Present at the meeting: Alexandra Kielty, Charles Bressler, Molly Frantz, Monique Fridell, Seth Levine, Al Muller, Scott Murdoch, Jim Santos, recorder of meeting minutes. Judi Barth was absent.
Renovation. Furniture is coming this week Jan 25-27. Tues-Thurs. some inconvenience with elevators. Staging area is party room.
Audit Report. Auditors had to change the audit report presented last month. They used an estimated 2010 amount from PEPCO. When the actual number was established, it was double the amount. This reduces homeowner equity.
Security. Fob will be phased in, one floor at a time. 2 per apartment or buy extra at $10. Some doors need to be worked on, not all completed. Key pads for arcade will stay in place.
ECA working session on January 31 at 6:30 pm. 5-year plan and prioritizing building improvements. There will be no participation from the floor.
Marble Floors Restoration. Need special maintenance process done after furniture installation
Delinquencies. Discussion of collection fees procedures. Delinquencies being worked on with some success.
Hazardous Waste. House Manager Jim Santos says we have a collection of paint cans for example and he wants to hire a company to remove such hazardous waste. He got name of company through a recommendation.
Pipe Cleaning. 3 apartment tiers in The Elizabeth need pipe cleaning relative to water backup problems. Board gave approval to proceed.
Canopy in Front of the Building. Discussion but no action due to cost and various issues that do not solve problems of bad weather and cars discharging passengers.
Projects under review by house manager:
1. Arcade stairwell painting (2 proposals in hand)
2. Garage painting at egress points (2 proposals in hand)
3. HVAC 4-pipe reactivation (2 proposals in hand)
4. Garage fan replacement (2 proposals in hand)
5. Garage door operation/maintenance (adding key fob reader)
6. Fire alarm panel upgrade
7. Fire alarm code compliance for commercial owners
8. Energy conservation
9. Management office/front desk networking
10. Staffing duties, performance
11. Residential Directory (98% complete)
12. Reactivation of newsletter
13. Introduction of website into management opera
Website: discussion about how there is no package notification capability
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
December 2010 Minutes of ECA Board Meeting
THE ELIZABETH CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION
4601 North Park Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting December 20, 2010
Board Present:
Dr. Alfred Muller .........................Vice President
Monique Fridell ...........................Treasurer
Molly Frantz ...............................Assistant Treasurer
Charles Bressler ...........................Secretary
Judith Barth ................................
Board Absent:
Alexandria Kielty .........................President
Seth Levine .................................Director
Others Present:
Scott Murdoch ...............Community Manager, Legum & Norman
James M. Santos ...........ECA General Manager
Jana Bowcut .................Recording Secretary, On the Record
Call to Order: Dr. Muller called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Announcements: Dr. Muller stated that Ms. Kielty asked him to conduct the meeting in her absence. Dr. Muller reported that a resident was recently struck by a car behind the Community Center. She is stable and is at Suburban Hospital. He advised residents to be careful. A New Year’s party will be hosted by the Village Council from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Dr. Muller thanked the staff who decorated the lobby for the holidays, despite not having furnishings in place. He noted the three staff members who have worked at the Elizabeth for 35 or more years -- Cynthia Edwards, Hollis Alleyne and Jimmy Keating -- and remarked that their dedication will be recognized formally when Ms. Kielty returns. A successful “Box” party was held on December 4, 2010 where toiletries were gathered and packaged for the beneficiaries of the charity So Others Might Eat. Residents may contribute to the holiday fund for staff until December 23, 2010. Dr. Muller also thanked the Social Committee and Ms. Barth for a successful holiday party held on December 19, 2010.
Approval of Minutes:
MOTION
Mr. Bressler moved, Ms. Fridell seconded, to approve the November 15, 2010 regular meeting minutes as amended with one correction (Ms. Frantz noted that on page 29 the first full paragraph should read “expenditures exceeded income by $241,000”). The motion passed with one abstention by Ms. Barth (4-0-1).
