The Bluffs

Are Owners Allowed To Video Tape The Board Meetings?

Posted in: ACHO
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  • softvoice
  • Respected Neighbor
  • Sun City West, AZ
  • 14 Posts
  • Respect-O-Meter: Respected Neighbor

I was wondering if anyone knew what our Arizona Statutes say about video taping and audio recording of the board meetings. I know that most states allow this as a basic right. But I cant seem to find out anything for Sun City West in Arizona. For example according to Chapter 718 Florida Statutes "The Condominium Act" I pulled the following from section 718.112:

"Any unit owner may tape record or videotape a meeting of the unit owners subject to reasonable rules adopted by the division."

Do you know if Sun City West (Arizona) condo owners can record board meetings? This would be a big help to all of us who have several homes, cant attend the board meet tings but want an accurate representation of the events that took place at the meeting.  They could then be loaded up on the association website for download.  Does anyone do this?

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  • softvoice
  • Respected Neighbor
  • Sun City West, AZ
  • 14 Posts
  • Respect-O-Meter: Respected Neighbor

I found out that it is ok to record Board meetings. However the official record of the meeting is what is listed in the minuets (and approved) not the recording. Lawyers who represent the Board will discourage Board members to allow recording as it can work against the Board when engaged in a lawsuit. Boards must pass a Rule to not allow recording before they can ban recording. Obviously the minutes must be taken with a unbias prejudice, informative and the owners have the right to not approve the minuets in the next meeting.

If a Board is content with full transparency, allowing recording of Board meetings most Lawers would suggest establishing a retention policy so that the board can destroy recordings after 30-60 days of the meeting. Not doing so could cause a legal problem in the future.

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  • rhhellmann2
  • Respected Neighbor
  • Indianapolis, IN
  • 18 Posts
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If I were you, I would contact my local government or go online and search "condo association rules for Arizona" and see what it pulls up.

I would love to video tape and record our directors meetings but they have discriminated me for many years from going to the owners meetings due to my financial status. My mother and my name are on my  mortgage and the married directors discriminate me by not sending the letter for the annual meeting for many years and my maintence fees pay for the letters to be sent to me as well as pay for that postage, toner, paper, their time in typing letters etc. They  do not want to give my copy of the annual statement  as they did sue me fraudulently for 3 years over something I did not do. They say one thing in the meetings and do something different away from the meetings. They have not kept this place up financially but spend our "budget" to sue people/businesses with our budget money and now this association is in the red $ -7,000.00 +. 

If this is not in the by-laws you can do it.

Try it at your next meeting and see what happens. Just a trial and error method.

You have your rights as an owner to have what information you need. This may keep them on their toes!!.

RHKiss

 

 

 

 

  • Avatar
  • softvoice
  • Respected Neighbor
  • Sun City West, AZ
  • 14 Posts
  • Respect-O-Meter: Respected Neighbor

Sorry to hear about your situation. Thanks for your reply. We're considering audio recording our new Board meetings next year and implementing a 30 day retention policy. Good luck ion your situation!

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