The letter below was sent to the Board on February 24. It was my original intention to speak at the board meeting last night when the floor was opened to discussion. However, I became so incensed at the proceedings that I feared my “talk” would dissolve into a screaming diatribe directed at the Board. As much as this would have been deserved, reality is it would have accomplished nothing.
Last night I attended the monthly Board meeting. Quite frankly I was appalled. I was both appalled at the behavior and the actions of the Board. The Board President spent some time decrying the rudeness and general lack of civilized behavior on the part of the ownership. She was quite correct, civility and good manners have all but disappeared. That was clearly evident last night. However, I believe the blame for this sad state of affairs can be placed directly at the feet of the Board.
The Board members are elected to represent the interests of the owners and oversee the management of the Condominium Association. I understand completely that being on the Board is voluntary. There is no compensation; it takes time from the member’s lives and its hard work. People take on this responsibility for various reasons. To some it’s prestige, to others it’s an altruistic desire to better the common good and some look at it as simply a way of protecting the investment in their home.
Regardless of what your particular motivation for serving might be, Board membership comes with certain obligations both legal and moral. One of these obligations is to act in a fiscally responsible manner when dealing with the finances of the Association. Here in lies the problem. A significant percentage of the ownership believes the Board has not done this with regard to the renovation project, myself included.
The people are angry and the majority of the Board has simply chosen to ignore their concerns. Several Board members appear to have their own agenda and the ownership be damned. You were given a budget and you exceeded it. The purchase of the piano is a poster child for what I and many other owners consider uncontrolled spending.
Last night we heard the absurd justification for its purchase; “it’s in the budget”. I’m sorry but it wasn’t in the budget. A piano can certainly be considered furnishings, but it is not furniture. There is a very important distinction here. Sofas, chairs, tables and chests are furniture. A piano is an accessory.
The budget was spent. It might not have been spent as originally planned but the fact remains the money allotted for the renovation was spent. At least an hour was spent at last night’s meeting discussing the cost overruns for the design company. There were unforeseen expenses such as the Lobby windows. This happens and no one is at fault. Sound fiscal management would dictate that if one segment of your project had cost overruns then nonessential items should be dropped from the project. I hardly consider the expenditure of almost $20,000 on a piano a necessity.
I live in the West Tower on the 18th floor. The hallways have a drop ceiling. That ceiling is broken and sagging in several places. It’s filthy and water stained. In a number of places the wallpaper is starting to peel away from the wall. The hall more closely resembles public housing than a Chevy Chase condominium. It’s an embarrassment but we have a shiny new piano in the lobby! I would like each and every member of the Board who voted for the purchase of that piano to come up to the 18th floor and then try and justify the expenditure of $20,000 on a piano.
No one is asking Al to take a financial hit on the purchase of the piano. I believe he, like several other members on the Board, had their personal agendas but I believe he was acting in good faith and should not be punished for his actions. However, the piano needs to be either sold or returned and the funds put back in the reserves.
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