Summary of ECA Board Meeting November 18, 2014

Board Present: Steven Schattman, Sharon Bobb, Patricia Batey, Jim Jones, John McNerney, Alfred Muller, Jim Vuko

Others Present: ECA General Manager Terry Lee, Legum & Norman Regional Manager James Santos, representatives from Quality Air & consultant on asbestos abatement

Highlights of the Meeting

HVAC

New problem: asbestos in the drywall compound. To correct this problem before in wall HVAC can be installed, test needs to be conducted ($25). If there is asbestos (high likelihood there is), the area will have to be contained and repaired. This will cost about $200-$300 per standing unit and take a day’s time.

Many people buying HVAC units from Quality Air expressed discontent with the color of the grills on their in wall units (brushed aluminum). At first QA said they could do nothing to change the product but further discussion yielded effort on part of QA to look into correcting the issue.

It was suggested that some HVACs could have thermostats and valves replaced to extend the life of the existing HVAC. Owners need to contact company of their choice to evaluate their HVAC. Quality Air is one possible company for the work.

Question brought up about the quality of air filter used in the HVAC. QA said they use the highest quality (Merv 8)

WATER PUMP NOISE: Expectation is noise from water pump will be fixed by installation of new holding tanks.

Board passed motion to change bylaw majority vote from 75% to 66.66%. Volunteers needed to help with this effort.

Building Links  system suppose to aid in package delivery process but not in time for the full holiday package load at front desk. Expect system up in mid December.

Hartman Design contract just signed.

Parking regulations enforcement still an issue.

Social Committee –Holiday party December 14 (7-9 pm)

Making a Difference—successful hat and scarf sale (almost $800 received in sales) to fund Holiday box filling for homeless.

Dec 6 – wrap and stuff boxes for contribution to homeless.

Summary HIghlights of ECA Board Meeting October 28, 2014

Board Present: Steven Schattman, Sharon Bobb, Patricia Batey, Jim Jones, John McNerney, Alfred Muller, Jim Vuko

Others Present: ECA General Manager Terry Lee, Legum & Norman Regional Manager JamesSantos

President’s Report:

We lost our neighbor Maurice Trebach. He did the original research on our window project. He was a board member and a Village council member.

Complaints about the windows. Pat Batey shadows the contractors. Management is overseeing them but also the building. Major cause of the complaints is the building itself. A lot of corners were cut and some of that original shoddy work is coming to light now.

Treasurer:

Energy tax credits expired in 2013 and are not available at this time. If Congress acts on this, the Association will be notified.

Management Report:

Problem with window installation in Tier 11: Muller suggests that if any aesthetic changes are to be made in the building renovation projects, the entire Board should decide them. Tier 11 had problems on lower levels. Muller is asking that door handles be treated as they were originally. It affects furniture. In this case, there will be 2 months to reorder the doors that did not fit since no measurements was taken on the lower floors of tier 11. Batey said putting all the door handles on same side gave us a discount. Santos will investigate.

Noise from water pump now being discussed with Mendoza. Lee can hear the noise at the lobby level as well as certain occupants of floor 3.

Building Links (computer system) loading Association member info. Will be available first to general managers to test.

Parking regulations enforcement still an issue.

Design Committee—east hallway discussion available as minutes in management office. Committee wants to purchase a bench for Library area. Recommend that Hartman proposal be accepted.

Making a Difference—big success for linen collection.

Nov 13 & 14 – handmade hats/scarves sale and show

Nov 21—prebox party. Kids decorate the boxes.

Dec 6 – wrap and stuff boxes for contribution to homeless.

New Business:

Hartman Design requested an addendum to the contract. No extra money. Muller and Bobb urge proceeding since we have good oversight with Peg Downeys head of the Design Committee. Jim Santos praises Phyllis Hartman and that certainly she will keep to the budget she is handed. She is a professional. Motion passes with 5 in favor, 1 opposed, 1 abstention.

Keylink system for Key Control—

Need better key control. This motion was defeated earlier. Schattman not convinced this is best answer. Batey says she has looked at other system and others are more expensive and do the same the thing. Schattman worried that keylink does not track who goes into an apartment. Muller says this is not in the budget. It is $13K. Muller says this is out of order according to Robert’s Rules. Motion passes 6 to 1.

