Highview Condominium II
Board of Directors - Meeting Minutes
April 26, 2011  7:30 p.m.

The third meeting of the 2010-2011 Highview Condominium II, Inc. Board of Directors was called to order at approximately 7:30 p.m. by Stacey Cohen, President.  Board members in attendance:  Robert Boynton, Joseph Cann, Marjorie Cannon, Stacey Cohen, Nora Colford, David Cutler, and Natalie Hendrix.  Michael D’Angelo participated by telephone.  Joseph Skonieczny was absent.  Linda Romolo attended from Wentworth Property Management.  

1)   Minutes:  Minutes of the February 22, 2011 meeting were previously approved with revisions on 03/25/11 by an email vote.  

2)   Vice President:  Marjorie Cannon, who had resigned as VP at the February 22, 2011 meeting, reconsidered her resignation and was re-elected by the board as Vice President.  According to the defined responsibilities of the position, Cannon affirmed that she was prepared to accept the primary responsibility of the position as President-in-Training and willing to at least temporarily assume the role of president if the current president was no longer able to serve.  

3)   Maintenance update from super:  Chris Brighina joined the meeting to report on building maintenance items and concerns.  

4)   Building Repair & Maintenance Report:  

a)    HVAC:  Brighina reported that the two new exhaust fan motors purchased in December have not been installed on account of bad weather.  Concern was expressed for the four month delay in installing the $1,600 fans and whether the vendor would accept their return if they failed to work after this lengthy period of time.  Romolo was asked to assure installation by the next month’s meeting.  

      b)   Fuel oil tank: Romolo provided three bids for inspection for ground leak testing of the building’s underground fuel oil tank per concern expressed in Becht Engineering’s Capital Reserve Study of 2010.  The Board approved inspection bid by Petroleum Tank Cleaners for $800.  

c)    Emergency Hallway Lighting:  Brighina will be checking operation of emergency units in next few weeks; disconnecting units from AC power to determine adequate emergency operation time periods.  Weekend super will be brought in for a week while Brighina does this work.  Once again reviewed that in February outage, about half of the units either failed to perform at all or only for a matter of few minutes and that weekly push-button test apparently tests the bulbs, but is apparently not an adequate test for battery condition.  Was noted by super that during February outage, a new unit at end of lobby hallway performed adequately for several hours.  

         d)   Elevator:  Emergency call-box has been repaired.  

         e)    Sprinkler System Inspections:  At the 02/02/11 meeting, Brighina reported that a flow test of the garage sprinkler system had been performed by the Fire Department and questions had been raised about inspection of the compactor and laundry room sprinkler systems.  No update from Romolo at 02/22/11 or at this meeting.  Romolo continuing to investigate.  

5)   Financial Report:  

      a)    D’Angelo reported that as of March 31, 2011, Highview II’s account balances total approximately $275,000; allocated as $85,000 for Operating Reserve and $190,000 for Capital Reserve.  All financial reporting is now managed from Wentworth’s Manhattan office.  

      b)   It was noted that the financial reports are to be received by the board a week prior to the board meeting.  The March 31, 2011 report was only received one day before the Tuesday board meeting, on Monday, April 25^th.  

      c)    FY2010 Audit:  D’Angelo reported that completion of the FY2010 audit by Wilken & Guttenplan is anticipated by the end of June 2011 and suggested that the board consider possible dates for the meeting.  No action was taken on D’Angelo’s request for a proposed date.  

      d)   There was discussion of the monthly financial report’s length and detail.  The March 2011 report from Wentworth totaled 143 pages.  It was noted that previous management firms have provided an abbreviated version for the full board, with the current detailed complete version, including copies of all bills and receipts, daily balances, etc. only going to just the Treasurer and those board members opting for the greater detail.   

