Condominiums are a popular housing option across Minnesota. Young professionals and older adults are among those who find the condominium lifestyle appealing. Instead of needing to constantly maintain real property, they can generally count on their condo association to provide everything from parking lot snow removal to lawn care.
Those who purchase condominium homes pay association fees that help maintain common areas and contribute to the cost of certain amenities, like a community gym. They also help elect the board members who manage the community and have an opportunity to communicate their needs to those board members.
Condo association boards must have regular meetings to discuss the community, its future and its needs. Such meetings may lead to intense discussions about proposed changes or current property conditions. One of the most common ways that condo boards end up facing threats of a recall election or conflict with residents relates to how they manage the meetings on behalf of the association.
Minnesota has very clear rules for board meetings
When condominium association boards hold meetings, they need to make them open to the public. Property owners should have a right to speak and make their concerns known. To achieve that, it is necessary to have open and public meetings. Not only will the board need to allow anyone who wants to provide feedback to attend meetings, but they will have to provide advance notice to allow them to arrange their schedules accordingly.
The law in Minnesota requires official posted notice of all meetings no more than 30 days before the meeting occurs but at least 21 days before the meeting occurs. Failing to properly notify residents of pending meetings or holding meetings behind closed doors can lead to allegations of corruption. Sometimes, private meetings or improper notification of upcoming meetings would directly lead to conflict including recall efforts to remove and replace board members.
Regardless of how lengthy the discussions may become and how frustrating it may be to assuage the concerns of certain community members, it is necessary for condominium boards to consistently comply with Minnesota state law regarding meetings. Learning more about the rules that apply to board meetings can help board members avoid accusations of legal infractions and inappropriate conduct. Seeking legal guidance is a good way to get started.
