Page 8 - New York Cooperator February 2020

8 THE COOPERATOR — FEBRUARY 2020 COOPERATOR.COM www.automaticindustries.com 1-800-THE-WASH WOMAN OWNED COMPANY BACKED BY A LOT OF MAN POWER FAMILY-OWNED SINCE 1971 We offer a boutique style of service We are compassionate and caring to our customers While still being competitive with the “Big Box” Boyz! Offering state-of-the-art laundry rooms MACKOUL RISK SOLUTIONS ADDRESSING NYS NYC MANDATED & WORKPLACE HARASSMENT PREVENTion TRAINING MACKOUL RISK SOLUTIONS PROVIDES A LOW COST SOLUTION TO EDUCATE YOUR EMPLOYEES. All New York State employers are required to institute annual anti-harassment training for all employees. This includes all employers with one or more employees , whether Full Time, Part Time, Seasonal or Temporary. www.mackoul.com www.mackoul.com | Rebecca Scandaliato | Direct: 516-279-1215 | rscandaliato@mackoul.com We provide training for the employees and also board members who have direct interaction with those employees. Our mandated training suite on Preventing Discrimination and Sexual Harassment is offered as an essential tool to Property Management Firms and all private sector businesses. Training is required on an Annual Basis For more information on meeting your 2020 requirements and to avoid costly fines for non-compliance contact Mackoul Risk Solutions today. a method common in nonprofi t organiza- tions, which is the board member agree- ment.” A board member agreement is kind says. “Th e member meets privately with of like a rulebook and lays out what’s ac- ceptable behavior for board members. “It ery year to talk about their performance.” should be in writing, and every new board Such accountability and the opportunity to member should be required to say they are ‘check in’ in a calm, non-combative setting prepared to agree to these rules,” says Da- vidson. Michael Kim, a condominium attorney into a bigger problem. in Chicago, says that while board member agreements aren’t common among co-ops and condos in his particular area, he has handle confl icts among board members— occasionally seen them adopted in build- ings or associations “when there are serious try to arrive at some sort of reconciliation rival factions.” Kim does not necessarily between the two opposing groups, whether encourage the use of such agreements, but that’s in the community as a whole or on the he doesn’t discourage them either. As part board. “People want to be heard,” she says, of his practice, he will off er his client com- munities an orientation session for newly meeting aft er an election, it’s oft en very elected board members, including tutorials helpful to simply ask the minority what it on how to run fair and orderly meetings. He is they want to see—what kind of changes says that bad blood between board mem- bers oft en has its origin in badly run, cha- otic meetings where board members feel the shareholders want, and to remember shut down, slighted, or otherwise insulted that the board is there to govern everyone— by their colleagues. Adopting specifi c meet- ing protocols (and sticking to them) is one anyone who doesn’t necessarily share one’s way to nip acrimony in the bud before it has opinions or priorities. Put simply, “Th e goal a chance to fl ourish and cause harm. Another idea is that of a grievance berg, and the most important component committee—a common feature of non-res- idential nonprofi ts—tailored to a building or HOA’s board policy. Davidson explains that a grievance committee can perform an annual assessment of each board mem- ber. “Sort of like a, ‘how am I doing?’” he someone from the grievance committee ev- can help boards or residents course-correct before something relatively minor balloons What Can a Manager Do? Schlossberg suggests that the best way to or among warring resident factions—is to and recommends that at the fi rst board they’re looking to eff ect by joining the board. It’s also crucial to understand what not to champion pet projects or to stick it to is to create a cohesive board,” says Schloss- MANAGING... continued from page 7