CHANGING CONDO DOCUMENTS CAN BE A BIG HASSLE

DEAR BOB: I own a condominium where the annual membership meeting is held each February. The condo is in Michigan, but perhaps 50 percent of our condo owners spend the winters in Arizona, Florida or Texas. The result is few members are in town to attend the annual meeting where important matters are often decided. Although there are always plenty of proxy votes, I feel it is dishonest to have the annual meeting when few condo owners are present. What can we do? --Nathan R.

DEAR NATHAN: Your condo homeowner association's conditions, covenants and restrictions (CC&Rs), or by-laws, specify when the annual meeting of the association shall be held. To change the meeting date will require a vote of the members. There will probably be legal fees to have the change prepared. This can be a big hassle, which might be expensive, especially if the majority of condo owners are satisfied or just doesn't care. Unless there is a pressing reason to change the annual meeting date, I suggest forgetting the issue.

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