Condo Association Management Blog

If enough owners wish to have this ability then they should be able to vote this into being. I am amember of our condo board and I would love to see this happen. I would like more peoople to take part in their association. Good luck

I agree with Donna A. You should be able to dial into a bridge if that's where the BOD conducts their business. Vote it in!

Ok, pardon me for showing my ignorance, but what is a bridge, and how does one dial into it? Does this require something like a computer at the board meetings, with Skype or some such internet phone usage?

The cost of doing this isn't cheap. 
 
Board members don't have to allow members to the board meetings. 
 
Annual meetings of the members are the only meetings that members are generally allowed to come to and participate. 
 
If your hoa has money to burn you could make a motion to buy such a system that would give the board this capability. 
 
My guess though is that you hoa probably has 100 other things that are much more important 
 
A solution that I would propose that would be much cheaper would be for the board to make a pod cast of _their_ meetings which they could up load and allow you to see. 
 
Another guess, They arent very interested in YOU seeing everything that they do. 
 
Good luck

First let me correct Mike---sir, all Board Meetings in the State of Florida ARE open to the Owners per F.S. 718. Participation in a Board Meeting is allowed but under the rules set by the Board. The Board can conduct its meetings by phone only if it's a speaker phone that allows both parties to hear and speaker openly, commonly called a conference call. Today's technology can make this a simple process, however I myself wouldn't recommend it. This type of meeting can easily get out of control for the Chairperson and cause a simple meeting to grow into a nightmare. My concern here is, how does the Board determine an Agenda to follow if many of the Board members are away? By email, are they sending information to each other in order to establish the Agenda? Is the information going to all Board members at one time? If this is the case, then they are in breach of Florida law as they ARE having a Board Meeting and are subject to follow the laws and all Board Meetings with the exception of one (1) must be open to all owners. The only meeting closed to owners is one in which the Board is in contact with legal council. 
Boards can make reasonable rules for taping or recording meetings, I do not feel allowing owners involvement via a conference call is reasonable given the possibility of many owners being out-of-state. 
As far as minutes go, they are supposed to be brief, they are just a record of a "Business Meeting" by your Board. Board meetings are NOT a social event, they are business meetings conducted by your legal business, "the Association", and are governed by law as such. Many owners forget this and think they are being excluded in decision making, well they are. Owners elected the Board to do this for them, if you have a good Board then they will consider the Owners wishes when conducting such business. If the Board is run as a Closed Private Dictatorship, then run them out of office by a Recall vote which is allowed by Florida Law and information can be found as to how to do this at myflorida.com. Getting State rules and regulations in very easy in Florida if you want to do just a little homework.

How i wish florida law would become federal law. 
Condo law in ga allows for dictators.

We use a conference call to all owners to participate. So far it has not been expensive. Only a small number of members listen in. Most listen for a short time then, bored, or disgusted they hang up. 
 
Minutes: should record only what motions are made. Discussion, remarks, names called do not belong in the minutes.

Steve, how have you handled the participation of the members who call in on the bridge line? FL requires that they be able to speak on the agenda topics. Do you allow them to speak or type in chat or some other mechanism?

FL Statues state that call in members must be heard and must hear the conversation. There is no exception, speaker phones must be used or some other two-way communication. A chat room conversation is not allowed by law. Check in F.S. 718.111 or 112, They spell out meets and conduct.

There is need to explore the below: 
1. Does your state have Open Condominium Meetings Act? 
2. Can you identify the name and incidence, time and date showing that a board member disallow use of the phone or use of recorder, while allowing the board members using the same? For the purpose of obtaining a ruling in an alternative dispute resolution? 
3. Does your state have statutes or codes about condominium associations, alternate dispute resolution for condominium associations disputes? 
4. Do you need help in research and drafting regarding this subject matter?

See if you can read the relevant statute by entering "F.S. 718.111 or 112," into the Address blank of your computer as the other response to your question has suggested ?

I need a copy of an RFP for the selection of an audit firm. If you have one will you email it to me at GLLatimer@aol.com. Also do you have any documents for establishing the duties for key committees (Finance/Budget, Building and Grounds, Social, Amenities, etc)