THE ELIZABETH CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION
4601 North Park Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting October 18, 2010
Board Present:
Alexandria Kielty .........................President
Dr. Alfred Muller .........................Vice President
Monique Fridell ...........................Treasurer
Molly Frantz ...............................Assistant Treasurer
Charles Bressler ...........................Director
Judith Barth ................................Director
Seth Levine .................................Secretary
Others Present:
Scott Murdoch ...............Community Manager, Legum & Norman
James M. Santos ...........ECA General Manager
Jana Bowcut .................Recording Secretary, On the Record
Walter Mendoza, PE ......Mendoza, Ribas, Farinas and Associates
Call to Order: Ms. Kielty called the meeting to order at 7:42 p.m.
Ms. Kielty called the meeting to order at 7:42 p.m.
Ms. Kielty introduced Walter Mendoza, a mechanical engineer and founder of Mendoza, Ribas, Farinas and Associates to discuss the firm’s report which the Board commissioned to analyze in greater detail the general recommendations of the 2009 Reserve Study, with particular focus on near term structural component replacement and energy conservation measures.
Mr. Mendoza provided an overview of the report, which covers the following:
1) A review of the Reserve Study.
2) A field inspection of building equipment to determine which equipment should be replaced between now and 2015.
3) Recommendations for energy savings and environmental impact.
4) A prioritization of the repairs with cost estimates of replacement of each piece of equipment (page 35).
5) A recommendation of the repairs and the sequence in which they should be conducted.
6) A review of the facilities maintenance program currently in place.
Mr. Mendoza summarized information from the report regarding the condition of building equipment and areas that will need attention over time. Many tasks will need additional professional engineering consultation before exact replacement costs can be determined.
Mr. Mendoza recommended beginning a program to replace the windows as the current ones are not energy efficient. Dr. Muller inquired how the replacement would be done in phases in a cost effective manner. Mr. Mendoza recommended starting with the windows that would have the greatest return in energy savings, such as the ones on the west/northwest part of the building.
Ms. Fridell reminded the audience that the Board held a public workshop on August 24, 2010 to discuss the Mendoza Report and asked Mr. Mendoza to repeat for the benefit of this audience the emphasis the Report placed on the considerable near-term energy savings to be reaped by replacing pumps in the building’s infrastructure. Mr. Mendoza explained that ECA’s existing pumps run 24-hours-a-day, regardless of whether water is running through them or not, which consumes a lot of energy. There is new technology available where pumps can be controlled to reduce the horsepower when water demand is low, resulting in immediate energy and cost savings.
A resident inquired how the universal McQuay fan-coil unit replacement could be conducted. Mr. Mendoza stated that the project could be executed one tier at a time, starting at the top of the building and working down, or vice versa. He cannot develop an estimate for this work until the condition of the piping can be determined. Another resident asked if humidifiers could be added in units. Mr. Mendoza stated that they could, but they are prone to breaking, so they would have to be of good quality and therefore expensive. However, Mr. Mendoza added that once the windows are replaced, the interior air will be much more comfortable due to less air and temperature transfer between outside and inside conditions due to non-efficient single-pane windows currently in place.
A resident asked if the Mendoza Report will be available in the Management Office or on the website, to which Mr. Santos responded that it is already available in the Office.
Ms. Kielty thanked Mr. Mendoza and stated that the Association will continue to work with Mendoza Rebas in moving forward on a number of projects recommended by the firm.
Approval of Minutes:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Mr. Bressler seconded, to approve the September 20, 2010 regular meeting minutes as amended. The motion passed unanimously.
President’s Report: No report was given.
Treasurer’s Report: Ms. Fridell stated that Deleon & Stang (D&S) is preparing draft audited FY 2010 financial statements. The audit has been going smoothly, although D&S has identified some booking errors along the lines of those Ms. Fridell and Mr. Murdoch have been working each month to correct. D&S may choose to address this in its FY 2010 Management Letter to the Board.
Old Business:
Lobby renovation: Mr. Santos provided the following updates regarding the renovation:
• The final stages of detailing and touch-up painting are being done in the West Lobby. A walk-through with the designer and a meeting with the architect were held to discuss areas that need to be addressed.
• The tile floor in front of the front desk is not yet completed but is expected to be done within the next ten business days.
• All of the glass doors were delivered and installed, but did not meet the approved shop drawing specifications. This will be corrected at no cost to the Association, and the metal will not be cleaned and sealed until the changes are made. Different hardware with longer handles will be installed.
• The power door-opener controller is to be replaced on the East lobby wing door.
• Installation of the audio/visual equipment is about 99 percent complete. Verizon has been working to ensure everything is working correctly. There will be Fios WiFi capability for the business center.
• The FOB door access control program and additional security cameras are progressing toward completion.
• Lobby and Party Room furniture will not be delivered for several more months, as explained at the September 2010 Board Meeting.
Emergency Generator: Mr. Murdoch reported that approval for the amended air flow redesign was obtained from Montgomery County last week. The contractors have updated their bid information and the new cost estimate is $520,000, versus the original cost estimate $425,000. Installation should be completed within the next three weeks. Ms. Frantz asked how much this exceeds the budget for this item, to which Mr. Murdoch responded $50,000. Mr. Murdoch will provide the Board with a more detailed description of the contract change orders.
Website: Mr. Murdoch stated that all of the current resident data has been uploaded into the website. Mr. Levine stated that problems with logging on have been resolved, but if anyone is still having difficulty, they should contact him at “sgl@greatoaktitle.com”. The Mendoza Report has already been uploaded and can be found under “Resources” and then “Condo Documents.” More features will be available on-line in the next few weeks.
Cost Estimates: Ms. Frantz asked if there were any updates on cost estimates for the balconies, doors, and fan coil McQuay units. Mr. Santos stated that he is working on this due diligence on an on-going basis and is preparing a master plan for all of the HVAC needs in the building, which would include all pumps, horizontal piping and fan coil McQuay units. He has obtained some cost estimates and is preparing Scopes of Work in order to be able to issue Requests For Proposals within a few months.
In the meantime, the Board has approved the installation/performance testing of a sample of a new, energy-efficient window in the Management Office.
Employee Group Health Insurance Renewal: Mr. Murdoch stated that the renewal was received from Kelly Associates showing a surprising less than two percent reduction in premiums with no changes to current benefit levels.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Frantz seconded, to approve the renewal of the employee group health insurance plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield at a cost of $6,833 per month. The motion passed unanimously.
New Business:
Landscape Committee Recommendation: Committee Chairman, Jim Rich, reported that they had interviewed four landscape companies and had developed a comprehensive landscaping plan with three components: a master plan, implementation phase, and maintenance contract. The committee has identified Ruppert Landscape to create the master plan, but may not recommend using the same firm for implementation of the master plan. This vendor has done other work in the neighborhood and would charge $2,250 to develop the master plan.
Ms. Fridell stated that while she was pleased with the Committee’s due diligence and had no problem with its recommendation, she was concerned that only the Ruppert Landscape bid was provided in the Board package, and that no competitive information on other bids had been presented to the Board for its vote on the contract. Mr. Rich clarified that three bids had been obtained from Ruppert, Lasting Impressions and Merrifield, and the Committee will provide that information to the Board. Ms. Fridell reminded Board members and the audience that when the Board votes on contracts, there needs to be documentation supporting the fact that research was done on multiple vendors and that a competitive price/value proposition was selected.
Dr. Muller recommended that the Board vote on the landscaping design contract at the November Board Meeting when documented bid comparison could be presented. Mr. Santos will assist the Committee in preparing the proposal analysis and cost comparison.
Corridor Renovation Project Management: Ms. Barth stated that the Hartman Design Group and the construction general contractor, HBW Group, completed an extensive walk-through and suggested that the varying configurations of ECA’s tower hallways will be a challenge due to multiple short hallways and wall angles. The planning process is expected to be completed by February 2011, and the entire renovation process may take a full year because of the inability to seal off areas in an occupied building in order to install carpet, millwork or wall cover without interruption from pedestrian traffic. The general contractor proposes to work on three floors at a time, and could even alternate between floors in the East and West towers. Cost estimates have not been obtained yet, but they will be broken down into options so that the Board can choose the parts that are feasible and within budget.
Ms. Frantz inquired about opportunities for residents to participate in the renovation planning. Ms. Barth responded that planning is still in early stages. Ms. Kielty stated that there is a great deal of opportunity for input via the Renovation Committee and its advisory committee, and that residents may certainly express their opinions to Committee and/or Board members at any time during the process. Ms. Frantz stressed that formal opportunities for resident input need to be built into the beginning of the process rather than left to an informal, ad hoc basis. Ms. Barth reminded Board members and the audience that on March 9, 2010, Hartman Design Group made a public presentation of proposed design finishes and the committee received no negative feedback at that time. Dr. Muller suggested having one or more public meetings where residents can comment on hallway renovation design proposals, and then the Committee could convey these observations to Hartman Design Group.
Members of the Renovation Committee are: Judy Gann, Judi Barth, and Alexandra Kielty.
Members of the Advisory Committee are: Joan Rosenbach, Gerald Feldman, Barbara Smith, and Sharon Bobb.
Committee Reports:
Energy Conservation Committee: Chairwoman Joan Rosenbach reported the committee met on September 23, 2010. One item discussed was holding another Compact Fluorescent Lamp sale. The committee will work with Mr. Santos to obtain the best items and prices. Mrs. Rosenbach reminded the audience that the U.S. Department of Energy is offering rebates on purchases of Energy Star-rated appliances. Rebates are also available to residents through PEPCO. A flyer has been prepared with information on how to contact PEPCO and will be distributed in residents’ mailboxes.
Some residents have expressed concern about toilets leaking and causing damage or wasting water. With the help of Mr. Santos, the committee is researching water efficient models and expects to share options with residents for general information purposes. She reiterated that many McQuay fan coil units in the building are in need of repair/replacement. The Committee would like the Board to clarify whose responsibility McQuay unit replacement would be – individual owners or the Association. Ms. Frantz stated that the Board has asked Lerch Early, ECA’s external counsel, to provide a formal opinion on this based on a reading of ECA’s By-laws.
The Energy Committee consulted with the electrician from PowerServices about installing motion-sensitive lighting in various common areas such as the mailbox hallway, public restrooms and the Party Room. A resident stated that in her opinion, the bright lighting near the elevators was excessively wasteful from an energy perspective, and queried whether it was necessary. Once the contractors leave, the lights can be dimmed ; the Committee will inquire if this can be done immediately.
Mrs. Rosenbach also encouraged interested residents to consider joining the Energy Committee.
Floor Representative Committee: Co-Chairwoman Stephanie Olshan reported the committee met on October 8, 2010, with Mr. Santos to discuss the historical roles of floor representatives and to define their future roles. They also discussed the need to re-activate the move-in notification process with Management. The committee is developing a questionnaire for floor representatives to complete to measure the representatives desired level of participation in the Committee. Another meeting will be scheduled in the near future and the committee will report to the Board on a quarterly basis.
Ms. Kielty announced to residents that Wanda Powell, the new Assistant Manager, will begin working at ECA on November 1, 2010.
Contracts:
Ms. Fridell repeated to Management the Board’s previous requests that any/all contracts presented to the Board for a vote be included specifically on the Board Meeting Agenda.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to approve the Densel Company to perform the annual cleaning and analysis of the boilers for $7,592.00. The motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Santos proposed that the Board consider paying an additional fee to expedite receipt of Board Meeting minutes from the minute-taking firm, On the Record. Currently, the contract stipulates that the minutes will be received within ten business days. After discussion, Board members asked Mr. Santos to verify the cost of a guaranteed five-day return with On the Record.
MOTION Ms. Frantz moved, Ms. Fridell seconded, to approve expediting receipt of meeting minutes within five business days, once Mr. Santos reaches an agreement with On the Record. This would be expected to cost below the $30 fee for return of draft minutes within three to nine business days. The motion passed unanimously.
Comments from Floor:
On behalf of the owner of unit 309, the tenants, presented an issue to the Board regarding cigarette smoke/odors seeping into their unit. Despite having insulation and air filters replaced, the problem is unresolved. Both Mr. Santos and ECA Engineers have inspected the unit and have tried to identify nearby residents who may be smoking. The owner is committed to resolving the problem. Dr. Muller proposed consulting legal counsel about what actions ECA can take to protect the health of affected parties while respecting the legal right of owners to smoke inside their own apartments. .
A resident expressed her negative opinion about the appearance of the new floor coverings in the elevators. Ms. Kielty stated that Renovation Committee members and many residents agree, and are considering options for improvement/change. A resident inquired about the proposal to install a piano in the West lobby. Ms. Kielty responded that no decision has been taken. The owner of unit 215 expressed at length her concerns about the quality of the elevator floor tile, common area lighting, new glass doors and the carpet selection in the party room.
