|
WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO HIDE?
By
Jan Bergemann
Published
July 24, 2015
Despite the fact
that the statutes clearly state that owners can (video)tape all
public meetings of the association and that the media has
extensively reported about this right given to homeowners and
condo owners by the Florida legislature, we still hear only too
often that board members, community association managers and
even attorneys are trying to intimidate owners who are (video)taping
a meeting by telling them that they are not allowed to tape – or
that they have to get prior permission in order to tape the
meeting.
Honestly, I just
can’t believe that the folks making these statements are that
stupid not to know what the statutes have to say about taping
meetings. In my opinion it’s ill will – or plainly bullying
tactics -- because these folks have something to hide – or don’t
want a record of the things they say during these meetings.
Yes, a board can
make “reasonable” rules regarding taping of meetings, but these
rules are limited to procedural issues. The rules can’t disallow
taping or require that all people present have to agree to being
“taped.” That’s plain nonsense!
People making these
kinds of statements just hope that the folks they are trying to
intimidate are not knowledgeable enough to know the statutes and
fold their tent afraid of repercussions.
It’s bad enough that
often board members don’t have some basic knowledge about the
laws governing the association they are supposed to represent.
But it’s even worse when paid “professionals” like lawyers or
licensed community association managers make such statements. I
guess these folks won their license on the county fair because
they obviously failed to attend “Community Association
Management 101!”
|
|
 |
Jan Bergemann is president of Cyber Citizens For Justice,
Florida
's largest state-wide property owners' advocacy group.
CCFJ works on legislation to help owners living in
community
|
associations. He moved to
Florida
in 1995 - hoping to retire. He moved into a HOA, where the
developer cheated the homeowners and used the association dues
for his own purposes. End of retirement!
CCFJ was born in the year 2000, when some owners met in
Tallahassee
- finding out that power is only in numbers. Bergemann was a
member of Governor Jeb Bush's HOA Task force in 2003/2004.
The organization has two websites to inform interested
Florida
homeowners and condo owners:
News Website: http://www.ccfj.net/.
Educational Website: http://www.ccfjfoundation.net/.
We think that only owners can really represent owners, since all
service providers surely have a different interest! We are
trying to create owner-friendly laws, but the best laws are
useless without enforcement. And enforcement is totally lacking
in
Florida
!
|
