You might think that there are better things to do than attend your Strata's Annual General Meeting, but in our regular feature Horner Benefits, Monique Holton has some secrets to share.
I will let you in on a little secret: I own a property in a strata, and before becoming a Strata Manager, I never attended my Annual General Meetings (AGM). Every year the AGM would roll around, and I would find, well, to be honest, something better to do. Having faith in my Strata Manager (Horner Management of course), I would at least return a proxy form authorising them to vote on my behalf and in hopes this
achieved a quorum.
Fast forward to chairing many meetings, and I always encourage owners to attend their AGM's and can assure you that you will see the many benefits.
1. Every quorum matters
Firstly, attendance assists in achieving a quorum. A quorum is needed for the meeting to proceed and avoid reconvening (which comes at a cost to the Corporation).
2. Real-time answers
You get real-time answers to your questions. Attending face-to-face means you can ask your Manager to clarify expenses of the last financial year, get help interpreting the budget and
clear up any questions you might have concerning the management of your Corporation.
3. Fast decisions
It's an ideal opportunity to raise any maintenance concerns you have and for owners to make fast, collaborative decisions about potential repairs. You can instruct on quotes, approve work orders and take formative action then and there.
4. Everybody needs good neighbours
One of the most surprising benefits of attendance is meeting and engaging with the other owners, understanding the group's varying priorities, and collectively planning and forecasting for future considerations.
So, if, like me, attending your AGM felt like a chore, I encourage you to please give it a go, I think you'll be surprised, and we would love to see you.