Minutes of the Trustee Meeting

Queensberry Condominium Trust

October 22, 2012

 

Pursuant to the Article V.  Section 5.9 of the By-Laws of Queensberry Condominium Trust,  a monthly meeting of the Trustees was held on Monday,  October  22,  2012, at 6:30PM at the offices of Boston Choice Properties, 125 Jersey Street, Boston, MA.

 

Those Present:  Michael Grappo, Ning Hernandez and Jeff Schwarz , Trustees

Sheryl Kelly called in to the meeting

David Sherf was not Present

Pamela Pendias , Modica Associates 

 

The meeting was called to order at 6:35 PM.  

 

FINANCIAL REVIEW

 

The September financial report was sent out electronically in advance of the meeting.  The balance sheet as of September reflects $29,113 in the operating account and $43,104 in reserves.    The association has collected $600 in fines (trash left in common area) and $2,150 in move-in fees this year.   Jeff asked what the $6,000 capital expense was for the month.   Pam replied that it represented the requisite deposit paid to Nino’s Iron Works for material associated with fabricating the wrought iron fence.   Sheryl asked when the fence was going to be installed.    Pam stated that she checked with Nino who advised that it should be ready in 3-4 weeks.   Jeff inquired about the invoice for EZ Disposal Service.  Pam said it was for bulk pick up associated with the moves on September 1^st , 2012.   There were two pick ups Saturday, September 1^st and Monday, September 3^rd, 2012.   Michael noted that move-in fees collected covered this cost. 

 

OLD BUSINESS  

 

Touch up painting will take place shortly.   Painters have been busy working outside since weather permits but needs to get done, especially work in the basement of 107 where molding is missing.    

 

Pam suggested having the carpets cleaned,   Consensus of the trustees was that the carpet did not look dirty and to hold off until spring.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

The work in the rear courtyard has now been completed.    Everyone is pleased with the appearance and believes it is a great enhancement to the property.    The fence should probably be painted in the spring that runs along the courtyard between the two buildings. 

 

The wrought Iron Railing is being fabricated and will be installed in the next 3-4 weeks.

 

Ning asked about RCN.   Pam stated that she had met RCN at the building and would inquire as to the status of when residents could begin to avail themselves of the service. 

 

 

Minutes of the Trustee Meeting

10-22-12

Page Two

 

 

One month of double condo fees is being collected this month, to defray the cost of the two capital projects, courtyard drainage and replacement and wrought iron railing to cost a total of  $30,200. 

 

Ning asked about the budget Pam had drafted for next year.   Pam said she would up-date the “draft” budget with month end figures from October for the board to review and approve at the meeting next month. 

 

MISCELLANEOUS OTHER BUSINESS

 

Sheryl noted that the area around the dumpsters was very dirty with lots of trash on the ground and that they did not have covers.   There are (3) three (2) CY dumpsters that have covers on two sides.   One dumpster has covers on both sides, two of the dumpsters are missing a cover on one side.    This has been talked about before – replacing a cover will cost about $400 and is not cost effective.   A new dumpster costs approximately $1,800.    Pam suggested that over the weekend, more people are at home and perhaps cleaning up their apartments taking out trash etc.    The trustees will monitor the area.

 

Sheryl suggested that new “water hog” entrance mats should be purchased for the front foyers of the building.   The trustees agreed to purchase two (2) black “water hog” mats.   Michael suggested 3’ X 5” so they wouldn’t get hung up on the front door that swings in.  

 

Sheryl asked about the A/C Memo.    Pam said it was posted at the building and would go under all the doors this week.  

 

Sheryl stated that the area underneath the windows in her livingroom is moist and that the entire wall will need to be replaced.    Pam met with the Mason and Jeff in his unit a few weeks ago and that the mason caulked around all the windows in Jeff’s unit.    The exterior façade of the building is in tact and the mason was certain not allowing moisture infiltration.   Pam suggested that the mason check Sheryl’s unit.   Michael suggested that Sheryl remove the wall, since it needs to be replaced anyway, and monitor the area.   There could be residual moisture trapped within the bricks which has been evidenced by efflorescence on brick walls seen in other units.    

 

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:20PM. 

 

Respectfully submitted by:

Pamela Pendias

Modica Associates

For the Recording Secretary

Queensberry Condominium Trust

Minutes of the Trustee Meeting

Queensberry Condominium Trust

July 16, 2012

Pursuant to the Article V.  Section 5.9 of the By-Laws of Queensberry Condominium Trust,  a monthly meeting of the Trustees was held on Monday,  July 16,  2012, at 6:30PM at the offices of Boston Choice Properties, 125 Jersey Street, Boston, MA.

