Join a community association.That’s our new mayor’s suggestion. I’m not so sure. It costs. Where will your money go?
To an organization with terrific lack of city oversight.
Community associations work like this: The city owns the community association buildings—and leases them to volunteer-run groups.
It’s much cheaper than staffing them with city employees, paying for upkeep. There’s a quaint notion that community needs will be met.
Maybe. But reality bites.
The buildings are often old and expensive to run. It’s easy for a small group to gain control, have their own way, break bylaws like crazy.
How do I know? I sat on a CA board and was responsible for a $200,000 employee theft. I’m liable, so blame me.
But the city failed, too. It failed to enforce the terms of its own lease, which was to approve amounts over spent over a certain amount.
The city sends representatives to CA meetings with no mandate to enforce bylaws, advise on financials—or even enforce the minor lease oversight that exists.
I was tipped off the theft by another board member, and reported this to the Federation of Calgary Community—an organization partly funded by the city. No one helped investigate
And the city looked the other way in the absence of three years of no audited financials.
Pretty secret territory, community associations.
All community association financials are presented in camera to city council. The true situation escapes the light of day—even from many CA’s own members.
The last thing the city wants “is the keys back” or to have to run the building. Bowness and Fairview are failed examples.
As the mayor noted in a CBC interview in 2007, aldermen use community associations to curry favour, and build support.
In the face of this, he needs to insist that CA oversight is in place.
The Calgary police haven’t prosecuted the person named in our civil suit. So, there’s little deterrent to steal from a community association.
Oh, and the Societies Act. A nice tax by the province. CAs register bylaws there, but there’s no enforcement.
The mayor doesn’t want to place blame. He’s looking for system fixes.
Blame me for failing my community.
But look at the entire system, too, Mayor Nenshi.
Join a community association? Maybe. But to the board? Only if you’re a forensic accountant with a ton of time on your hands.
