It’s not even an open secret that the typical HOA board member and common area maintenance company probably gets kickbacks from vendors. THEY GET KICKBACKS FROM VENDORS! Get over it. Don’t even question it. It’s about as common as worms on a sidewalk after a spring rain.
Since HOAs make their own laws and since government oversight over such things as kickbacks, bribery, extortion and embezzlement is approximately zero this kind of nonsense will continue indefinitely.
Jan Bergemann, one of the heroes of our movement just posted something unbelievable on his website. Actually, it’s not unbelievable. It’s just sad.
Many employers these days do a credit check on potential employees. The reason for doing so I was told by somebody in the ‘background check’ business is because they are finding employees with financial problems are more likely to steal from the company, can’t focus on the job because of financial stress, and get many phone calls during the work hours by bill collectors on their cell phones. Thus, employers are passing on hiring those with low credit scores.
Board members have no background checks that I am aware of. Why would anyone doubt they would take kickbacks if they have credit problems of their own and a few thousand dollars in one hundred dollar bills would change their financial situation. Or send them on vacation.
In my HOA we have two board members that have a history of financial problems. One has filed bankruptcy in the past, loves to gamble and go to shopping at the mall. Logic would say dangling the carrot of a kickback in the face of a person like this could result in the HOA hiring contractors that offer kickbacks.
I think the same practice should apply to board members as it does to the hiring process of new employees. And when volunteer board members fight like wild animals to keep their board position it should not go unnoticed.