Assistant Engineer to live in house.

Controversial – many association members want the assistant engineer to be an ECA hire. Santos says we need a 21^st century approach where info is shared. We do not want a Jimmy Keating who had institutional memory. Motion passes 4 to 3.

Summary of ECA Board Meeting September 23, 2014

Board Present: Steven Schattman, Patricia Batey, Sharon Bobb, Jim Jones, McNerney, Dr. Alfred Muller, John McNerney, Jim Vuko

Others Present: ECA General Manager Terrence Lee, Legum & Norman Regional Manager James Santos, ECA legal counsel Jason Fisher, Wiss-Janey Ken Kosteva

These are high-level items that were addressed. 

Front Desk Shakeup

ECA lawyer Jason Fisher was on hand to help answer questions about the recent replacement of ECA staff who worked at the front desk with a concierge service. ECA president Steve Schattman took responsibility for a poorly worded letter that went out to ECA residents in what seemed to be a sudden shakeup. Comments from Association members indicated that the ECA front desk staff had been primed as early as last spring when the last ECA board was considering such a change. Mostly Association members were upset about how the ECA front desk staff were handled. Fisher assured those present that the action was within the scope of the law. The change came about for primarily two reasons—an opportunity for cost savings and a way to get better service, especially continuous coverage, at the front desk.

Ongoing Building Refurbishment

Window replacement has advanced to the 08 tier. The 07 tier experienced a large learning curve and some of the upper floor apartments had issues with how the windows fit. Measure have been undertaken to correct problems. One of the problems noted is that prep advice in advance of window replacement is not always given enough time.

Water Pump Noise

Despite Washington Suburban Sanitary Company's completion of water main replacement/upgrade, the new ECA water pumps are still causing noise and water pressure problems for a couple of ECA units.

Accounting Firm

The same firm that delivered late reports was rehired for the new ECA fiscal year.

New ECA Chief Engineer

Keith Huey, the new ECA Chief Engineer, was introduced and said a few words.

More on the Former Front Desk Staff

A number of people have expressed to me and others their dismay at the sudden dismissal of our Front Desk Staff. Brian Murphy wrote a letter to the ECA Board of Directors and got this reply from ECA Board President Steven Schattman.

There are a number of things to keep in mind as you read this.
--The elected board of directors is a volunteer group. In the recent elections, we had just enough volunteers to cover vacant board positions. The job is not easy and there is a guarantee that for every decision, there will be many people who will disagree and be unhappy. What can be done? You can run for the Board in the spring of 2015.
--One of the biggest jobs that the board takes on is managing the financial resources that we as an association entrust to the board. The fact is the Association is spending a lot of money to bring this building back to the original standards required of a luxury high-rise dwelling. It is very painful to have to make changes but especially to the staff we have employed for years. But what do you do when jobs are not getting done because the system in place is not working? Do you ignore the situation or take action? How do you know what action to employ? What do you think happens when personnel decisions are opened up to a large group--that is, if this were possible?
--Yes, perhaps there was another way to address the problems of our Front Desk Staff that would have been less shocking for everyone but I bet behind close doors some of these concerns were actually discussed with our legal counsel, Legum & Norman  managers, and officials of other condos that faced this kind of situation.

 The letter from Steve Schattman:

Let me address the fact that the decision to outsource the front desk staff was made in Executive session not in an open meeting. The Board is under certain legal obligations when it comes to personnel. There are confidentially requirements. In the entire 40 year history of the association personnel issues have always been dealt with in Executive session. The disposition of a new Chief Engineer was an entirely different set of circumstances as it did not deal with existing personnel rather a potential hire.

 

With regards to the decision itself, it was not made in the Executive session following Tuesday’s meeting. It was made some time ago. Several months were required to complete the preparation for the changeover. There were a number of issues that needed to be settled first including severance pay for the affected employees. Just so you are aware these people were not simply shoved out the door and waved goodbye to. Every one of them received a generous severance package. As we speak, our Management company Legum & Norman is working to place several of them in positions at other properties they manage. We were not heartless thugs.

 

If you will allow me I will give you a brief history of what lead to this decision. I believe after reading this you will come to understand this was not a hasty, shoot from the hip decision.

