
targets – you need to embezzle minimum $1,000,000.00 in order
for them to even take notice.
Let’s be very honest: The
original idea creates boards running the show in these community
associations. But that requires that the folks occupying the
board seats are knowledgeable and competent.
Let’s face it: Many of the
folks sitting on boards are ill prepared for the job. In reality
these associations are businesses with a pretty good-sized
budgets. Very few of the board members are folks with real
business experience.
Yes, it’s great to have
attorneys like Eric hold useful seminars trying to teach the
folks the basics of association rules.
But is that enough, if
these people don’t have a basic training in BUSINESS?
Never forget: Boards can ruin the private
financial welfare of all owners in a heartbeat!
