BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING

Agenda & Report

Monday March 9, 2020, 7:30pm

Via ZOOM Meeting – www.zoom.com – Meeting ID#276-250-600

6:30PM – CLOSED SESSION (Management Office)

7:30PM – OWNER FORUM – 15 minutes, 2 minutes per person VIA ZOOM CHAT

The Board of Directors and Management will welcome and address questions and feedback from Unit Owners, via ZOOM chat.

Join The Meeting at www.zoom.com with Meeting ID#276-250-600

Or go to the link – https://us04web.zoom.us/j/276250600.

Or, join via conference call dialing 1-415-762-9988 and follow the prompts.

CALL TO ORDER

Roll Call – Confirm Quorum

The meeting chair, expected to be Board President Michael Parrie, will confirm a quorum of Board Members is present via ZOOM. Board Members and representatives from Management will be introduced.

Commission Reports

Commission chairs or members so designated will be invited to update the Board and Owners on business and activities.

Board Report

The Board President may give a report on current Association business and activities of interest.

Action Items

1. Closed Session Business

This agenda item is provided for any resolutions proposed resulting from Closed Session discussion.

2. Minutes – Board Meeting March 9, 2020

Attached to the meeting report for Board Member review, are the proposed minutes from the Board of Directors Meeting held on Monday March 9, 2020, as submitted by Timothy Patricio, Property Manager.

A sample motion: “I move the Park Tower Condo Board of Directors hereby approves the minutes from the Board Meeting held on Monday March 9, 2020.”

3. Annual Meeting Calendar

Attached to the report for Board consideration is a draft initial notice for the 2020 Annual Meeting of the Unit Owners, including the Board Election Rules and draft Candidate Application form.

We propose a scheduled of Annual Meeting activities for this year as follows:

a. Initial notice mailed Friday April 17th.

b. Candidate Application due by Friday May 8th at 5pm.

c. Formal Annual Meeting Notice and proxy forms mailed Friday May 15th.

d. Meet the Candidate Meeting Wednesday June 3rd 7pm.

f. Annual Meeting Monday June 8th 7:30pm.

A sample motion: “I move the Park Tower Condo Board of Directors hereby approve scheduling of the 2020 PTCA Annual Meeting of Unit Owners for Monday June 8th, 2020, at 7:30pm, as well as Meet the Candidates Night on Wednesday June 3rd at 7pm, and directs the necessary notices and mailings be drafted and distributed by Management as proposed.”

4. Guest/Permission To Enter/Construction Guidance

Our team has done as much as we reasonably can to encourage compliance with the State of Illinois ‘Stay At Home Order’, but on the collective behalf of our staff, hopefully it makes sense to everyone we can’t guard every door or entrance or babysit every single person coming and going and their purpose for doing so – Management and Staff can not at all act like bouncers at a night club, respectfully.

We have had an increase of complaints concerning Construction/Remodeling noise likely due to how many residents are working from or forced to be home. Likewise, general noise complaints, cigarette and marijuana odors. Everything. Not just folks who would otherwise not be scrutinized and/or criticized for improving their home and investment.

So it is understood, we have stopped considering any new construction or remodeling, unless it is necessary for the habitability of the unit or protecting the building. We are handling work orders the same way.

We would like to suggest issuing some formal ‘Park Tower specific’ guidance with Board support and input. Below are a few examples of essential vs non-essential categories of work and other traffic (based on what we routinely see) as we’ve tried best to reasonably determine them:

ESSENTIAL

•            Operable kitchen sinks and faucets. Supply lines and drains.

•            Operable bathrooms, sink/toilets/tubs. Supply lines and drains.

•            Operational HVAC convectors.

•            Anything dealing with major electrical work (if it poses a fire hazard).

•            Fire prevention, Health and Safety.

•            Leaking, flooding.

•            Repair/replacement of non-operational appliances.

•            Broken windows, or structural damage.

•            Food delivery.

•            Health care and volunteer assistance for the ill, seniors or elderly.

NON-ESSENTIAL

•            General remodeling upgrades (painting, decorating, adding/removing interior walls, etc.).

•            Hardwood flooring/carpeting replacement, unless water damaged or trip hazard.

•            Anything cosmetic or aesthetic.

•            Personal housekeepers (Mighty Maids, Dirt Devils, Stanly Steamer, etc.)

•            Guests in general that are not for the purpose of an essential activity.

This is guidance only, though we believe we can force postponement of non-essential construction and remodeling, by withholding approval. The present major health emergency and the fact most of us are forced to be at home could be argued as a more than reasonable purpose.

