MEETING ENTRAILS

The Board Members were in good spirits when the meeting commenced, one of them having  just received her last new window installation.  All was warm and cozy.  The WITHOUT PREJUDICE letters having been duly distributed, the Agenda was approved.  Two sets of Minutes dated July 25 and October 15, 2013 were approved, with certain amendments.

Next up was a Resolution to have a member previously slated for eviction, sign a 2-year Performance Agreement.  I stated that this was the first time that a Performance Agreement Resolution had come before the Membership for approval.  A discussion ensued - that it was for the betterment of the co-op.  I stated that I objected to this Performance Agreement in that the Property Manager could then make the member sign an agreement before a Judge, make the member pay for the co-op's legal fees and that fictitious charges could put the member in arrears, thereby violating the Performance Agreement.  I stated that if the Property Manager didn't get her way the first time, she'd try again. 

The Chairperson (a Board Member) ruled me out of Order according to the Roberts Rules of Order.  I then stated that they could kick me out of the meeting, but that I would speak my mind.  The meeting bumbled on.

The Property Manager gave an update on the Dotmocracy Planning Session - fixing the non-existent 60 back decks in Phase 1 and all.  It didn't matter that the Capital Expenditures totalled $100,000. for this year alone - everything went as planned.  Later during the meeting the subject of tearing down the fences and sheds came up.

Sheds for the 3 & 4 bedroom units will remain as they are tucked underneath the balconies in the front of the units.  I shudder to think of what the co-op will look like stripped of the back yard sheds and fencing.  There will be no privacy and in its place will be free-reining BBQ's, garbage containers, junk of all kinds, and members' dogs running at large.  Of course, preferred members will be able to keep their fencing and archways, but members will not be allowed to discuss this tiny discrepancy at a member's meeting.   Further discussion of sheds and fences will be held at our next Members Meeting.

The Treasurer presented the 2014-15 budget.  I asked why only $1,500. was budgeted for legal fees.  As stated in my previous post, the Board Member and Property Manager reiterated the fact that it was accurate and that all legal fees are charged back to whatever member is targeted at the time.  I asked who their lawyer was - the co-op has changed lawyers.

I asked why $3,700. was budgeted for By-law review.  The Board member said that the co-op's By-law Review Committee has linked up with a consultant from CHASEO - hence the fee.  I didn't ask who the people are on this committee, but I can well assume they were hand picked by the Board of Directors.
 
I asked why the Unit Maintenance & Repair line was only budgeted at $2,400.  The Property Manager stated that this little known line was questioned before.  (No, it wasn't this line - it was the Security line.  I said at the time that it pertained to the alarm system.) The 2014-15 budget was then unanimously approved.

Next up was the approval of our auditors.  Dissatisfaction with our auditors was expressed by the Board of Directors in that the auditors tacked on fees not initially agreed upon.  Three quotes were obtained, and to no one's surprise our auditors were re-approved.  These auditors are part of Cost Cutters, a kick back scheme for CHASEO.

Next up was a Resolution for the construction of a swing set to be placed in a common area which I shall call the Dumping Ground.  It is a known flood zone and unkempt.  This area was destroyed when a Board of Directors decided to turn a landscaped burm into a snow removal area.  To achieve this in the most destructible way possible, tons of rocks were unloaded on the flat surface and down the sides of this burm.  Evergreen trees have been ripped to shreds because of the massive dumping of snow and grit.  The Property Manager smoothed this over by saying that the trees were too close to a unit anyhow.

I mentioned that municipalities have done away with swings because of liability issues.  Not a problem - a Board member stated that our insurance has already gone up by $10,000. purportedly because of our new play park.  No one blinked about this, nor did anyone ask what kind of swings were going to be placed in this common area, so I did.  There will be two swings for older kids and one bucket swing.  Because the park is dedicated to First Responders, two new First Responder type spring toys will be constructed.  I didn't tell them that the police car spring toy doesn't work - it doesn't rock as the stones and wood chips are too high.

I had earlier raised the subject of squirrels and this was up next for discussion.  I said that the squirrels were misbehaving, that they were f---------- (not the F word - the other word) and reproducing - in other words they were not vamoosing from the co-op.  (As the whole meeting was tape recorded, it will be interesting to see if the F-word is transcribed verbatim.)  The members took up this subject with passion - one member suggested putting bleach in garbage bags, another person blamed members for continuing to feed squirrels and yet another member earnestly related how New Yorkers were now eating squirrels.  On two occasions I turned the discussion back as to why I brought the subject up.  I said that the Pet By-law and the Parking By-law will never work.  The Chairperson said that we were only talking about squirrels.  The squirrel discussion was addressed under the Agenda heading, Parking Lot Items.  He seemed to agree that squirrels fit under this category quite well.

Before the discussion was dropped entirely, I asked members to keep an eye out for the 'Cow-Cat'.  Some people knew the cat I was talking about - the black and white elongated, totally emaciated cat.  This cat was abandoned by a member (most probably in excellent standing).  I urged people to let me know about the cat because I would like to somehow save that cat.  The members didn't get that either.  In order to save the cat, I would be in violation of the Pet By-law by feeding a stray animal.  Squirrels attracted coyotes some members declared.  No one said anything about the Board member's half a dozen outdoor roaming cats attracting coyotes.  Common sense did not prevail.

The topic of vacancy losses came up near the end of the meeting.  The Chairperson said that it was a difficult time of the year to fill units - would anyone like to move in this cold weather?  Tell that to the subsidized people who received notices to downsize in 15 days just before Christmas and New Years.  No mercy was shown to them - in fact it was done to purposefully cause as much distress as possible - they were not afforded a 70-day notice.

And with that the meeting came to a close - not before being handed out Dotmocracy stickers though to place on wall mounted posters.  And with the quick-second placement of these stickers, our next Maintenance priorities will be declared.