Highview Condominium II
Board of Directors - Meeting Minutes
October 28, 2014  7:30 p.m.

The thirteenth regular meeting of the 2013-2014 Highview Condominium II, Inc. Board of Directors was called to order at approximately 7:30 p.m. by Marjorie Cannon, VP. 

Board members in attendance: Robert Boynton, Joseph Cann, Marjorie Cannon, Nora Colford, and Donald LaPalme. 

Board members absent:  David Cutler, Natalie Hendrix, and Joseph Skonieczny.  Michael D'Angelo participated in the meeting by telephone.  Maria Arzano attended from Wentworth Property Management. 

1)   Minutes:  Minutes of the September 23, 2014 meeting were approved. 

Maintenance update from super:  Chris Brighina reported on building maintenance. 

2)   Building Repair & Maintenance Report: 

a)    Garage masonry repairs: Masonry repairs by KES to remaining garage access plate will be completed on Monday.  French drain proposal will be updated at that time and distributed to Board for approval. 

b)   Installation of backflow restrictor and water filtering:  Final payment will continue to be withheld until NYC certification received.  Plumber recently filed for certification and awaiting NYC inspection.  City inspections running several months behind according to plumber. 

c)    Hallways, Lobby, Elevator, and Entrance Area Renovation:  Renovation Committee formed consisting of  Cannon, Colford, and LaPalme.  They will schedule meetings with carpet and wall paper vendors. 

d)   Entrance area repairs:  Clarification since last meeting that interior designer will not be involved with exterior design work.  Arzano indicated that she has distributed bids for all exterior work.  She was asked to re-distribute for a Board vote.  As previously noted, repairs to include powder coating on entrance area doors and glass, tile replacement and consideration of what is causing ongoing cracking end-to-end cracking of walkway and vertical pillar. 

e)    Garage wall crack repairs:  Will re-distribute three bids by email later this week for Board vote. 

f)    Fall unit inspections:  Super was to begin Fall 2014 inspections the last week of September, however the inspections have been put on hold for the super to tend to overdue general maintenance of the compactor room and lobby.  Once the lobby is completed, the inspections will be scheduled.  He will post a sign-up for evening inspections.  Board will assist with owners unable to schedule. 

g)   Compactor room clean-up:  Completed. 

h)   Maintenance log books (2):  Per March meeting, management was to share 2013 and 2014 logs at April Board meeting.  No reviewed at April, May, September, and October meetings.  Discussed that the separate boiler maintenance log is missing.  Maintenance Committee will review and report at next Board meeting. 

i)    Winter preparedness:  Fuel oil supply, de-icing supply, and snow blower maintenance discussed.  Pallet of de-icer on order.  Snow blower's oil was changed at the end of the season, spring 2014. 

j)    Flags:  A supply of new flags will be ordered this week by Boynton. 

k)   Noise complaints:  Units 2-H, 2-K, and 6-C will be inspected for carpet/padding compliance.  Noted that 80% of a unit's square footage as indicated in the Prospectus must be covered with padded carpet in order to comply with noise complaint and avoid fine.  It was reviewed that the inspection process creates an inventory and measurement of all padded carpets.  Back in the management office, the inventory is then calculated to a total square footage and compared to the square footage of the unit as indicated in the building's Prospectus.  A written report is then generated by management.  Eighty percent coverage is required. 

l)    Building heating:  Super reported need for bleeding the heating circulation system. 

m)  Maintenance area toilet:  Arzano getting bids for installation of toilet in compactor room.  Arzano asked to distribute by email for Board vote. 

3)   Financial Report: 

a)    Unit arrears:  Board reviewed unit arrears with managing agent.   

b)   FY2014 budget:  Budget for 2014 remains unapproved.  Treasurer Michael D’Angelo indicated at September meeting that he hadn’t seen a draft since December 2013.  Per June meeting’s budget discussion, Laura Mezzio was contacting Wilken & Guttenplan in response to Board’s request for addition of a budgeted $36,500 Capital Savings required by previous Board vote.  Per this evening's meeting, D'Angelo will contact Mezzio and Schwartz to have budget amended for Board approval prior to the annual meeting. 

c)    Status of FY2013 Audit:  Completed.  Requires approval of the Board.  Final draft to be approved by the Board by email. 

d)   Special Assessment and/or Building Loan:  Comprehensive listing of repair and replacement estimates continue to be gathered.  No update. 

e)    Operating and Reserve account balances:  Discussed. 

4)   Legal Report: 

a)    Local Law 11 facade inspection (cycle 7):  Although building has completed Cycle-7, law has been amended to include additional items that must be inspected and report submitted by February 2015.  Arzano distributed engineering bid and will seek two additional bids. 

b)   NYC code violations:  Continuing discussion of six DOB and five ECB building violations indicated by City as remaining open.  Wentworth’s Site Compliance officer and Arzano seeking resolution.  Board will be requesting a weekly update from Arzano until resolved. 

c)    Lease compliance:  Nine leased units are not in compliance.  Management has sent final notice and $500/mo. fines will commence for those units without a current lease on file by 11/15/14. 

d)   Insurance compliance:  No update.  Arzano will provide update to Boynton later in the week. 

e)    Building damage from traffic accident:  Building's insurance carrier seeking payment from Access-a-Ride whose bus was without insurance at the time of the accident. 

f)    Annual Meeting: Scheduled for November 18, 2014.  Arzano will request that David Schwartz attend from Willken & Guttenplan.  Holiday Party (coffee, tea, cookies) will be combined with Annual meeting. 

5)   Unit owner presentation:  Joan Desantis (6-K) requested time to meet with the Board.  She expressed concerns for the building's insufficient daily maintenance (litter and dirt), failure to make major building repairs, and sense shared by several fellow longtime residents for the building's decline in appearance.  Specific concerns were expressed for the parking lot's deteriorating pavement where she had tripped, common areas that are not being adequately cleaned on  a regular basis, the continuing smell in the lobby of garbage, and the failure of management to address these concerns.  As a past-president of the Highview Board, Desantis indicated that she was familiar with building maintenance schedules and responsibilities of both the managing agent and the building super in these concerns. 

The meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:00 p.m 

-          Minutes submitted by Robert Boynton, Secretary.