May 2019
Condo elections are incredibly important. Experienced and competent directors are a condo community’s greatest asset. They are the best way to manage condo fees and maintain a quality standard of living for all residents.
Retaining existing directors who have provided stability, experience and success in the past is important. New condo directors, fresh blood, provide new ideas and approaches, and can prevent apathy from manifesting itself within a condo board.
On too many occasions, condo election campaigns have been focused on false promises and unfounded claims. These deflect from the more important issues that should be used to determine which candidates deserve to be directors.
One of the better ways to ensure condo elections are focused on the important issues is to have candidates provide a Candidate Statement in writing, followed by a Candidates Meeting where owners can “interview” candidates.
During this “interview”, owners should ask certain questions to ensure candidates are experienced and qualified to manage your condo corporation.
Develop questions to help determine which candidates for director deserve your vote.
Condo Finances
Many director candidates have developed opinions or beliefs without the benefit of fact. Individuals who have not taken time to review and understand condo corporation financial documents are not good director candidates.
- How familiar are you with the Condo corporation’s finances?
- What is your opinion of the current budget?
- What would you do differently?
- What is your opinion of the reserve fund?
- Is the current contribution level for the reserve fund adequate? If not, why?
- What would be your priorities in the condo corporation’s budget?
Be concerned about candidates unable to provide a good answer that suggests they have read and understood the financial documents. These are not individuals you want managing hundreds of thousands, or millions, of dollars each year.
Condo Rules and Policies
- What is your opinion on current condo rules?
- What condo rules or policies, if any, do you feel need to be changed?
This is a good way to find out a director candidate’s position on areas of concern which may include short-term rentals, pets, parking, noise or other issues important to you.
Amenities
- What is your view on amenities of the condo corporation?
- What changes, if any, would you advocate?
Responses will help you understand if a candidate supports spending money to maintain or improve amenities. Good candidates will want to support or improve heavily used amenities even if they do not personally use them. They will seek to eliminate or change unused amenities.
Condo elections are not a time to gamble on inexperienced candidates or be tricked by false promises. Good condo governance begins with good condo directors.
Only you can decide which candidates are best suited for governing your condo corporation.