Treasurer’s Report: Ms. Fridell introduced Tracy Geiger and Josephine Laleye from DeLeon & Stang, CPAs and Advisors to provide an overview of the audit for fiscal year ending June 30, 2010. The audit was deemed to be unqualified (favorable). Delinquent assessments increased, mostly due to past due fees from one particular owner. Overall, delinquencies stood at 1.3 percent of annual assessments as of 6/30/10, which is favorable compared to the industry standard. The Treasurer and volunteer residents did a lot of valuable work going through accounting records and clearing fully depreciated assets from the fixed asset schedule. Net income of $120,000 in the Operating Fund, which is about three percent of annual assessments compared favorably to last year’s loss of $120,000, mainly due to a decrease in repairs/maintenance costs by $250,000, a decrease in courtesy patrol/security costs of $70,000, and a decrease in utilities which were about $80,000 under budget. The professional management fee for Legum & Norman was $90,000 and is reflected in a new line item expense on the income statement. The overall operating equity of the community is about 22 percent of annual assessments, which falls within the target of 20 to 30 percent.
Dr. Muller noted that the decrease in utility costs can be attributed to the efforts of the Energy Committee, which is chaired by Joan Rosenbach.
Ms. Geiger asked if there were any questions about financial management or the auditors’ findings from Board members or residents present in the audience. There were no questions. MOTION Ms. Fridell moved, Mr. Bressler seconded, to approve the audited financial statements for fiscal year-end June 30, 2010. The motion passed unanimously. Ms. Fridell asked that Management proceed immediately to send the approved FY 2010 audited statements to the printers so that they could be distributed to owners by 1/31/11.
Old Business:
Lobby Renovation: Mr. Murdoch noted that the chart in his Management Report reflected the fact that design fees incurred on the refurbishment project now exceed the original estimate by $6,000. Ms. Fridell expressed concern about this given that the Board had passed a motion that design expenses paid to Hartman Design Group would not exceed $250,000. Ms. Barth stated that there is little work remaining, principally the final walk through and sign-off. Ms. Fridell requested that the Hartman Design Group provide an estimate of how many hours worth of work are remaining. Ms. Barth stated that placement of furnishings will require two days of HDG time, and probably another half of a day for the final sign-off. Dr. Muller suggested talking to HDG to see if there might be some negotiation possible regarding the invoices for the last part of the refurbishing project.
Ms. Frantz asked about a numerical discrepancy between two charts in the Management Report regarding the design fees. Ms. Frantz requested that in future tables for cash management and planning, there be an additional column for “funds required to complete project” so that it could be clear which amounts were still estimated to be paid and which amounts were over budget.
Emergency Generator: Mr. Murdoch stated that the project is complete, and has been signed-off. The generator is in operation and is run for 30 minutes every Wednesday morning. The generator project was budgeted for very carefully, but unfortunately ran significantly over-budget due to Montgomery County Code Compliance issues, additional engineering time required to redesign the air intake and relief duct equipment.
New Business:
Collections Procedures: Ms. Fridell stated that although the auditor was not concerned about ECA’s delinquency rate of 1.3 percent, she is concerned about the tripling of delinquencies since L&N assumed financial management and felt that Management needs to be more proactive and assertive in managing collections. In a memo to L&N dated 11/21/10 she proposed as a formal objective to the Board and Management that ECA restore its historically lower delinquency amounts and requested that Legum & Norman review the collections process and take the following actions: 1) Report on each delinquent case in greater qualitative and quantitative detail, documenting dates, contacts, situational information. 2) Provide a memo to explain whose responsibility it is to perform day-to-day collections responsibilities and to serve as liaison with Lerch Early. 3) Make recommendations to the Board as a delinquency nears the 60 day past due point when a case needs to be turned over to counsel for legal action, per ECA Collections Policy. 4) Confirm in writing that all L&N personnel involved in collections activities have read and understood ECA Collections Policy.