A resident reported a smell of urine outside the door of the first floor exit to the East side mezzanine level. She expressed concern about future damage this could do to new hallway carpeting and suggested frequent washing of this area. Dog owners should be reminded not to allow their dogs to urinate on common area premises.
A resident expressed concern about a recent fire alarm, which was ultimately proven to be false, but which required him and other residents to walk down 14 flights of stairs. He asked if there was a mechanism by which residents could be notified immediately that the alarm is false before they begin evacuating the building via the stairs. Mr. Santos stated that such an announcement might not be heard over the sound of the alarm and that if residents were already in the stairwells, they definitely would not hear such an announcement.
A resident flagged a corner where two walls meet in the West lobby hallway that is already being repeatedly damaged and then repaired.
A resident asked why the Association cannot purchase more microphones for the Board Meetings. Mr. Santos responded that audio/video enhancements will include overhead speakers and wireless microphones; he will ensure that there are plenty of microphones for everyone.
A resident expressed his opinion that white baseboards in some areas of the lobby will easily show scuff marks.
Mr. Bressler asked if more lighting and artwork would be added on the East lobby. Ms. Barth responded that some additional lighting may be installed to showcase art. However, she explained that the corridors on East lobby are relatively narrow and art could be damaged by passing luggage carts. Dr. Muller commented that he had asked Hartman Design Group to prepare a set of art samples that could be considered “non-controversial” for presentation to the Renovation Committee. Ms. Barth stated that she intends to invite the Board to view the art samples.
Ms. Kielty reminded residents that Hartman Design Group is an award winning firm and that its cost-conscious design and extensive contractor relationships have enabled ECA to accomplish a more extensive renovation – including Party Room and public restrooms -- than the Board initially had estimated. Dr. Muller added that his experience with Hartman Design Group is that principals always react positively to suggestions. Mr. Bressler complimented the work done on the Party Room.
Residents complimented Mr. Santos on his excellent performance and his responsiveness in emergencies.
A resident inquired about the status of renovation plans for the exercise room. Ms. Kielty responded that approximately $17,947 was approved by the Board as part of the 5-year reserve expenditure plan for FY 2008, for purchase of exercise equipment and that this expense is included in the current Five Year Plan . Robin Schattman, Jim Jones, Ms. Kielty and Ms. Fridell are serving on the exercise facility committee, which previously identified equipment from Heartline [vendor] to purchase; however, Ms. Fridell explained that these purchases were postponed because the Exercise Committee wanted to determine how much space would be available in the Exercise Room if it were renovated, and whether that could be done on a cost-effective basis. The Board approved $2,600 to be paid to Hartman Design Group for a preliminary design survey of the Exercise Room. Hartman delivered these designs in April 2010; however, no renovation action has been taken to date due to the projected expense and the fact that not much additional space could be gained from a redesign due to placement of mechanical equipment Ms. Kielty noted that additional equipment could still be purchased without any renovation and that the Exercise Committee could make such recommendations. Associa, L&N’s parent company, receives a 40 percent discount off the price of Heartline equipment , which might enable to purchase more/better equipment with the $17,947 budgeted amount.
A resident observed that the exercise room needs an exit sign. Mr. Santos will follow up.
Adjournment
The President adjourned the meeting at 10:32 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
Thursday, November 18, 2010
September 2010 Minutes of ECA Board Meeting
THE ELIZABETH CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION
4601 North Park Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting September 20, 2010
Board Present:
Alexandria Kielty .........................President
Dr. Alfred Muller .........................Vice President
Monique Fridell ...........................Treasurer
Molly Frantz ...............................Assistant Treasurer
Charles Bressler ...........................Director
Judith Barth ................................Director
Seth Levine .................................Secretary
Others Present:
Scott Murdoch ...............Community Manager, Legum & Norman
James M. Santos ...........ECA General Manager
Jana Bowcut .................Recording Secretary, On the Record
Call to Order: Ms. Kielty called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Approval of Minutes:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to approve the August 16, 2010, regular meeting minutes as amended. The motion passed with two abstentions by Ms. Fridell and Mr. Bressler, who had not attended.
President’s Report: Ms. Kielty stated that a working meeting was held on August 24, 2010, to discuss the five-year Reserve Expenditure plan, which will be voted on by the Board in this meeting. There will be a briefing from the Mendoza Company on their report at the October meeting. The lobby construction is progressing, and should be near completion in late October. Ms. Kielty expressed appreciation to Mr. Santos and Mr. Murdoch for their oversight of the refurbishment and many other projects.
Treasurer’s Report: Ms. Fridell reported that the FY 2010 audit is underway.
Old Business:
Lobby renovation: Mr. Murdoch reported that the bid received for a complete storefront glass (lobby front of building) replacement was $18,000 in addition to the $24,000 quoted to replace the window flashing. The work has been completed and carpet can now be installed. Current cost projections for the project, with an estimated completion date of early to mid October, total $1.3 million.
Mr. Santos stated that the lobby level carpet installation is scheduled to begin September 23, 2010. The audio visual equipment is being installed in the ceiling as well as new security cameras. Tile floors are being installed in several of the rooms and millwork, particularly behind the front desk, is in progress. The front doors need calibration, weather-stripping felt on the glass edges is under consideration. The satin brass finish needs to be cleaned and sealed, which has been discussed with the contractor (HBW Group) and they will assume responsibility to complete. The door access control project will move forward this week, but no lock cylinders will be removed until management is ready to transition to key fobs, which will be in four to six weeks. Dr. Muller thanked Mr. Santos for posting fulsome construction updates for the residents.
Mr. Bressler asked about the costs and need for interior door replacement for the five condominiums on the lobby level. Mr. Santos responded that this was included in the scope of work to ensure a uniform look on the lobby level, but the Board will need to discuss whether other resident doors throughout the building should be replaced to match. Ms. Barth stated that keeping the existing doors on the lobby level was considered, but the costs of restoring them and putting on new hardware was greater than purchasing new doors.
Ms. Barth reminded the Board and residents that even though the lobby level construction will be completed this fall, the full set of furniture ordered will not arrive until the end of the year. The Hartman Design Group will place all of the furnishings at one time. Dr. Muller suggested that the Board consider devising rules about what will be allowed in the refurbished space, such as food, drink, pets, bicycles, etc.
Emergency Generator: Mr. Murdoch stated that plans are progressing, but there is still an issue with the air flow design. The challenge is to ensure adequate air intake and exhaust for the generator while meeting the County noise limitations. The architect and mechanical engineer will submit the planned changes to the County for permits. The project is planned to be completed within the next six to seven weeks.
Ms. Fridell noted that the Management Report stated that the project’s cost overruns of the generator project will reduce future expenditures. She then asked if Mr. Murdoch could quantify those future costs. Mr. Murdoch responded that he could not, but that the Five-Year Reserve Expenditure plan provides for some electrical upgrades, some of which will be brought forward to be implemented now in this project. Mr. Santos added that there were items in the main switchboards that had to be replaced for $10,000, which is an expense that will be incurred now and not in the future.
Website: Mr. Levine reported that he recently met with Mr. Santos, Mr. Murdoch and Ms. Kielty to review the first draft. All residents are welcome to view it at “www.elizabethcondo.com”. Once the website is finalized, residents will be given detailed instructions on registration. An IT company will be hired to add some advanced features to the website. Mr. Santos stated that the primary goal of the website is for communication. There are currently about 25 unidentified unit owners in the building, and Mr. Santos has been trying to contact those residents. Mr. Bressler inquired if the front desk has the capability of finding a resident who, for example, may have left their car light on in the garage. Mr. Santos stated that given the lack of a unified Association database, he would be the only one who could identify such an owner, but that should change once better communication tools, such as the website, are in place.
Party Room Air Handler: Mr. Murdoch stated that installation is complete and the air handler is running well. An Energy Management System software upgrade will be installed in the engineer’s office, which will enable him to monitor the air handler. Dr. Muller inquired if the installation delayed completion of the party room, to which Mr. Santos responded, that it had not.
Five-Year Reserve Expenditure Plan: The Board discussed projected costs of various items in the Five-Year Reserve Expenditure plan, such as the door security system, skylights, exterior light fixtures and canopies. Mr. Santos recommended addressing the canopy item this year since several are leaking and could impact the aesthetics of the lobby refurbishment work. Ms. Frantz asked if all the building canopies should be done together in a single design plan. Mr. Santos suggested choosing those that are the highest priority and save the others for later. He added that because an architectural firm is currently working with the Association, that he could consult them about work on the canopies and skylights and obtain some costs. The Board agreed to have Mr. Santos explore this.
It was clarified that the $700,000 included in the Five-Year Reserve Expenditure plan for the common hallways includes funds for hardware on the condominium doors, but not for replacement of refurbishment of those doors.
MOTION Ms. Fridell moved, Mr. Bressler seconded, to approve the Five-Year Reserve Expenditure plan, as amended by discussion, to be included as Supplemental Information in ECA’s FY 2010 audited financial statements. The motion passed unanimously.
New Business:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to begin negotiations with the Hartman Design Group to initiate design work for the next phase of refurbishment, which is the renovation of the hallways in the east and west towers. The motion passed unanimously.
Dr. Muller asked that the HDG be asked to provide the full-range of options regarding the unit front doors (from cosmetic to refurbishment to replacement) as part of any proposal on the hallway refurbishment project. Ms. Frantz reiterated how critical it was to have that information available when decisions are made regarding the refurbishment of the hallways.
Ms. Kielty suggested that the luggage carts be replaced. The current carts are difficult to manage and often bang into walls. Ms. Barth stated that the renovation advisory committee previously discussed this and recommended purchasing these before the renovation is completed. Mr. Murdoch said he will research some options.
Managers Report:
Dr. Muller requested that the items to be discussed by Management also be included on the Board meeting agenda and distributed to the Board and the residents before the Board meetings.
Mr. Santos stated that he obtained one additional window washing proposal since the September Board meeting. Valcourt Building Services provided a proposal that was about $2,000 more than the original proposal by Extra Clean, Inc., which has been hired by The Elizabeth in the past. He added that he will obtain another bid, but Mr. Santos expressed concern about waiting any longer due to the weather. Mr. Santos recommended hiring Extra Clean, Inc., and adding balcony doors and screens to the contract. Ms. Barth stated that last year Extra Clean, Inc. missed a number of windows and had to return to finish the job. She suggested that this be brought to their attention when they are hired. Mr. Bressler felt washing the windows should be deferred until next spring. Ms. Frantz felt that the owners should be responsible for cleaning their own balcony doors.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Mr. Levine seconded, to accept the proposal from Extra Clean, Inc., for $7,525.00 to clean the windows, balcony glass (sliders and stationary) and screens. The motion passed, with Mr. Bressler and Ms. Frantz opposed.
Mr. Santos stated that a number of balconies need to have some repair work and painting done, but it is a time consuming process and there are not many good weather days left this year to complete this. Some residents want the work done soon. The Board was unclear about whether the balcony work expense was the responsibility of the unit owner or the Association and agreed to table the discussion.
Mr. Santos stated that a medical request was made by a resident in a neighboring building to use The Elizabeth’s indoor pool for 30 days. Some board members were concerned that The Elizabeth could be liable if an injury occurred, but Mr. Santos stated that the individual could be asked to complete a waiver of liability. The Board agreed that Management should accede to the request on such a condition. Ms. Frantz offered to sponsor the individual as her guest.
Contractor Policy Draft: Mr. Santos prepared a policy draft to minimize the Association’s risk and interference with operations when residents hire contractors to do work in their units. The draft incorporated the House Rules. Some feedback from Mr. Murdoch was incorporated into a second draft and third one will be prepared to incorporate the feedback from the Board. The Board agreed that it is important to implement requirements in regards to contractors’ presence in the building, insurance and qualifications. Mr. Murdoch stated the importance of creating a policy or standard that is practical and enforceable. Ms. Frantz suggested looking at how other buildings handle this. Mr. Bressler suggested that when an owner submits an application for work to be done, they should inform the contractor of the Association’s policy.
A question was raised about whether a staff member doing work in the building would be held to this policy. Dr. Muller responded that staff members typically do minor repairs and should not be held to these rules to the same extent. Mr. Murdoch stated the intent of the policy was for outside parties, not the staff. This interpretation was not universally held. Instead, the extent of a renovation project should be the measure, not who does the work. Dr. Muller also stated that the rules should be reasonable and that there should be penalties imposed if a contractor breaks a rule.
Committee Reports:
Energy: Committee Chairwoman Joan Rosenbach reported the committee has not met since the September Board meeting and therefore had no report. A meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 23, 2010.
Fitness: Ms. Kielty stated she would no longer be able to lead the Fitness Committee due to her extensive responsibilities as Board President and a participant of the Refurbishment Committee. She announced that a volunteer is needed to lead the Fitness Committee. Interested residents should talk to Mr. Santos.
