Out of the loop
Jul. 20th, 2022 08:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
susandennisI don't routinely chat with anybody in this building. I know lots of the folks who live here but I don't see them often. So, it's not surprising that I didn't even see them put the pile of shit near the fan but today I finally got copied on some of the WHATTHEGODDAMNFUCK???????? emails that have been sent to the board. Holy crap. I'm now kind of surprised the smoke alarms in the building didn't go off.
This one was sent by an attorney who lives on the 5th floor.
I am writing to ask you to postpone the ratification vote on the Special Assessment.
As you have no doubt gleaned from discussion amongst our community members, the notice of such a significant Special Assessment came as a shock to many of us. I have gone back through all of the meeting minutes and agendas; there has been very little discussion that would have foreshadowed this proposal, and very little information shared about the scope of work being undertaken, the reason for the significant increase in cost, the basis for funding only a portion of the work from the reserves, etc. For those that attended the Annual Meeting, the 2022 Budget indicates "no special assessment proposed."
Then she goes on to list 9 very good questions surrounding how and why and when and who. Very rationally and reasonably. She put all her legal-ly spidey skills to good use. No threats, no demands. (I do hate the word amongst, though.)
And then right after, this from the woman who was board president for a decade and then booted out by the current board.
Thank you for writing this, Lindsey.
I believe postponing the vote is the best strategy. There are too many owners who are confused or unaware of what’s happening. Others are trying to find a way to escape including trying to sell. Given this, many are scrambling to vote no.
I hear most people understand the need for this building work but the size and urgent payment of the assessment is a surprise and they don’t see how they manage the financial impact.
Please, for the sake of supporting our ongoing healthy community, can we slow down and work on options together?
Sandy (the latter writer) is the one I was going to chat with about this when it first came out and then decided to just keep my mouth shut. Turns out she didn't need me :)
And then the NFW answer from the board president.
Good morning. Please excuse the brevity any typos as I'm responding from my phone. I'm copying in Kevin and Chelsea at CWD [the company paid by the HOA to run shit] who are handling most communication regarding the assessment and Monday's meeting.
There are no plans to delay the ratification vote at this time. Background and details will be shared again at the meeting prior to the ratification vote.
These projects have been under discussion at monthly board meetings for several years. They were also discussed at this year's annual meeting.
No one on the board is pleased for the need of a special assessment but these projects will not get any less expensive if we wait. Multiple units on 4th floor have had water intrusion from leaks from the 5th floor decks above. Allowing water to leak into a wood frame structure is not advisable. The tuckpointing is necessary for both the structural integrity of the building and to address a major safety issue of the facade potentially separating from the building itself.
One point I'd like ti highlight as it may not be clear from the materials sent out regarding the ratification vote. Roughly $950k is being used from reserves towards these projects. The board has tried to balance using as much from reserves as we believe is advisable while not draining reserves to the point that value of units or the ability to meet the budget is impacted.
Again, more detail will be presented at the meeting on Monday. The board did not make any decisions rashly and encourages every owner to attend on Monday.
Regards,
Matt
And, since then, an email flurry with the lawyer who started this just now pointing out how the board's actions are not compliant with the condo's governing documents and so the assessment cannot be enforced.
D R A M A - stay tuned!
About a year ago, I switched up my eating so that my main meal of the day was at mid-day. I think I'm going to switch back. At least for a while. I'm still having issues with that one medication that needs to be taken on a full (of protein) stomach. My gut is not pleased. So I'll go back to light lunch and bigger dinner but maybe not quite so big and maybe Old People Early. At least for a while. To see if that helps.
Today looks like more of the same. I'll be inside here avoiding heat and COVID.
Yesterday I started re-watching The Closer. It's on TiVo so faster and easier to grab an episode than streaming so I'm eating episodes like bonbons. But, today, I'll go back to The Split. I have four episodes left. Two today, two tomorrow.
I recently found an amazing weather app - it's a phone app but they have a nice web version as well Ventusky is very cool.
Now I need to get up and do chores.
This one was sent by an attorney who lives on the 5th floor.
I am writing to ask you to postpone the ratification vote on the Special Assessment.
As you have no doubt gleaned from discussion amongst our community members, the notice of such a significant Special Assessment came as a shock to many of us. I have gone back through all of the meeting minutes and agendas; there has been very little discussion that would have foreshadowed this proposal, and very little information shared about the scope of work being undertaken, the reason for the significant increase in cost, the basis for funding only a portion of the work from the reserves, etc. For those that attended the Annual Meeting, the 2022 Budget indicates "no special assessment proposed."