Those Present:  Ning Hernandez, and Jeff Schwarz , Trustees

Sheryl Kelly via telephone conference

Michael Grappo and David Sherf were not Present

Pamela Pendias , Modica Associates 

The meeting was called to order at 6:40 PM.  

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The June  financial report was sent out electronically on Friday, July 13^th, 2012.    Neither Jeff nor Sheryl re-called seeing it – although Ning said she reviewed it briefly.    Pam will send out the report again tomorrow.    The balance sheet at the end of June reflected $16,794  in the operating account and $43,099 in reserves.

NEW BUSINESS

The first order of business was the resolution of the pipe breaks underneath 111 Jersey Street 20-A.   There were two (2) different breaks in the pipes located below this unit.    The owner of the unit, directed Modica Associates to open up the floor of the 2^nd bedroom of the unit where the first break was found.    The original video camera of the line indicated a break in the line under the toilet in the bathroom which is where the sewer flies were found.    However the unit owner thought the video was inconclusive.    On Monday, June 4^th, Modica had a crew open and jack hammer the concrete where a broken pipe was found.   The repair was made, the unit put back together, carpet replaced, unit deodorized,   sanitized and treated with an anti-microbial disinfectant.    The work was completed and the girls were told they could move back in to the unit on Friday June 8^th.     Tuesday, June 12^th, the unit was treated for flies.   On Wednesday, June 13^th, Modica had John’s Sewer revisit the property to video camera the lines.  Paul,  Modica’s plumber,  was also present during this visit and confirmed that there was a pipe broken under the toilet of the unit.   After making arrangements with the girls, on Monday, July 18^th, Modica’s  plumber opened up the floor of the bedroom, that backs up to the toilet  and  exposed the broken pipe below the floor.    The pipe was repaired, floor replaced, bedroom painted and the unit was made habitable again by the afternoon of Thursday, June 21 ^st, 2012. 

 

The girls in 111-20A are seeking to be compensated for rent, food and cleaning supplies as a result of their having to relocate to accommodate the repairs.    The trustees do not want to set a precedent of offering to reimburse them since they have not filed a claim under their homeowner’s insurance policy. Sheryl’s unit sustained water damage prior to the roof being replaced and did not look to the association for compensation.   They should look to their landlord for compensation. 

The association filed a claim for damage with the master insurance policy and received compensation to help defray the costs of making the necessary repairs.   

 

Pam suggested, and the board agreed, that replacing the rear courtyard, drainage work  and removal of the planters that is allowing moisture to seep through the brick wall in the living room of 111-20-A  should be prioritized.    The trustees voted to   accept the revised proposal from Cappuccio Construction for the sum of $15,100 to include the removal of the planters.    The trustees are also entertaining replacing the wrought

iron fence around the perimeter of the building.    Nino’s revised their bid to include changing the design to $15,100 for a total of $30,200 to complete both projects.     Replacing the fence around the perimeter will be deferred until fall.   The trustees will discuss a possible assessment of one month of double condo fees to defray the cost in order to complete both projects this year.

OLD BUSINESS  

Jeff stated that he had a contractor in his unit regarding the moisture infiltration who was of the opinion that the windows were not a contributing factor.     Jeff is awaiting a proposal to paint and repair the walls.

Touch up paint building 107 and wall/carpentry repairs in basement of 107.   The trustees opted to defer this until September after the moving season is over.

Sheryl had company over the weekend who suggested a carpentry repair to the front door to allow it to close.   The guest stated that that too many screws have been placed in the door and that sections of new wood need to be cut out and re-glued to reinforce it so it will close properly.    The North Bennet Street School was suggested as a possible source.    Pam stated that this is a “trade school” and that most likely the students would not have insurance.    Pam to contact a contractor who bid to replace the doors last year for a proposal.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:30PM. 

Respectfully submitted by:

Pamela Pendias

Modica Associates

For the Recording Secretary

Queensberry Condominium Trust

Minutes of the Trustee Meeting

Queensberry Condominium Trust

March 19, 2012

Pursuant to the Article V. Section 5.9 of the By-Laws of Queensberry Condominium Trust, a monthly meeting of the Trustees was held on Monday, March 19, 2012, at 6:30PM at the offices of Boston Choice Properties, 125 Jersey Street, Boston, MA.