Landscape: Committee Chairman James Rich reported the committee had a number of meetings last month with Mr. Santos and four potential vendors. A master plan will be developed, installation will be done in stages (possibly by a different vendor), and then maintained over time. During FY 2010, the Boar approved $20,000 to be allocated in the FY 2011 operating budget for the landscape design as a separate line item from maintenance.
Social: Ms. Barth stated that the annual Halloween party will not occur this year due to renovations. Instead, the Committee expects to hold a special children’s event during the holiday season.
Open Forum:
-A resident asked for clarification about the Mendoza Report. Mr. Murdoch explained that Mendoza, Ribas, Farinas and Associates is a professional engineering firm that was commissioned to review the Reserve Study and the Energy Audit with focus on the short-term items. He prepared a report to aid in developing a five-year plan with respect to mechanical and energy issues. A workshop was held in August that reviewed the results.
-A resident inquired if window and door replacements are included in the Five-Year Reserve Expenditure plan. Mr. Murdoch responded that the these expenditures are expected to occur beyond the scope of the current Five- Year Plan as the Mendoza, Ribas report identified other energy savings expenditures which were considered more urgent priorities.
-A resident stated that he agreed with requiring proof of insurance from outside contractors. He also stressed that only licensed contractors should remove asbestos.
-In regards to the window washing, a resident requested that special attention be given to apartments with storm windows. The resident also reminded the Board that when it considers replacing interior unit doors, it is important to note that any existing door that is removed or has holes in it has lost its fire retardant quality.
Adjournment
The President adjourned the meeting at 9:15 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 September 20, 2010
Board Present:
Alexandria Kielty .........................President
Dr. Alfred Muller .........................Vice President
Monique Fridell ...........................Treasurer
Molly Frantz ...............................Assistant Treasurer
Charles Bressler ...........................Director
Judith Barth ................................Director
Seth Levine .................................Secretary
Others Present:
Scott Murdoch ...............Community Manager, Legum & Norman
James M. Santos ...........ECA General Manager
Jana Bowcut .................Recording Secretary, On the Record
Call to Order: Ms. Kielty called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
Approval of Minutes:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to approve the August 16, 2010, regular meeting minutes as amended. The motion passed with two abstentions by Ms. Fridell and Mr. Bressler, who had not attended.
President’s Report: Ms. Kielty stated that a working meeting was held on August 24, 2010, to discuss the five-year Reserve Expenditure plan, which will be voted on by the Board in this meeting. There will be a briefing from the Mendoza Company on their report at the October meeting. The lobby construction is progressing, and should be near completion in late October. Ms. Kielty expressed appreciation to Mr. Santos and Mr. Murdoch for their oversight of the refurbishment and many other projects.
Treasurer’s Report: Ms. Fridell reported that the FY 2010 audit is underway.
Old Business:
Lobby renovation: Mr. Murdoch reported that the bid received for a complete storefront glass (lobby front of building) replacement was $18,000 in addition to the $24,000 quoted to replace the window flashing. The work has been completed and carpet can now be installed. Current cost projections for the project, with an estimated completion date of early to mid October, total $1.3 million.
Mr. Santos stated that the lobby level carpet installation is scheduled to begin September 23, 2010. The audio visual equipment is being installed in the ceiling as well as new security cameras. Tile floors are being installed in several of the rooms and millwork, particularly behind the front desk, is in progress. The front doors need calibration, weather-stripping felt on the glass edges is under consideration. The satin brass finish needs to be cleaned and sealed, which has been discussed with the contractor (HBW Group) and they will assume responsibility to complete. The door access control project will move forward this week, but no lock cylinders will be removed until management is ready to transition to key fobs, which will be in four to six weeks. Dr. Muller thanked Mr. Santos for posting fulsome construction updates for the residents.
Mr. Bressler asked about the costs and need for interior door replacement for the five condominiums on the lobby level. Mr. Santos responded that this was included in the scope of work to ensure a uniform look on the lobby level, but the Board will need to discuss whether other resident doors throughout the building should be replaced to match. Ms. Barth stated that keeping the existing doors on the lobby level was considered, but the costs of restoring them and putting on new hardware was greater than purchasing new doors.
Ms. Barth reminded the Board and residents that even though the lobby level construction will be completed this fall, the full set of furniture ordered will not arrive until the end of the year. The Hartman Design Group will place all of the furnishings at one time. Dr. Muller suggested that the Board consider devising rules about what will be allowed in the refurbished space, such as food, drink, pets, bicycles, etc.
Emergency Generator: Mr. Murdoch stated that plans are progressing, but there is still an issue with the air flow design. The challenge is to ensure adequate air intake and exhaust for the generator while meeting the County noise limitations. The architect and mechanical engineer will submit the planned changes to the County for permits. The project is planned to be completed within the next six to seven weeks.
Ms. Fridell noted that the Management Report stated that the project’s cost overruns of the generator project will reduce future expenditures. She then asked if Mr. Murdoch could quantify those future costs. Mr. Murdoch responded that he could not, but that the Five-Year Reserve Expenditure plan provides for some electrical upgrades, some of which will be brought forward to be implemented now in this project. Mr. Santos added that there were items in the main switchboards that had to be replaced for $10,000, which is an expense that will be incurred now and not in the future.
Website: Mr. Levine reported that he recently met with Mr. Santos, Mr. Murdoch and Ms. Kielty to review the first draft. All residents are welcome to view it at “www.elizabethcondo.com”. Once the website is finalized, residents will be given detailed instructions on registration. An IT company will be hired to add some advanced features to the website. Mr. Santos stated that the primary goal of the website is for communication. There are currently about 25 unidentified unit owners in the building, and Mr. Santos has been trying to contact those residents. Mr. Bressler inquired if the front desk has the capability of finding a resident who, for example, may have left their car light on in the garage. Mr. Santos stated that given the lack of a unified Association database, he would be the only one who could identify such an owner, but that should change once better communication tools, such as the website, are in place.
Party Room Air Handler: Mr. Murdoch stated that installation is complete and the air handler is running well. An Energy Management System software upgrade will be installed in the engineer’s office, which will enable him to monitor the air handler. Dr. Muller inquired if the installation delayed completion of the party room, to which Mr. Santos responded, that it had not.
Five-Year Reserve Expenditure Plan: The Board discussed projected costs of various items in the Five-Year Reserve Expenditure plan, such as the door security system, skylights, exterior light fixtures and canopies. Mr. Santos recommended addressing the canopy item this year since several are leaking and could impact the aesthetics of the lobby refurbishment work. Ms. Frantz asked if all the building canopies should be done together in a single design plan. Mr. Santos suggested choosing those that are the highest priority and save the others for later. He added that because an architectural firm is currently working with the Association, that he could consult them about work on the canopies and skylights and obtain some costs. The Board agreed to have Mr. Santos explore this.
It was clarified that the $700,000 included in the Five-Year Reserve Expenditure plan for the common hallways includes funds for hardware on the condominium doors, but not for replacement of refurbishment of those doors.
MOTION Ms. Fridell moved, Mr. Bressler seconded, to approve the Five-Year Reserve Expenditure plan, as amended by discussion, to be included as Supplemental Information in ECA’s FY 2010 audited financial statements. The motion passed unanimously.
New Business:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to begin negotiations with the Hartman Design Group to initiate design work for the next phase of refurbishment, which is the renovation of the hallways in the east and west towers. The motion passed unanimously.
Dr. Muller asked that the HDG be asked to provide the full-range of options regarding the unit front doors (from cosmetic to refurbishment to replacement) as part of any proposal on the hallway refurbishment project. Ms. Frantz reiterated how critical it was to have that information available when decisions are made regarding the refurbishment of the hallways.
Ms. Kielty suggested that the luggage carts be replaced. The current carts are difficult to manage and often bang into walls. Ms. Barth stated that the renovation advisory committee previously discussed this and recommended purchasing these before the renovation is completed. Mr. Murdoch said he will research some options.
Managers Report:
Dr. Muller requested that the items to be discussed by Management also be included on the Board meeting agenda and distributed to the Board and the residents before the Board meetings.
Mr. Santos stated that he obtained one additional window washing proposal since the September Board meeting. Valcourt Building Services provided a proposal that was about $2,000 more than the original proposal by Extra Clean, Inc., which has been hired by The Elizabeth in the past. He added that he will obtain another bid, but Mr. Santos expressed concern about waiting any longer due to the weather. Mr. Santos recommended hiring Extra Clean, Inc., and adding balcony doors and screens to the contract. Ms. Barth stated that last year Extra Clean, Inc. missed a number of windows and had to return to finish the job. She suggested that this be brought to their attention when they are hired. Mr. Bressler felt washing the windows should be deferred until next spring. Ms. Frantz felt that the owners should be responsible for cleaning their own balcony doors.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Mr. Levine seconded, to accept the proposal from Extra Clean, Inc., for $7,525.00 to clean the windows, balcony glass (sliders and stationary) and screens. The motion passed, with Mr. Bressler and Ms. Frantz opposed.
Mr. Santos stated that a number of balconies need to have some repair work and painting done, but it is a time consuming process and there are not many good weather days left this year to complete this. Some residents want the work done soon. The Board was unclear about whether the balcony work expense was the responsibility of the unit owner or the Association and agreed to table the discussion.
Mr. Santos stated that a medical request was made by a resident in a neighboring building to use The Elizabeth’s indoor pool for 30 days. Some board members were concerned that The Elizabeth could be liable if an injury occurred, but Mr. Santos stated that the individual could be asked to complete a waiver of liability. The Board agreed that Management should accede to the request on such a condition. Ms. Frantz offered to sponsor the individual as her guest.
Contractor Policy Draft: Mr. Santos prepared a policy draft to minimize the Association’s risk and interference with operations when residents hire contractors to do work in their units. The draft incorporated the House Rules. Some feedback from Mr. Murdoch was incorporated into a second draft and third one will be prepared to incorporate the feedback from the Board. The Board agreed that it is important to implement requirements in regards to contractors’ presence in the building, insurance and qualifications. Mr. Murdoch stated the importance of creating a policy or standard that is practical and enforceable. Ms. Frantz suggested looking at how other buildings handle this. Mr. Bressler suggested that when an owner submits an application for work to be done, they should inform the contractor of the Association’s policy.
A question was raised about whether a staff member doing work in the building would be held to this policy. Dr. Muller responded that staff members typically do minor repairs and should not be held to these rules to the same extent. Mr. Murdoch stated the intent of the policy was for outside parties, not the staff. This interpretation was not universally held. Instead, the extent of a renovation project should be the measure, not who does the work. Dr. Muller also stated that the rules should be reasonable and that there should be penalties imposed if a contractor breaks a rule.
Committee Reports:
Energy: Committee Chairwoman Joan Rosenbach reported the committee has not met since the September Board meeting and therefore had no report. A meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 23, 2010.
Fitness: Ms. Kielty stated she would no longer be able to lead the Fitness Committee due to her extensive responsibilities as Board President and a participant of the Refurbishment Committee. She announced that a volunteer is needed to lead the Fitness Committee. Interested residents should talk to Mr. Santos.
Landscape: Committee Chairman James Rich reported the committee had a number of meetings last month with Mr. Santos and four potential vendors. A master plan will be developed, installation will be done in stages (possibly by a different vendor), and then maintained over time. During FY 2010, the Boar approved $20,000 to be allocated in the FY 2011 operating budget for the landscape design as a separate line item from maintenance.
Social: Ms. Barth stated that the annual Halloween party will not occur this year due to renovations. Instead, the Committee expects to hold a special children’s event during the holiday season.
Open Forum:
-A resident asked for clarification about the Mendoza Report. Mr. Murdoch explained that Mendoza, Ribas, Farinas and Associates is a professional engineering firm that was commissioned to review the Reserve Study and the Energy Audit with focus on the short-term items. He prepared a report to aid in developing a five-year plan with respect to mechanical and energy issues. A workshop was held in August that reviewed the results.
-A resident inquired if window and door replacements are included in the Five-Year Reserve Expenditure plan. Mr. Murdoch responded that the these expenditures are expected to occur beyond the scope of the current Five- Year Plan as the Mendoza, Ribas report identified other energy savings expenditures which were considered more urgent priorities.
-A resident stated that he agreed with requiring proof of insurance from outside contractors. He also stressed that only licensed contractors should remove asbestos.
-In regards to the window washing, a resident requested that special attention be given to apartments with storm windows. The resident also reminded the Board that when it considers replacing interior unit doors, it is important to note that any existing door that is removed or has holes in it has lost its fire retardant quality.
Adjournment
The President adjourned the meeting at 9:15 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
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Summary of October 19, 2010 Elizabeth Condo Board Meeting
Present at the meeting: Alexandra Kielty, Judi Barth, Charles Bressler, Molly Frantz, Monique Fridell, Seth Levine, Al Muller, Scott Murdoch, Jim Santos, recorder of meeting minutes.
