Depends what needed doing. If it was routine but expensive maintenance with no particular urgency, then the EC should perhaps have called a general meeting or waited for the next AGM to approve it in the next year’s budget. If it was minor work that could be reasonably covered within a general maintenance item in the budget and it was wise or opportune to get on with the work, then I’d say the EC should do it.
If it was anticipated within a contingency component of the sinking fund plan then they could get on with it.
If the work was not anticipated or budgeted but not doing it would create a non-trivial safety risk, then they should get on with the work first and worry about how to pay for it second.