Reply to Neighbors seem to think I work for them, incredibly rude, I've had it

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think you need to redirect them through the proper channels while also listening to their concerns and possibly taking them seriously.  If they are trivial and inappropriate pay less attention but isn't it possible they have a good idea or two?  Something to think about.[/quote]

In nearly a decade of running our condo association board, 100% of the concerns raised by people have involved spending more money, 0% of the concerns raised have involved cutting costs, and no one ever wants to raise fees or issue a special assessment (nor do I, for that matter).

It is very, very easy to "have a good idea or two" when your good ideas involve spending other people's money. And to get irritated when you are told to raise it through proper channels and your ideas are consistently rejected because people don't want to spend the money.

It is much harder when you are the person putting together budget reports and you need to be able to tell all owners "Here is how much we spend, here is what our ordinary expenses are, and here's another 10k in projects that people have proposed this year that would consume our entire reserve."

Everyone thinks their pet project is the most important thing. Everyone thinks that spending $500 here or 1k there is no big deal. But at the end of the day, if you actually run the numbers on this stuff, you have to choose between low fees and having everything on your wish list. That's why I routinely vote against the "good ideas" of owners who complain constantly about stuff like landscaping and capital improvements. Would it be nice to repaint the foyer annually? Sure. Is it worth raising everyone's fees in our small building by $100/mo. Absolutely not, just ask them!

You can have all the ideas you want but if you don't come in with a plan for how to pay for it, I'm going to be dismissive. If that bugs you, BY ALL MEANS, someone please volunteer for this position in the next election because I don't actually enjoy it. But it must be done and I do it. I'm not here to massage your ego and compliment you on all your brilliant ideas for improving the building, I'm here to make sure we stay solvent and protect my own investment.[/quote]

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