Meeting was held in newly renovated Elizabeth Party Room.
The big items for this meeting were the engineering report summary by Mendoza, which has made the ECA Board change its direction about window, door, heating/cooling replacement, and corridor renovations.
Highlights from Mendoza’s Summary of Engineering Report
While it is now clearly established that the ECA has no choice about immediately needing to undertake large projects like replacing windows, doors, and failing McQuay units, Mr. Mendoza said the Association can save a huge amount of money by updating boilers that are oversized and run 24/7 and by updating the new system with new technology that will have boilers working only when needed. He said the pay back will be immediate and he has seen this work in other buildings. He said work on the boilers and four pipes segmented into two for winter and two for summer must be addressed as the first priority
He recommended that window and door replacement start with tiers facing north and west. He said do as much as you can afford as soon as possible. Jim Santos said that the first replacement window will go into the General Manager’s office within days as a first test.
Replacement of McQuay units requires the following steps:
--Pipe replacement as needed throughout the building
--Replace pipe insulation (asbestos might be involved)
--Clean up any mold
--Install temperature controls
Questions were asked about humidity control and humidifiers. Mr. Mendoza said if all the energy saving renovations are addressed including boiler renovation, window/door replacement, new heating and cooling units for individual apartments the humidity problems would likely be solved. He says humidifiers cause more problems than they solve.
The Mendoza Engineering Report is available in paper copy in the General Manager’s office and can be downloaded from the new website.
Treasurer’s Report
Ms. Fridell said work is being done on the preliminary auditor’s report and some mistakes are being found.
Lobby Renovations:
West Lobby work is in final stages. New furniture will be delivered in several months. The new glass doors will be replaced at no additional cost because of various problems. Handles will be lowered on the new doors. Use of the Lobby is under discussion and new rules in conformance with the House Rules will be issued.
New door security system: Key fobs have been delivered to the General Manager’s office.
Installation of TVs & audio equipment: complete and wifi is working in both lobbies.
Emergency Generator: Finally got Montgomery County approval on redesign. It seems there were some issues with the contractor not working to approved code. Sound attenuation was one of the issues. The project should be complete within three weeks.
ECA Website: owners and residents are invited to establish login identities and use the system. See my note on the new website.
Employee Health Insurance: the price for the same coverage by CareFirst BlueCross/Blue Shield has gone down! The Board approved renewal.
Landscape Committee:
--four contractor were consulted
--The plan is for the selected contractor to develop a landscape master plan, do the installation and maintenance.
--Ruppert is the contractor recommended by the Landscape Committee (Ruppert does landscape work at the Carleton.
--Committee will gather additional data for the Board.
Corridor Renovations
--No work will start until carpet and wall coverings arrive but nothing has been decided or selected.
--Once work starts it will take a full year to complete since hallways cannot be sealed off. The plan is to work on three floors at the same time and possibly alternate between East and West towers.
--One question is whether apartment front doors have to be replaced or just the hardware. Discussion is that many doors have been compromised by holes and adjustments for carpeting. This means these compromised doors are not fireproof.
--Board has received letters requesting lighter-colored carpet for the hallways. Also request for design options that can be voted on by the owners.
Energy Committee:
--May plan another CFL light bulb sale. There are new kinds of bulbs including three-way and chandelier models.
--Will be forthcoming instruction for getting PEPCO rebates on newly purchased energy efficient appliances.
--Need new members to work on the Energy Committee
Floor Committee: wants to restart welcome to new residents. The effort was halted in April with lack of cooperation from the former assistant to the ECA General Manager.
New Assistant to the General Manager: as of November 1, Wanda Powell will begin that job.
Winterize/clean boilers: Board approved hiring a contractor to perform this job.
Expediting delivery of Board Meeting Minutes: Board gave approval to spend an additional $30 per month to expedite delivery of typed Board meeting minutes.
Snow Removal Equipment: Board told General Manager to move ahead with procurement of snow removal equipment. This was approved at the end of last winter.
Comments from the Floor:
--Unit 309 has a problem with invasive cigarette smoke filtering into their bedroom presenting a health issue for a premature infant.
--Floor covering in the elevators may be affected by the elevator lighting and that will be addressed.
--Piano for West Lobby: no purchase has been made yet.
--Unit 215 is not pleased with lobby renovation. Her list of complaints included: lowered ceilings, light fixtures do not meet her standards, new glass doors are too heavy to open, new carpet is too dark and shows lint.
--Light sensors: would they make sense for mailbox corridor and restrooms?
Meeting was held in newly renovated Elizabeth Party Room.
The big items for this meeting were the engineering report summary by Mendoza, which has made the ECA Board change its direction about window, door, heating/cooling replacement, and corridor renovations.
Highlights from Mendoza’s Summary of Engineering Report
While it is now clearly established that the ECA has no choice about immediately needing to undertake large projects like replacing windows, doors, and failing McQuay units, Mr. Mendoza said the Association can save a huge amount of money by updating boilers that are oversized and run 24/7 and by updating the new system with new technology that will have boilers working only when needed. He said the pay back will be immediate and he has seen this work in other buildings. He said work on the boilers and four pipes segmented into two for winter and two for summer must be addressed as the first priority
He recommended that window and door replacement start with tiers facing north and west. He said do as much as you can afford as soon as possible. Jim Santos said that the first replacement window will go into the General Manager’s office within days as a first test.
Replacement of McQuay units requires the following steps:
--Pipe replacement as needed throughout the building
--Replace pipe insulation (asbestos might be involved)
--Clean up any mold
--Install temperature controls
Questions were asked about humidity control and humidifiers. Mr. Mendoza said if all the energy saving renovations are addressed including boiler renovation, window/door replacement, new heating and cooling units for individual apartments the humidity problems would likely be solved. He says humidifiers cause more problems than they solve.
The Mendoza Engineering Report is available in paper copy in the General Manager’s office and can be downloaded from the new website.
Treasurer’s Report
Ms. Fridell said work is being done on the preliminary auditor’s report and some mistakes are being found.
Lobby Renovations:
West Lobby work is in final stages. New furniture will be delivered in several months. The new glass doors will be replaced at no additional cost because of various problems. Handles will be lowered on the new doors. Use of the Lobby is under discussion and new rules in conformance with the House Rules will be issued.
New door security system: Key fobs have been delivered to the General Manager’s office.
Installation of TVs & audio equipment: complete and wifi is working in both lobbies.
Emergency Generator: Finally got Montgomery County approval on redesign. It seems there were some issues with the contractor not working to approved code. Sound attenuation was one of the issues. The project should be complete within three weeks.
ECA Website: owners and residents are invited to establish login identities and use the system. See my note on the new website.
Employee Health Insurance: the price for the same coverage by CareFirst BlueCross/Blue Shield has gone down! The Board approved renewal.
Landscape Committee:
--four contractor were consulted
--The plan is for the selected contractor to develop a landscape master plan, do the installation and maintenance.
--Ruppert is the contractor recommended by the Landscape Committee (Ruppert does landscape work at the Carleton.
--Committee will gather additional data for the Board.
Corridor Renovations
--No work will start until carpet and wall coverings arrive but nothing has been decided or selected.
--Once work starts it will take a full year to complete since hallways cannot be sealed off. The plan is to work on three floors at the same time and possibly alternate between East and West towers.
--One question is whether apartment front doors have to be replaced or just the hardware. Discussion is that many doors have been compromised by holes and adjustments for carpeting. This means these compromised doors are not fireproof.
--Board has received letters requesting lighter-colored carpet for the hallways. Also request for design options that can be voted on by the owners.
Energy Committee:
--May plan another CFL light bulb sale. There are new kinds of bulbs including three-way and chandelier models.
--Will be forthcoming instruction for getting PEPCO rebates on newly purchased energy efficient appliances.
--Need new members to work on the Energy Committee
Floor Committee: wants to restart welcome to new residents. The effort was halted in April with lack of cooperation from the former assistant to the ECA General Manager.
New Assistant to the General Manager: as of November 1, Wanda Powell will begin that job.
Winterize/clean boilers: Board approved hiring a contractor to perform this job.
Expediting delivery of Board Meeting Minutes: Board gave approval to spend an additional $30 per month to expedite delivery of typed Board meeting minutes.
Snow Removal Equipment: Board told General Manager to move ahead with procurement of snow removal equipment. This was approved at the end of last winter.
Comments from the Floor:
--Unit 309 has a problem with invasive cigarette smoke filtering into their bedroom presenting a health issue for a premature infant.
--Floor covering in the elevators may be affected by the elevator lighting and that will be addressed.
--Piano for West Lobby: no purchase has been made yet.
--Unit 215 is not pleased with lobby renovation. Her list of complaints included: lowered ceilings, light fixtures do not meet her standards, new glass doors are too heavy to open, new carpet is too dark and shows lint.
--Light sensors: would they make sense for mailbox corridor and restrooms?
ElizabethCondo.com, the new ECA Website
http://elizabethcondo.com/
HOW TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE NEW ECA WEBSITE
To gain access to the new Elizabeth Condominium website, you must be an owner or a renter in the building. You must have an email address.
At the navigation bar, click on "Login." (This is between "Home" and "Community." Once you click on "Login," you will see a drop down menu giving you two choices: "Resident Login" and "Request Login." Click on "Request Login." Fill in every box and then click the "submit" button. Next check your email inbox periodically for a response.
Seth Levine, one of our Board members, will send you an email saying he has registered you in the system. You will get an ID code and a password.
When you go back to the website, click "login" and choose Resident Login." You will get a page of rules which you should read and then if you agree, click the appropriate button at the bottom of the contract. Next go to navigation bar and next to "Home," will be "My Profile." Click "My Profile" and change your password to something you can remember.
WHAT IS ON THE WEBSITE?
Right now, there are two very useful items on the website.
#1 Work Order Submission
This means you can go to the website and ask that your minor plumbing issues can be looked and fixed. It means you can get help with taking screens out of your windows, etc.
#2 The Mendoza Engineering Report
This critical report is available for download (the only way you can read it) and it is responsible for the ECA Board doing an about face on the replacement of window and doors as well as addressing the failing McQuay heating and cooling units.
STATUS OF POSTS TO theelizabethcondo.blogspot.com vs elizabethcondo.com
I urge you to explore the new website and start using it and make comments about what is useful to you. The more use it gets, the better it will become. By the way, there will be levels of access. Renters will not be allowed access to the financial data that owners will be able to see online. The approved monthly minutes will be posted at elizabethcondo.com in the near future and that is great news!
Right now I will continue to summarize monthly meetings as my time allows. I will continue to invite discussion on important issues in the building.
One other thing, when you see our General Manager Jim Santos around the building, thank him for the outstanding work he is doing, including his part in helping Seth Levine set up the new website.
HOW TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE NEW ECA WEBSITE
To gain access to the new Elizabeth Condominium website, you must be an owner or a renter in the building. You must have an email address.
At the navigation bar, click on "Login." (This is between "Home" and "Community." Once you click on "Login," you will see a drop down menu giving you two choices: "Resident Login" and "Request Login." Click on "Request Login." Fill in every box and then click the "submit" button. Next check your email inbox periodically for a response.
Seth Levine, one of our Board members, will send you an email saying he has registered you in the system. You will get an ID code and a password.
When you go back to the website, click "login" and choose Resident Login." You will get a page of rules which you should read and then if you agree, click the appropriate button at the bottom of the contract. Next go to navigation bar and next to "Home," will be "My Profile." Click "My Profile" and change your password to something you can remember.
WHAT IS ON THE WEBSITE?
Right now, there are two very useful items on the website.
#1 Work Order Submission
This means you can go to the website and ask that your minor plumbing issues can be looked and fixed. It means you can get help with taking screens out of your windows, etc.
#2 The Mendoza Engineering Report
This critical report is available for download (the only way you can read it) and it is responsible for the ECA Board doing an about face on the replacement of window and doors as well as addressing the failing McQuay heating and cooling units.
STATUS OF POSTS TO theelizabethcondo.blogspot.com vs elizabethcondo.com
I urge you to explore the new website and start using it and make comments about what is useful to you. The more use it gets, the better it will become. By the way, there will be levels of access. Renters will not be allowed access to the financial data that owners will be able to see online. The approved monthly minutes will be posted at elizabethcondo.com in the near future and that is great news!
Right now I will continue to summarize monthly meetings as my time allows. I will continue to invite discussion on important issues in the building.
One other thing, when you see our General Manager Jim Santos around the building, thank him for the outstanding work he is doing, including his part in helping Seth Levine set up the new website.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Comments on Official ECA Minutes
Has anyone noticed that the official Elizabeth Condominium Minutes for the month of June 2010 were approved but never posted either on the Lobby bulletin board or here on this blog?
