The Crestview Home Owners Association has a war going on. Not the kind with guns, but just
Question:
The Crestview Home Owners Association has a war going on. Not the kind with guns, but just as lethal. Residents who have lived in the area for a long time are very satisfied with the Board of Directors and the way the HOA is being run. However, newer residents do not agree with the way contracts are awarded for lawn care, snow removal, trash collection, and so on. The established way of awarding contracts has been to work with vendors who have worked with the HOA in the past and who will contract for at least three years. The newer residents believe that contracts should always go to the lowest bidder and should be re-bid every year. The hostility between these two groups is escalating. Last week a newer resident walked into the swimming pool, saw a member of the board, and left! The President of the Board received an anonymous nasty note telling him the Board should either start using "better business practices" or residents would band together and sue the association.
What type of conflict (task, relationship, or process) do you think we're seeing, and how would you reduce the conflict as a neutral third party?