            The limited/summary financial report should fund summary totals, and two financial reports; the Income Statement Report (all budgeted cost centers by month/year with actual/budget/variance/year-to-date) and a monthly financial activity report of unit owners (itemized statement of all unit payments and credits for the building’s 67 units).   

      e)    In discussion of the March financial report, it was noted that the $36,500 which is to be budgeted for Capital Reserve increase still does not appear as a budget line in fiscal reporting.  After board members reviewed the previous month’s Romolo had been asked to investigate and reported on 03/30/11 that she would resolve with the manager in Manhattan.   

            Romolo questioned at this meeting why the Capital Reserve increase should appear as a budgeted item.  She was reminded by Boynton that at the board’s fall 2010 meeting with Wilken & Guttenplan, the auditor explained that any planned Capital Savings needed to appear as a budgeted item in the FY2011 accounting reports as a matter of best practice in accounting and for correct tax treatment.  Romolo continued to question the practice and it was suggested that she speak directly with the building’s auditor at Wilken & Guttenplan and report the results of her conversation at the next meeting.  As Highview is now one third of the way through the FY2011 year, she was asked to expedite implementation of the auditor’s recommendation and assure it’s appearance in the next Highview financial report due in three weeks.  

6)   Legal Report:  

      a)    Local Law 11 façade inspection (cycle 6):  Cycle-6 preliminary report has been submitted to the City.  No update from Romolo as to when the City will perform their follow-up/final inspection.  Concern expressed once again as to whether City will require any repairs in their final inspection which require completion prior to Cycle-7 inspection.  

      b)   Local Law 11 façade inspection (cycle 7):  No report from Romolo on when Cycle-7 engineering will be performed.  

      c)    Sidewalk flag replacements:  Romolo was to offer report on City’s review of tree root situation.  No report was offered.  

            Board approved $11,600 bid by Tony’s Masonry for City mandated sidewalk repair work on Howard Ave. and Martha St. once Romolo completes review with City concerning tree roots.  

            Bid of $10,200 tabled for additional work to replace 10 additional sections of cracked and/or raised sidewalk, rebuild 12’ x 2’ garage entrance drain, and replace 21 x 19’ entrance section of cracked garage floor noted by Becht Engineering in Fall 2010 Capital Reserve Study and covering building’s sewer main system.  

            Additional $3,600 bid to replace cracked/raised sidewalk between 850 and 830 Howard Ave. buildings was tabled pending discussion with President of 830 Highview Board to ascertain how much of this sidewalk belongs to each property.  Suggested by board member that this could wait until fall 2011.  Suggested by Boynton that garage and parking lot work has traditionally been considered more convenient for all residents in summer, both those with and without parking spaces; as adding 30 cars to street parking mitigated by generally lighter parking in summer on account of residents taking vacations.  Noted by contractor that he would wish to close the garage for about a week for repair work and additional week for concrete curing (17 cars).  Additionally, parking lot would need to be closed until work is completed, adding additional ~10+ cars to street parking.   

      d)   Damaged awning:  FedEx check received for fall 2010 awning damage.  Waiting for Sign Art to make repairs.  

      e)    Lease rule violations:  Romolo indicated that all leases are now up-to-date.  Wentworth confirming that as these units have caught up they have paid all back $500 initial lease fees for new tenants and annual $300 renewal fees.  It was questioned by Cohen whether this financial review was necessary and no reason to believe that unit owners have no been paying their annual fees.  This was countered by specific examples of violation offered by Romolo.  As a matter of fairness, all eleven units in rental will be verified for fee payment compliance over their past two renewal terms.  

      f)    Insurance rule violations:  Units that have not complied in providing proof of insurance continued to be issued $50/month fines.  Approximately ten units have not complied and have been in violation for more than a year now.  

      g)   It was noted at 02/02/11 meeting that the violation for improper ventilation of fumes from floor refinishing reviewed by the board at 10/26/10 meeting has not appeared in any financial reports since that date as $500 fine.  Romolo was to confirm that it was added to unit owner’s account.  Romolo continues to investigate with Wentworth accounting.  

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:30 p.m.  

Minutes submitted by Robert Boynton, Secretary.