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DD ..The  "move-on" remark and the lesson it taught me related to a special circumstance in my life: I had bought a townhouse and tried not to listen to the stories I heard about how it was run by the Committee voted-in to run the complex. Ultimately I joined the Committee because I had misgivings about what I saw and heard..e.g. there were only 5-6 committee members most of whom had been there since the complex had been built only a few years previous and had become used to doing things and getting their way in everything. So much so that matters were discussed at the complex's  postal box in the street  by the "Old Guard"and decisions made about what was to go down before meetings even started. And, as an Ex Bank Inspector and Manager, nor did I like what expenditures I saw on the Balance Sheet and Profit and loss account. An issue at the Committee meeting was being debated and I voted against it, at which point a member leaned towards me over the table and said 'Oh, I can see you are going to be a "no-man", eh?"   Subsequently,  some damp was discovered in a few attics and an Inspection was done which stated that my attic was clear. However, all units had to pay $1,800 (about 1,149 pounds) for their share of the repairs to those attics that had even minimal damage. I suggested that the total bill was daylight robbery since the infestation only affected a few units and then found that  the Committee had not obtained several estimates for comparison purposes. By then it was too late and we had to pay-up. 

I then advised the Council by letter that in my opinion the amount of money that had been set aside for the future roofing replacement in the Balance Sheet was inadequate, pointing out that this complex had double roofing, one above the other, but this  was ignored and no action was taken to review the issue. Also, repairs were authorised to be made to the large, rear concrete slabs of some units. However, I had noticed with interest that the Chairman's slab and other's,  which in my opinion did not need any major repairs at all, were also included in the work done.  

When we had moved-in the monthly fee was some $120. Eight years later, when we decided to move out, the  monthly fee had been increased to $185. i,e. a $65 (54%) increase being  7% per year when the average annual inflation rate over that period had been about 2%. This did not include the annual property tax bill. So, realising that this was all about power and position within the complex and not about prudence and common sense, we moved out and bought a detached home losing a substantial sum of money in the process because the market had started to slide downwards by then.

 Months later I met a resident in the street who told me that there was an uproar amongst the residents  in the complex since the B.C. Government had brought in expected regulations to make sure that all townhouse and condominium developments had to now produce records every year showing that money set-aside for future repairs and upkeep matched the assessed value of the needed repairs AND that these regulations meant that our Committee had to increase the monthly fee to $300.  Which of course also meant that the existing residents would now have much greater difficulty in selling their individual units and would have to face a similar selling price downgrade just as we had to.

Meaning?  That if you are  up against intransigent power cliques who are not morally motivated and whose minds are closed to ideas that are based on common sense and  a willingness to embrace new ways of doing things to prepare adequately for future challenges that can be foreseen, then stop trying to convince them ... just move-on.  

 

2 hours ago, Scarlet Pimple said:

DD ..The  "move-on" remark and the lesson it taught me related to a special circumstance in my life: I had bought a townhouse and tried not to listen to the stories I heard about how it was run by the Committee voted-in to run the complex. Ultimately I joined the Committee because I had misgivings about what I saw and heard..e.g. there were only 5-6 committee members most of whom had been there since the complex had been built only a few years previous and had become used to doing things and getting their way in everything. So much so that matters were discussed at the complex's  postal box in the street  by the "Old Guard"and decisions made about what was to go down before meetings even started. And, as an Ex Bank Inspector and Manager, nor did I like what expenditures I saw on the Balance Sheet and Profit and loss account. An issue at the Committee meeting was being debated and I voted against it, at which point a member leaned towards me over the table and said 'Oh, I can see you are going to be a "no-man", eh?"   Subsequently,  some damp was discovered in a few attics and an Inspection was done which stated that my attic was clear. However, all units had to pay $1,800 (about 1,149 pounds) for their share of the repairs to those attics that had even minimal damage. I suggested that the total bill was daylight robbery since the infestation only affected a few units and then found that  the Committee had not obtained several estimates for comparison purposes. By then it was too late and we had to pay-up. 

I then advised the Council by letter that in my opinion the amount of money that had been set aside for the future roofing replacement in the Balance Sheet was inadequate, pointing out that this complex had double roofing, one above the other, but this  was ignored and no action was taken to review the issue. Also, repairs were authorised to be made to the large, rear concrete slabs of some units. However, I had noticed with interest that the Chairman's slab and other's,  which in my opinion did not need any major repairs at all, were also included in the work done.  

When we had moved-in the monthly fee was some $120. Eight years later, when we decided to move out, the  monthly fee had been increased to $185. i,e. a $65 (54%) increase being  7% per year when the average annual inflation rate over that period had been about 2%. This did not include the annual property tax bill. So, realising that this was all about power and position within the complex and not about prudence and common sense, we moved out and bought a detached home losing a substantial sum of money in the process because the market had started to slide downwards by then.

 Months later I met a resident in the street who told me that there was an uproar amongst the residents  in the complex since the B.C. Government had brought in expected regulations to make sure that all townhouse and condominium developments had to now produce records every year showing that money set-aside for future repairs and upkeep matched the assessed value of the needed repairs AND that these regulations meant that our Committee had to increase the monthly fee to $300.  Which of course also meant that the existing residents would now have much greater difficulty in selling their individual units and would have to face a similar selling price downgrade just as we had to.

Meaning?  That if you are  up against intransigent power cliques who are not morally motivated and whose minds are closed to ideas that are based on common sense and  a willingness to embrace new ways of doing things to prepare adequately for future challenges that can be foreseen, then stop trying to convince them ... just move-on.  

 

Got bored after the first sentence...perhaps slightly off topic, no?