Board

Meeting 08/24/15
Were physically present: Barry Weitzenfeld; Calvin Monson; Ron Schmidt;

Marcia Lansky; Horst Weinberg

Were on phone: Elaine Loeser; Kevin Patariu
My Notes:
The open forum was short. I could not ask my Q that were:
1) Is DK still on a month to month contract basis
2) Job description and duties of the office
3) Inventory of all supplies follow up, and specially the ice remover
supplies (salt)
4) Results of the Ballots for the Pets
During the formal meeting, there was some owner participation.
A) The budget was approved, and I guess you received it by mail as of
today.
In the budget we have a $3.3 M operating budget, and a Garage loss of
$7000. Since the garage is own by us (and Plaza), I really do not
understand how we manage to have poor service, damaged cars, high
rates, dirty garage (although improving) and a loss.
It seems that the promenade (without the ceiling) will now cost 600 000
(instead of 250 000 planned (I was at the meeting when the board told us
the cost before the project started)).
It is my understanding that the garage committee meeting was not publicly
announce and should be.
B) PROMENADE PROJECT: The main part of the meeting was occupied
by spending time criticizing the company (Berglund) that is doing the
promenade. Company with which we previously had issues for the terrace.
The issue we are facing is the delay:
The granite was only ordered on 06/05/15 (past the date of the finished
project);
The granite that was shown to us last year and that we chose might/ or
might not be the same as the one we will eventually receive since the
granite is not within the US yet;
There was a change in the granite thickness (from 2 inches first chosen to
1.8 inch) and this induced a delay.
Some other factors such as the damage of columns concrete and some
other concrete issues on the promenade extended the duration of the
project;

There was no explanation given by Berglund for the more than one month
stop of the project during the spring
We are receiving two types of granite from two different sources (we hope
they will match, although they go to two different locations in the
promenade project), one from Italy and one from China.
The one from China, just left the harbor a few days before 08/24/15.
Granite is only travelling now, we hope for the best, it is how business is
done for more than a half million of our money.
The promenade floor project is believed to be completed by mid October.
No provision has been made for, in case the granite never makes it to
Chicago and how winter and freezing temperature would affect /or not the
promenade project.
C) The 3rd floor terrace will be finished or only readdressed at the spring,
because it is apparently the best way to deal with the coloring issue.
D) The faade painting project has been addressed. The paint would not
stay long and change color on the windows and glass panels.
No discussions regarding the risks of aggravating the actual faade leaks
by cleaning prior to painting.
E) The dog survey results were not given to the owners, only Ron Schmidt
gave rapidly two approximate values and said that the majority of
responding owners were neither in favor to pets going through the lobby
nor to pets weighing more than 20 pds.
The question of the pet owners security was lengthly addressed, for the
night dog walks.
Some concerned were raised concerning the cleaning and maintenance of
the lobby when big dogs will shake when coming from outside. No answer
was given regarding who will pay for the ruined furnitures.
The answer was that big dogs are not allowed.
I personally asked what the board was going to do with the big dogs that
they previously authorized and I ask to make exception for those dogs.
It seemed that non dog owners do not understand that the night comes
early in winter and that some days it is very dark outside, and in those
conditions dog owners felt their security is at risk, when they are waiting
outside for the back door to open.
At the end of that discussion the board said that (and it was an open
discussion with the owners):

1) at night dog owners could use the lobby only from outside (coming
back from the walk to avoid peepee mistakes in the lobby)
2) the dog owners would have to carry their dogs
3) the board refused to consider any discussion about big dogs that are
already in the building, I asked the board to address it and to make
exception for those dogs that were already here.
4) I notice that the proposition changed since the board meeting
5) The dog owners might use the passenger elevator in case the freight
is not available, but they will have to carry the dog. So if you leave
for the weekend with a couple of bags and the freight is not working
how can one carries on top of the bags and suit cases the dog. So in
case the freight elevator does not work, dog owners can only leave
their units without suitcases, or without groceries. I tried to bring that
up, but the board did not answer. This is not addressed in the pet
rule change.
6) The dirtiness of the usual dog walk exit path, is never addressed and
solved. I have asked managementSSSSSSSSSS constantly to
clean urine and feces but it seams that it does not look abnormal for
those persons, although it is heath threat.
There was at some point a lack of respect towards the dog owners.
The overall meeting was instructive.