Those Present: Ning Hernandez, and Jeff Schwarz

Sheryl Kelly via telephone conference

Pamela Pendias , Modica Associates

The meeting was called to order at 6:40 PM.

OLD BUSINESS

The first item of business was the status of Eagle Rivet. The association issued final payment to Eagle last month, less $4.500 as negotiated with the President of Eagle Rivet and David Sherf. Eagle Rivet is now seeking payment of the $4,500 the association withheld due to the lengthy duration of the project. The trustees asked Pam to send an e-mail to David Sherf explaining that they wanted to settle the matter as soon as possible asking that David reiterate why he felt that a verbal agreement had merit which now Eagle is reneging on.

Jeff stated that he wanted to meet with David one last time regarding the moisture infiltration in his unit and review the moisture level readings prior to replacing windows. Sheryl stated that she too wanted to proceed with repairs to her unit. Jeff asked if Sheryl had cracks in the walls in her unit and she replied that she did not.

Pam informed the trustees that the door sweep has still not arrived for the front door at 107 Jersey and that it would be installed as soon as it was received. The sweep on the door at 111 has sufficiently worn down and is no longer binding preventing the door from closing.

An electronic version of the monthly financial report for February had been e-mailed to the trustees along with copies of all paid bills. The balance sheet at the end of February reflected $6,559 in the operating account and $45,584 in reserves. Jeff noted the $675 charge for pest control services and reference to (3) buildings. Pam stated that the bill must be in error – and would notify Heritage Pest to issue a credit. Pam reported that at the end of February, 2011, the association incurred costs of $17,900 for oil and gas as compared with this year total costs of $10,500 representing an overall savings of $7,400. Although it has been a mild winter compared with 2011 it still represents significant savings.

The association collected $16,762 from the insurance company under the boiler machinery section when the heating boiler failed. The association is current with all operating costs.

Sheryl stated she would like to purchase a concrete urn for the front of each building for flowers. There was some concern that they may get stolen or knocked over but the trustees agreed to try it provided the cost not exceed $100.

Pam asked the trustees about the railing around the perimeter of the property. It is badly rusted. Pam obtained one bid from Logan Grate last fall in the amount of $5,500. Pam will obtain other bids as well to discuss at the meeting next month.

Laundry equipment – Automatic Coin Laundry has confirmed that the leaking washer in 107 has been replaced. Pam made it clear to Jay Lizotte that the association was not interested in any further extensions to the laundry contract.

Minutes of the Trustee Meeting

3-19-12

Page Two

NEW BUSINESS

The overall condition of the courtyard was discussed. Pam stated that she did not believe there was a simple inexpensive fix. Sheryl suggested adding some gravel or crushed stone. Pam to check for options between now and the next board meeting.

Sheryl noted that the sconce in building 111 going to the second floor is missing a globe and the bulbs do not match. Pam will check and have this taken care of.

Ning asked about the woman who is leaving trash in the hallway of 107. Pam stated that she has contacted the manager of the unit on each occasion and has now levied a total of (4) $100 fines for leaving trash in the hallway. The trustees suggested posting a notice advising that trash should at no time left anywhere in the common area and should be taken out to the dumpster along the alley side of building 10. Any infractions will result in a $100 fine.

Pam asked the trustees what they were doing about a 5^th board member. The consensus was to put it to a vote of all unit owners and furnish a ballot with the names of the three candidates who expressed an interest in serving on the board.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:30PM.

Respectfully submitted by:

Pamela Pendias

Modica Associates

For the Recording Secretary

Queensberry Condominium Trust

Trustee Meeting Oct 18,2011

Pursuant to the Article V. Section 5.9 of the By-Laws of Queensberry Condominium Trust, a monthly meeting of the Trustees was held on Tuesday, October 18, 2011, at 6:30PM at the offices of Boston Choice Properties, 125 Jersey Street, Boston, MA.

Those Present: Bill Gentz, Ning Hernandez and Jeff Schwarz, Sheryl Kelly, and David Sherf via telephone

David Modica and Pamela Pendias , Modica Associates

The meeting was called to order at 6:40 PM.

OLD BUSINESS

An electronic version of the monthly financial report for September had been e-mailed to the trustees along with a “draft” budget for fiscal year 2012. The balance sheet at the end of September reflected $1,242 in the operating account and $110,352 in reserves. Assessment revenues are being deposited into the reserve account. There is one more month (October) to collect the balance of the $130,000 assessment.

