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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MANAGER
January 1, 2007
Today, Licensed Community Association Managers have more
duties and more responsibilities than ever. Their
positions require them to be well versed in many areas of
law, accounting, maintenance, management and supervision.
Their days start early and usually end late. They are on
call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies. They
are expected to act efficiently, professionally and quickly
in all matters and for several clients, simultaneously.
Community Association Managers’ jobs are very unique and
when a manager has multiple associations to attend to it is
even more difficult. The manager has to pick and choose,
based on all current problems which is more important than
another. This can cause problems with some residents, as
someone who is not being attended to at that time believes
that their problem or situation is more important than any
other! The manager has a limited amount of time in which
to operate and in times of hurricanes and the aftermath,
hardly any time to manage normal problems. The stress
levels are incredibly high and the paperwork and telephone
calls are almost impossible to keep up with. I applaud
today’s managers for what they accomplish day in and day
out. They really do have impossible jobs to perform. The
best thing we can do for our managers is to back them up,
support them and stand behind them in good times and bad.
If you do this for your manager, they will go the extra
mile for you and your residents.
A typical day starts with the manager clearing their voice
mail messages, retrieving their emails and reading any mail
that was delivered the day before. The most important items
of an emergency nature, or something that may affect that
days schedule are handled immediately. The manager may
then have scheduled site visits to make or appointments
with vendors, maintenance personnel or other professionals
to meet.
While this is happening, there are additional phone calls
that are occurring from Owners, potential purchasers and
renters, brokers, vendors, contractors and Board members on
any matter that they feel is important.
Paperwork and administrative items that a manager handles
on a daily basis may be anything from handling a sales or
rental application, coding invoices for payment, making up
agendas and meeting notices, answering correspondence,
coordinating collection matters, drafting minutes of
meetings, to receiving and reviewing contractor and service
quotes and contracts. A manager will also handle or
coordinate violation and fines committee paperwork, ARC
files and applications. Sales and rental applications and
the numerous telephone calls from the Broker, the Seller,
the Buyer, the Tenant, the Landlord, the Title Company, the
Closing Agent and the Approval Committee all take time (and
this just for one transfer!).
If a manager did not have to handle these “time wasters”
they could devote their time to more important association
matters. Violation letters take a tremendous amount of
time, not only compiling the information on site and the
generation of the paperwork but also with the numerous
phone calls of protest from the offended owners.
At budget time and annual meeting time, the manager is
involved with the process of compiling these documents and
making sure that they are properly drafted and written and
distributed correctly. On any given day, depending on the
time of the week, month, quarter and year, a manager will
be involved in any of the following:
Approval of accounts payable; Review of accounts
receivable; Affidavits of assessments, mailings and
notices; Preparation of meeting agendas; Processing of
applications for alterations; Coordinating document
amendments; Coordination of processing of Annual Corporate
Report; Coordination of Annual Fee Report; Annual Meeting
coordination and preparation; Take calls from answering
service after hours; Coordinate approvals of rentals;
resales and clubhouse; ARC Correspondence; Coordinate
billing of all assessments; Review of audit requirements;
Coordinate ballot preparations; Assist in coordination of
banking matters; Coordinate bid process on contracts and
services; Coordinate Board of Directors Meetings; Review
Board of Continued From Page 1.
Health Reports and take action; Coordinate Budget Meetings;
Assist in Budget Preparation; Coordinate and assist in CD
Renewal; Coordinate Certificate of Approval process;
Coordinate check signing process; Meet with association
liaison per contract; Coding of invoices; Meet with
committees; Coordinate with association attorney; Oversee
and supervise contracts; Review Correspondence; Record
activities in daily log; Review delinquent lists;
Coordinate sending delinquent owners to collections; Review
and coordinate demand letters; Handle any elevator
problems; Coordinate elevators inspections; Respond to any
emergencies; Assist in emergency preparedness; Respond to
any emergency service calls; Coordinate estoppels; File
records; Oversee the distribution of financial statements;
Review financial statements; Coordinate foreclosure
process; Keep forms up to date; Oversee and supervise
grounds and lawn maintenance; Coordinate income tax; Report
any injuries; Assist in any insurance bidding, claims and
renewal; Provide inspections of property; Conduct inventory
of client property; Approve any invoices and code; Provide
key management; Supervise lake maintenance; Review late
letters; Coordinate any legal disputes; Produce and
coordinate letter writing; Coordinate the lien process;
Supervise lighting maintenance; Produce managers’ reports;
Coordinate mass mailings; Produce and compile meeting
minutes; Produce and post meeting notices; Coordinate and
assist in membership meetings; Coordinate and assist in
membership meetings; Coordinate notary service; Coordinate
petty cash; Handle and police reports and coordinate with
insurance carriers; Supervise pool maintenance; Post
association notices; Preparation for meetings; Coordinate
proof of insurance for vendors; Compile proposals for
services; Oversee proxy management; Coordinate PUD
questionnaire preparation; Provide pump management and
repairs; Coordinate preparation questions & answer sheets;
Coordinate with Realtors on association transfer process;
Reprogram security gate; Coordinate reserve transfers;
Coordinate review/audits, Review Documents; Provide
knowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order; Coordinate roof leak
repairs; Provide rules enforcement; Schedule projects;
Assist and coordinate in setting of timers; Coordinate
sign-in sheets; Assist with special assessment procedures;
Assist in compiling project specifications; Coordinate any
state reports; Assist in any storm preparation; Supervise
employees; Handle any telephone inquiries; Assist and
coordinate in any termite/pest problems; Assist title
companies with inquiries and transfers; Provide transfer
documentation; Supervise tree trimming; Provide unit owner
updates; Assist in update/maintenance of database; Updates
to 718, 719 and 720 Florida Statutes: Coordinate handling
of any vandalism; Coordinate Vendor proof of insurance;
Assist in any vendor correspondence; Produce any violation
letters; Retrieve voice mail; Coordinate voting
certificates; Attend any pertinent workshops to better
their profession and to maintain their license.
Take all of these events, procedures and duties and then
multiply them based on the manager’s number of communities
or units that they are handling. You can see that they
have extremely difficult jobs, for relatively low
compensation.
Next time your manager is stressed, realize that they are
handling multiple problems and duties at the same time, and
be more patient with them. When handling difficult
situations with owners and Board members, back them up and
support them, they need your cooperation and help. In
turn, they will be loyal and protective of your Board, as
you are then working as a team and for the same goals.
Copyright 2007© Associated Property Management of the Palm Beaches, Inc.
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