February 9, 2011, ("January") Meeting

Attending:

Dave Modica (MA) --Modica Associates
Ning Hernandez (NH) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Douglas McClennen (DM) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust
Bill Gentz (BG) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Yelena Chigirinskaya (YC) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust
Distribute to:

David Sherf (DS) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

107 Laundry Room Floor

Same. To be repaired in March/April once the streets are clear from snow.

Bad Smell in 107

Same.  The repairs for the broken steam pipe in the basement will be attempted in March/April once the streets are clear from snow. 

Roof Replacement

• MA is talking to the engineer, discussing the scope of the work, including how to solve the problem with people coming out on the roofs--the doors out to the roof will be connected to our the alarm system
• Unit 11-19 had a small leak which became a bigger leak after the snow storm
• MA has been clearing snow off the roof
• Now the snow is melting off the roof 

Miscellaneous

• Snow/water accumulation in the courtyard - David Modica checked the drain, and it was fine.
• The board discussed agenda for the Annual Owners' Meeting

These minutes are written to Yelena’s best recollection. Please notify her of any discrepancies immediately.

December 21, 2010, Meeting

Attending:

Pam McNeil (MA) --Modica Associates
Ning Hernandez (NH) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Douglas McClennen (DM) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust
Bill Gentz (BG) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Distribute to:

Yelena Chigirinskaya (YC) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust
David Sherf (DS) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

107 Laundry Room Floor
Same. No action.

Bad Smell in 107
The broken sewage line in street was repaired.  A leak inside a broken steam pipe was found. Dave is on the bids, with mud floor, insulation all a part of the quote to fix the problems in 107 basement.

Budget 2011
$130,000 assessment over 9 months beginning February 1, 2011.

Roof Replacement
Scope of work--inquiring about adding in chimney removal and vents. Standard roof thickness was asked (please correct me here--I think I missed the average roof thickness.)

Convert Heating Boilers from Using Oil to Using Gas
Oil to gas conversion-needs new gas service-$5,500, and to line chimney - $2-3000. On hold for winter since the benefit will basically need to happen next year.

Miscellaneous

• Break in-Police report was filed.
• Pest control-needs attention to the rats outside of 107
• Apt split- permits are in place to split a unit, approved by board.
• Owners meeting in February will be held in Canestaro's Restaruant--Thanks Pam!

These minutes are written to Bill’s best recollection. Please notify her of any discrepancies immediately.

November 9, 2010, Meeting

Attending:

Pam McNeil (MA) --Modica Associates
David Modical --Modica Associates

Douglas McClennen (DM) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Bill Gentz (BG) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

David Sherf (DS) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Ning Hernandez (NH) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust
Yelena Chigirinskaya (YC) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

The board held a special meeting with David Modica to discuss

• how to improve the efficiency of the communications between the board and Modica
• roof replacement
• the budget for 2011

Possible ways to improve how the board communicates issues to Modica:

• the board could consolidate all concerns into 1 email
• the board could conduct all communications with Modica through a trustee "liason", where trustees take turns acting as the liason
• the board and MA could hold a special meeting just to discuss capital repairs in order to prioritize and estimate costs for each

Possible ways to improve how Modica communicates issues to the board:

• the board asks to be notified of all issues in the buildings (perhaps a report sent out once a week)
• the board asks that for each issue MA provides a status, resolution and a recommendation whenever applicable

The following issues are outside of Modica's scope:

• problems with vagrants outside
• issues between units that do not involve problems with common areas

Roof Replacement

The roof replacement will also include the following:

• remove the chimney that does not get used in 111
• replace existing skylights in the common areas
• install security magnetic locks on the 2 doors leading out onto the roof

The board would like to get the work on the roof started in April or May.  The board currently expects the roof work to cost ~$105,000.

In order to protect the new roof, once it is installed, the board wants to install magnetic locks on the doors leading out to the roof to prevent residents from going out onto the roof.  Also, the board would like to establish a policy anyone going out to the roof has to be accompanied by Modica and pay a fee (for example, when a roof inspection happens for selling a unit). 