If you ask for them in our management office, you will learn that those minutes were never sent to the former Management Assistant or to our General Manager Jim Santos. Since July, I have asked the ECA President for the minutes and more recently so has Mr. Santos without results.
Should anyone care?
I should think so. The minutes are legal records that show what the Board has accomplished collectively and individually as well as keep a running account of projects and problems in the building. These records should also tell us where Board members stand on various items that come up for a vote.
It should be a matter of public record how each Board Member votes. Why? Because this is one way an ECA member can decide whom to vote for the next time this director runs for re-election.
Take note that the Official August Minutes makes note of how Board members vote on the minutes but not after that. When a motion is pass unanimously by the directors present at the meeting, there is no need to list them individually, but it is not clear from the discussion, which directors opposed certain motions.
If you ask for them in our management office, you will learn that those minutes were never sent to the former Management Assistant or to our General Manager Jim Santos. Since July, I have asked the ECA President for the minutes and more recently so has Mr. Santos without results.
Should anyone care?
I should think so. The minutes are legal records that show what the Board has accomplished collectively and individually as well as keep a running account of projects and problems in the building. These records should also tell us where Board members stand on various items that come up for a vote.
It should be a matter of public record how each Board Member votes. Why? Because this is one way an ECA member can decide whom to vote for the next time this director runs for re-election.
Take note that the Official August Minutes makes note of how Board members vote on the minutes but not after that. When a motion is pass unanimously by the directors present at the meeting, there is no need to list them individually, but it is not clear from the discussion, which directors opposed certain motions.
August 2010 Minutes of ECA Board Meeting
THE ELIZABETH CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION
4601 North Park Avenue
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting August 16, 2010
Board Present:
Alexandria Kielty .........................President
Dr. Alfred Muller .........................Vice President
Molly Frantz ...............................Assistant Treasurer
Judith Barth ................................Director
Seth Levine .................................Secretary
Board Absent:
Monique Fridell ...........................Treasurer
Charles Bressler ...........................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: Ms. Kielty called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. Two board members, Mr. Bressler and Ms. Fridell, were absent from the meeting and Ms. Barth arrived late.
Approval of Minutes:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Kielty seconded, to approve the May 5, 2010, special meeting minutes as amended. The motion passed with two abstentions by Ms. Frantz and
Mr. Levine.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Frantz seconded, to approve the July 19, 2010, regular meeting minutes. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
President’s Report:
Ms. Kielty stated that the refurbishment has slowed, partly because of leaks discovered in the front windows of the building. The glass will be removed to add flashing, and will then be reinstalled.
Financial Report:
Mr. Murdoch reported that as of the June (year-end) financial statement, there is a $75,000 surplus for the year. In finalizing this statement, a bill was sent in error by Pepco, which impacted the amount stated for utilities.
[Ms. Barth arrived at 7:37 p.m.]
In July, the fiscal year began with a $14,000 deficit due to utilities’ costs. Mr. Murdoch stated that he believes this to be an accrual issue that will be resolved in the August statement. The audit will begin the second week of September. Ms. Kielty stated that according to Ms. Fridell, the Association is entering a period of tight liquidity with regard to cash flow, which is reflected in the package provided to the Board.
Old Business:
Lobby Renovation:
Mr. Murdoch discussed costs associated with the lobby project, and noted that there has been approximately $100,000 in change orders (CO). An overview of the costs was provided to the Board and reflected a $46,900 credit (CO#1 and CO#4) that were reallocated to other reserve expenses. Ms. Frantz inquired whether the front windows should be replaced, to which Mr. Murdoch responded that the contractor will give an estimate, but the existing glass is in “good shape” and new glass could cost as much as $1,000 per pane. The Board discussed allotting two of the change orders to other line items in the reserves since they are items that the Association would have needed to address regardless of the renovation. Mr. Murdoch suggested creating a “general construction” line item.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Mr. Levine seconded, to remove $24,990 for the window repair (CO#8) and $12,982 for smoke detectors, doors and exit signs (CO#10) from the refurbishment budget and reallocated to other reserve expenses. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Emergency Generator:
Mr. Murdoch stated that there are issues with plans for the emergency generator. The primary issue is the design of the air intake and exhaust for the generator room. The original design is flawed in that it would result in large, visible ducts near first floor apartments. The design may be changed so that the venting would go out the west side of the building instead. This might require additional approval from the county since this is a large revision to the design.
Party Room Air Handler:
Mr. Santos stated that the Board previously approved $28,000 for a new air handler, but this quote did not include energy management sensors. A quote from Carrier was approved; the quote included the sensors and the whole project would cost $8,414 more than the Board already approved, bringing the total project cost to $36,414. Mr. Santos has already coordinated between Carrier and HBW and the equipment should arrive in three to four weeks.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Frantz seconded, to approve a $36,414 proposal from Carrier to replace the party room air handler. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Access Control Project:
Mr. Santos reported that the pre-wiring has been completed for the main lobby doors and wing doors. The equipment has been ordered and will arrive in two to four weeks. The system will not be functional for another two months.
New Business:
Five-Year Plan Meeting/Mendoza Study Update:
Mr. Santos stated that a proposal was received from structural contractor Tadjer-Cohen for $6,200, who would conduct a study that will provide a master plan that gives recommendations and estimates for future projects. According to Mr. Santos, the Mendoza Study provides some information, but leaves out critical pieces. Board members discussed the need for an overall plan, but Ms. Barth pointed out that lots of money was spent on the Mendoza report and that they should brief the Board and answer questions before other firms are considered.
Dr. Muller inquired about what was included in the proposal from Cohen Associates for $6,200. Mr. Santos stated that he has a number of concerns about the proposal regarding work scope and will discuss with them further with engineer at Tadjer-Cohen and report back to the Board. Ms. Kielty asked if there would be any information available in time for the five-year planning meeting next week. Mr. Murdoch stated that there is still a lot of information to be gathered, but that a five-year plan should still be formulated.
Ms. Frantz suggested that there be a line item in the budget for developing realistic cost estimates for major costly replacement projects, for example the McQuay fan coil units. She also stated that there should be a way to solicit owner input in developing these plans. Ms. Kielty disagreed, stating that the Board was elected to represent the residents in these matters. Ms. Frantz pointed out that there is a difference between getting owner input and having owners make the decisions. She referenced the Board-adopted due-diligence procedures for developing action plans for costly projects which specifically calls for getting owner support. Ms. Frantz suggested that the five-year plan developed on August 24, 2010 be preliminary and then finalized at the September meeting. Dr. Muller stated that a five-year plan can always be amended after owners give comments.
Resident Directory:
Mr. Santos stated that the resident directory is about 95 percent complete. Mr. Levine asked if management is obtaining updated leases when they identify renters. Mr. Santos stated that he is routinely requesting leases. Owners put him in contact with their real estate agents and that very few leases have been obtained in the past. He will pursue this more.
Audio Visual Equipment:
Mr. Santos stated that a proposal from DanTech was received to provide televisions, DVD players, wireless microphones, key pads and speakers for the hallways. A change order was also discussed at a construction meeting to upgrade the size of the lobby television.
MOTION Ms. Frantz moved, Ms. Barth seconded to approve the proposal with DanTech for $19,510.34 for specified audio visual equipment and the change order for $778.50. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Balconies:
Mr. Santos stated that he had inspected twenty balconies. Also several were inspected by a painting company to determine proper painting recommendations. A five-step procedure is recommended that should be communicated to condominium owners, since this is their responsibility. Ms. Frantz asked if this would alleviate the water problems, to which Mr. Santos responded that some of the balconies are graded incorrectly. He added that some of the balconies are in disrepair, with pieces of concrete knocked off. Ms. Kielty recommended exploring this more and getting a better idea of the costs involved.
Window Washing:
Mr. Santos stated that he obtained a proposal from Extra Clean, Inc., who has been doing business in the building for 10 years. The cost of cleaning the exterior windows (not including sliding glass doors and stationary panels on balconies) is $4,060. There are a number of other locations around the building that need window washing, such as the arcade level and the sliding glass doors and panels on balconies. This would increase the price to $9,060. Ms. Barth expressed concern about the quality of the work this contractor has provided in the past. Mr. Santos will obtain at least two other bids.
Protective Metal Covers for Electric Garage Door Openers:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to approve Academy Door Control to furnish and install motor covers for the two East entrance garage doors for $1,295. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Aluminum Planter Hangers:
Mr. Santos obtained a quote from ARC Solutions Welding to make 50 aluminum planter hangers at a cost of $1,900. These would replace the current steel ones that are rusting and staining the façade of the building. Board members were divided on this purchase, and Ms. Frantz suggested polling residents to see how many are interested. The Board tabled the issue with four members in agreement and one opposing.
Outdoor Trash Storage Area:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Mr. Levine seconded, to approve the proposal from ARC Solutions Welding to construct a steel gate in front of the outdoor trash storage for $1,692. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Trash Away Contract Renewal:
The Board discussed renewing the contract with Trash Away, Inc. Mr. Murdoch stated that the price has not changed. Dr. Muller asked Mr. Murdoch to remind them that according to a Friendship Heights Village ordinance, trash collection cannot begin until 8:00 a.m.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to approve the $2,671 per month Trash Away, Inc. proposal. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Swimming Pool Management:
Several bids were obtained for swimming pool management, with each offering different services. Mr. Santos stated that all of the vendors came well recommended. The Board expressed general satisfaction with the current pool management company, Aqua Fit.
However, Dr. Muller stated that an incident was reported where a lifeguard was not paying attention. Mr. Santos stated that the concern was communicated to the owner of the company and it was addressed immediately.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Kielty seconded to renew the Aqua Fit contract. The motion passed with four board members in favor and one opposed.
Contractor Policy:
Mr. Santos stated that he drafted a Contractor Policy that outlines the responsibilities of residents and contractors involved in any work done in the building. This policy outlines existing house rules and requires communication about the scope of work, proper coverage for insurance, licensing, parking, debris disposal, etc. Ms. Barth stated that the Board may want to reconsider the current rule that construction cannot occur on Saturdays. The Association could have saved money if the current builder for the lobby renovation was allowed to work on Saturdays. Ms. Kielty requested that Mr. Santos send an electronic copy for board members’ review.
Laundry Uniform Rental Contract:
Mr. Santos raised the issue of terminating the laundry rental contract. This issue was tabled – to be discussed during Executive Session.
Committee Reports:
Website:
Mr. Levine reported that the new website should be running within the next two weeks. He encouraged residents to share pictures for the site.
Energy Conservation Committee:
On behalf of Joan Rosenbach, Dr. Muller read a report from the committee, which stated that residents are reminded of the need to conserve water and electricity through flyers in the elevators. Also, those residents who are planning to purchase new appliances should select those that are “Energy Star” qualified. This is a joint program between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Maryland Energy Administration.
Landscaping:
The committee has met numerous times. A meeting will be held on Friday, August 20, 2010 to draft a request for proposal to send to various designers. Ms. Barth suggested that the committee review the process used in the lobby refurbishment.
Comments from the floor:
A resident expressed concern over new staff being able to operate the new systems in the building. Mr. Santos stated that new systems will be user-friendly, and he will continually share information with the staff about their operations to ensure everyone has an understanding of the building systems.
A resident stated that some residents keep trash on their balconies or use them for storage. Also, a storage room visible from North Park Avenue should have a window treatment put up or have the lights turned off. Concern was also expressed about unsightly window treatments in some units. Mr. Santos responded that he will soon focus on ways to ensure that residents follow house rules.
A suggestion was made that the contractor hired to wash the windows also wash storm windows.
Concern was expressed about guaranteeing that the front window repairs are done correctly. Mr. Santos responded that the contract outlines the quality of work and management will be monitoring the work closely. A suggestion was also made to use glass that filters out UV lights to prevent fading. The bid that will be obtained on August 18, 2010 will include the cost of having a filtration coating applied to the windows.
A resident questioned whether the Association or residents paid for cosmetic balcony changes in the past. Another resident answered that work on the front concrete wall and ceiling was paid for by the Association, but the floor was the owner’s responsibility.
One resident stated that she has requested permission to tile her balcony floor and has not received a response from management. Mr. Santos stated that he had not finished discussing the issue with the Board, but another resident voiced that it probably could not be done because of potential problems that could occur under the tile floor coverings.
Adjournment
The President adjourned the meeting at 9:46 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 August 16, 2010
Board Present:
Alexandria Kielty .........................President
Dr. Alfred Muller .........................Vice President
Molly Frantz ...............................Assistant Treasurer
Judith Barth ................................Director
Seth Levine .................................Secretary
Board Absent:
Monique Fridell ...........................Treasurer
Charles Bressler ...........................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: Ms. Kielty called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. Two board members, Mr. Bressler and Ms. Fridell, were absent from the meeting and Ms. Barth arrived late.