On advice of the Association’s legal counsel, Lerch, Early & Brewer, Ms. Fridell recommended eliminating the courtesy demand notice that is sent by Lerch Early, as such a letter would have already been sent at least twice by ECA itself. She remarked that this is what many condo associations are doing to accelerate the collections process and reduce legal fees. Instead, legal counsel would immediately send the delinquent owner Notice of Intent to Create a Lien. Ms. Fridell stressed that owners who may be experiencing hardship in paying their assessments should contact Management as soon as possible.
MOTION Ms. Fridell moved, Ms. Frantz seconded to eliminate the courtesy demand notice sent by Lerch, Early & Brewer to owners who are over 60 days delinquent in condominium fees. The motion passed unanimously.
MOTION
Ms. Fridell moved, Mr. Bressler seconded to set a goal (excluding the balance of a current large delinquency case) to lower delinquencies to $20,000 or below by June 30, 2011. The motion passed unanimously.
MOTION
Ms. Fridell moved, Dr. Muller seconded to pay a bonus to those employees whose collections efforts/actions result in achieving the target goal of lowering delinquencies to $20,000 or below by 6/30/11. Mr. Bressler stated that the Association already pays employees for this purpose and that a bonus will not make delinquent owners any more responsive. Ms. Frantz stated that bonuses can serve a good purpose, but feels that progress is already being made since Ms. Fridell’s memo to L&N in November and that a bonus is not yet needed. Dr. Muller suggested tabling this discussion to the next meeting when additional board members are present. The motion did not pass.
Items Requiring Board Endorsement:
-Valve Replacement: Mr. Santos stated that the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) discovered two valves that no longer operated properly. These valves would not close allowing water to be controlled during the backflow preventer code compliance project. The valves were original equipment and inoperable, therefore requiring replacement. These repairs were identified as desirable in the Mendoza report.
MOTION
Mr. Bressler moved, Ms. Fridell seconded to endorse the proposal from Poole Mechanical Corporation for $2,980.00 for valve replacements. The motion passed unanimously.
-Replacement copper pipes: The piping for large water supply lines was corroded and had to be replaced to complete the backflow preventer project. This was not cited in the Mendoza report, but can be done now as Management would have recommended this project in the HVAC renovation master plan.
MOTION
Ms. Frantz moved, Mr. Bressler seconded to endorse the proposal from Poole Mechanical Corporation for $7,520.00. The motion passed unanimously.
-Replacement of aluminum ventilation louvers: Five ventilation louvers were obstructed and had to be replaced.
MOTION
Ms. Frantz moved, Ms. Fridell seconded to endorse the proposal from Macon Metal for $2,440.00 for the replacement of aluminum ventilation louvers. The motion passed unanimously.
-Bulk Trash Removal: Management and staff have been working on cleaning debris and old items from many areas in the building. Through coordination with the HBW Construction Group, bulk trash dumpsters were brought on site to dispose of these items.
MOTION Ms. Frantz moved, Ms. Fridell seconded to endorse the proposal from HBW Construction Group for $3,660.00 to provide labor, supervision and trash containers to remove the bulk debris stored in common areas around the building for the past 30 years... The motion passed unanimously.
-Planet Aid: Mr. Santos stated that Planet Aid contacted the Elizabeth to see if there was interest in installing their donation containers on the G1 level. There is no cost to the Association, and the bins are cleaned out regularly and may be removed with a 30-day notice. Ms. Frantz presented her research that the American Institute of Philanthropy does not rank this organization highly, and suggested that other alternatives be explored. Mr. Santos said he would review this further. Ms. Frantz offered her assistance in identifying some other possible organizations.
