Just a few technical points. In NSW the strata committee has to be elected every year at the AGM. Ths committee then elects that office-bearers (if any). That means that unless you have had a proper election at a proper AGM in the interim, rather than having the same office-bearers and committee, you have none.
I would say that alone suggests that your committee is in disarray and the one person who should be fixing this – the strata manager – is doing nothing.
If I were in your shoes I would gather up all the complaints about everything, call an informal meeting of owners and propose that you be Chairman and secretary until such times as everything is on an even keel. After that, it’s up to you how much or how little you do – considering that nothing has been happening for years, the bar isn’t set terribly high (you just have to resist the temptation to fix everything all at once).
As chair, you don’t have executive or presidential powers … all you can do is chair meetings … but you will become a figure-head for the building and at some point a focus of discontent. But it’s worth the effort because just by making your scheme run as it’s supposed to, you are enhancing the value of your property.
Doubling up as secretary means you can see everything that’s going on and actually get things done. And if you were looking for help to get this all rolling, our sponsors Strata Answers are fantastic.
Oh, and the book is out of print (and out of date) and the publishers rejected a proposal for a new one because “you can get it all on the internet”. Ironic, or what?