Approval of Minutes:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Kielty seconded, to approve the May 5, 2010, special meeting minutes as amended. The motion passed with two abstentions by Ms. Frantz and
Mr. Levine.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Frantz seconded, to approve the July 19, 2010, regular meeting minutes. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
President’s Report:
Ms. Kielty stated that the refurbishment has slowed, partly because of leaks discovered in the front windows of the building. The glass will be removed to add flashing, and will then be reinstalled.
Financial Report:
Mr. Murdoch reported that as of the June (year-end) financial statement, there is a $75,000 surplus for the year. In finalizing this statement, a bill was sent in error by Pepco, which impacted the amount stated for utilities.
[Ms. Barth arrived at 7:37 p.m.]
In July, the fiscal year began with a $14,000 deficit due to utilities’ costs. Mr. Murdoch stated that he believes this to be an accrual issue that will be resolved in the August statement. The audit will begin the second week of September. Ms. Kielty stated that according to Ms. Fridell, the Association is entering a period of tight liquidity with regard to cash flow, which is reflected in the package provided to the Board.
Old Business:
Lobby Renovation:
Mr. Murdoch discussed costs associated with the lobby project, and noted that there has been approximately $100,000 in change orders (CO). An overview of the costs was provided to the Board and reflected a $46,900 credit (CO#1 and CO#4) that were reallocated to other reserve expenses. Ms. Frantz inquired whether the front windows should be replaced, to which Mr. Murdoch responded that the contractor will give an estimate, but the existing glass is in “good shape” and new glass could cost as much as $1,000 per pane. The Board discussed allotting two of the change orders to other line items in the reserves since they are items that the Association would have needed to address regardless of the renovation. Mr. Murdoch suggested creating a “general construction” line item.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Mr. Levine seconded, to remove $24,990 for the window repair (CO#8) and $12,982 for smoke detectors, doors and exit signs (CO#10) from the refurbishment budget and reallocated to other reserve expenses. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Emergency Generator:
Mr. Murdoch stated that there are issues with plans for the emergency generator. The primary issue is the design of the air intake and exhaust for the generator room. The original design is flawed in that it would result in large, visible ducts near first floor apartments. The design may be changed so that the venting would go out the west side of the building instead. This might require additional approval from the county since this is a large revision to the design.
Party Room Air Handler:
Mr. Santos stated that the Board previously approved $28,000 for a new air handler, but this quote did not include energy management sensors. A quote from Carrier was approved; the quote included the sensors and the whole project would cost $8,414 more than the Board already approved, bringing the total project cost to $36,414. Mr. Santos has already coordinated between Carrier and HBW and the equipment should arrive in three to four weeks.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Frantz seconded, to approve a $36,414 proposal from Carrier to replace the party room air handler. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Access Control Project:
Mr. Santos reported that the pre-wiring has been completed for the main lobby doors and wing doors. The equipment has been ordered and will arrive in two to four weeks. The system will not be functional for another two months.
New Business:
Five-Year Plan Meeting/Mendoza Study Update:
Mr. Santos stated that a proposal was received from structural contractor Tadjer-Cohen for $6,200, who would conduct a study that will provide a master plan that gives recommendations and estimates for future projects. According to Mr. Santos, the Mendoza Study provides some information, but leaves out critical pieces. Board members discussed the need for an overall plan, but Ms. Barth pointed out that lots of money was spent on the Mendoza report and that they should brief the Board and answer questions before other firms are considered.
Dr. Muller inquired about what was included in the proposal from Cohen Associates for $6,200. Mr. Santos stated that he has a number of concerns about the proposal regarding work scope and will discuss with them further with engineer at Tadjer-Cohen and report back to the Board. Ms. Kielty asked if there would be any information available in time for the five-year planning meeting next week. Mr. Murdoch stated that there is still a lot of information to be gathered, but that a five-year plan should still be formulated.
Ms. Frantz suggested that there be a line item in the budget for developing realistic cost estimates for major costly replacement projects, for example the McQuay fan coil units. She also stated that there should be a way to solicit owner input in developing these plans. Ms. Kielty disagreed, stating that the Board was elected to represent the residents in these matters. Ms. Frantz pointed out that there is a difference between getting owner input and having owners make the decisions. She referenced the Board-adopted due-diligence procedures for developing action plans for costly projects which specifically calls for getting owner support. Ms. Frantz suggested that the five-year plan developed on August 24, 2010 be preliminary and then finalized at the September meeting. Dr. Muller stated that a five-year plan can always be amended after owners give comments.
Resident Directory:
Mr. Santos stated that the resident directory is about 95 percent complete. Mr. Levine asked if management is obtaining updated leases when they identify renters. Mr. Santos stated that he is routinely requesting leases. Owners put him in contact with their real estate agents and that very few leases have been obtained in the past. He will pursue this more.
Audio Visual Equipment:
Mr. Santos stated that a proposal from DanTech was received to provide televisions, DVD players, wireless microphones, key pads and speakers for the hallways. A change order was also discussed at a construction meeting to upgrade the size of the lobby television.
MOTION Ms. Frantz moved, Ms. Barth seconded to approve the proposal with DanTech for $19,510.34 for specified audio visual equipment and the change order for $778.50. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Balconies:
Mr. Santos stated that he had inspected twenty balconies. Also several were inspected by a painting company to determine proper painting recommendations. A five-step procedure is recommended that should be communicated to condominium owners, since this is their responsibility. Ms. Frantz asked if this would alleviate the water problems, to which Mr. Santos responded that some of the balconies are graded incorrectly. He added that some of the balconies are in disrepair, with pieces of concrete knocked off. Ms. Kielty recommended exploring this more and getting a better idea of the costs involved.
Window Washing:
Mr. Santos stated that he obtained a proposal from Extra Clean, Inc., who has been doing business in the building for 10 years. The cost of cleaning the exterior windows (not including sliding glass doors and stationary panels on balconies) is $4,060. There are a number of other locations around the building that need window washing, such as the arcade level and the sliding glass doors and panels on balconies. This would increase the price to $9,060. Ms. Barth expressed concern about the quality of the work this contractor has provided in the past. Mr. Santos will obtain at least two other bids.
Protective Metal Covers for Electric Garage Door Openers:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to approve Academy Door Control to furnish and install motor covers for the two East entrance garage doors for $1,295. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Aluminum Planter Hangers:
Mr. Santos obtained a quote from ARC Solutions Welding to make 50 aluminum planter hangers at a cost of $1,900. These would replace the current steel ones that are rusting and staining the façade of the building. Board members were divided on this purchase, and Ms. Frantz suggested polling residents to see how many are interested. The Board tabled the issue with four members in agreement and one opposing.
Outdoor Trash Storage Area:
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Mr. Levine seconded, to approve the proposal from ARC Solutions Welding to construct a steel gate in front of the outdoor trash storage for $1,692. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Trash Away Contract Renewal:
The Board discussed renewing the contract with Trash Away, Inc. Mr. Murdoch stated that the price has not changed. Dr. Muller asked Mr. Murdoch to remind them that according to a Friendship Heights Village ordinance, trash collection cannot begin until 8:00 a.m.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Barth seconded, to approve the $2,671 per month Trash Away, Inc. proposal. The motion passed unanimously by acclamation.
Swimming Pool Management:
Several bids were obtained for swimming pool management, with each offering different services. Mr. Santos stated that all of the vendors came well recommended. The Board expressed general satisfaction with the current pool management company, Aqua Fit.
However, Dr. Muller stated that an incident was reported where a lifeguard was not paying attention. Mr. Santos stated that the concern was communicated to the owner of the company and it was addressed immediately.
MOTION Dr. Muller moved, Ms. Kielty seconded to renew the Aqua Fit contract. The motion passed with four board members in favor and one opposed.
Contractor Policy:
Mr. Santos stated that he drafted a Contractor Policy that outlines the responsibilities of residents and contractors involved in any work done in the building. This policy outlines existing house rules and requires communication about the scope of work, proper coverage for insurance, licensing, parking, debris disposal, etc. Ms. Barth stated that the Board may want to reconsider the current rule that construction cannot occur on Saturdays. The Association could have saved money if the current builder for the lobby renovation was allowed to work on Saturdays. Ms. Kielty requested that Mr. Santos send an electronic copy for board members’ review.
Laundry Uniform Rental Contract:
Mr. Santos raised the issue of terminating the laundry rental contract. This issue was tabled – to be discussed during Executive Session.
Committee Reports:
Website:
Mr. Levine reported that the new website should be running within the next two weeks. He encouraged residents to share pictures for the site.
Energy Conservation Committee:
On behalf of Joan Rosenbach, Dr. Muller read a report from the committee, which stated that residents are reminded of the need to conserve water and electricity through flyers in the elevators. Also, those residents who are planning to purchase new appliances should select those that are “Energy Star” qualified. This is a joint program between the U.S. Department of Energy and the Maryland Energy Administration.
Landscaping:
The committee has met numerous times. A meeting will be held on Friday, August 20, 2010 to draft a request for proposal to send to various designers. Ms. Barth suggested that the committee review the process used in the lobby refurbishment.
Comments from the floor:
A resident expressed concern over new staff being able to operate the new systems in the building. Mr. Santos stated that new systems will be user-friendly, and he will continually share information with the staff about their operations to ensure everyone has an understanding of the building systems.
A resident stated that some residents keep trash on their balconies or use them for storage. Also, a storage room visible from North Park Avenue should have a window treatment put up or have the lights turned off. Concern was also expressed about unsightly window treatments in some units. Mr. Santos responded that he will soon focus on ways to ensure that residents follow house rules.
A suggestion was made that the contractor hired to wash the windows also wash storm windows.
Concern was expressed about guaranteeing that the front window repairs are done correctly. Mr. Santos responded that the contract outlines the quality of work and management will be monitoring the work closely. A suggestion was also made to use glass that filters out UV lights to prevent fading. The bid that will be obtained on August 18, 2010 will include the cost of having a filtration coating applied to the windows.
A resident questioned whether the Association or residents paid for cosmetic balcony changes in the past. Another resident answered that work on the front concrete wall and ceiling was paid for by the Association, but the floor was the owner’s responsibility.
One resident stated that she has requested permission to tile her balcony floor and has not received a response from management. Mr. Santos stated that he had not finished discussing the issue with the Board, but another resident voiced that it probably could not be done because of potential problems that could occur under the tile floor coverings.
Adjournment
The President adjourned the meeting at 9:46 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
July 2010 Minutes of ECA Board Meeting
The Elizabeth Condominium
Board of Directors’ Meeting – Monday, July 19, 2010
Minutes submitted by: Lauren Powers, Recording Secretary, On the Record
CALL TO ORDER: 7:34 p.m.
ATTENDEES
Present: Alexandra Kielty (President), Dr. Al Muller (Vice President), Molly Frantz (Assistant Treasurer), Charles Bressler (Secretary), Monique Fridell (Treasurer), Seth Levine (Director), Judy Barth (Director), Scott Murdoch (Community Manager), James Santos (Property Manager)
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
Motion: Dr. Muller moved to approve the June 21, 2010, minutes as amended. Ms. Fridell seconded the motion. The motion passed (6-0-1) with Ms. Barth abstaining.
Ms. Kielty noted that a copy of the May 5, 2010 Board of Directors’ meeting minutes have not yet been received. Dr. Muller asked that the meeting minutes be corrected before the Board of Directors meeting so that the Board can review it prior to the meeting. Ms. Frantz requested that when the management report is sent to the Board of Directors, that the draft of the final minutes be attached as well.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Ms. Kielty thanked Mr. Murdoch for sharing the space at the Carleton for the Board of Directors’ meeting. The refurbishment is moving forward, but there has been some delay for additional electrical outlets and other electronic issues that need to be verified with experts, the need for an air handler in the party room, and issues with the doors. A meeting took place with the design group to review the furnishing proposals. A meeting also took place with the advisory committee. The county has approved the generator. A meeting took placed on July 6, 2010, to review the recommendations of the Mendoza engineering report with the intention to move forward and include some of the projects in the update to the five-year plan.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Ms. Fridell commented that the fiscal year ended on June 30, 2010. The Board has the preliminary fiscal year end statements, which will be refined over the next couple of months once all of the final invoices are received as the auditors review the draft and trial balances. The audited statement will be available in the fall. Based on the preliminary statements, there is a surplus of $110,000.
OLD BUSINESS
Lobby Renovation
Mr. Murdoch reported that the lobby renovation has been delayed to determine how the front and side doors should operate. Additional door operators were added for the ease of access out of the building and into and out of the East and West Towers. This required research in terms of hardware and modification of the entry door design. As a result, the cost increased by $39,000. At this point, the construction project is two weeks behind schedule. Instead of a completion date of August 6, 2010, a completion date of August 20, 2010 has now been set. Mr. Murdoch noted that the Board set a $1.2 million dollar budget withfurnishing/fixtures for the lobby as the final budget item. Therefore, asother expenses grew, that amount available for furnishings would reduce to hold the same budget. Mr. Murdoch requested that the Board advise how to proceed with the furnishing/fixture budget, because only $232,000 was now available.