Ms. Fridell expressed concern that the above endorsement motions represent about $16,000 worth of expenditures authorized Management without prior Board approval. She offered that for the sake of efficiency the Board could grant advance signing authority to Management up to a certain dollar amount. She asked Management to propose an amount for the Board to consider.
Environmental Solutions, Inc. (recommended by HBW) conducted air quality tests in the party room, based on concerns about air quality in common areas. No health or environmental risks were found. Ms. Fridell inquired why tests were only done in the party room. Mr. Santos explained that that is the only common area that is enclosed and would provide a reliable reading. Air transfer in other common areas would result in a greater margin for error.
Mr. Santos stated that the brass plates around the call buttons for the elevators on the lobby level in both the east and west towers are original and will be replaced.
Mr. Murdoch praised the efforts of Mr. Santos in coordinating the work of the contractors throughout all of the renovation and improvement projects, while being considerate of the comfort of the residents. Board members and residents agreed and thanked him for his work.
Ms. Fridell inquired when projected reserve expenditures/projects would be discussed by the Board. Mr. Murdoch stated that a work session will be scheduled in January. Mr. Santos is preparing a master planning document that will outline all these items and include cost projections. Management will distribute this information to Board members prior to the work session.
Ms. Barth expressed her desire to see greater professionalism reflected in the uniforms of front desk employees. Mr. Santos stated that he will soon be making recommendations to the Board regarding male and female dress codes.
Ms. Barth also inquired about the Board’s previous discussions/concerns about allowing only licensed contractors in the building. Mr. Santos stated he plans to edit the Board’s previously provided comments on Management’s proposed Contractor Policy and to provide a second draft to the Board for the January meeting.
Mr. Bressler expressed concern about the new filing and organizational system for the staff behind the front desk. Mr. Santos stated that the system has not been in place for long, and that time should be given to see if it works. The plan will be amended if needed. Ms. Fridell asked that Mr. Santos emphasize to staff that they need to be accurate in placing items in the correct folders for each unit. Ms. Barth added that much design effort went into streamlining the front desk and providing more package space. The previous bulky wooden cubby-hole cabinets were removed to provide more space for the package room and business center.
Committee Reports:
Energy Committee: No report.
Library Committee: No report. Mr. Santos stated that the committee will review books on Wednesday and will begin placing them on the shelves.
Exercise Committee: No report.
Floor Representatives Committee: No report.
Social Committee: The holiday party was a great success with almost 300 residents in attendance. The annual box party was held on December 4, 2010, and 268 boxes with hats, scarves, gloves and toiletries were collected for contribution to beneficiaries of the charity So Others Might Eat (SOME). Peg Downey, the sponsor and organizer of the Box party, would like to expand the project in the future.
Landscaping Committee: The committee held its first meeting with Ruppert Landscape last week to discuss ideas for the landscape master plan. Ruppert will share its proposed design in January.
Open Comments:
A resident expressed disapproval of the petition that is circulating among residents criticizing the refurbishment process. She stated that the money for this project had been set aside for five years and that the cost of refurbishment is not responsible for the Association’s current financial state. She added that several past boards were reluctant to raise condo fees, resulting in potential under-funding of reserves. . Previous statements regarding the fire-rating and integrity of apartment doors were corrected.
Another resident explained the rationale behind the petition that has been circulating throughout the community. A number of residents are concerned about the way decisions were made about the refurbishment and are worried that the upcoming plans to refurbish the hallways of both towers will dwarf the costs of the lobby. Currently 68 individuals representing 58 units have signed the petition, representing 15.12 percent of the Association’s membership. He expressed concern about Hartman Design Group (HDG) performing the next stage of refurbishment work, and considers the firm’s fees to be too high. The petition calls for a restructuring and expansion of the membership of the refurbishment committee to include three new members.
