Running amok: the story of an association

this is a photo from google images, not from this story. it is used solely for dramatic effect. But the title is appropriate. 
What can be done when an association runs amok?
According to Tallahassee, not really too much. Complaints lodged against an association raised more questions than answers.
Questions like, What are our taxes paying for if they do not regulate Condos like they should? Why have Statutes that aren't enforced? What can be done to protect  condo and homeowners from Associations that run amok? 
When an association has a board meeting, it is supposed to be posted 48 hrs. in advance, and for most meetings, any member of the association has the right to attend and speak at the meetings.
This is the story of one that has run...amok.
The association was once like family. if you needed something, it usually got taken care of. The president was fairly active in the community, the other officers did what was asked of them, meetings were fairly regular, about once a month or so. As President, he would be the delegate at assembly meetings and would normally post results and notes of the meeting on the bulletin board. (The vice president was removed from this position when he was asked about a vote at the assembly and he reported that his vote was secret as was the meetings, the pres. then took over as the delegate and left the VP as alternate). 
A newsletter was started to post information. The Treasurer handled the finances and had done so for almost ten years. The VP considered a little quirky by most but still had his role to fill. 
One of the things the President pursues is getting the association back on sound financial footing by looking for solutions to payments in arrears. 
One unit was behind quite a bit, so the Pres. gets in touch with the unit owner and suggests that the unit, sitting empty for years, be rented. The stipulation placed on it would be that the rent would be collected and payments for the association and WPRF made by the president with funds collected in from rent. The unit owner would receive nothing until the money in arrears was caught up. This was agreeable to the owner. Long story short, the unit eventually was paid up to date, the association is out of financial discord, everybody happy, right? No.   
The some of the association officers get together and conspire to replace the president by getting more people to run and spread rumors of wrong doing. They manage to leave one candidate off the ballot (a former pres.), put two others on that did not want to run, including one that has difficulty finding his own unit. All the while, the Secretary had quit without informing the other officers months before. Now the ballots come in and are received by this same secretary. When asked by other board members if she had received any ballots, she denies having them. On the day of the general election, ballots are suddenly brought in by the former secretary. many are taped shut with the same type of cellophane tape, making it look pretty suspicious. 
New officers, two old presidents not even on the board now. 
The norm has always been to have a board meeting following the meeting, to select officers, this was not done. A secret meeting is held to decide the officers a week or two later.
Let us revisit a few points before we got here.
One board member thinks himself a contractor, and charges $65 to put two screws into kitchen cabinets to tighten the doors, ruining the cabinets, and they are still loose. This person may in fact be a contractor of some type in his home state, but holds no license in the state of Florida.
The current Vice President is the former Secretary that had quit 4 or 5 months earlier without informing the rest of the board... when minutes of meetings were not presented, it became apparent. Now she is the VP and does absolutely nothing. In the absence of the President, she should take over...instead she is non-existent except in title alone. (Some people just need that. The new Pres. was like that as VP also).
The current Secretary, when asked for minutes to any meetings, suddenly gets his home "broken into" and the only thing missing is his minutes...this happens twice! Coincidence? I think not.
He claims his home was broken into a third time...nothing taken, but supposedly a dead gecko is left behind. Is this really happening? Who knows... but a suggestion would be to keep the door closed, lest a gecko come in and steal his TV or maybe even his minutes. Maybe they are the original perpetrators that broke into his place... It pays to be vigilant.
The current President is selling his unit but will not close until AFTER the next elections so he can vote instead of allowing the new owner to vote or get on the board (they have been long time renters in two other units in the building and aware of all that goes on). 
To be continued...
Stay tuned for the continuing saga of... Running Amok.