Motion: Ms. Frantz made a motion to set the furniture budget to $350,000 and that the artificial cap of $1.2 million for refurbishment be dispensed with. Mr. Levine seconded the motion. Following extensive discussion provided below, and an amendment to the motion made by Dr. Muller, the motion passed (6-1-0).
Ms. Frantz requested that the property managers provide an account of all refurbishment costs so that the Board knows exactly how much money has been spent. A discussion ensued regarding the amount of money planned to be spent on furniture and fixtures. Ms. Frantz indicated that the figure of $350,000 was the amount she understood to be the HDG working budget for furniture and fixtures as expressed at a recent meeting with HDG staff. Ms. Fridell noted that on pages 2 to 4 of the Year-to-Date Financial report those figures are reported and $1.1 million has been spent already. Monique stated that no matter how expenditure items are moved around, the fact is that all of the money will still be coming out of the reserve fund. Ms. Fridell reported that if $300,000 is spent on furniture, then the total will come to $1.207 million, and the refurbishment would be $7,000 over budget. Ms. Kielty commented that at this point a meeting has taken place with the design group, the designers have worked hard to put together cost effective pieces, and it is not fair to the designers or those involved in working on the lobby to have an unclear budget, when the budget had previously been established for $300,000. Ms. Fridell expressed her belief that ECA ought to stay within the allocated budget in order to have money available for other projects, for example, those recommended in the Mendoza report. Ms. Barth recommended that the money received from the sales of the old furniture be moved into the furniture budget. Ms. Kielty acknowledged that, despite the increased budgeted amount for furniture, every effort will be made to spend $300,000 or less on the furnishings.
Motion: Dr. Muller moved to amend Ms. Frantz motion to move the security upgrades out of the refurbishment budget and place that amount, $39,427.50, in a separate category called “security upgrades” to restore availability of contingency funds in the refurbishing budget. He also moved that the money to be spent on doors (FOBS, frames), $7,533.75, be moved out of the refurbishment budget. The total amount to be moved out of the refurbishment budget would be $46,961.25. Mr. Levine seconded the motion. The motion passed (4-3-0).
Motion: Ms. Barth made a motion to increase the furniture budget by $3,276.00, the same amount received from the sales of the old furniture. Dr. Muller seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
Access Control Project
Mr. Santos has been overseeing the Access Control project and provided Board members with a comparison of all bids received to date for this project. Ms. Kielty noted that this project relates to changing from access keys to a FOB system. Mr. Santos and the Board reviewed terms of each proposed contract and individual contractor specifications. It was noted that all of the contractors need 2-4 weeks after the contract approval to order materials, and each contractor has a time frame of 4 weeks to install all of the equipment. Mr. Murdoch noted that ESSI is the contractor used by the Carleton for its camera and FOB system, stating that the Carleton Association has been satisfied with the service provided by ESSI.
Motion: Dr. Muller moved to accept the ESSI (Electronic Security Services, Inc. of Upper Marlboro, MD) contract door access control of common area doors. The contract is in the amount of $73,994.00. It includes all equipment, software, installation, training and two-year warranty. Mr. Bressler seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
Engineering Study
Mr. Murdoch reported that he and Mr. Santos attended a meeting on July 6, 2010, with the structural engineer which performed the structural analysis of the building for the Mendoza report. During the meeting they discussed two immediate projects, the refrigerant recovery system for the boiler/chiller room and the winterizing of the cooling towers to utilize the heating and cooling system to its fullest capacity. It was recommended that a company open up the boilers to examine their condition. A more detailed comprehensive report on structural issues will be available soon.
Emergency Generator
Mr. Murdoch reported that the permit was awarded and the project started July 19. A second organizational meeting will take place on July 21. There were a number of changes that the County required which added an additional $20,000 to the cost of the project. Mr. Murdoch noted that there is still the construction of the fuel tank enclosure and structural features that will add to the cost of the project but those costs have not been finalized yet.
Website
Mr. Murdoch recommended that the Board consider using athome.net to host the Association’s website. He reported that athome.net offers more features, and has the same or better capability than other products/software he and Mr. Levine analyzed. He also noted that other communities he manages use Association Voice and he considered that athome.net is more user-friendly. Mr. Murdoch asked the Board members to submit pictures to be posted on the website.
Motion: Mr. Levine moved to use athome.net to host the website at a cost/month of $65.00 and a one-time cost of $125.00. Ms. Frantz seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
HDG Contract Addendum
Ms. Kielty reported that an addendum to the current contract has been received from the Hartman Design Group. She stated that the addendum identifies different areas for future renovation consideration (i.e., resident corridors, east/west towers, fitness center, courtroom adjacent to the pool, garage lobbies, fitness center bathrooms) and provides the legal framework for an agreement agreement for the second phase of the refurbishment project which will be ready whenever the Board is ready to move forward with the next phase of the project. The scope of the work, timing, and commencement of each phase would be determined by the Board of Directors.
NEW BUSINESS
Party Room Air Handler
Mr. Murdoch reported that the party room air handler needs to be replaced. This will involve some demolition and reconstruction of the hallway walls. A bid from HBW has been received to replace the air handler for $27,000. Mr. Santos is working to get a second proposal. It was noted that the project requires a five week lead time. Mr. Murdoch recommended expediting a decision because the work will impact other projects such as the renovation of the hallway.
Motion: Ms. Frantz made a motion to give Scott Murdoch and James Santos the discretion to select a vendor, based on a pre-authorized budget limit of $28,000. Ms. Barth seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
Dr. Muller asked that Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Santos report to the Board if the air handler cost turns out to be more expensive. Mr. Murdoch noted that there is a possibility that a larger unit would be needed and that would therefore be more expensive. He assured the Board that he would communicate to them if another approval is required.
In-Unit Contractor Issues
Mr. Santos askedthe Board for support in recommending a policy to issue to residents that each resident submit the name of their contractor and proof of that contractor’s insurance and license when work is performed in the building.
Motion: Dr. Muller made a motion that Mr. Santos draft a policy to be reviewed by the legal counsel and copied to the Board. Ms. Barth seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
Other New Business
Dr. Muller noted that four of the trees outside the lobby have died. Mr. Santos acknowledged that the evergreens that were in the planter box had outgrown the planter box and died as a result of not being watered enough.
Dr. Muller noted that there may be leasing or renting occurring within the building that is in violation of the By-Laws and House Rules. Mr. Santos reported that there was indeed an apartment which appeared to be in violation due to over-occupation of the living space.
Ms. Frantz discussed the energy management and monitoring software system recommended by Mendoza and L&N management and whether that ought to be taken into consideration during the refurbishment of the lobby level. Mr. Santos responded that the renovation is already taking this monitoring system into account. For example, thermostats will be installed in the lobby that have the ability and flexibility to communicate with any future energy management system. However, the latter will not be considered until the boiler/chiller status is resolved.
Ms. Frantz inquired about the status of the pool contract. Mr. Santos stated that he is consulting with other pool companies to obtain a contract/service comparison. The current pool contractor has already proposed a contract for the next season with no cost increase. Ms. Frantz also asked about the pool filtration system. Mr. Santos reported that the current filter system is 20 years old and should be replaced in the near term, but it is currently functioning fine.
Ms. Barth asked if there was any report back regarding window leaks after severe rain. Mr. Santos said that he will receive an update at the next construction meeting regarding the exterior of the building. All three canopies on the glass atrium need to be resealed to prevent leaks.
Dr. Muller noted the proposal for the elevators (replacing hoist way motors on passenger cars-4 and upgrades to the mechanical equipment of the passenger car doors). Mr. Santos responded that it does not require an action item for tonight’s Board meeting; however, these proposed projects are for improving elevator operation and eliminating potential equipment failures due to age of the equipment. This could be added to the long-term capital improvement budget.
Ms. Barth asked whether a firm has inspected the premises for environmental hazards such as mold and mildew. Mr. Santos responded that there is no mold, but some mildew. HBW, at the Board’s request, subcontracted this task to Environmental Science, which will perform air quality tests in the party room and areas in the west lobby. However, those tests cannot be performed until the renovation is finished because of open windows and construction debris. The cost will be discussed at the construction meeting.
Mr. Santos also discussed the need for the fire extinguishers to be replaced because their technology expired and building code required them to be eliminated. He also suggested that management perform mailings to residents updating them on a regular basis. Mr. Santos requested approval of the lease agreement for the postal metering machine, costing $596.00 a year.
Motion: Ms. Barth moved to approve the lease agreement from Pitney Bowes for postal machine in Management Office for $596.00 annually. Mr. Frantz seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
Mr. Santos also recommended the cleaning of the kitchen drain lines by hydro-jet machine from roof vents for $3,550.00. The contractor selected is J.P. Seworooter.
Motion: Dr. Muller moved to approve the cleaning of kitchen drain lines for $3,550.00 made payable to J.P. Seworooter. Ms. Barth seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Landscape Committee
Ms. Kielty thanked Mr. Jim Rich for volunteering to lead the landscape committee. Mr. Rich asked for additional volunteers for that committee.
Energy Conservation Committee
Joan Rosenbach reported that the Energy Conservation Committee met on July 15. Mr. Santos also attended the meeting. The group reviewed a chart which prioritized the findings of the Mendoza report, ranking the condition of mechanical and structural components of the condominium from very poor to very good working condition. The Mendoza report acknowledged the need to conduct an environmental inspection due to existing mold and mildew problems. Individual owners have impacted energy conservation and cost savings through the installation of toilets that use less water per flush, showerheads that have flow restrictors, and aerators in faucets. The Committee will continue to post energy-saving suggestions in the elevators. Suggestions for future activities include tracking degree-days, resident education activities, a recycling workshop, energy conservation messages in the newsletter, and another energy fair. Bethesda Magazine requested submissions for its Green Awards. Following approval from the Board, Joan submitted an entry form on the Association’s accomplishments as of July 16.
Refurbishment Committee
Ms. Barth reported that the Refurbishment Committee and Advisory Committee had two excellent meetings to preview the furniture with the Hartman Design Group. The furniture will be custom made and is very attractive. Ms. Barth stated that there are many beautiful fabrics, woods, and finishes that have been selected for the furniture. The refurbishment committee hopes to have within six weeks a board posted in the lobby comprised of pictures of the new furniture and fabrics. Ms. Kielty read a description of the new furnishings written by Sharon Bobb (Member of the Advisory Committee), stating how much she liked the new furniture and furnishings.
Social Committee
Ms. Barth reported that due to the renovation, no social events have been sponsored during the summer. The committee will try to plan a holiday event and a housewarming party so that everyone can toast the new renovation and lobby once it is completed.
Fitness Committee
Ms. Kielty reported that the fitness committee meeting has been postponed.
COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR
One resident commended ECA Engineer Earl Kelly for his superb performance in a recent event that involved a resident who entered the garage without a code and tried to follow someone into the garage unsuccessfully. Mr. Kelly responded immediately to find the vehicle and the police came and addressed the issue.
A resident asked whether the keys to the front entrance and the fitness room would remain the same. Mr. Santos responded that the access control project will eliminate all of the common area keys; a FOB will replace common area keys.
Another resident asked whether there would still be an automatic door opener in the front of the building. Ms. Santos reported that in order to gain access with the handicapped button, the FOB key will be used to unlock the door and then the button can be pressed to be open the doors.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_____________________________________
Charles Bressler, Board Secretary
Board of Directors’ Meeting – Monday, July 19, 2010
Minutes submitted by: Lauren Powers, Recording Secretary, On the Record
CALL TO ORDER: 7:34 p.m.
ATTENDEES
Present: Alexandra Kielty (President), Dr. Al Muller (Vice President), Molly Frantz (Assistant Treasurer), Charles Bressler (Secretary), Monique Fridell (Treasurer), Seth Levine (Director), Judy Barth (Director), Scott Murdoch (Community Manager), James Santos (Property Manager)
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
Motion: Dr. Muller moved to approve the June 21, 2010, minutes as amended. Ms. Fridell seconded the motion. The motion passed (6-0-1) with Ms. Barth abstaining.
Ms. Kielty noted that a copy of the May 5, 2010 Board of Directors’ meeting minutes have not yet been received. Dr. Muller asked that the meeting minutes be corrected before the Board of Directors meeting so that the Board can review it prior to the meeting. Ms. Frantz requested that when the management report is sent to the Board of Directors, that the draft of the final minutes be attached as well.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Ms. Kielty thanked Mr. Murdoch for sharing the space at the Carleton for the Board of Directors’ meeting. The refurbishment is moving forward, but there has been some delay for additional electrical outlets and other electronic issues that need to be verified with experts, the need for an air handler in the party room, and issues with the doors. A meeting took place with the design group to review the furnishing proposals. A meeting also took place with the advisory committee. The county has approved the generator. A meeting took placed on July 6, 2010, to review the recommendations of the Mendoza engineering report with the intention to move forward and include some of the projects in the update to the five-year plan.
