Past Board Meetings

MEMBERS PRESENT 
Kaveh Bakhtiari 
Lynda Massa, Vice President
Russ Petro, President
Dean Valentine

MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATIVES
Chuck Patterson, Property Manager
Richard Zielinski, Property Supervisor

The first BOARD OF DIRECTORS (henceforth referred to as “the Board”) meeting of the 2010 session of the MUSEUM PARK LOFTS CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION 125 EAST 13^TH STREET (henceforth referred to as “the Lofts Association”) began at 7:31 P.M, proceeded by a meet and greet with 125 EAST 13^TH STREET CONDOMINIUM OWNERS AND INVESTORS (henceforth referred to as “Unit Owners”). The Board PRESIDENT of the Lofts Association (henceforth referred to as “President”), Russ Petro, asked BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEMBERS (henceforth referred to as “Directors”) to take their seats. Copies of the Agenda were then handed out.

2010 BUDGET DISCUSSIONS

President Petro notified Unit Owners that they would be receiving a copy of the Lofts Association 2010 budget within a week. He asked that it be reviewed, and questions directed to Directors at the next meeting. He pointed out that there would be no increase in the regular assessment this budget year.

THE LEASING MORATORIUM

President Petro explained that the Lofts Association has decided to conduct a proxy vote of the Unit Owners on a leasing moratorium (henceforth referred to as “The Moratorium”). The proxy will be sent out to Unit Owners before the end of January. In 2008, a similar proposal was asked of the Unit Owners, but it failed to garner the necessary votes. Director Kaveh Bakhtiari discussed the percentage of Unit Owners needed for approval.

The Moratorium would restrict leasing units to no more than 20% of all units, and require background checks for all renters. The voting on the proxy will last until July 15, 2010. Until such time, The Board has placed a moratorium on any new rental leases. And they will survey all units, to find out how many have renters as tenants.

A Unit Owner asked if the Lofts Association would split the proxy into two separate issues. One, require Unit Owners to have all renters submit to a background check, and the leasing restriction be the other proxy. President Petro tabled the matter for Board consideration.

VICE PRESIDENT OF THE LOFTS ASSOCIATION (henceforth referred to as “Vice President”) Lynda Massa recounted how the last proxy on the Moratorium went. Only 60% of the Unit Owners voted, and even though an overwhelming amount of the vote was for the Moratorium, they didn’t reach the 66% needed for ratification.

Another Unit Owner asked the Lofts Association to consider a rule change whereby if a Unit Owner doesn’t vote on a proxy, then that non-vote is considered in support of The Board’s decision. President Petro tabled the matter to the Lofts Association’s Attorney.

LOFTS ASSOCIATION ATTORNEY

President Petro moved to ratify a new law firm for the Lofts Association, Burton A. Brown and Associates. Director Massa seconded. President Petro disclosed that one of the Directors knows a lawyer at the law firm. Director Bakhtiari asked for a notation to be made that he recused himself from any voting on the change in law firms. Otherwise, the motion passed without dissent.

LANDSCAPE

President Petro ceded the floor to Vice President Massa, a representative of the Landscaping Committee, to discuss the landscaping proposal. Vice President Massa noted that, after an eighteen-month search, the Lofts Association has retained Daniel Weinbach & Partners, Ltd as the building’s landscape architects. The architect representatives that the Board has been dealing with are Wendy Schulenberg and Doug Sarginson.

Vice President Massa introduced a booklet of Daniel Weinbach & Partners previous designs around the city of Chicago. She also introduced the schematic design the landscaping firm had proposed for the building’s properties. The final plans aren’t finalized, but the Vice President invited all interested Unit Owners to review the architectural designs and booklets already submitted by the landscaping firm.

No final price has been proposed. The areas under consideration by the Landscape Committee will include an updated irrigation system, the parkway, a fence, trees, pottery, etc.

The Landscaping Committee recommends a Special Assessment to cover the price of the landscape remodeling. They warned that if the regular assessment was raised that it would never be lowered. Bills will be sent out to Unit Owners before February 1, 2010. The Special Assessment will need to be paid within four months.

President Petro moved to levy a Special Assessment upon Unit Owners. Vice President Massa seconded. The motion passed without dissent.

MANAGEMENT REPORT

A Unit Owner asked about the Cable Company Proposal. President Petro noted that project was tabled till the next meeting.

President Petro, introduced Chuck Patterson, the new Property Manager; to whom the floor was ceded for the Lofts Association management report. At the beginning of his report, Mr. Patterson addressed the flooding issues over the past month:

11/28/09 Flood – A tenant left the sink running, and twelve units were flooded.

12/21/09 Flood – A laborer doing repair work broke a sprinkler head, flooding six units. The insurance of the contractor will cover the costs of the damages.

01/08/10 Flood – In a unit, a gasket in the supply line to the sprinkler head failed, resulting in three units being flooded. The supply line was in the laundry closet, and most of the water went down the drain. A clean up crew was called in immediately to limit the liability.

Besides the floods, Mr. Patterson has received many complaints concerning plumbing. In his report, he noted that Emcore Plumbing was chosen to investigate, and repair pipes.

A Unit Owner asked if it was okay to turn off the water when a situation such as the January 8^th flood reoccurs. Mr. Patterson cautioned against turning off the sprinkler systems before the fire department can investigate in a similar cases.

A form will be sent out to Unit Owners requesting if they want the Property Office, including the Manager and Maintenance people, to sign for delivery packages. The Property Office will not sign for packages unless the form is on record. The form will release the Property Office from any liability from signing the package.

Richard Zelinski, Property Supervisor, has asked for bids from security companies to present to the Lofts Association for consideration.

If any resident has problems with the Automatic Dialing System, please contact the Property Office.

President Petro extended a warm welcome to the building for Mr. Patterson.

FINANCIALS

President Petro ceded the floor to Mr. Zelinski to deliver the Treasurer’s Report.

Director Dean Valentine moved to adjourn the Meeting. President Petro seconded. The Meeting was adjourned at 8:31 PM.

THIS IS A WEB VERSION OF HIGHLIGHTS OF THE JANUARY 13^TH BOARD MEETING. THIS DOCUMENT IS TO BE PUBLISHED ON THE 125^TH EAST 13^TH STREET WEB SITE. UNIT OWNERS MAY REQUEST FURTHER INFORMATION FROM THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OR BUILDING ATTORNEY.