I deeply dislike the labelling of a person "a felon." It seems that this person was convicted of a felony at some time in the past, completed whatever sentence was imposed, and is now in a position to run for president of a condo board. S/he is a person, perhaps a spouse and/or parent, a fellow condo owner, a candidate for president of the board who has a felony conviction that may or may not be relevant to the election. But to call a person "a felon" is a judgment that a past mistake defines that person forever. I don't know why you would want to do that.
I would want to know the nature of the crime before I made a decision. For example, if someone was convicted of fraud or embezzlement, I would not want them on the Board (much less the President). On the other hand, I would be less concerned about a conviction for drug possession, assuming it was not recent, and no addiction problem was evident.
The sex offender example was an odd thing to bring up, as even the lowest level sex-offenders in New York have to register as such for 20 years. So if the person running for Board President is a registered sex offender, that is very likely to become known by everyone in the building.
Sounds like the writer lost a Condo election and now has sour grapes.
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Oh well, even if Donald Trump hasn't been convicted of a felony -- and by now, really, with all his real estate and so-called for-profit college antics, he should have been -- would I want him on my condo board?
He'd find a way not to pay his maintenance or his electric bill and then blame the rest of us.
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@B.You just can't get over the fact that she lost, can you?
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Can a mental patient be a member of a condo board? Not that I might consider any members of my own condo board to be crazy and in need of psychiatric assistance...
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@nerdrage (Said with sarcasm.) You have to be certifiably mental to volunteer to be a member of a condo board..
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So, let me get this straight. Serving time doesn't matter, because no-one is going to give you a chance once you are released, anyway. So why ever released them if you won't let them get squared away with society?
The sex offender matter is moot. In most states, sex offenders must reside a certain (long) distance from their victims and from children. Is the LW's neighbor a sex offender?
Ms. Kaysen, we need follow-ups to your wonderful column. As Meredith Goldestein (Love Letters columnist, Boston Globe) how to do this with verification from the letter writers.
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Being on a permanent sex offenders registry is one thing but whatever happened to paying one's debt to society? Sounds like the debt can never be repayed.
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You need to consider the actual facts of the sex offender crime too. Just like drug convictions can range from being caught with some pot up to being a violent drug kingpin so too can sex offenders. There are people on registries or are listed as convicted felons for minor transgressions like public nudity or urination. Others find themselves there for relationships they had when they were 18 and a boy friend/girl friend was 16.
If they are running for office, you have a perfect excuse to talk to them and find out the facts and then make a decision on how you feel about their qualifications.
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This falls into the category of things I never thought of. Honestly, wouldn't want a registered sex offender living in my building and no felons no how on the Board but docs rule.
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Martha Stewart maybe, Paul Manafort No!
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<<... the board should notify all unit owners before the election if the candidate was convicted of a serious crime, like a felony sex offense, sharing only facts available in the public record. Otherwise, the board could be held liable if the person later goes on to commit a crime in the building.>>
But is how is a sex offender board president any more likely to commit a crime in the building than a sex offender resident? I serve on a co-op board in NYC ... it's not as if the president is handed out keys to the individual apartments, or given personal control over building funds. If it is incumbent upon the board to alert residents of someone's past crimes, shouldn't that be done when the person moves in, rather than when he or she runs for a seat on the board?
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@10034 If you were on the Board when this sex offender applied to buy his co-op, would you have denied his application based on his record?
Just as important, would you have a legal right to do so?
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@10034 If a sex offender is in a position of power over tenants if could be problematic. Let's say he/she attempts to coerce sex from a tenant, and then retaliates with exaggerated complaints about that same tenant. I would think this also would endanger the board, legally. The question is about character. Sneaky people who take advantage of others by physical dominance or fraud, should not be in a position of power over others.
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@helton This is a condo not the same vetting process as a coop.
It is fair game to bring up this person's background at the meeting when the election will be held.
Let the felon explain it to the shareholders and then let them vote.
Character counts, especially in the relatively small world of condos and co-ops.
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