Budget 2011
The association has to raise money to replace the roof and to replenish the reserves.  In order to do that, the owners will be assessed in 2011 to collect $130,000 over the course of 9 months.  MA suggests to raise the condo fees by 5% in order to balance the budget for the year. 

MA estimates that the association might save about 15% in year on the heating bill, if we switch from using oil to using gas.  MA will investigate what it would take for the buildings to switch to gas to see if we can avoid raising the condo fees.

Convert Heating Boilers from Using Oil to Using Gas
MA will be meeting with the gas company on 11/10/2010 to determine how quickly we can do the conversion, and the gas company will provide us with the burners at no cost. 


These minutes are written to Yelena’s best recollection. Please notify her of any discrepancies immediately.

Convert Heating Boilers from Using Oil to Using Gas

(11/09/2010) MA estimates that the association might save about 15% in year on the heating bill, if we switch from using oil to using gas. MA will investigate what it would take for the buildings to switch to gas to see if we can avoid raising the condo fees.  MA will be meeting with the gas company on 11/10/2010 to determine how quickly we can do the conversion, and the gas company will provide us with the burners at no cost.
(12/21/2010)  Oil to gas conversion-needs new gas service-$5,500, and to line chimney - $2-3000. On hold for winter since the benefit will basically need to happen next year.

October 19, 2010, Meeting

Attending:

Nancy (MA) --Modica Associates

Ning Hernandez (NH) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Bill Gentz (BG) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust
Yelena Chigirinskaya (YC) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Distribute to:

Douglas McClennen (DM) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust
David Sherf (DS) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust
107 Mail Room for general information
111 Mail Room for general information

Window Replacement
DS has not written the letter to HADCO yet, but indicates that the letter will go out by 10/20/2010.
(Later edit: DS and MA confirmed that the letter was sent on 10/20/2010).

107 Laundry Room Floor
MA has contacted Capuccio and Vogt and obtained their commitments to honor the original bid price from 2009. However, the board needs to determine if the scope of the project has to change--e.g. the fire wall has to be put in.  The board will discuss the issues with David Modica at the November meeting.

Note:  Our laundry contract will expire in 2013. $850 is still available (from extension of the contract). MA to determine if the laundry company will upgrade our washers and dryers now.

Bad Smell in 107
Same

Terrazzo Sidearms Need Repairs
MA to schedule the work with Chiccarelli & Pires.  The work is expected to be completed sometime before the end of the year (before mid November). Temperatures have to be above 40F for the treatment to be effective.


Water Damage/Leaks Due to the March 15 Storm
Skylights for units 107-18 and 107-19 have been ordered.  Installation will take place once stock arrives from the factory. 

Repairing the ceiling in 107 common area is on hold until the skylights are fixed. 


Roof Replacement
RMX Northeast completed the roof study for our buildings and provided a proposal for a written spec that would cost $2000.  RMX Northeast were able to utilize the existing test cut performed by US Roofing Systems as a cost saver.  The result of the roof study served to confirm rather than add any value to the existing spec developed by Modica and Richard Roofing.  MA suggests that we do not need to hire RMX for $2000 to write the spec.

The board has the following questions for RMX Northeast:

• Are the sewer vent pipes leaking into the building?
• Why are they there?
• What do we do about these pipes?

MA also to ask RMX to provide the board with engineering specs for another building as an example.

Insulations would be 2 inches--the industry standard.  There would be a choice in which materials to use. 
Repolishing Wood on the Front Doors
Crescent Paint provided a revised proposal ($4950, up from $3500) that includes carpentry work to ensure that the 107 door closes appropriately.  (DM and MA met with John Farley of Crescent Paint to review the specs.)

MA to negotiate with Crescent Paint to use the first proposal and to add the work to fix the jam at the originally proposed price ($3500). 

This work can wait untill spring.

Financials:
MA brought three invoices to be reviewed by the trustees:

• $1300.00 to service all heating and hot water boilers
• $3577.50 to remove section of 4 inch cast iron main stack from basement ceiling in unit 1, and to perform additional work in unit 7. (The work was done on 09/09/10 and 09/10/10 and completed on Thursday 9/16/10. The invoice is for labor and materials.)
• $395.00 to clean and flush all accessible traps in both buildings.

