@JimmyT said:
It’s legal – just – but is it right? I don’t think so. Firstly, the minutes of the AGM can’t be approved or otherwise until the next General Meeting, so it kind of makes sense that they aren’t sent out until just before … but then how are to people who weren’t at the meeting to know what was decided?
In the ACT we have to mail out general meeting minutes within 7 days I think, at least in the case of a reduced quorum meeting (which we almost always have since we get <50% attendence, though >50% take part once proxies are counted). The minutes are formally accepted at the next general meeting but the EC can act on the decisions without having to wait a year, particularly important in the case of the budget for the coming year! Minutes get mailed out again with the next AGM minutes.
But this building manager is only the employee of the Owners, not the other way round and he has to do what they collectively want. So this is what you do, at your next EC meeting (you do have EC meetings, don’t you?) you agree that in future a summary of all General Meeting and EC meeting decisions will be sent out to all owners within two weeks of the meeting. In fact the minutes of the EC meetings (not general meetings) have to be sent out within 14 days by law.
Then you order the manager that the next AGM will be held in the evening at a time that suits the majority of owners rather than them.
If he refuses, sack him. The tail must not wag the dog.
Again, in the ACT, and perhaps in NSW-worth checking-it is the EC who would normally call a meeting, approve the meeting papers and be responsible to ensure proper notice is given etc. It might be the strata manager who copies the papers and stuffs envelopes in practice but the EC should be the ones who are directing the notice to go out with its various particulars by a certain date. Surely the EC can be taken to task if the meeting is not at a convenient time. Certainly our EC was told by those who were not impressed when we made the evening start time earlier by one hour. Certain owners were also very willing to let us know their displeasure when we had the meeting in the local school library one time rather than a local club’s meeting room. So, don’t be shy when you have a reasonable complaint. I’m sure the people with unreasonable complaints are not so shy!