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Conducting a Homeowners Forum

"I want all of you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it and stick your head out and yell ‘I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore.’"
Howard Beale character (Peter Finch)
Network, MGM/UA 1976

In 1980, the Illinois Condominium Property Act was amended to require boards of directors to meet in the open when conducting board business. This came as a shock to many boards that were used to meeting in someone’s kitchen to oversee association administration. The dilemma this created was how to get through a lengthy agenda with owners continuously interrupting with questions.

This was the genesis of the institution now known as the owners forum, which usually precedes the board of directors business meeting.

Initially, boards held owner questions to the end, which necessitated "single-issue" attendees to sit through the entire meeting. Although it is not particularly harmful to hear what is going on in an association, most attendees want to ask their question or make a statement and then go home. As is usually the case, institutionalized habits are borne from necessity and the pre-meeting open forum became the order of the day.

Technically speaking, this is not part of the board business meeting since owner questions, comments (and sometimes accusations) are not board business. I always recommend the forum be held and then the meeting is officially called to order.

Some of the problems boards face even with a homeowner question and answer session preceding the meeting are homeowner forums that last three hours, mob mentality taking control when there is a controversy, owners not satisfied with having their say continually interrupt the business portion of the meeting, participation by non-owners, etc.

Here are some simple rules of procedure to follow so that the open session serves the purpose for which it was intended – for owners to communicate with their elected representations (the board) on association operations and issues:

The president should open the question and answer session with several remarks, such as, an admonition not to request maintenance, but to call it in to customer service during the day. (Note: if they have made several requests and have been ignored, this is the appropriate forum.)
Set a time limit; 15-30 minutes is usually sufficient.
Listen to the questions. If they are repeated, politely explain it has already been addressed.
Not every question can be answered that evening, but make a commitment to get the owner the answer promptly.
DO NOT DISCLOSE CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION such as litigation strategy, contents of personnel files, owner hardship cases, etc.

Keep cool at all times. The louder they get, the calmer you have to be.

Try and anticipate "hot" topics so that a board can be prepared to respond with facts and copies of documents.
Move around the audience so questions come from different parts. Try not to let one or two people monopolize the discussion. Politely remind them that other people would like to speak.
When time has expired or when there is a long pause, bring the session to a conclusion. Sometimes with a large turnout and a great deal of questions, you can wind the session down or move to ending it by advising "we have time for only two or three more questions." Even if you take four or five, the group knows the end is coming.
Be prepared to cut off a demagogue or someone who won’t take a "no" for an answer. It is unfair to the rest of the group to make them sit through a relentless rant that can never be satisfied.

The characteristics the discussion leader needs to exhibit are a smile, a little humor, politeness, firmness, civility, and most important, control.

Lastly, once the forum comes to an end, remind people that they are free to sit through the meeting and listen, but there will be no further questions from the audience...and stick to it. If you want owner input about a contractor, ask for it during the forum, so the meeting can be run according to the agenda.

This will accomplish two purposes; the owner will have adequate opportunity to voice their opinion and provide input and the board members will not be subject to sitting through 3-4 hour meetings.