July 2011 Minutes of ECA Board Meeting

THE ELIZABETH CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION
4601 North Park Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815

Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting July 18, 2011

Board Present:
Seth Levine ..........................President
Charles Bressler ...................Vice President
Molly Frantz ........................Treasurer
Ilo-Mai Harding ...................Secretary
Judith Barth .........................Director
Alfred Muller ........................Director

Others Present:
Joe Simpson ...............Legum & Norman
James M. Santos .........ECA General Manager
Jana Bowcut ...............ECA Recording Secretary, On the Record


CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Levine called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m.

Approval of Minutes:
MOTION Ms. Harding moved, Dr. Muller seconded, to approve the May 16, 2011, regular meeting minutes. The motion passed with one abstention by Ms. Frantz (5-0-1).

Ms. Harding stated that she is in the process of completing the June 23, 2011 minutes. She posted a short, unofficial version on the bulletin board, which she will also post for subsequent meetings.

MOTION Ms. Harding moved, Dr. Muller seconded, that the official BOD meeting minutes will only record decisions, motions, votes, and comments from the residents. The draft minutes will be edited and reviewed by the secretary, checked for accuracy by all other board members, and posted within 7-10 days after the board meeting. During the discussion, Ms. Harding explained that the minutes will be approved as part of the official record at the following BOD meeting. The motion passed unanimously (6-0-0).

President’s Report:
Mr. Levine stated that Mr. Cockburn has resigned from the BOD and the election committee will recommend new members to the BOD. Lisa Kelly will replace Scott Murdoch as the Legum and Norman Community Manager for The Elizabeth. Information about the five-year plan will be distributed soon.

Treasurer’s Report:
Ms. Frantz reported that at the end of the fiscal year the budget was exceeded by approximately $61,000 in the operating account, largely due to increases in utility costs. In the reserve account, the budget was exceeded by approximately $560,000 for a number of different projects, particularly the emergency generator and lobby decoration.

Comments from the floor:
A resident stated her opposition to the ECA taking out a loan for future projects due to interest costs. The resident recommended an assessment, with the possibility of paying back in installments. The resident also inquired why the hallways are not the first priority since there are already funds allocated, whereas window and door replacement would require an assessment. Mr. Levine stated that this is still being discussed.

A resident inquired about the replacement of resigned board members. Mr. Levine stated that according to the by-laws, it is a Board decision.

A resident commented that the BOD could list residents who can pay their loans or assessments up front, enabling the ECA to secure a smaller loan for the rest. Ms. Frantz provided a brief overview of possible financing plans and collection of fees from residents.

A resident inquired about a timeline for the window and door work. Ms. Frantz responded that it could possibly begin late fall. Mr. Santos is currently gathering information for an RFP.

A resident commented about energy rebates that are available now and should be considered.

Old Business:
1) Contractor guidelines:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Harding seconded, to distribute the contractor guidelines draft, as edited by legal counsel, to all owners. All comments will be due by August 8, 2011. Mr. Santos will create a cover letter and mail it out this week to all owners. The motion passed unanimously (6-0-0).

2) Five-year reserve plan approval: Ms. Frantz reviewed the plan and the impact of various financing options.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Harding seconded, to distribute the draft five-year plan to residents for review and comment. A cover letter will contain options for financing and outline potential costs per unit. The motion passed unanimously (6-0-0).

General Manager’s Report:
1) Mr. Santos stated that a proposal was received from the ECA’s accounting firm, DeLeon and Stang, to develop a cost basis letter. $2,000 was set as the cap for the auditor’s services. A resident stated that this type of letter is helpful for owners when selling their units.
MOTION Ms. Frantz moved, Dr. Muller seconded, to accept the DeLeon and Stang proposal. The motion passed unanimously (6-0-0)

2) Mr. Santos stated that pavers have become loose and unstable in the arcade resulting in a commercial owner’s employee falling.
MOTION: Mr. Bressler moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to repair/replace the pavers, not to exceed $3,500. The motion passed unanimously (6-0-0).

3) Mr. Santos stated that the following agreements were recently terminated:
1) Hoffheimer Security for maintenance of the office alarm system; 2) Unifirst for old uniform agreement for ECA staff. 3) Valley Crest for landscape services.

New Business:
Dr. Muller stated that the BOD had received guidance from legal counsel about how to better conduct public discussions. The BOD decided to approve the guidance. Policy approvals will be attached to the approved minutes and become an addendum for the record.

MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to accept the resolution proposed by legal counsel for public discussion procedures. The motion passed unanimously (6-0-0).

Committee Reports:
* Making a Difference (MAD) reported that many residents donated to A Wider Circle and NAMI, and thanked Mr. Santos for coordinating the collection.
* The Energy Conservation Committee reminded residents to close drapes and blinds during hot weather to help conserve energy. Currently, the committee is interviewing contractors on air quality, and anticipates receiving four or five proposals in the next two weeks. These will be reviewed and recommendations made to the Board.
*Ms. Santos reported that he met with a resident to discuss restarting the ECA newsletter, hopefully by September 2011.

Adjournment:
The President adjourned the meeting at 9:27 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,
Ilo-Mai Harding, BOD Secretary