How to Run a Strata Committee Meeting (That People Actually Want to Attend)

Committee meetings are where decisions get made about your building — from approving repair quotes to setting next year's levy budget. A well-run meeting takes 45 minutes and leaves everyone clear on what's happening. A poorly run meeting takes two hours, resolves nothing, and makes people dread the next one.

The difference isn't the agenda items. It's the process.

Set the agenda in advance. Circulate it at least 7 days before the meeting. Every agenda item should be specific enough that people know what decision is being asked. "Building maintenance" is too vague. "Approve $4,200 quote from ABC Plumbing for hot water system repair in Block B" is actionable.

Attach supporting documents. If you're asking the committee to approve a quote, attach the quote. If you're discussing a compliance issue, attach the relevant report. People can't make good decisions without information.

Set a time limit. 60 minutes maximum for regular committee meetings. If it can't be covered in an hour, it needs a separate special meeting.

Book the right venue. A common area in the building works well. If using video conferencing, test the link beforehand. Hybrid meetings (some in-person, some online) work if you have a decent speaker/microphone setup.

1. Start on time. Don't wait for latecomers. It penalises the people who showed up.

2. Confirm quorum. You need a minimum number of committee members present (check your state's legislation — usually a majority of committee members).

3. Approve previous minutes. Quick formality. "Does anyone have corrections to the minutes from our last meeting?"

4. Work through agenda items. For each item: present the issue, open for discussion, call for a motion, vote, record the outcome. Keep discussions focused — if a topic spirals, park it for a separate discussion.

5. Action items. Every decision should have a clear owner and deadline. "John will get three quotes for the painting work by March 30" not "we'll look into painting."

6. Next meeting date. Set it before people leave.

7. Close. Thank everyone for their time.

Minutes don't need to be a transcript. They need to record:

- Who was present (and any apologies)
- Each motion: what was proposed, who moved it, the outcome (carried/not carried)
- Every action item: what, who, by when
- The date and time of the next meeting

Write them up within 48 hours while memory is fresh. Circulate to all committee members for review, then file them permanently. These are legal records.

No agenda: Meetings without agendas meander. Always have one.

Discussing issues not on the agenda: Unless it's urgent, add it to the next meeting. This prevents meetings from running over.

One person dominating: The chairperson's job is to ensure everyone gets a chance to speak. Politely redirect: "Thanks David, let's hear from others."

Not recording decisions: If it wasn't minuted, it didn't happen. Record every motion and vote.

No follow-up: Action items without follow-up are just good intentions. Review outstanding actions at the start of each meeting.

The biggest time-saver for committee meetings is having a central system where agendas, documents, minutes, and action items all live in one place. Instead of emailing PDFs back and forth, everyone logs into the same dashboard.

Planform's Meeting Hub feature lets committees build agendas collaboratively, attach documents directly to agenda items, record minutes in real-time, and automatically track action items through to completion. Everything is searchable and accessible to all committee members — so when someone asks "what did we decide about the painting?" six months later, you can find the answer in seconds.