[CatherineB]

This almost an exact mirroring of my situation.

When I bought in Strata for the first time (Perth, WA) I met the then-chairman of the EC.  She was an narcissistic horror….I have described the situation in another threat re harassment of EC members by owners.

We got her off the committee about 4 months after I joined and was voted into the Chair.  It was a practical necessity: by then her behaviour was so sociopathic that the EC actually refused to be in the same room as she, and we couldn’t hold a meeting.  There was drunken misbehaviour, and now she has settled into repeated legal proceedings.

My problem is that she is targeting me personally as the author of her removal from power (true) and her personal misery (ridiculous) and so the legal actions tend towards fantasised restraining orders rather than threats of the SAT, etc.  She is vexatious and frivolous, but it takes a lot more extreme expenditure of money for the courts to declare them to be vexatious. 

We don’t take much notice anymore because we operate very cleanly and within the law, our levies have remained static for five years whilst we have completed a hell of a lot of works in the grounds, and we are on track for completing painting of all buildings and structures in the large complex without either a special levy or a hike in rates.  these things tend to happen when we correspond to request she desist from breaches of the by-laws, which is frequent.  I cant tell you how many times shes let my tyres down (cant prove it, she was observed but by someone too frightened of her to witness on paper).

but you are not alone.  theres only one thing worse than a bully EC member, and that’s a bully ex-EC member.  she spend her considerable spare time thinking of ways to halt projects and fritter away the common funds.  thankfully she is a coward when not behind her keyboard, so confrontations have been very far between.

[CatherineB]

and all evidence…videos etc is saved safely 🙂

including two of me being harassed by the guy in the grounds that he doesn’t actually know I had my phone filming. 

[CatherineB]

Thanks for all the advice!

I should have specified, I am in WA.

Also, I sought an MRO (misconduct restraining order) again the assaulter, who is also I suspect clinically ill and an associate of the ex chairman.  In court it never went to trial as he promised to stay away from me and not interact with me.  The magistrate was quite clear with him that he believed him to be guilty, and that if he breached the undertaking enough to cause me to return to court that he would ensure that a full RO was granted with not too much ado, so I don’t think the guy will breach: hes training to be a doctor, even a civil misdemeanour isn’t worth it for him on record.

After I intervened in the bullying of the gardener (for whom I supervised) and which comprised a verbal debate only and did not involve any physical contact at all, but it would be safe to say she came off worse, she got a Violence restraining order against me and so we went to court where it was dismissed.  Scalding bit of rebuke against her from the magistrate too, cant say it wasn’t vindicating to see.

so those issues are resolved legally. I had not physical been in her presence for six months previous to the issues and other than the incident with the gardener, since.  The court banned any email contact from either of these people.  problem solved.

however the defamation is the thing.  I had done some research and I know its not to be undertaken lightly.  the motives are clear: she wants the gardening contract for herself (she is now a freelance gardener) and it was clearly stated in the letter.

all in all its a complex and toxic situation.  I would love to step off the council, having driven through 3 big ticket projects, through sheer effort of will (they had been outstanding for five years) but our strata managers say that if she regains a seat on the EC then they will give notice.  its a big thing as the previous strata managers, whom we have spoken to, are taking the same tack.  so its not great, eh? 

anyway, yes I do live well and am grateful to do so.  I just needed a vent.  im not totally discounting the possibility of an action as its a black and white case (they were very silly to write this stuff down and sign it), but I am aware of the emotional cost.

[Author]

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