Former Board president, Mr. Cunningham, complimented the Board on the near completion of two major projects – the lobby renovation and the emergency generator -- and also praised Mr. Santos’ project management skills . Mr. Cunningham stated that the cost of these projects was provided for and published in several five-year plans, with the exception of the unexpected budget excess for the emergency generator. He also noted the sound financial statements and recommended that some clear project priorities should be set for the future given the size and scope of upcoming projects.
Dr. Muller announced that a new snow blower has been purchased.
A resident stated that in his opinion the lobby area is very cold and the space heaters that staff are using are dangerous. Dr. Muller replied that Management had received opinions to the contrary, noting that it is difficult to please everyone. The resident stated that a wall with a sharp corner near the west elevators has been damaged and repaired several times, and something is needed to prevent recurrence of the damage. The resident also suggested putting glass inserts in the cabinet doors of the library so that books can be visible.
-A resident expressed his satisfaction with the lobby refurbishment and considers that his condominium fees are being used appropriately. He added that the trend of increases in condo fees seemed reasonable.
Adjournment
The President adjourned the meeting at 9:30 p.m.
The initial draft of the minutes, upon which these minutes are based, was prepared by Jana Bowcut of On the Record.
Respectfully submitted,
Charles Bressler, Board Secretary
4601 North Park Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting December 20, 2010
Board Present:
Dr. Alfred Muller .........................Vice President
Monique Fridell ...........................Treasurer
Molly Frantz ...............................Assistant Treasurer
Charles Bressler ...........................Secretary
Judith Barth ................................
Board Absent:
Alexandria Kielty .........................President
Seth Levine .................................Director
Others Present:
Scott Murdoch ...............Community Manager, Legum & Norman
James M. Santos ...........ECA General Manager
Jana Bowcut .................Recording Secretary, On the Record
Call to Order: Dr. Muller called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Announcements: Dr. Muller stated that Ms. Kielty asked him to conduct the meeting in her absence. Dr. Muller reported that a resident was recently struck by a car behind the Community Center. She is stable and is at Suburban Hospital. He advised residents to be careful. A New Year’s party will be hosted by the Village Council from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Dr. Muller thanked the staff who decorated the lobby for the holidays, despite not having furnishings in place. He noted the three staff members who have worked at the Elizabeth for 35 or more years -- Cynthia Edwards, Hollis Alleyne and Jimmy Keating -- and remarked that their dedication will be recognized formally when Ms. Kielty returns. A successful “Box” party was held on December 4, 2010 where toiletries were gathered and packaged for the beneficiaries of the charity So Others Might Eat. Residents may contribute to the holiday fund for staff until December 23, 2010. Dr. Muller also thanked the Social Committee and Ms. Barth for a successful holiday party held on December 19, 2010.
Approval of Minutes:
MOTION
Mr. Bressler moved, Ms. Fridell seconded, to approve the November 15, 2010 regular meeting minutes as amended with one correction (Ms. Frantz noted that on page 29 the first full paragraph should read “expenditures exceeded income by $241,000”). The motion passed with one abstention by Ms. Barth (4-0-1).
Treasurer’s Report: Ms. Fridell introduced Tracy Geiger and Josephine Laleye from DeLeon & Stang, CPAs and Advisors to provide an overview of the audit for fiscal year ending June 30, 2010. The audit was deemed to be unqualified (favorable). Delinquent assessments increased, mostly due to past due fees from one particular owner. Overall, delinquencies stood at 1.3 percent of annual assessments as of 6/30/10, which is favorable compared to the industry standard. The Treasurer and volunteer residents did a lot of valuable work going through accounting records and clearing fully depreciated assets from the fixed asset schedule. Net income of $120,000 in the Operating Fund, which is about three percent of annual assessments compared favorably to last year’s loss of $120,000, mainly due to a decrease in repairs/maintenance costs by $250,000, a decrease in courtesy patrol/security costs of $70,000, and a decrease in utilities which were about $80,000 under budget. The professional management fee for Legum & Norman was $90,000 and is reflected in a new line item expense on the income statement. The overall operating equity of the community is about 22 percent of annual assessments, which falls within the target of 20 to 30 percent.