The first item of business was the status of the roof replacement project. Everyone agreed that the work has taken an inordinate amount of time to complete. Despite the contractors difficulty obtaining permits, and having electrical wires moved, the project started in June and it is now October. Several owners are not pleased with the finish of the skylights in their units and have requested that the white vinyl be removed and replaced with a wood trim. A unit owner has contended that the roof is not pitched properly as there is some standing water that can be seen after heavy rain. David Modica explained that the board opted not to seek bids for a fully tapered roof due to the higher cost. The board opted instead to level and taper the roof down to 4’ of the gutters. There are dips, low spots on the roof where water will accumulate after a rain. The engineer has stated that as long as the water evaporates within 72 hours it should not jeopardize the integrity of the roof. The board opted for a fully adhered rubber membrane roof in lieu of a vinyl roof, again due to cost constraints There is an area of standing water outside of the penthouse at 111 Jersey and the engineer called for the application of a secondary cover strip over the top of the seam to add another layer of protection to this location. David Sherf offered to speak with the contractor about liquidated damages for untimely job completion. Once Modica compiles a final punch list, Eagle Rivet will be given a specified period of time to complete and if necessary another contractor will be called in to complete and the costs will be deducted from monies owned Eagle. It should be noted that Eagle was initially paid the sum of $14,000 in July to mobilize, and is owed the sum of $55,575.

The magnetic doors leading to the roof have been installed and are working properly. David stated that Modica would put a simple handle on the inside of each roof door to aid in pulling the door shut.

The gate on the alley side was replaced a few months ago as a security measure. It had been working satisfactorily until a resident reported that the gate would not latch. The company that installed the gate was called and found that the latch was filled with metal shards that prevented the mechanism from retracting so in fact it would not lock. A new latch was installed the following day at no charge to the building. .

The ceilings on the 4^th floor of both buildings have been repaired and painted. The contractor will also be re-finishing the wood doors and frames on the exterior of the building as well as touching up the paint in the common areas. Once the painting is finished the carpets will be steam cleaned.

The exterior front door at building 107 has a new “roton” hinge that picked up the door enough so that it would open

without binding on the tile. This has exacerbated the gap under the door. The vendor is looking into options for a door sweep that would insulate the door as well as allow the door to open and close without binding.

The trustees will not renew (extend) the laundry contract in exchange for new laundry equipment for building 107.

Residents were notified that any bicycle parked in the courtyard is required to have a bicycle sticker. Stickers were distributed and any bicycle found without a sticker was removed.

The association paid $5,496 to the gas company to install a new gas line into the building so the association could convert from oil to gas heat as a cost saving measure. Currently, oil costs approx $1.00 more per gallon than it did last year. The gas company will be providing (2) new gas burners at no charge to the building. Other costs associated with the conversion include having the chimney flue re-lined $5,900 and new piping for the boilers $12,500. The revenues from the assessment will cover the costs associated with the conversion.

Modica distributed a memo informing building residents that air conditioners need to be removed from the windows to conserve energy and as required by the City of Boston.

The trustees signed an access agreement with RCN. Residents will now have a choice between using Comcast or RCN for cable and internet service. David Modica is also talking with Comcast about a lump sum payment.

Pam furnished the trustees with proposals from two other pest control companies. Both were within dollars of one another for the service they would provide. Pam to get clarification and report back to the trustees to make a decision to change vendors.

NEW BUSINESS

The next item on the agenda was to review the “draft” operating budget for fiscal year 2012 that Pam had furnished the board to review. Pam noted that the only outstanding item of which she was aware the trustees were entertaining was creating a planter on either side of the stairs at the front entrances to discourage vagrants from loitering in the front of the buildings. David Modica stated that due to the monolithic construction of these stairs that the board may wish to entertain installing metal urns to hold plants that could be embedded on either side of the stairs. Modica to obtain proposals for this as well as repairing and painting the iron railings out front.

The proposed operating budget provided for no increase in condo fees. Pam will review the proposed budget after the month of October closes and up-date the figures and send it to the board for final approval next month.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:55 PM.

Respectfully submitted by:

Pamela Pendias

Modica Associates

For the Recording Secretary

Queensberry Condominium Trust

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.

April 20, 2010, Meeting

Attending:

Corinne Getchell (MA) --Modica Associates

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

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

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

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

Distribute to:

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

107 Mail Room for general information111 Mail Room for general information

Window Replacement
MA sent the letter and gave Hadco 30 days to reply. If there is no response, the next step would be for David to send a letter to Hadco.

