depands on how truly well managed your building is and staff are. It may be that they really are not that well supervised since a building manager is not on site except rarely. This really depends on a building though in an ideal world you are right. In our building the Super and staff is constantly doing private jobs in people's apartments during coop paid hours and the Board is hands off though it is not an ideal situation for obvious reasons. . what can we do?

Board members must always be above the fray.

Only if there is an imminent safety hazard should a board member intervene.

I’m on the board in my co-op.

If a light bulb fails, I notify the doorman. (But, I also notify the building manager as some workers tend not to report items.)

If a security guard is asleep, I will notify the supervisor and the building manager.

If a car speeds through the garage, I notify the building manager.

If a vendor creates a hazard or viuola6tes our policies, I’ll notify the building manager and if need be our security staff.

If the trash overflows the waste bin in the mailroom, I’ll notify the doorman and I’ll pass a note to the building manager.

If the building porters fail to put down mats in the elevators during inclement weather, I’ll notify the doorman and I’ll pass a note to the building manager.

I never chastise a resident. But, I’ll notify the doorman of an event and I’ll pass a note to the building manager.

Kindly note the behavior, e.g.: always notify someone.

Hope this helps.

The board's job is coop governance, not overseeing day to day operations in the building or disciplining residents.

If, however, a board member see something that needs repair or correction in the building, s/he should tell the super.

The super should supervise building staff and direct them on what to do but he or any maintenance staff member should be astute enough to replace a burned out lightbulb or sweep up a mess in a hallway without being told to do it.

If a board member sees that the super/staff aren't doing their job or taking proper care of the building, or knows that a specific resident is not complying with coop rules or causing problems, s/he should notify the managing agent.

To Barbara who said her super/staff do private jobs in apts during coop work hours and the board does nothing about it - your board should do something about it. I wouldn't want to know that our super/staff whose salary is money that I and all my fellow shareholders) paid in aren't working for it and are doubling their money on our time by doing jobs for some individuals.

In the last twenty years I have observed perfectly normal people joining the board only to become egotistical dictators. It’s incredible how a little power can transform someone.

I agree that correcting the staff and reminding SH to follow the rules should be taken care of by the Mang company. This removes the Board from being accused of having personal agendas and conflicts with neighbors.

We now have one BM (young and inexp) that issues orders, thinks he can ignore the bylaws, and insults BM who are older, successful and nice. He has been “reined in” and spoken to on three occasions – and for a while he behaves. We now work around him and ignore his ranting Emails – and personal (he hates his neighbor) agenda. The S/H are aware of his arrogance, and we hope he is not re-elected.

You can, as we did, have the most diplomatic BM speak with them and if that doesn’t work, have an intervention by the whole board. Good luck!
VP

After spending most of my adult life in residential property management it was a surprise to me when the newest group of elected board members decided it was time for new horizons. I guess having lasted for 20 years and 20 boards I had nothing to prove. I do have to admit when I took the job I did so with the full understanding that it was at my own peril. You have to admit being a property manager is more akin to managing the Mets than, I guess the manager of the Mets.

I guess the first thing I would like to say to my fellow managers is this, there is life after residential property management, for every co-op, or condo there is an office building, a shopping center, or a mall. These buildings also require skilled property managers, professionals who expect to be treated like a professional in a professional atmosphere.

Imagine just for a second, being answerable to a select few professional peers, not a jury of volunteers.

Steering the Buick back onto the road (and the point), the point being this, it is my expert opinion that the role of a board member is more often than not used for the building of ones ego rather than that of sound business practice. What is it they used to say on TV, only the names have been changed to protect the innocent? They say only a fool defends himself, I would assume even one more foolish would believe themselves to be the ultimate manager, doorman, handyman, and porter rapped up into one unit called (gulp), Board President.

What it boils down to this, a Board Member, Board President, Grand Puba or whatever you call him/her is an ADMINISTRATOR. For those who never passed Business 101, an ADMINSTRATOR deals with LONG TERM GOALS rather than DAY TO DAY operations.

I've only worked with one, for three years as Board President.

I had the utmost respect for the depth and breadth of her knowledge, the work ethic she brought to her job despite long hours and 24/7 availability to the multitude of buildings she managed, her sense of humor in crises, and her steadfast support of our co-op's short and long-term goals, no matter how hard or fast we were pushing.

Sorry to read you've been so mistreated.

Get all the shareholders together and vote these members off the board. They obviously do not know what they are doing or are supposed to do. Why not hold an early election and get new members who might actually handle themselves with professionalism?

Being that I am a full-time Super/Resident Manager. It is in the best interest of the building for the B/M to remain on the sidelines. Set up a maintenance committee or other committee's to address building concerns. We know how to operate and maintain the building, advice and suggestions are always welcomed. But who goes to the surgeon and tells him how to operate.