Dr. Muller noted that the decrease in utility costs can be attributed to the efforts of the Energy Committee, which is chaired by Joan Rosenbach.
Ms. Geiger asked if there were any questions about financial management or the auditors’ findings from Board members or residents present in the audience. There were no questions. MOTION Ms. Fridell moved, Mr. Bressler seconded, to approve the audited financial statements for fiscal year-end June 30, 2010. The motion passed unanimously. Ms. Fridell asked that Management proceed immediately to send the approved FY 2010 audited statements to the printers so that they could be distributed to owners by 1/31/11.
Old Business:
Lobby Renovation: Mr. Murdoch noted that the chart in his Management Report reflected the fact that design fees incurred on the refurbishment project now exceed the original estimate by $6,000. Ms. Fridell expressed concern about this given that the Board had passed a motion that design expenses paid to Hartman Design Group would not exceed $250,000. Ms. Barth stated that there is little work remaining, principally the final walk through and sign-off. Ms. Fridell requested that the Hartman Design Group provide an estimate of how many hours worth of work are remaining. Ms. Barth stated that placement of furnishings will require two days of HDG time, and probably another half of a day for the final sign-off. Dr. Muller suggested talking to HDG to see if there might be some negotiation possible regarding the invoices for the last part of the refurbishing project.
Ms. Frantz asked about a numerical discrepancy between two charts in the Management Report regarding the design fees. Ms. Frantz requested that in future tables for cash management and planning, there be an additional column for “funds required to complete project” so that it could be clear which amounts were still estimated to be paid and which amounts were over budget.
Emergency Generator: Mr. Murdoch stated that the project is complete, and has been signed-off. The generator is in operation and is run for 30 minutes every Wednesday morning. The generator project was budgeted for very carefully, but unfortunately ran significantly over-budget due to Montgomery County Code Compliance issues, additional engineering time required to redesign the air intake and relief duct equipment.
New Business:
Collections Procedures: Ms. Fridell stated that although the auditor was not concerned about ECA’s delinquency rate of 1.3 percent, she is concerned about the tripling of delinquencies since L&N assumed financial management and felt that Management needs to be more proactive and assertive in managing collections. In a memo to L&N dated 11/21/10 she proposed as a formal objective to the Board and Management that ECA restore its historically lower delinquency amounts and requested that Legum & Norman review the collections process and take the following actions: 1) Report on each delinquent case in greater qualitative and quantitative detail, documenting dates, contacts, situational information. 2) Provide a memo to explain whose responsibility it is to perform day-to-day collections responsibilities and to serve as liaison with Lerch Early. 3) Make recommendations to the Board as a delinquency nears the 60 day past due point when a case needs to be turned over to counsel for legal action, per ECA Collections Policy. 4) Confirm in writing that all L&N personnel involved in collections activities have read and understood ECA Collections Policy.
On advice of the Association’s legal counsel, Lerch, Early & Brewer, Ms. Fridell recommended eliminating the courtesy demand notice that is sent by Lerch Early, as such a letter would have already been sent at least twice by ECA itself. She remarked that this is what many condo associations are doing to accelerate the collections process and reduce legal fees. Instead, legal counsel would immediately send the delinquent owner Notice of Intent to Create a Lien. Ms. Fridell stressed that owners who may be experiencing hardship in paying their assessments should contact Management as soon as possible.
MOTION Ms. Fridell moved, Ms. Frantz seconded to eliminate the courtesy demand notice sent by Lerch, Early & Brewer to owners who are over 60 days delinquent in condominium fees. The motion passed unanimously.
MOTION
Ms. Fridell moved, Mr. Bressler seconded to set a goal (excluding the balance of a current large delinquency case) to lower delinquencies to $20,000 or below by June 30, 2011. The motion passed unanimously.
