March 2024
Preparing for an annual general meeting (AGM), online or in-person or hybrid, begins with the board of directors and condominium manager.
Pre-Planning
The board should meet at least one month prior to the AGM to decide on communications to owners, what will be reported at the AGM, and the condominium manager’s role and responsibilities. Determine who will chair the meeting and who will take minutes. These roles should not be undertaken by the same individual. The chair should have a script or template detailing what to say and do. The minute taker should be clear on what to include in the minutes.
Invited attendees to the AGM may include the corporation lawyer if there are declaration, by-law or legal issues to address. An engineer may be desirable if there are major projects to address.
Documentation for the meeting includes an agenda, notice of meeting, audited financials, chair template, minute template, and a list of owners that identifies units thirty or more days in arrears. At the meeting, access to the budget and reserve fund study will likely be helpful. Owners should read any materials provided in advance of the meeting, and have a list of questions for which answers are desired.
Beginning of the Meeting
Remind attendees that the AGM is for corporation business, and not a time to address individual concerns. Encourage owners to address personal concerns at another time. Some communities provide time for these concerns immediately after the AGM is complete which allows uninterested parties to leave if they so choose. Unit-specific questions should be followed up on within days of being presented. Audited financial statements should be presented by the auditor to convey that their statements are independent of the board.
The chair should maintain control of the meeting by keeping to the agenda. They should be assertive, confident and speak in an even-tone. Speakers at the AGM should avoid raising their voice, sounding submissive or passive-aggressive.
End of the Meeting
Stay on schedule. Don’t allow the AGM to run longer than scheduled. This is discourteous to those taking the time to attend. Invite attendees to remain if they want to discuss or hear “other business”. Consider an after-meeting social event with beverages and snacks to encourage participation in the AGM and after-AGM program.