 

It is no secret that our operating expenses are very high. This puts a strain on the finances of the Association especially given the 10 year renovation project now under way. Approximately two years ago the then President of the Board asked L&N to do an analysis of our operating expenses and offer recommendations as to how to reduce them. The first problem area identified was our utility costs. L&N, mostly Jim Santos, worked diligently to reduce them. They were successful. Notwithstanding the fact that utility costs have gone up ours are now lower than they were two years ago. The second problem area they identified was our staffing costs. They were way out of line for a building and community of this size. The main culprits were insurance and overtime. The single biggest staffing problem was the Front desk. We were in a catch 22 if you will. The desk was understaffed causing massive amounts of overtime. Adding personnel would have driven already out of line insurance costs through the roof. The suggested solution was to employ a concierge company to man the front desk. The transition to a concierge company saves the Association a minimum of $50,000.00 a year.

 

This was not a quick nor hasty decision by the Board. We had L&N identify three suitable companies to take over this task. Early in the year they were brought in to make presentations to the Board. The who now mans the front desk was selected as the best option. Debate continued and a decision was put off until the new Board was formed in May. Additional research was conducted. Several Board members including Ms. Bobb and Ms. Batey visited buildings that employed the service. Sometimes they announced themselves, other times they went incognito to see what kind of reception they received. Board members from other Associations were contacted to ascertain their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the service. Finally the decision was made to forward with this in June.

 

In a very short time allowing for a learning curve to be digested, I honestly believe that in addition the monetary savings you will see a much more efficient and higher level of service from the front desk. Within a very short time frame a plethora of new services will be available to the residents of the Elizabeth.    

 

Several people were unhappy with the abruptness of the changeover but we felt this was the most humane and efficient way to do it. The Board was elected to represent the owners. It is not an easy job and as Ms. Batey pointed out in last Tuesday’s meeting, the pay sucks! The Board acted in what it felt was the best interests of the Association. Difficult decisions have been made over the last several months but because  of them our future financial picture is  looking much better. Quite frankly every time we make a decision no matter what it is there are always 20 owners who are firmly convinced we’re idiots and they have 40 reasons for believing that. Regrettably that’s just a fact of condominium life.                

   

 

Steven Schattman

Change in Front Desk Coverage—Questions & Answers

Background:

On August 28, 2014, the Elizabeth front desk staff was dismissed.

The Board of Directors decided to “outsource the front desk function to a concierge service in order to provide more expanded front office coverage for our owners and a resident [sic] in what the Board believes is a more cost-effective manner.” A notice was put under the doors of all the apartments.

Why wasn’t this decision announced at the August 26, 2014, board meeting?

The front desk staff had not been notified at that time and our legal counsel had to review various aspects of this change.

What will happen or did happen to the dismissed employees?

They were notified the morning of August 28 and given severance packages. Some of the employees will be offered other positions at other Legum & Norman managed properties.

Why did the ECA Board decide to do this?

Progressively, we have noticed that our front desk services were deteriorating. Often we were seeing other service or staff people sitting at the front desk and most of these folks like a Securitas guard, engineers, maintenance crew members were not trained to help people coming to the desk for service. And this kind of substitution was happening for needed and authorized breaks for our front staff.

When sudden needs for substitutes occurred (for example illness), management had to pull others from their own work assignments and we as an Association ended up double paying for this disrupted service.

According to James Santos whom I spoke with this morning, there will be as much as $40,000 per year savings with this new arrangement.

Who is the new service provider and what can we expect?

NFC Amenity Management is an 8-year-old firm providing professional concierge service in the Greater DC area. The staff manager Sam Gras and his regional manager were on duty this morning August 28.

We can expect complete coverage including when the front desk concierge takes a break. We can expect courteous and efficient service. And remember there is a transition period not only for the NFC Amenity staff assigned to the Elizabeth but also until we get our new Building Link services up and running. However, the quality of service should match any concierge service experienced in a high-rise luxury condo such as the Elizabeth.

Were other concierge services considered?

Yes, but I don’t recall the details. The memo sent out does describe the procedure and measures that our management office employed to find us the best service. This includes such things as interviewing the vendors, going into the field to see these vendors at work, and interviewing references.

Who can answer my questions about this change of front desk staff?

Check with our General Manager Terry Lee or our Regional Manager Jim Santos.

When did Karren Alenier find out about this change?

When I got the notice under my door.