MA to check if all three of these invoices have accidentally been billed twice.

Budget for 2011
The budget will need to include an assessment based on $80K (roof $70K and reserve $10K). Fees will be increased by 8%.

• Assessment may need to be higher to build up reserves further
• How can we cut down on the office supplies costs?  MA to review what items were involved.
• Can the board collect all owners' email addresses in order to make necessary announcements by email?  
• MA raised management fees by $75/month
• The $73K for capitol repairs might be a low estimate.
• The board decided not to finalize the 2011 budget until November.  The letter about the assessment should go out to the owners next month. Assessment should be done over the first 6 months of the year.
• The buildings' insurance – based on the new policy amount, includes earthquake
• The recent mandate requires the association to transfer 10% of the income to reserves.  MA to talk to an attorney to understand what this means. $73K roof repairs can be part of that 10%. 
• Landscaping
• The board will consider changing landscaper
• The board will consider not having regular maintaince done
• Can janitors pick up trash in the garden;

Miscellaneous

• Queensberry Street gate has been repaired by Ninos Iron Works, but it still squeeks.  (Later edit:  the gate has been fixed).
• MA has received no further complaints regarding the presence of vagrants.  The board does not think the pot smoking/vagrants problem is serious enough to warrant outer door locks. People should call police if they see any issues.
• Wires:  Dave Modica wanted to send certified letters before MA goes in to remove the wires and charge the owners. The letters have been sent out. Dave Modica will go in and remove the wires, if there is no compliance by 10/31/2010.
• Faucet in 107—still needs to be fixed, but the water has been shut off for the winter.
• The light in the courtyard is out.  Probably the bulb needs to be replaced.
• Recycling in 107: Someone continues to put trash in the recycling bins. MA to move the recycling bins into the courtyard and put up signs to indicate the new location for the residents.
• The board would like to present the list of expenses over $1000 at the owners meeting.

These minutes are written to Yelena’s best recollection. Please notify her of any discrepancies immediately.

September 21, 2010, Meeting

Attending:

Nancy (MA) --Modica Associates

Yelena Chigirinskaya (YC) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Douglas McClennen (DM) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust
Bill Gentz (BG) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Distribute to:

Ning Hernandez (NH) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

David Sherf (DS) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust
107 Mail Room for general information
111 Mail Room for general information

Window Replacement
David Sherf will write the letter to Hadco.  The board will wait for a month once DS sends the letter. After that we could send it to collections if deemed to be effective.  If collections is successful, we would receive 66% of the $250.00.

107 Laundry Room Floor
David has been talking to Doug about the finding behind the walls of the laundry room.

• MA to let us know when the contract with the laundry provider renews
• MA to email the specs to the board, and then rebid with inclusion of the firewall.
• MA also to check status the bid from March 16.

Bad Smell in 107
Same

Landscaping
Item Complete.

Terrazzo Sidearms Need Repairs
MA to schedule the work with Chiccarelli & Pires ($1600).  They will probably be available mid October.

Water Damage/Leaks Due to the March 15 Storm
Both units 107-18 and 107-19 had previously agreed to the skylight replacement, but the work has not been done yet.  (107-19 is under agreement to sell, and there is a contingency in the P&S to replace the skylight.)  The two units are doing the work together.  MA expects that the work will be complete within the next couple of weeks.  MA to let the board when skylight work is being scheduled.  (DM would like to meet with the contractor before the work is started.) 

MA scheduled Cresent Paint to come and repair the ceiling in the 107 common area on the top floor for 9/23/2010, because renters have been complaining about the hole in the ceiling.  The board still wants to wait to fix the ceiling until work on the skylights is complete.  MA to reschedule the work with Crescent Paint.

Roof Replacement
MA provided the board with the proposals for the installation of the white replacement roofing materials. 

• US Roofing - $75,075 (the lowest) 
• Maurice Richard - $78,000

Both Maurice Richard and US Roofing agreed to come and talk to the board if needed.

Carlisle (makes the roofing material) has the best manufacturing warranty in the business. DM to check what the Carlisle specifications are (as the proposal states that the roofing will be installed per Carlisle specs).

The board discussed the pros and cons of white PVC roofing, particularly in a dense urban environment.

