My feet had barely hit the ground at Mountain View when the Annual General Meeting was called. I was too busy settling in to care about the politics of the place, but the agenda included a motion to terminate the Strata Manager. Self-management is complicated in a large scheme, so I wondered if that would be a wise decision to make.
There was a lot to be said at that meeting, and as a relatively new resident I listened to all the arguments, for and against. When I cast my vote in favour of self-management I was confident we could do it.
Just before the AGM I was nominated for a position on the Strata Committee, and I’ve been part of that great committee since then.
It’s a tough gig but someone has to do it
Giving time to be on the Strata Committee has been an honour and a privilege, but it hasn’t been without problems.
The legislation that governs Strata Schemes in New South Wales has changed, and the changes have increased the complexity of managing large schemes like ours. None of the committee members are trained Strata Managers; we’ve been a lot of things in our other lives, but not Strata Managers.
We are a large Strata Scheme and we need the expertise of a fully qualified Strata Manager to guide us.
David does an amazing job as our Community Manager, but the last thing he needs is the extra strain of helping us keep up with changes in the legislation.
What does the legislation say?
The Strata Committee put in a lot of hours in the lead up to presenting Motions to residents at a General Meeting, as per legislation.
The Owners voted on:
- whether we need a Strata Manager
- which of the two proposals to accept for the appointment of a Strata Manager (dependent on the outcome of the first Motion)
The Motions and two proposals from prospective Strata Management companies were presented at a General Meeting. And the residents of this great village voted in favour of a Strata Manager, and in favour of appointing BCS to manage this fabulous place we live in.
The Strata Committee is still relevant, but the hard work will now be borne by BCS generally, and Matthew (our new Strata Manager) specifically.
Yep! Self-management is complicated
So we can all relax, safe in the knowledge that BCS will handle the hard stuff. They know the legislation inside-out and can answer all those tough questions.
Do we still need a Strata Committee?
Mountain View is a Strata Scheme, even though we have an increasing number of Leasehold units. Until we are 100% Leasehold, we will be a Strata Scheme, and a Strata Scheme has to have a Strata Committee.
I would encourage Owners to consider nominating for a position on the Strata Committee at future elections. We sorted the hard stuff so you can have a much easier experience than the current committee has had.
And what about David?
David will now be able to focus on what he needs to do as Community Manager. The appointment of BCS takes a lot of pressure off him.
The majority of residents love where they live and want to live peacefully and harmoniously with their neighbours. There are a few residents who aren’t happy but that’s life; the rest of us just keep on being happy.
I often wonder how David survived all the hard stuff that went on behind the scenes, but he did. He handles it all without even breaking a sweat – he saves the sweat for the football field after work. There’s a lot to be said for a good physical workout after a stressful day.
If it isn’t working, call Dave!
Who do we call when a water main bursts? Dave! He knows which mains to turn off and what to do until the plumber arrives.
Dave is a man of few words – unless you ask for a progress report on his new granddaughter. Then out comes the modern-day brag book (the trusty smart-phone) with the latest photos and videos. And because we all know the mother (and father) of this beautiful baby, we can’t get enough reports of how she is growing.
Dave will still do what he does best – look after the everyday maintenance stuff.
Jason and the gardeners…
Nothing will change on the garden front. Jason will still manage his fabulous team to keep our gardens as beautiful as they always are.
One of the first things visitors notice are the gardens, especially in spring. We live in a kaleidoscope of colour, carefully planned and cultivated by our amazing gardening team, originally led by Eddie, and now capably managed by his son, Jason. Our twenty-eight acres of spectacular bushland are a credit to this amazing team.
So what happens now?
- BCS will take care of the big stuff
- David is still at the helm as Community Manager
- the girls will continue to manage the office and call-outs
- Jason and his team will still look after the gardens
- Dave will fix everything that needs fixing (within his job description) and keep us updated on the progress of his beautiful granddaughter
- the Strata Committee will liaise with the Strata Manager and continue to make decisions about Common Property
Mountain View is in good hands
Self-management is complicated, and that’s why it’s better to hand the management over to BCS. And we can all get on with what we do best: enjoy our retirement.
