esrosedotblog

I went to the monthly Board of Directors (BOD) of the condo association today.

I have been a member for three meetings now and the Treasurer for two.

We have a professional management and so the grunt work on the financials is done by them and up to now have been presented by their in house guy. Today, I did the deed.

I wanted to do the report a little out of ego as there isn't much for the Treasurer to do but also because I think at least one person from the BOD should be overseeing what the managers are doing and, of course, delve into the detail of where the money is going. That money being about 48,000 dollars a month in dues or fees. There doesn't seem to be a universal name for what is paid by condo owners to have their business affairs tended to.

I sat with the inside guy a few weeks ago when they had done the financials and went over the numbers one by one. This is not my forte. I surely know how to read such a report for myself. I had my own business. But to see it as others do is a different skill. To be prepared to illuminate the dark corners of detail where it is appropriate is a bit of an art.

The reason for illumination is that every single decision that the Board is asked to make, and there are a whole passel of them, is somehow related to cost. It is a small enterprise. Non-profit of course, but a business nonetheless.

My inside guy, Phil, did a great job in briefing me. He made little tic marks where he thought there was an item of interest. An over run or a saving or a bit of business that would interest the Board. We sat together over it and I then sat with the data for a couple of weeks, cooking it in my head.

I also spent some time looking for trip wires. There are a few pet rocks that some Board members like to stroke. I am more or less aware of this and was willing to know more about the items than I think they do even if they were not part of my presentation.

Then I let it marinate.

I am good at this kind of thing or, I should say, I used to be good at this kind of thing. I was not the numbers man of my business partners but I was the exec and I knew how to use numbers to make good decisions. If pressed, I could expound on details that the other partners were, lets not say too lazy, disinterested to explore on their own. In other words, I could get the jump on someone else with some inside knowledge. This is why I was so close to my numbers partner. He knew the stuff and I knew how to use it as the "boss". To put it bluntly, our balls were wired together when we wanted to move the organization in a particular direction.

I also served time many years ago as the Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Town in which I lived. I stood up at the Annual Meeting and presented a recommended response to the Town fathers' budget request. (There were no town mothers so I am gender correct here, don't write comments). We did not always agree with them. Heat as well as light would ensue. I am good under fire. I enjoyed that as much as the grinding number part which, actually, others did. As they do here.

A lot of people come out to our Board meetings. I am surprised how many show up and stay. Many are there for specific issues that affect them but many are there because they are interested. I owe them my best. When I was just an owner I never went to the meetings. I honor those who do. No one snipes incidentally. The density of the data and, I suppose, the clarity of my presentation gives an air of confidence to the whole thing and, I suppose, the supposition that I would not put up with any bullshit from anyone on or off the Board. No nonsense.

We had a lot of business to conduct today. I am first and my part takes 15 minutes or so. Then I can relax and be a regular member. I try to be as respectful to everyone else there as they are with me. I do not snipe, I mean for my questions to be genuine and while I am seen as able to get a laugh out of the crowd I do not get one at anyone else's expense. I do not need to generate any resentments.

I also, surprisingly, am able to do all this without any profanity as well. This is not my normal demeanor but in this venue I am as clean mouthed as a village parson. I did almost slip today with an sh- that became "stuff" and not the other word. It was noticed but then that is part of the humor too. Not to be overused however.

So here I am. Only three meetings under my belt and I am happy as a clam. I did not do this kind of thing for a long time outside my programs and it feels good to me. I enjoy it. I am enlivened and invigorated.

Labels: condo, HOA