Manzoor Khan is hired
“When
you have been on the board for a while you will learn that you have to
work outside the Condo Act and that taking graft is common practice in
this business.”
Manzoor Moorshed Khan
—President & CEO Channel Property Management
speaking to a newly elected director of PCC #143 at a board meeting
Manzoor had energy and he was in a hurry. He immediately started
working on the maintenance projects. Within six weeks, he got quotes
for the garage ramp replacement, had the Reserve Fund Study approved
and the board agreed to request a $1,500,000 loan to provide funding
for projects covered in the Reserve Fund Study.
Board meetings
At the October board meeting, Manzoor tells the new directors that all
directors have equal power and that the treasurer oversees the
financial well being of the corporation and works with management more
closely than the other directors. A motion was passed stating that all
cheques required two signatures, one from the management company and
the second from the treasurer. If the treasurer was not available the
president may sign.
At the December 2005 board meeting, Khan complains that Channel is not
getting the service they expect from the corporation’s present lawyer
and has a motion passed to hire Fine and Deo.
By the January 2006 board meeting two directors resign due to distrust
among the board members and accusations that directors are favouring
their ethnic groups
They were also upset that Manzoor went to the TD Bank, without
authorization, and wreaked the corporation's chances at getting a bank
loan. In a huff, Manzoor gave the board Channel's resignation which was
later withdrawn.
By the next meeting, the board fails to meet quorum but motions are
passed anyway with Manzoor acting as chair and director.
At one board meeting, Manzoor makes a motion and a resident, a director’s son, seconds it.
At the November 2005 AGM, Manzoor Khan vowed that he would collect 100%
of the arrears or he would pay them himself. Then at a January board
meeting, a motion was passed to write off the unpaid condo fees from
seven different units for a total of $6,564.84.
At one meeting in May 2006 access to the swimming pool and safety was a
concern so one suggestion Manzoor had was for the corporation to send a
homeowner for life guard training and hire the person for the summer.
He doesn’t appear to have any idea of how much it would cost or the
length of time that is required to train and qualify a lifeguard.
By-laws
New proposed by-laws include one that prescribes the qualifications and
the conditions for the removal of directors. (I guess Manzoor would
think that bylaw could come in handy.) At one board meeting Manzoor
tells the board that they need the approval of 81% of the owners to
pass a bylaw.
Fines
A condo corporation cannot fine the owners in Ontario.
Manzoor introduces $200 fines for owners who fail to follow the
corporation rules and he states that these fines can be added to the
unit’s common element fees, can be enforced by a lien and the money
collected by power of sale. At a board meeting he moved to put one unit
up for sale due to the owner’s undesirable activity. The motion passed
unanimously.
Later, the corporation lawyer put a stop to this nonsense.
Energy provider
Manzoor changed the electrical provider from a local company to
Constellation Energy, an American company with a Toronto office. He
told the board that this would save the corporation money.
Constellation dealt privately with Manzoor. In January 2006, Manzoor,
not the board directors, signed a contract with Constellation.
How the board operated
At the second AGM, two previous directors were returned to the board.
They were on to Manzoor and they suspected that the corporation was a
victim of fraud.
When they were questioning Manzoor at the last board meeting he
attended, Manzoor explained the protocol of communications and
decision-making. There was three different ways the previous board made
decisions and gave the go-ahead for management to carry out a specific
action.
1. Discussion in meetings.
2. Over the telephone
3. By e-mail.
In all instances there was always at least one director who seconded that action.
Well, that makes everything all right then!
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