4 tricks to get the most out of co-op board meetings

By Lucy Cohen Blatter | November 24, 2014 - 3:59PM

Co-op board meetings are a breeding ground for in-fighting and tedium—but they're essential to running a building smoothly and efficiently. Below, tips on how to do them right, from the folks at Habitat Magazine:

Keep meetings short. If you need more than an hour or an hour and a half, schedule a second get together.

Take board minutes seriously. They're the public record of what was discussed—and any buyer in the building will look to those to get a sense of what goes on at the co-op's management level. A good idea, per Habitat, is to include an "action list" for each member to remind everyone what you discussed and agreed to do.

Prepare an agenda. And stick to it. (Here's another spot where the minutes from the previous meeting will come in handy.)

Designate a drill instructor. This person doesn't have to be a tyrant, but it's a good idea to pick one person to keep everyone on track.

Want to see your co-op board's meeting minutes? Good luck

Ask an Expert: What can I do about the tyrants on my co-op board?

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