The resignation of the Body Corporate Secretary.

Almost There

Almost There

Just as I was relishing my new career as Secretary, practising rocking backwards and forwards on my heels, when all has come to a sudden (but not grinding) halt. Readers might remember that on a fortuitous Monday a week ago, I was nominated as Secretary in running together with Chairperson and Treasurer our Strata titled common property. It came out of the blue. Helvi and I both though something was brewing at the AGM which was held at the official address of the Body Corporate. There was an unusual air of joy and conviviality about at this particular meeting.

I accepted gracefully, and even got up from my chair to thank the attendees of the meeting, greatly humbled by the occasion. Who would have thought, and so late in my life? Dad would have been so proud. It brought back memories of the times many decades ago when I was secretary of the Parramatta scooter club. The meetings then were held above the Ambulance hall, an address which came in handy when our president had a nasty fall on his Vespa going down a steep mountains at Stanwell Park during one of the much loved treasure hunts on scooters. I had a Lambretta.

But, lets go forward again. At this AGM meeting it was agreed another small meeting would be held just by the committee. It was to be held the following Saturday at the Treasurer’s town-house just diagonally opposite ours. The meeting was at 5.30 pm. After arrival, the resigning Secretary and treasurer were present and after a few minutes the Chairperson took her chair by sitting on it. The Secretarial books were handed over and I produced my sharpened pencil and shining new note-book to start my duties as the new Secretary. My first entry were noting down the names of all three committee members including my own name, which I still remembered.

But then it all came to crashing halt. At precisely 6.05 pm, I resigned when it became clear I was being groomed to foment discord and disputes between the neighbours living next to the Treasurer and Cahirperson. I walked out and before their meeting was even finished I tucked my letter of resignation under the doors of the three committee members that were still holding the meeting, no doubt discussing what to de next. Looking through the Venetians I noticed they were sipping gin and tonic!

Here is me my letter of resignation.

On 10 Sep 2016 6:43 PM, gerard wrote:

Hello all,

I am sorry but hereby terminate my very short stint as secretary for the Body Corporate at 7 Ascot Rd. I was looking forward to making a contribution to our community and an even nicer place to reside in.

The stumbling block is that I was asked by the Chairperson to write a letter to all residents to park all cars in garages. Any cars superfluous to availability of garages to be parked on the street.

For years, some cars were parked in garages and some in front or alongside garages without any problems. It now seems to have grown into an issue. As most families now have more than one car, I was unable and certainly unwilling to antagonise residents to find alternative parking arrangements on the street.

Number 1 doesn’t even have a garage and parking has never been a problem till lately.

I will not be part of a revengeful shit-fight between some residents.

Yours faithfully,

Gerard Oosterman

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19 Responses to “The resignation of the Body Corporate Secretary.”

  1. lifecameos Says:

    What a fascinating saga ! Amazing that even shit stirrers can be targeted for manipulation !

    Liked by 2 people

  2. Yvonne Says:

    Good on ya for maintaining your integrity!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. berlioz1935 Says:

    Oh dear! Your reign was short and sweet and ended on a sour note.
    I can commiserate with you as I am the treasurer, the secretary and the chairperson all in one.

    It is hard to tell myself something I don’t want to do.

    To the issue at hand, I can inform you that we have the same problem with parking of cars on common property such as visitors parking and even on grass.

    But nobody is kicking up a stink. In a society where families have more then one car it is difficult to tell people not to park in an empty spot in front of their property because there might be a visitor coming who wants the very spot.

    We never yet had the situation where all parking spots were taken.

    I can’t see your refusal to write that letter as an act of bullying. They are the bullies.

    Liked by 4 people

  4. gerard oosterman Says:

    Thanks Berlioz. Yes, parking is never a problem here either. People seem to steam up about nothing. To think that most of them here are knocking at life’s Terminus hotel door, you wonder why they don’t smell the growing grasses while still able.
    Even so, I just bought a tree pruner with an extendable handle up to ten feet at Aldi. One never knows when it might come in handy snipping an over-excited pensioner! 😉 Just joking!

    Liked by 2 people

  5. Big M Says:

    Gerard, you need to remember that you are dealing with a group with Ladies Bowling Club mentality, which is no disrepect to ladies in general, but, in these groups, there’s always grave concern over folk who dispense cake without the appropriate cake fork, or misuse cheese in quite dastardly ways. Heaven help the oaf who dips a used teaspoon back into the sugar. No, you’re better off out of it.

    I’ve assiduously avoided all secretarial roles all of my life, and feel all the better for it.

    Liked by 3 people

    • gerard oosterman Says:

      Yes, Big M. I wrote a letter of response to the threat but then deleted it. It’s just not worth the effort. I mean, cars and parking are only metal things with round wheels residing mainly on bitumen. I am not a secretary now anymore. It was not meant to be.

      We just had nice salmon cutlets with zucchini. Very nice. The front garden is looking so nice. The stolen cyclamen replaced.

      Liked by 1 person

  6. shoreacres Says:

    It occurs to me that if you simply ignore them and devote yourself to the pleasures of the table, writing, and so forth, they may devour themselves at last, and leave you in peace.

    Life’s too short to get pulled into these internecine wars. There’s much that’s far more interesting than parking regulations. If they can’t see it, it’s their problem. Don’t let them make it yours.

    Liked by 2 people

    • gerard oosterman Says:

      Yes, Linda.
      I first thought of a devastating killer of a response, revenge so sweet. There would be copies sent to lawyers together with claims seeking damages.

      Your response of not giving oxygen to the protagonists is spot on.

      Parking regulations seem to be the most common complained issue in communally held properties.

      Like

  7. Forestwoodfolkart Says:

    This is better than any soap opera. Always great to stop by and read the latest instalment. Good on you for sticking to your principles, Gerard. It sounds like you were going to be set up to be the one the residents would all blame.

    Liked by 1 person

    • gerard oosterman Says:

      Thank you. Yes, the people who rent have just as many rights as those who own.
      We are on the sides of those that rent. The owners seem to have a thing about those that rent. The remark of one despotic owner who defended her nasty parking restrictions said, ‘ They are not owners,’ implying they had no rights to object being pushed around, made me sob with rage. Boy, did I let lose on that nasty 84 year old owner and I felt good.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Forestwoodfolkart Says:

        She sounds really condescending

        Liked by 1 person

      • gerard oosterman Says:

        The person we feel is responsible to the threat that we should go and sell up, also has a thing about the Royal Family. When the English Prince Phillip was given a Knighthood by Australia, she fully applauded the move by our previous government. It was such a silly move that the government subsequently lost the election.
        We joined in the chorus of most, in condemning and rubbishing the giving of Knighthoods and Dame hoods. However, the nasty neighbour is English and when she holds Court would bore us to death about her regaling the English monarchy to its minute detail. She hinted she actually was the illegitimate fruit of one of the many Prince Phillip’s amorous conquests, supposedly consummated in a swanky address along the Seine in Paris.
        We finally had enough and refused to genuflect and told her off. She is silly.

        Liked by 2 people

  8. beautifulbarbadosblog Says:

    tut tut. Whatever happened to staying and effecting change from within? And think of the G&T’s. Your letter could have sabotaged them if you wrote it diplomatically confusedly enough. And then be ASKED to resign.

    Like

  9. gerard oosterman Says:

    Yes, BBBblog, Welcome!
    The change from within was contemplated but the stance of the Chairperson and treasurer was unyielding. The give and take was just not there. A most unfortunate combination.

    Like

  10. rod Says:

    I see no future in dealing with these people any more than you have to. Go your own way and be happy.

    Like

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