New construction, transfer of control from developer to strata council, drafting new bylaws for the complex, and dealing with property management turnover in a brand new 6-tower, 450-suite complex in Richmond, B.C.

That’s just a snapshot of what Dick Wagner has had to deal with, manage, and take a leadership role on as the inaugural president of the River Green strata council. From a big picture perspective, Wagner views his role, and that of the strata council, as a microcosm of democracy in action.

“It’s the sense that there’s a bunch of people who live here, and the strata council has the responsibility to represent residents in trying to ensure the development is properly looked after,” he says. “That means costs kept under control, facilities in tip-top shape, and resident issues addressed.”

The transition from developer-control to strata council-control had other earmarks of democracy, too. In the same way MP’s represent citizen interests in their ridings, strata council members represent residents. Getting that first River Green council set up with representation from each of the 6 towers took some work. One tower was originally over-represented, another under-represented. And no election exercise would be complete without a little conflict of interest: an early council candidate was a realtor actively selling in the development.

But Wagner says it was the detail in the bylaws that took the most time, effort, and maneuvering from members of the council. Clarifying rules about smoking, pets, the appropriate mix of owner/renter occupancy, and whether BBQs could be permitted on the balconies, all involved healthy debate.

“The hours we put into the BBQ issue alone is probably similar to when George Bush was deciding whether to invade Iraq,” says Wagner, tongue-in-cheek and with a chuckle. He pointed to a quote, from a July 5, 2014 Vancouver Sun editorial, that resonated with him:

“Democracy lives in the zone of tension between individual freedom and collective security. For policy makers, the difficulty lies in reasonably accommodating the private right to pursue personal convenience, for example, while guarding the broader public right to be safe.”

Wagner’s experience serving on a strata council, called a condo board in every province except British Columbia, during transition from the builder after construction, means he has some tips for others who may be in the same position, particularly in Toronto, where the condo construction boom of the last decade earned it the distinction of having more high-rise building projects underway than any other North American city, at least in January of 2014.

Tips for New Condo Owners:

• Check on the reputation of the developer. Find out what other building projects they’ve completed, and check in with a council/board member who was there at the beginning and find out how it went.
• Monitor how efficient your strata council/condo board is:
  • Do meeting minutes get distributed in a timely fashion?
  • Are you seeing relevant information about issues in your condo?
  • Are the financial statements in order, and is the corporation in good fiscal shape?
• Get involved. The best way to make sure owner interests are represented is to be willing to roll up your sleeves and sit at the council/board table.

For New Strata Council/Condo Board Members:

• Get to know your strata/condo property manager. Draw heavily on his/her background and skills.
• Your property manager or management company should be responsibly and effectively managing all operational issues. If you’re getting calls in the middle of the night, you might want to take a look at the job your PM is doing.
• The president of your council/board will set the tone for meetings, as well as how the group deals with all manner of issues. But the president is just another member, not a de facto military chief. (“Top dog, with heavy emphasis on the dog,” says Wagner.)
• Resist the temptation to put every little detail into the by-laws. The more details and restrictions, the more difficult it is for everyone – owner, property manager, council/board – to deal with.

Wagner is careful to give kudos to the hard-working and committed members on the council, giving most of the credit for the work River Green strata council has accomplished to date to them. And, he reports that his experience has been an overall positive one. At least enough for him to stand and serve as president for a second term.

Any other tips or suggestions for new condo owners, or new council/board members? We’d love to hear from you!