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BEWARE OF INCOMPETENT BOARD MEMBERS!
By
Jan Bergemann
Published August 18, 2023
Everybody living in a community association should know that
his/her home is collateral for any debt the association occurs.
That means that an incompetent board can ruin the private
finances of each owner of the association in a heart-beat!
That shows that the whole system is dangerous to the private
finances of the owners. The fact that associations are governed
– and ruled – by board members who mostly don’t have the
knowledge and expertise to run a business makes it even more
dangerous. Most board members rely on the “expertise” of
community association managers – and of association attorneys –
who are in business to make money – and a “peaceful” community
doesn’t promise great income for these so-called
service-providers. And board members should never forget that
they – and all the other owners – are paying the price if the
information received from these “service-providers” is wrong.
These “service-providers” get paid – no matter if their info is
right or wrong.
The folks paying the price for mistakes being made by the board
– willing or unwilling – are the owners.
That’s why it is so important that board members attend a board
member certification seminar in order to have minimum a basic
knowledge what rules and statutes govern the association they
try to rule.
But it’s up to the owners to make sure that the board members
they elect – and put their financial welfare in their hands --
have this basic education. Don’t elect board members that sign
the “stupid” affidavit still allowed in the statutes saying that
they know it all. THEY DON’T!
Candidates running for office as board members can attend these
seminars before being elected – and can then show you the
attendance certificates before you vote for them.
Remember: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER – and the people you
trust with your personal finances should have minimum a basic
education – and not rely on outsiders who don’t pay for mistakes
being made by the board.
Even as an owner you should just take the three hours’ time to
attend such seminar in order to protect the biggest investment
you made in your life: YOUR HOME!
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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
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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
!
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