TREASURER’S REPORT
Ms. Fridell commented that the fiscal year ended on June 30, 2010. The Board has the preliminary fiscal year end statements, which will be refined over the next couple of months once all of the final invoices are received as the auditors review the draft and trial balances. The audited statement will be available in the fall. Based on the preliminary statements, there is a surplus of $110,000.
OLD BUSINESS
Lobby Renovation
Mr. Murdoch reported that the lobby renovation has been delayed to determine how the front and side doors should operate. Additional door operators were added for the ease of access out of the building and into and out of the East and West Towers. This required research in terms of hardware and modification of the entry door design. As a result, the cost increased by $39,000. At this point, the construction project is two weeks behind schedule. Instead of a completion date of August 6, 2010, a completion date of August 20, 2010 has now been set. Mr. Murdoch noted that the Board set a $1.2 million dollar budget withfurnishing/fixtures for the lobby as the final budget item. Therefore, asother expenses grew, that amount available for furnishings would reduce to hold the same budget. Mr. Murdoch requested that the Board advise how to proceed with the furnishing/fixture budget, because only $232,000 was now available.
Motion: Ms. Frantz made a motion to set the furniture budget to $350,000 and that the artificial cap of $1.2 million for refurbishment be dispensed with. Mr. Levine seconded the motion. Following extensive discussion provided below, and an amendment to the motion made by Dr. Muller, the motion passed (6-1-0).
Ms. Frantz requested that the property managers provide an account of all refurbishment costs so that the Board knows exactly how much money has been spent. A discussion ensued regarding the amount of money planned to be spent on furniture and fixtures. Ms. Frantz indicated that the figure of $350,000 was the amount she understood to be the HDG working budget for furniture and fixtures as expressed at a recent meeting with HDG staff. Ms. Fridell noted that on pages 2 to 4 of the Year-to-Date Financial report those figures are reported and $1.1 million has been spent already. Monique stated that no matter how expenditure items are moved around, the fact is that all of the money will still be coming out of the reserve fund. Ms. Fridell reported that if $300,000 is spent on furniture, then the total will come to $1.207 million, and the refurbishment would be $7,000 over budget. Ms. Kielty commented that at this point a meeting has taken place with the design group, the designers have worked hard to put together cost effective pieces, and it is not fair to the designers or those involved in working on the lobby to have an unclear budget, when the budget had previously been established for $300,000. Ms. Fridell expressed her belief that ECA ought to stay within the allocated budget in order to have money available for other projects, for example, those recommended in the Mendoza report. Ms. Barth recommended that the money received from the sales of the old furniture be moved into the furniture budget. Ms. Kielty acknowledged that, despite the increased budgeted amount for furniture, every effort will be made to spend $300,000 or less on the furnishings.
Motion: Dr. Muller moved to amend Ms. Frantz motion to move the security upgrades out of the refurbishment budget and place that amount, $39,427.50, in a separate category called “security upgrades” to restore availability of contingency funds in the refurbishing budget. He also moved that the money to be spent on doors (FOBS, frames), $7,533.75, be moved out of the refurbishment budget. The total amount to be moved out of the refurbishment budget would be $46,961.25. Mr. Levine seconded the motion. The motion passed (4-3-0).
Motion: Ms. Barth made a motion to increase the furniture budget by $3,276.00, the same amount received from the sales of the old furniture. Dr. Muller seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
Access Control Project
Mr. Santos has been overseeing the Access Control project and provided Board members with a comparison of all bids received to date for this project. Ms. Kielty noted that this project relates to changing from access keys to a FOB system. Mr. Santos and the Board reviewed terms of each proposed contract and individual contractor specifications. It was noted that all of the contractors need 2-4 weeks after the contract approval to order materials, and each contractor has a time frame of 4 weeks to install all of the equipment. Mr. Murdoch noted that ESSI is the contractor used by the Carleton for its camera and FOB system, stating that the Carleton Association has been satisfied with the service provided by ESSI.
Motion: Dr. Muller moved to accept the ESSI (Electronic Security Services, Inc. of Upper Marlboro, MD) contract door access control of common area doors. The contract is in the amount of $73,994.00. It includes all equipment, software, installation, training and two-year warranty. Mr. Bressler seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
Engineering Study
Mr. Murdoch reported that he and Mr. Santos attended a meeting on July 6, 2010, with the structural engineer which performed the structural analysis of the building for the Mendoza report. During the meeting they discussed two immediate projects, the refrigerant recovery system for the boiler/chiller room and the winterizing of the cooling towers to utilize the heating and cooling system to its fullest capacity. It was recommended that a company open up the boilers to examine their condition. A more detailed comprehensive report on structural issues will be available soon.
Emergency Generator
Mr. Murdoch reported that the permit was awarded and the project started July 19. A second organizational meeting will take place on July 21. There were a number of changes that the County required which added an additional $20,000 to the cost of the project. Mr. Murdoch noted that there is still the construction of the fuel tank enclosure and structural features that will add to the cost of the project but those costs have not been finalized yet.
Website
Mr. Murdoch recommended that the Board consider using athome.net to host the Association’s website. He reported that athome.net offers more features, and has the same or better capability than other products/software he and Mr. Levine analyzed. He also noted that other communities he manages use Association Voice and he considered that athome.net is more user-friendly. Mr. Murdoch asked the Board members to submit pictures to be posted on the website.
Motion: Mr. Levine moved to use athome.net to host the website at a cost/month of $65.00 and a one-time cost of $125.00. Ms. Frantz seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
HDG Contract Addendum
Ms. Kielty reported that an addendum to the current contract has been received from the Hartman Design Group. She stated that the addendum identifies different areas for future renovation consideration (i.e., resident corridors, east/west towers, fitness center, courtroom adjacent to the pool, garage lobbies, fitness center bathrooms) and provides the legal framework for an agreement agreement for the second phase of the refurbishment project which will be ready whenever the Board is ready to move forward with the next phase of the project. The scope of the work, timing, and commencement of each phase would be determined by the Board of Directors.
NEW BUSINESS
Party Room Air Handler
Mr. Murdoch reported that the party room air handler needs to be replaced. This will involve some demolition and reconstruction of the hallway walls. A bid from HBW has been received to replace the air handler for $27,000. Mr. Santos is working to get a second proposal. It was noted that the project requires a five week lead time. Mr. Murdoch recommended expediting a decision because the work will impact other projects such as the renovation of the hallway.
Motion: Ms. Frantz made a motion to give Scott Murdoch and James Santos the discretion to select a vendor, based on a pre-authorized budget limit of $28,000. Ms. Barth seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
Dr. Muller asked that Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Santos report to the Board if the air handler cost turns out to be more expensive. Mr. Murdoch noted that there is a possibility that a larger unit would be needed and that would therefore be more expensive. He assured the Board that he would communicate to them if another approval is required.
In-Unit Contractor Issues
Mr. Santos askedthe Board for support in recommending a policy to issue to residents that each resident submit the name of their contractor and proof of that contractor’s insurance and license when work is performed in the building.
Motion: Dr. Muller made a motion that Mr. Santos draft a policy to be reviewed by the legal counsel and copied to the Board. Ms. Barth seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
Other New Business
Dr. Muller noted that four of the trees outside the lobby have died. Mr. Santos acknowledged that the evergreens that were in the planter box had outgrown the planter box and died as a result of not being watered enough.
Dr. Muller noted that there may be leasing or renting occurring within the building that is in violation of the By-Laws and House Rules. Mr. Santos reported that there was indeed an apartment which appeared to be in violation due to over-occupation of the living space.
Ms. Frantz discussed the energy management and monitoring software system recommended by Mendoza and L&N management and whether that ought to be taken into consideration during the refurbishment of the lobby level. Mr. Santos responded that the renovation is already taking this monitoring system into account. For example, thermostats will be installed in the lobby that have the ability and flexibility to communicate with any future energy management system. However, the latter will not be considered until the boiler/chiller status is resolved.
Ms. Frantz inquired about the status of the pool contract. Mr. Santos stated that he is consulting with other pool companies to obtain a contract/service comparison. The current pool contractor has already proposed a contract for the next season with no cost increase. Ms. Frantz also asked about the pool filtration system. Mr. Santos reported that the current filter system is 20 years old and should be replaced in the near term, but it is currently functioning fine.
Ms. Barth asked if there was any report back regarding window leaks after severe rain. Mr. Santos said that he will receive an update at the next construction meeting regarding the exterior of the building. All three canopies on the glass atrium need to be resealed to prevent leaks.
Dr. Muller noted the proposal for the elevators (replacing hoist way motors on passenger cars-4 and upgrades to the mechanical equipment of the passenger car doors). Mr. Santos responded that it does not require an action item for tonight’s Board meeting; however, these proposed projects are for improving elevator operation and eliminating potential equipment failures due to age of the equipment. This could be added to the long-term capital improvement budget.
Ms. Barth asked whether a firm has inspected the premises for environmental hazards such as mold and mildew. Mr. Santos responded that there is no mold, but some mildew. HBW, at the Board’s request, subcontracted this task to Environmental Science, which will perform air quality tests in the party room and areas in the west lobby. However, those tests cannot be performed until the renovation is finished because of open windows and construction debris. The cost will be discussed at the construction meeting.
Mr. Santos also discussed the need for the fire extinguishers to be replaced because their technology expired and building code required them to be eliminated. He also suggested that management perform mailings to residents updating them on a regular basis. Mr. Santos requested approval of the lease agreement for the postal metering machine, costing $596.00 a year.
Motion: Ms. Barth moved to approve the lease agreement from Pitney Bowes for postal machine in Management Office for $596.00 annually. Mr. Frantz seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
Mr. Santos also recommended the cleaning of the kitchen drain lines by hydro-jet machine from roof vents for $3,550.00. The contractor selected is J.P. Seworooter.
Motion: Dr. Muller moved to approve the cleaning of kitchen drain lines for $3,550.00 made payable to J.P. Seworooter. Ms. Barth seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (7-0-0).
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Landscape Committee
Ms. Kielty thanked Mr. Jim Rich for volunteering to lead the landscape committee. Mr. Rich asked for additional volunteers for that committee.
Energy Conservation Committee
Joan Rosenbach reported that the Energy Conservation Committee met on July 15. Mr. Santos also attended the meeting. The group reviewed a chart which prioritized the findings of the Mendoza report, ranking the condition of mechanical and structural components of the condominium from very poor to very good working condition. The Mendoza report acknowledged the need to conduct an environmental inspection due to existing mold and mildew problems. Individual owners have impacted energy conservation and cost savings through the installation of toilets that use less water per flush, showerheads that have flow restrictors, and aerators in faucets. The Committee will continue to post energy-saving suggestions in the elevators. Suggestions for future activities include tracking degree-days, resident education activities, a recycling workshop, energy conservation messages in the newsletter, and another energy fair. Bethesda Magazine requested submissions for its Green Awards. Following approval from the Board, Joan submitted an entry form on the Association’s accomplishments as of July 16.
Refurbishment Committee
Ms. Barth reported that the Refurbishment Committee and Advisory Committee had two excellent meetings to preview the furniture with the Hartman Design Group. The furniture will be custom made and is very attractive. Ms. Barth stated that there are many beautiful fabrics, woods, and finishes that have been selected for the furniture. The refurbishment committee hopes to have within six weeks a board posted in the lobby comprised of pictures of the new furniture and fabrics. Ms. Kielty read a description of the new furnishings written by Sharon Bobb (Member of the Advisory Committee), stating how much she liked the new furniture and furnishings.
Social Committee
Ms. Barth reported that due to the renovation, no social events have been sponsored during the summer. The committee will try to plan a holiday event and a housewarming party so that everyone can toast the new renovation and lobby once it is completed.
Fitness Committee
Ms. Kielty reported that the fitness committee meeting has been postponed.
COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR
One resident commended ECA Engineer Earl Kelly for his superb performance in a recent event that involved a resident who entered the garage without a code and tried to follow someone into the garage unsuccessfully. Mr. Kelly responded immediately to find the vehicle and the police came and addressed the issue.
A resident asked whether the keys to the front entrance and the fitness room would remain the same. Mr. Santos responded that the access control project will eliminate all of the common area keys; a FOB will replace common area keys.
Another resident asked whether there would still be an automatic door opener in the front of the building. Ms. Santos reported that in order to gain access with the handicapped button, the FOB key will be used to unlock the door and then the button can be pressed to be open the doors.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_____________________________________
Charles Bressler, Board Secretary