Bad Smell in 107
The smell has returned in 107 (see email from 4/15). The smoke test will be performed to determine where the sewage smell comes from and how bad the damage might be. Smoke test is currently scheduled for Thursday if the city sewage lines are cleared by then on the corner of Queensberry and Jersey Streets.

107 Laundry Room Floor
On hold until the smoke test is done.

Landscaping
The board met with Rick Malkasian (of Rick Malkasian Gardens—the company that has been doing our landscaping so far) to discuss improving the plantings around the building. The board decided to ask Malkasian to work with $1000 (total, labor inclusive) to add plantings and improve the landscaping with the following specific requests: 1) no arbovitaes, 2) add approximately $100 worth of annuals in locations Malkasian sees fit. The board would like this landscaping work to begin right away.

The board also discussed the linden tree (city tree) near 111 Jersey entrance with MA and Malkasian. (Some of the tree branches are growing into the fire escape of 111, and thus may be a fire hazard.) MA will find out the price for cutting down the branch closest to the building. MA will also find out the price for spraying the Jersey side linden tree and another linden tree (also a city tree) on Queensberry side of the building. MA will also find out if we need city permission to cut down branch and/or spray these city trees.

Terrazzo Sidearms Need Repairs
Chicarelli will not do the work. MA will talk to B&M Restoration about cost for applying partial fix.

Water Damage/Leaks Due to the March 15 Storm
Contractors fixed the problem with the damaged door of 107-19 (put in the new beam), and found no structural damage. DM did not like the quality of these contractors’ work. (They were Wolf Rock Construction).

Roof repairs (excluding skylights) to take place tomorrow. (A skylight is the owner’s responsibility. Skylight in 107-18 failed a long time ago and was sealed incorrectly. This improper seal now increased the effects of the leak. (Both skylights in 107-18 and in 107-19 are old. The skylight in 107-19 has been patched, but its seal was done correctly as opposed to the one in 107-18.)

MA to notify unit owners that skylights need to be replaced, and give them 60 days to do it. 107-18 and 107-19 both need higher curbs and/or better curbs. MA to ask them to present specs for the work before the work is done to protect the common areas. The board will review the specs promptly (within 3 business days) not to hold up the work.

The board questioned why the improper seal was not discovered earlier and proposed to add inspection of all skylights to our yearly roof inspection. MA stated that the skylights are already being inspected as part of the roof inspection.

The 107 door to the roof has wood with sealant on it, and the sealant is failing. The door needs to be resealed. Currently, resealing the door is not included in the quote from the roofer for fixing up the leaks in the roof. MA will ask roofers to fix the door as well (and hopes that it will be at no additional charge).

The ceiling in the common area will stay open until another big rain storm to make sure that the roof patches are holding up. MA to ask unit occupants in the nearby units to keep an eye out for any new leaks.

MA to start asking for estimates to replace the roof.

Repolishing Wood on the Fronnt Doors
On hold.

Renegotiate Insurance Deductible
Our insurance policy will be renewed in August. Can we renegotiate the deductible down to $5K for the common areas. The board thinks that while the deductible of $15,000 is appropriate for individual units, it is hard to manage for the common areas.

Move In Fees
In the efforts of raising income for the association, the board decided to increase the move-in fee for all owners. Starting on June 1st, the move-in fee will be $150 as opposed to $50 (currently).

Miscellaneous

• The board will consider being approved for a line of credit so that when we are ready to do the work, we can proceed even if we do not have enough cash in the reserves.
• MA has sent the letter to the 111-11 owners about the AC unit being installed too early in the year.
• MA to check if there is any money from the city available for dealing with the building settling due to the ground water issues, (when MA calls the city about permission to treat and trim the city trees around the property).

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

Refinishing of Exterior Entry Doors

(11/29/01) BB requested a bid for sanding and refinishing the doors in place to compare to bid (remove and refinish off-site, $2,700)...

(3/19/02) Work on hold until front entry porticos are cleaned.

(8/27/02) Door refinishing to be completed in October (weather related timeline). MA to
schedule.

(10/22/02) MA to schedule work for this month.

(11/19/02) Window of weather opportunity has been missed. MA to schedule work for early
spring.

(03/16/2010) Polishing the front doors (note that this is not the same as restoring the lobby) has been put on hold due to low cash flow. Modica has previously received several bids for this work. One high end bid was for ~$3600 per door; another bid from Summer Painting was ~$850 per door.

(04/20/2010) On hold.

(08/17/2010) 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—3rd bid. $3500 total.) The board eliminated Summer Painting. DM will talk to Vogt & Company(the high end bid), and MA will talk to Crescent.