MOTION
Ms. Fridell moved, Dr. Muller seconded to pay a bonus to those employees whose collections efforts/actions result in achieving the target goal of lowering delinquencies to $20,000 or below by 6/30/11. Mr. Bressler stated that the Association already pays employees for this purpose and that a bonus will not make delinquent owners any more responsive. Ms. Frantz stated that bonuses can serve a good purpose, but feels that progress is already being made since Ms. Fridell’s memo to L&N in November and that a bonus is not yet needed. Dr. Muller suggested tabling this discussion to the next meeting when additional board members are present. The motion did not pass.
Items Requiring Board Endorsement:
-Valve Replacement: Mr. Santos stated that the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) discovered two valves that no longer operated properly. These valves would not close allowing water to be controlled during the backflow preventer code compliance project. The valves were original equipment and inoperable, therefore requiring replacement. These repairs were identified as desirable in the Mendoza report.
MOTION
Mr. Bressler moved, Ms. Fridell seconded to endorse the proposal from Poole Mechanical Corporation for $2,980.00 for valve replacements. The motion passed unanimously.
-Replacement copper pipes: The piping for large water supply lines was corroded and had to be replaced to complete the backflow preventer project. This was not cited in the Mendoza report, but can be done now as Management would have recommended this project in the HVAC renovation master plan.
MOTION
Ms. Frantz moved, Mr. Bressler seconded to endorse the proposal from Poole Mechanical Corporation for $7,520.00. The motion passed unanimously.
-Replacement of aluminum ventilation louvers: Five ventilation louvers were obstructed and had to be replaced.
MOTION
Ms. Frantz moved, Ms. Fridell seconded to endorse the proposal from Macon Metal for $2,440.00 for the replacement of aluminum ventilation louvers. The motion passed unanimously.
-Bulk Trash Removal: Management and staff have been working on cleaning debris and old items from many areas in the building. Through coordination with the HBW Construction Group, bulk trash dumpsters were brought on site to dispose of these items.
MOTION Ms. Frantz moved, Ms. Fridell seconded to endorse the proposal from HBW Construction Group for $3,660.00 to provide labor, supervision and trash containers to remove the bulk debris stored in common areas around the building for the past 30 years... The motion passed unanimously.
-Planet Aid: Mr. Santos stated that Planet Aid contacted the Elizabeth to see if there was interest in installing their donation containers on the G1 level. There is no cost to the Association, and the bins are cleaned out regularly and may be removed with a 30-day notice. Ms. Frantz presented her research that the American Institute of Philanthropy does not rank this organization highly, and suggested that other alternatives be explored. Mr. Santos said he would review this further. Ms. Frantz offered her assistance in identifying some other possible organizations.
Ms. Fridell expressed concern that the above endorsement motions represent about $16,000 worth of expenditures authorized Management without prior Board approval. She offered that for the sake of efficiency the Board could grant advance signing authority to Management up to a certain dollar amount. She asked Management to propose an amount for the Board to consider.
Environmental Solutions, Inc. (recommended by HBW) conducted air quality tests in the party room, based on concerns about air quality in common areas. No health or environmental risks were found. Ms. Fridell inquired why tests were only done in the party room. Mr. Santos explained that that is the only common area that is enclosed and would provide a reliable reading. Air transfer in other common areas would result in a greater margin for error.
Mr. Santos stated that the brass plates around the call buttons for the elevators on the lobby level in both the east and west towers are original and will be replaced.
Mr. Murdoch praised the efforts of Mr. Santos in coordinating the work of the contractors throughout all of the renovation and improvement projects, while being considerate of the comfort of the residents. Board members and residents agreed and thanked him for his work.
Ms. Fridell inquired when projected reserve expenditures/projects would be discussed by the Board. Mr. Murdoch stated that a work session will be scheduled in January. Mr. Santos is preparing a master planning document that will outline all these items and include cost projections. Management will distribute this information to Board members prior to the work session.