• The white roof reflects more light, and does not absorb as much heat as the traditional roofing
• Good in the summer
• Maybe not so good in the winter
• In an urban environment, the white roof would get dirty faster.  (Once it is dirty, it is no longer as efficient as it is designed to be.
• The white roofing is most successful in the South and South West.
• The white roofing is most often used in an industrial setting, not for one building.
• Maurice Richard:  you can paint a black roof white for the same effect.  The downside is that you will have to repaint it.
• PVC is carcinogenic.  If the white roof is installed, there will be no possibility of a roof deck.

MA to get references for similar buildings from US Roofing with white roofing over 10 years old, and ask these associations for feedback.

We currently have a contractor spec, not an engineering spec.  DM suggested that it would be helpful to have an engineering spec for the roof, to make sure that everything is done correctly, and nothing is missed. An engineering spec should cost no more than $4000.  An engineering spec can be re-used indefinitely.  With the engineering spec, we would need to re-bid the roof work.  The board decided to consider getting the engineering spec for the roof.  MA to obtain several bids for the engineering spec.

There is space under the roof deck.  It is air space (ventilation).  DM would like to know if we can increase roof insulation by using some of that space.  MA to find out if an engineer can help us with the insulation--determine how to better insulate the roof.

The board would like to complete the work on the roof before next winter.

Repolishing Wood on the Front Doors
MA obtained 3 proposals for refinishing of the front entry doors. 

• Cresent Painting - $3500
• Vogt & Company - $7600
• Brian J. Hernon - $4700

Cresent Paint came in at $3,500, which is significantly less than the other two choices. 

The 107 front entrance door does not close well and is jamming.  Can it be fixed by putting in a continuous hinge. DM thinks that the problem with the door is the uneven floor.  Also there is no sealing strip (weather strip) on the door. One possible fix might be to cut the door ~quarter of the inch and put a sweep under the door. Can a carpenter solve this problem? MA to ask Crescent to look at the door. DM will meet with them.

Financials
Unit owner of 111-20A paid maintanence through August, 2010.  We waived the 2010 late fees as agreed.

Budget for 2011
Considerations when putting together the budget for next year:

• Assessment for the roof
• Consider making assessment bigger than the roof costs to replenish the reserve

MA to do the preliminary budget for the next meeting.


Miscellaneous

• Queensberry Street gate is scheduled to be permanently repaired by Ninos Iron Works next week, and the work should cost ~$50
• Vagrants on the door steps: MA had issued a notice to the residents to encouraging them to contact the BPD Precinct Four whenever there is a problem with vagrants disturbing the peace outside of the building.
• Occasionally school kids smoke pot on the door steps.  What can we do to discourage them?
• Unit 107-21B: The residents have no knowledge of the cable wires.  So David Modica will remove the wires right away.
• Unit 107-2: MA to send a letter to the owners asking them to remove the wires by 10/31.  Otherwise, the wires will be removed at the owners' expense.  
• Oil tanks: we are grandfathered in.
• Iron fence on Queensberry Street side: the board decided to wait till spring to do the repairs.
• The faucet outside by 107 entrance is leaking and still needs to be fixed. 

These minutes are written to Yelena’s best recollection. Please notify her of any discrepancies immediately.

August 17, 2010, Meeting

Attending:

Nancy (MA) --Modica Associates

Douglas McClennen (DM) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Bill Gentz (BG) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Ning Hernandez (NH) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Yelena Chigirinskaya (YC) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

Distribute to:

David Sherf (DS) --Trustee, Queensberry Condominium Trust

107 Mail Room for general information

111 Mail Room for general information

Window Replacement
MA made one further phone call to Hadco, asking for a final refund of $250.00. MA has received no response and therefore asked David Sherf to write a letter.

107 Laundry Room Floor
The board discussed possible ways to repair the floor: pouring the slab on grade vs floating slab.

• Floating slab—is lifted on joists above the soil, creating a "gap" between the ground and the floor.
• Slab on grade—is poured down against the soil, thus sealing the so called "gap".

The current floor is a concrete slab on joists with plywood on top.  The proposal (whose?) is for thicker concrete slab with the floor. 

