Highview Condominium II
Board of Directors - Meeting Minutes
November 27, 2012 7:30 p.m.
The ninth regular meeting of the
2011-2012 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, Marjorie Cannon, Stacey Cohen, Nora Colford,
David Cutler, Natalie Hendrix, and Joseph Skonieczny.
Board member absent: Joseph
Cann. Michael D’Angelo
participated by telephone at approximately 8:30 p.m.
Kirsten Teichfuhs attended from
Wentworth Property Management.
1)
Minutes: Minutes of the September
25, 2012 and October 23, 2012 Board
meetings were approved.
Maintenance update
from super:
Chris Brighina joined the meeting to report on building maintenance and
concerns.
2) Building Repair & Maintenance Report:
a) Water
infiltration: K.E.S.
Construction has completed the contracted exterior work; replacing caulking
around all of the building’s windows, while also inspecting lintels and sills
and making repairs as needed according to bid price. Kirsten
Teichfuhs
will be meeting with them for a final inspection and offer a summary the
completed project include final costs at the next Board meeting.
With completion of water infiltration project, Brighina will complete
Fall 2012 unit inspections and the Board will review super’s inventory of
water damaged units to determine whether to have building super make repairs in
the units or engage contractor. Unit
repairs will be prioritized according to severity and circumstances with
consideration to the holiday season.
b) Masonry repairs:
Bid by K.E.S. Construction was approved at this meeting to make assorted
masonry repairs including addition of a sidewalk flag near garbage cage, rebuild
of overhead garage door’s drain grating, replacement of floor drain near
parking space #15, and replacement of collapsing floor drain covers near both
the side door and overhead door which currently present a liability concern for
building.
c) Sidewalk
trip hazard: Noted at October
meeting that area of front lawn along sidewalk to garage has been sinking and
needs addition of dirt to address trip hazard liability off sidewalk.
No update at this meeting. Discussion
followed.
d) Entrance area
repairs: K.E.S. Construction
recommended full replacement of entrance area at cost of around $30,000 to
address cracks in brick pillars, three stress cracks in floor tile areas which
have been unsuccessfully repaired several times, doorway threshold instability,
and loose wall cladding that has been allowing pest infestations.
Kirsten Teichfuhs will seek additional bids.
e) Repairs to
super’s apartment: Floor
repairs and addition of wall opening header on hold pending termite
investigation and resolution of exterior entrance area water infiltration, floor
tile and metal cladding problems.
f) Fall 2012
unit inspections: Super has
begun fall unit inspections and battery replacements.
g) Water supply
filtering: Boynton, Cann, and
Skonieczny were to meet with Cascade and management on an evening of
Thanksgiving week to discuss their two proposed options, but meeting was
postponed on account of scheduling problem with plumber.
Teichfuhs will try to reschedule for next week.
h) Backflow
restrictor requirement: Per
Teichfuhs, building has been cited for absence of backflow restrictor on City
water service line. Installation
must be completed by February 19, 2013 to avoid $1,000 fine when Teichfuhs goes
to court. Board will need to hire
engineer for design work prior to plumbing bids.
Based on the similar work being performed by another building, Teichfuhs
estimated that performing the work will cost in the range of $27,000-$32,000.
Noting that the backflow restrictor would be installed in the same area
of parking garage as the water supply filter is currently being considered, that
both restrictor and filter require a footprint in the garage, and that
engineering design should consider both items so as not to have to redo design
work for other’s accommodation at a later date; the Board agreed that meeting
with Cascade to review filtering options must be a high priority so as to insure
that Backflow design work and installation are completed before the February
deadline.
i) Landscaping
maintenance: Management has been
unable to locate a signed copy of the contract although Cohen remembers signing
for management. End date of contract
uncertain. Boynton will proceed in
contacting Prime to discuss complaints.
j) Security
camera upgrade: Brighina has
completed Ethernet wiring for Lobby camera upgrade and Alarmingly Affordable
scheduled to install new camera on December 4th.