Ms. Barth expressed her desire to see greater professionalism reflected in the uniforms of front desk employees. Mr. Santos stated that he will soon be making recommendations to the Board regarding male and female dress codes.
Ms. Barth also inquired about the Board’s previous discussions/concerns about allowing only licensed contractors in the building. Mr. Santos stated he plans to edit the Board’s previously provided comments on Management’s proposed Contractor Policy and to provide a second draft to the Board for the January meeting.
Mr. Bressler expressed concern about the new filing and organizational system for the staff behind the front desk. Mr. Santos stated that the system has not been in place for long, and that time should be given to see if it works. The plan will be amended if needed. Ms. Fridell asked that Mr. Santos emphasize to staff that they need to be accurate in placing items in the correct folders for each unit. Ms. Barth added that much design effort went into streamlining the front desk and providing more package space. The previous bulky wooden cubby-hole cabinets were removed to provide more space for the package room and business center.
Committee Reports:
Energy Committee: No report.
Library Committee: No report. Mr. Santos stated that the committee will review books on Wednesday and will begin placing them on the shelves.
Exercise Committee: No report.
Floor Representatives Committee: No report.
Social Committee: The holiday party was a great success with almost 300 residents in attendance. The annual box party was held on December 4, 2010, and 268 boxes with hats, scarves, gloves and toiletries were collected for contribution to beneficiaries of the charity So Others Might Eat (SOME). Peg Downey, the sponsor and organizer of the Box party, would like to expand the project in the future.
Landscaping Committee: The committee held its first meeting with Ruppert Landscape last week to discuss ideas for the landscape master plan. Ruppert will share its proposed design in January.
Open Comments:
A resident expressed disapproval of the petition that is circulating among residents criticizing the refurbishment process. She stated that the money for this project had been set aside for five years and that the cost of refurbishment is not responsible for the Association’s current financial state. She added that several past boards were reluctant to raise condo fees, resulting in potential under-funding of reserves. . Previous statements regarding the fire-rating and integrity of apartment doors were corrected.
Another resident explained the rationale behind the petition that has been circulating throughout the community. A number of residents are concerned about the way decisions were made about the refurbishment and are worried that the upcoming plans to refurbish the hallways of both towers will dwarf the costs of the lobby. Currently 68 individuals representing 58 units have signed the petition, representing 15.12 percent of the Association’s membership. He expressed concern about Hartman Design Group (HDG) performing the next stage of refurbishment work, and considers the firm’s fees to be too high. The petition calls for a restructuring and expansion of the membership of the refurbishment committee to include three new members.
Former Board president, Mr. Cunningham, complimented the Board on the near completion of two major projects – the lobby renovation and the emergency generator -- and also praised Mr. Santos’ project management skills . Mr. Cunningham stated that the cost of these projects was provided for and published in several five-year plans, with the exception of the unexpected budget excess for the emergency generator. He also noted the sound financial statements and recommended that some clear project priorities should be set for the future given the size and scope of upcoming projects.
Dr. Muller announced that a new snow blower has been purchased.
A resident stated that in his opinion the lobby area is very cold and the space heaters that staff are using are dangerous. Dr. Muller replied that Management had received opinions to the contrary, noting that it is difficult to please everyone. The resident stated that a wall with a sharp corner near the west elevators has been damaged and repaired several times, and something is needed to prevent recurrence of the damage. The resident also suggested putting glass inserts in the cabinet doors of the library so that books can be visible.
-A resident expressed his satisfaction with the lobby refurbishment and considers that his condominium fees are being used appropriately. He added that the trend of increases in condo fees seemed reasonable.
Adjournment
The President adjourned the meeting at 9:30 p.m.
The initial draft of the minutes, upon which these minutes are based, was prepared by Jana Bowcut of On the Record.
Respectfully submitted,
Charles Bressler, Board Secretary