The board needs the following questions answered before deciding on the "slab on grade" floor:

• Are there any pipes between the current "floating slab" floor and the dirt?
• Is there a significant price difference between the 2 types?
• If plumbing work needs to be done (pipes burried to allow for the "slab on grade" floor, what would the extra costs be?

Fire code violation was discovered when the laundry room wall was opened. No insulation (no 2nd layer of sheet rock) between the laundry room and an abutting unit.  David Modica is aware of this problem, and this minor issue will be fixed with other work in the laundry.

MA to request 2 specs from Wolf Rock Development and ask about pros and cons. The board will review the specs.

[Later edit:  In an email David Modica reminded the board that we have reviewed bids for this work and questions the need to rebid the work.  Notes about previous bids can be found here -- the latest bid information was noted in the March 16th Meeting Notes.]

Bad Smell in 107
The BWS contractors have found the problem.  The pipe in the street is not only sagging, but also collapsing.
This is now a major problem that with effect the entire block. The city will now have to rip up the entire street from Queensberry to Perterbourgh in order to fix the problem.  The time line for this work is not known, but the smell can intensify at times until the problem is repaired.  David Modica continues to work with BWS to try to get some idea of what it is involved for going forward.

DM met with David Modica in the laundry room and looked into the cut in the slab.  Failed pipe (in the street) was leaking and filling up the space under the slab.  The town should fix the pipe.

Landscaping

Tree was cleaned up where the branch was cut.  The faucet (by the 107 entrance) is leaking.  A rhododendron bush has died (on the Jersey Street side of the building).  MA to inform Malkasian about the dead  rhododentron bush. 

[Later edit: The dead bush has been removed.] 

Terrazzo Sidearms Need Repairs

Chiccarelli and Pires has estimated repairs of the sidearms at $1,600.00 with the additional costs of permits.  The board has reviewed the bid and approved it.  MA to schedule the work sometime before November. 

Water Damage/Leaks Due to the March 15 Storm

• Unit owners of 20-19 and 20-19 have agreed to replace the skylights. MA forwarded them a couple of proposals and put them in touch with each other.
• Cresent Painting will be happy to repair and repaint the ceiling on the top level of 107 for $550.00 (includes replacing the ceiling) We need to wait till the skylights are repaired before scheduling that job.

Roof Replacement
MA has received two roofing bids. Richard Roofing was the least costly by far, at $69,000.00. Two more bids are coming (from Eagle and Cappucio).  We are using Maurice Richard’s scope/spec.
DM proposes that the board considers using white rubber roofing.  It is supposed to be good at reflecting heat.  MA to request prices for this version as well.  The board asks that the spec is revised to include the repairs/replacement of the damaged roof decking--there should be an allowance for fixing the decking (the amount to be discussed with David Modica).

Repolishing Wood on the Front Doors
MA recieved bids for sanding and refinishing the front entrance doors.  Corinne pulled out bids from last year, and both companies would honor the prices.  (Vogt & Company - $7600 total, and Crescent Painitng—3^rd bid. $3500 total.)  The board eliminated Summer Painting.  DM will talk to Vogt & Company(the high end bid), and MA will talk to Crescent.

Renegotiate Insurance Deductible
Earthquake insurance will be included in the master policy.  No flood insurance, because we are not in the flood zone.  Item Complete.

Financials

Overdue unit owners have agreed to pay the balances before September 1.  MA to send reminders and let the board know when the payments arrive.

Miscellaneous

• The gate on Queensberry Street side was repaired again but whether or not it is a permanent fix remains to be seen.
• MA have sent a letter to unit 21B asking to remove the wires from the window. No answer has yet been received.  MA suggests a legal letter sent via certified mail.  The board requests MA to send another letter to 21B and give them a deadline to remove the wires.  After the deadline, the unit owner will be subject to fines. 
• Wires in a 107 1^st floor unit.  MA to send a letter.
• The board requests that no hard copies of the financials and bills be made.  The board will review them electronically. 
• MA to find out if there is a new requirement (from state? from insurance companies?) about oil tanks. 
• The iron fence on the Queensberry Street side is severely rusted.

These minutes are written to Yelena’s best recollection. Please notify her of any discrepancies immediately.