Page 14 - New Jersey Cooperator February 2019

I n a community association, it falls on the board to put out any fi res that ignite among the property’s residents. But what happens when that blaze springs up between the board members themselves? Those who volunteer to serve on their community association or co-op board are likely to bring strong convic- tions – and personalities – to the table. As in any decision-making body, there is likely to be difference of opinion. And if the stakes and tempers rise high enough, it can occasionally escalate into a war of words. At worst, it can lead to knock- down, drag-out fisticuffs. Preventing any and all conflict is im- possible. But minimizing and mitigat- ing the problem is essential in order for a board to do its job. Board members should actively anticipate arguments among their ranks, and have a strategy on hand to ease tensions and reach an ac- ceptable compromise – before things get out of hand. Talk It Out One way to keep things copacetic among board members is to identify which attributes most contribute to a board’s functionality, and reach for those as a baseline when things start to drift apart. “Harmony on a board comes from a place of mutual respect,” says Teresa Vig- giano, Community Manager of the Riv- iera at East Windsor HOA in Cranbury. “Everyone must afford each other the op- portunity to be heard and to voice their opinion. After all, they are operating an often multi-million-dollar business.” “I think that the key to harmony on a board is that its members have the abil- ity to agree to disagree,” says Tina Straits, Vice President and General Manager of Baum Property Management in Aurora, Illinois. “Any one group of people is not going to reach a consensus on every is- sue. Where there is disagreement, it is vitally important that board members listen respectfully to each other and un- derstand that having a difference of opin- ion is nothing to take personally.” Communication–and the ability to calmly articulate why one board member may disagree with one or other persons – is critical. “Some disputes are caused by a lack of understanding among board members as to the regulation and opera- tion of the association and the function of the board, which can be due to the in- experience of some of the directors,” ex- plains Elizabeth A. Bowen, a shareholder with Florida-based law firm Siegfried, Rivera, Hyman, Lerner, De La Torre, Mars & Sobel, P.A. “To this end, a good BOARD RELATIONSHIPS 14 THE NEW JERSEY COOPERATOR —FEBRUARY 2019 NJCOOPERATOR.COM Managing Board Confl ict How to Maintain Harmony BY MIKE ODENTHAL We specialize in: • Condominium/Townhouse Associations • Single Family HOA/Master Planned • Luxury High Rise Condominiums • Cooperative Communities • Adult Active Communities 11 Cleveland Place • Springfield NJ 07081 tony.nardone@cp-management.com 973.376.3925 www.cp-management.com ISTOCKPHOTO.COM