At that time, Alarmingly Affordable will investigate failure of
additional old camera as well as problems with a old battery back-up serving
lobby-level’s fire door alarm.
k) Snow Blower:
Brighina has $250 potential buyer for old snow blower.
l) Weekend
super: Brighina has given
weekend super a written list, prioritizing daily tasks and those to be repeated
at end of shift. Board requested
copy of document for records, but has not received.
No update at this meeting. Noted
that schedule not being completely followed on weekends.
Board requested copy in next month’s management report.
m) Roof fan replacement:
Roof fan in E-line has been replaced.
n) Hallway lighting:
Brighina is reviewing replacement of broken lenses.
o) Laundry carts:
The laundry room’s four carts are not being promptly returned by
residents to the laundry room. A
number of complaints have been submitted by residents doing their wash in recent
weeks indicating that none of the four carts were in the room to assist with
their wash. All four carts have
remained missing for days at a time and apparently residents are keeping the
carts in their units for extended personal use.
Management will have sign made requesting that residents be considerate
and promptly return laundry carts to the laundry room for the use of others.
3)
Financial Report:
a) Monthly
financial reporting: Report received on 11/26/12 at end of day.
Noted that late receipt left little time for Board members to review
prior to the 11/27/12 meeting. Financial
report is to be received one week prior to Board meeting.
No discussion of report at meeting except for unit arrears.
b) FY2011 Audit:
The Board reviewed and approved FY2011 audit completed by Wilken &
Guttenplan.
c) FY2011
Annual Meeting: Board set
Wednesday, January 16, 2013 for FY2011 meeting.
Kirsten Teichfuhs will send out notice to unit owners along with copy of
FY2011 audit. Noted that FY2012
audit needs to be completed in a more timely fashion and Bylaws require an early
spring annual meeting.
d) FY2013 Budget:
Kirsten Teichfuhs presented draft of FY2013 budget for Board
consideration. Board approved budget
conditional to additional line item of approximately $36,000 budgeted for
savings towards $250,000 Capital Replacement Reserve.
e) Unit arrears:
Legal action in progress against several unit owners.
Liens are being placed on a several units.
Noted that in addition to outstanding balance and monthly $75 late fee,
all of the building’s legal fees incurred for responding to past due accounts
are added to respective unit’s Common Charge account balance.
4)
Legal Report:
a) Local Law 11 façade inspection (cycle 6) and
Local Law 11 façade inspection (cycle 7): Fines
for the late filing of Cycle 6 total approximately $17,000.
Discussions with two attorneys indicated that protesting the fines
unlikely to have them reduced. Once
again noted that Wentworth Property Management’s Linda Romolo indicated report
was filed in 2008 by Certified Mail and Board minutes indicate monthly
discussion with management from January 2008 to present.
Board questioned why Cycle-5 inspection was mentioned in one of the
recent documents. Kirsten Teichfuhs will
investigate.
b) Parking garage:
As follow up to the fire door blocked in parking garage and concern for
violation of New York code by illegally parked car in space # 5, building super
has painted a line on garage floor to indicate the 36” aisle area which must
be kept free and clear according to New York code.
Vehicle continues to block egress aisle.
c) Water damage
to apartment unit from sprinkler system:
Unit owner has received payments from Highview II and from Highview’s
insurance company. On account of the
transition in managing agents, estimates were incorrectly filed and additional
$560 payment from Highview required to cover repairs.
d) Lease compliance:
Boynton continuing to work with Maureen Gentile at Wentworth to verify
compliance.
e) Insurance
compliance: No update at this
meeting.
f) Sales fees:
At the last meeting, there was discussion of $150 charge by Wentworth for
credit investigations, beyond the $300 Sales Application fees.
The Board agreed to reduce the credit investigation fee from $150 to
Wentworth’s actual cost. At the
October meeting, Kirsten Teichfuhs’s
investigation indicated from Cheryl Ruiz that the $150 fee had been set my
Highview, not Wentworth, and she would confirm actual cost of credit check.
Board would then consider reducing fee for credit check to that amount,
determine effective date of fee change and review possibility of refunds by
Wentworth to the individuals affected.
Kirsten Teichfuhs
has since indicated that the $150 charge for credit checks is set by Wentworth.
5)
The
meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:30 p.m.