Nightmare AGM...again
We had our annual community meeting last Thursday and in true fashion for our community....it was a complete nightmare.
I don't konw what it is about our community but most don't seem to suffer the same way we do. Everyone dreads the AGM after the first one took over 4 hours, the second one resulted in a chair being kicked across the room and the administrator walking out, the third one was quite civilised by comparison but last week's was another of those dreaded AGM's.
Guess what happened? No, no chair got kicked but....our latest administrator resigned. So in three years we've had two administrators walk out on us. This has to be a record. Normally communities sack the administrator, it's not normal for the administrator to leave....twice!
What was it all over?
Every AGM is always taken over when discussing the next year's budget. Now, we're not a wealthy community by any means. In fact, we've only got enough money just to get by. There is no emergency money in the kitty. We've had a really tough year and it keeps getting more and more difficult.
This year we put the budget up by 7% compared with last year, mainly just covering increases in lift costs, electricity costs, etc. We knew people would react badly but the majority voted against the new budget. As a consequence, the administrator stood up and (rightly so) declared that she would be unable to run our community on last year's budget and hence made her exit speach.
And good on her too. This is a nightmare of a community with no money and some really difficult people and if I'd been in her shoes I would have done the same.
That just leaves me, as president, in rather a tough spot. We need a new administrator. But having been dropped by 2 so far it means it's not going to be easy explaining why we have no administrator.
So, seeing as it's not my fault they've walked out, I've decided to let those that voted against the new budget (and hence causing the departure of the administrator) to find a new administrator.
I will be putting signs up around the urbanisation later today to this effect. I have no time to go hunting for quotes.
We will then need to call yet another AGM with the new administrator at which point I will step down as president. I've really had enough of battling my way trying to keep this place going with little or no appreciation from anyone and with mounting debts.
It's time someone else took the stress on.
Anyone got a worse community that ours?
I don't konw what it is about our community but most don't seem to suffer the same way we do. Everyone dreads the AGM after the first one took over 4 hours, the second one resulted in a chair being kicked across the room and the administrator walking out, the third one was quite civilised by comparison but last week's was another of those dreaded AGM's.
Guess what happened? No, no chair got kicked but....our latest administrator resigned. So in three years we've had two administrators walk out on us. This has to be a record. Normally communities sack the administrator, it's not normal for the administrator to leave....twice!
What was it all over?
Every AGM is always taken over when discussing the next year's budget. Now, we're not a wealthy community by any means. In fact, we've only got enough money just to get by. There is no emergency money in the kitty. We've had a really tough year and it keeps getting more and more difficult.
This year we put the budget up by 7% compared with last year, mainly just covering increases in lift costs, electricity costs, etc. We knew people would react badly but the majority voted against the new budget. As a consequence, the administrator stood up and (rightly so) declared that she would be unable to run our community on last year's budget and hence made her exit speach.
And good on her too. This is a nightmare of a community with no money and some really difficult people and if I'd been in her shoes I would have done the same.
That just leaves me, as president, in rather a tough spot. We need a new administrator. But having been dropped by 2 so far it means it's not going to be easy explaining why we have no administrator.
So, seeing as it's not my fault they've walked out, I've decided to let those that voted against the new budget (and hence causing the departure of the administrator) to find a new administrator.
I will be putting signs up around the urbanisation later today to this effect. I have no time to go hunting for quotes.
We will then need to call yet another AGM with the new administrator at which point I will step down as president. I've really had enough of battling my way trying to keep this place going with little or no appreciation from anyone and with mounting debts.
It's time someone else took the stress on.
Anyone got a worse community that ours?
posted by Eye on Spain at 12:57 PM
3 Comments:
The cost of lift maintenance and power seems to be a major element of many communities - say 35% or more.
Lift usage can be very high which drives the cost of both items. Kids, baggage and shopping are all reasons for using the lifts. But some people use the lifts all of the time - when dare I say it, a walk up the stairs would do them some good.
Maybe someone should calculate the cost of lift use and post a notice in the lift. That wouldn't influence renters much though!
I've just stood down from President after 3 years of a community of 72 properties - 16 Spanish, 40 odd Brits plus Irish, Dutch etc.. We never seemed to have a problem with increasing charges, though over the 3 years I increased them by 34%, which was 20% for increased costs and 14% for a reserve, and that was after a 42% increase at the end of the first year because the budget was inadequate. Over 4 years an increase of 91%. During the year we sent out emails telling owners what was happening and warning of any actuals that were diverging from budget, and then about a month before the AGM sent out a report (3-4 pages) (in both English & Spanish) of what had been done, with explanation of actuals v budgets, and forecast (again in English & Spanish) of 3-4 pages of what we were going to spend next year and what we had included the budgets. By the last AGM, the last year's accounts and budgets were approved unanimously without discussion and the main discussion was around behaviours and planned improvements. Our communications seemed to keep everyone happy. Of course, we did have disputes over enclosing terraces, dogs, swimming pool behaviour etc. but the money was never a problem.
Paul
Unfortunately, it's a thankless task being on a committee, being an administrator or President. People just don't realise that costs increase and the only interest they take is when someting goes wrong or is not to their liking.
I have been involved in the UK and it's the same the world over.
Unfortunately, when you then let less capable people get involved it nearly always spells disaster so stick in there - give them the facts and don't let it get you down.
After all remind them the sunshine is free and it's worse in UK.
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