Then she goes on to list 9 very good questions surrounding how and why and when and who. Very rationally and reasonably. She put all her legal-ly spidey skills to good use. No threats, no demands. (I do hate the word amongst, though.)
And then right after, this from the woman who was board president for a decade and then booted out by the current board.
Thank you for writing this, Lindsey.
I believe postponing the vote is the best strategy. There are too many owners who are confused or unaware of what’s happening. Others are trying to find a way to escape including trying to sell. Given this, many are scrambling to vote no.
I hear most people understand the need for this building work but the size and urgent payment of the assessment is a surprise and they don’t see how they manage the financial impact.
Please, for the sake of supporting our ongoing healthy community, can we slow down and work on options together?
Sandy (the latter writer) is the one I was going to chat with about this when it first came out and then decided to just keep my mouth shut. Turns out she didn't need me :)
And then the NFW answer from the board president.
Good morning. Please excuse the brevity any typos as I'm responding from my phone. I'm copying in Kevin and Chelsea at CWD [the company paid by the HOA to run shit] who are handling most communication regarding the assessment and Monday's meeting.
There are no plans to delay the ratification vote at this time. Background and details will be shared again at the meeting prior to the ratification vote.
These projects have been under discussion at monthly board meetings for several years. They were also discussed at this year's annual meeting.
No one on the board is pleased for the need of a special assessment but these projects will not get any less expensive if we wait. Multiple units on 4th floor have had water intrusion from leaks from the 5th floor decks above. Allowing water to leak into a wood frame structure is not advisable. The tuckpointing is necessary for both the structural integrity of the building and to address a major safety issue of the facade potentially separating from the building itself.
One point I'd like ti highlight as it may not be clear from the materials sent out regarding the ratification vote. Roughly $950k is being used from reserves towards these projects. The board has tried to balance using as much from reserves as we believe is advisable while not draining reserves to the point that value of units or the ability to meet the budget is impacted.
Again, more detail will be presented at the meeting on Monday. The board did not make any decisions rashly and encourages every owner to attend on Monday.
Regards,
Matt
And, since then, an email flurry with the lawyer who started this just now pointing out how the board's actions are not compliant with the condo's governing documents and so the assessment cannot be enforced.
D R A M A - stay tuned!
About a year ago, I switched up my eating so that my main meal of the day was at mid-day. I think I'm going to switch back. At least for a while. I'm still having issues with that one medication that needs to be taken on a full (of protein) stomach. My gut is not pleased. So I'll go back to light lunch and bigger dinner but maybe not quite so big and maybe Old People Early. At least for a while. To see if that helps.
Today looks like more of the same. I'll be inside here avoiding heat and COVID.
Yesterday I started re-watching The Closer. It's on TiVo so faster and easier to grab an episode than streaming so I'm eating episodes like bonbons. But, today, I'll go back to The Split. I have four episodes left. Two today, two tomorrow.
I recently found an amazing weather app - it's a phone app but they have a nice web version as well Ventusky is very cool.
Now I need to get up and do chores.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-07-20 05:19 pm (UTC)I take it also, and I'm wondering if it would hurt to take it at noon when you have your main meal of the day. Must it be taken after the evening meal, or could you simply take it when you choose to have your main meal?
It is awful what is happening at your condo. The fall-out of sudden sales by those who can't afford the assessment will happen. But - I suspect the board doesn't care, though they'll never say that out loud. In this market, they'll find (probably more upscale) buyers for those units, and that's all they care about -- the financial integrity of the building -- and necessary repairs done. It does sound like the repairs are necessary, though.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-07-20 05:35 pm (UTC)I think the board just wants the whole thing to go away. They clearly have no communications management skills so no way we can know for sure. It will be interesting to see what happens next time we elect board members!
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Date: 2022-07-20 10:11 pm (UTC)People are right to be upset, i can't imagine the board thinking a sudden ask like that would go easily.
(Also good luck on the metformin. The extended release worked well for me, but i never really had stomach issues, so it may be useless data.)
(no subject)
Date: 2022-07-20 10:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2022-07-21 12:13 pm (UTC)Over here no one would buy a place that had that sort of maintenance bill hanging over it. When I lived in my first flat which was a block built in 1936 with lots of interesting features I had to pay for the resurfacing of the flat roofs over the side wings built in the 1950s and the refurbishment of the lift, neither of which were actually done until after I had moved out. Years later I went and rode up and down in the lift so I could actually use what I had paid for