We are seeking Board input and as such, a sample resolution could be, “I move the Park Tower Condo Association Board of Directors, for the purpose of providing specific guidance to our residents and owners, suggests the following are examples of traffic and guests in the building which are considered acceptable and reasonably considered to be essential including______, and the following examples of traffic and guests in the building are considered not acceptable and are reasonably considered to be non-essential, and therefore strongly discouraged including______.”

5. Health Club Closure

After considering professional guidance and consulting with Board Members, the Health Club was closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. With particular regard to what we were learning about how contagious the disease is, the measure was deemed essential to help with the protection and well being of the entire Park Tower community. Management received a handful of strongly worded complaints for taking the measure from both Park Tower residents and those who live at 5445 and 5455. While we understand such amenities are essentially an extension of all Owners’ homes at Park Tower, with about 350 memberships and over 500 individuals coming to and from both within and without Park Tower, it was a necessary action in response to the developing health emergency.  We therefore request the Boards formal support via resolution, as well as guidance for extending memberships once the present health emergency subsides, and the facility is safe to re-open.

A sample motion: “I move the Park Tower Condo Association Board of Directors approves the closing of the Health Club weight room, cardio room and pool, and directs it remain closed until it is deemed more than reasonably safe to re-open, and hereby approves for Management to extend memberships that were active and in good standing, respective to the amount of time the Health Club remains closed.”

6. Lettuce Parking Agreement

Our present arrangement with Lettuce allows for a guaranteed parking reservation of 60 spots for mostly valet parking, and about 10 self-park spots. As of March, they actually had about 79 parkers altogether and being paid for. To maintain the reservation though, there is always the guarantee they will pay for a minimum of 60 spots.

At present they have about 15 employees working during the week on various shifts and all others working from home. They’ve therefore requested we reduce that reservation to 20 spots until the Illinois ‘Stay At Home’ Order is lifted, and their staff is given the green light to return to work.

A sample motion: “I move the Park Tower Condo Association Board of Directors approves temporarily reducing the parking reservation obligation for Lettuce Entertain You from 60 spots to 20 spots, until further notice or until the State of Illinois ‘Stay At Home’ Order is lifted, whichever comes first.”

7. HVAC – Main Isolation Valve

The main valve isolating the HVAC Risers from the cooling and heating plants, is no longer fully operational. This is the best time of year to replace it, and it is budgeted for $30,000 as a Reserve Project.

So far we’ve received one formal bid, one verbal, and are awaiting two others:

Emcore Team Mechanical           $27,700

Kroeschell Engineering                Not to exceed $30,000

Stanton Mechanical Inc.              $28,900 (Verbal)

WJ O’Neil Construction               Not to exceed $30,000

We expect to have the remaining formal proposals in time for the meeting.

A sample motion: “I move the Board of Directors approves replacement of the main heat exchanger isolation valve, at a cost not to exceed $30,000 [ or as proposed by ________ for $________ ], by a reputable vendor chosen by Management and the building engineer once at least three formal proposals have been received.”

8. Natural Gas Valve Train

We’ve experienced an unexpected failure of this component which is integral to the service and safety of the gas lines serving each main heating boiler. This particular valve train is specific to Boiler #2 which due to the problem is not presently available for use if needed. Therefore, Management chose to use its emergency powers for the safety and protection of the building to approve it’s immediate replacement. We expect the cost to fall under $15,000 and once we know, we will present to the Board for ratification.

Because the same fixture is the same age, original to the building and installed the same year as that of boiler #1, we suggest allowing for its replacement as well.

We respectfully request the Boards approval of our emergency action, under the expectation we will present the financial information relative to the work as soon as we have it. For efficiency and productivity’s sake, we suggest approval to do this work for both boilers. We would expect a better price for parts and labor if we contact the contractor and add boiler #1 to the work. This also eliminates the risk of it failing mid-winter, or at any time it is needed for that matter.

A sample motion: “I move the Board of Directors approves the action by Management to replace the Natural Gas Valve Train for boiler #2 without delay, and hereby sets a budget not to exceed $30,000, to replace both valve trains for boiler #1 and #2, and direct Management to present the invoices for the work, for formal ratification at a future Board meeting.”

9. Support Animal Request

Attached to the meeting report for Board review is an application from a Unit Owner for authorization to keep a Support Animal in the unit. We’ve also discussed an opinion in response from the Association’s legal counsel.

A sample motion: “I move the Board of Directors approves [or] denies a Unit Owner’s request for a support animal.”

10. Rental Policy Exception Request

Attached to the report for Board Review, is a request for the Board to grant a waiver from rental restrictions to the Owner of Unit 2309. The Board has the discretion to waive the rental limit if they believe there is a reasonable hardship or justifiable purpose for an exception.

A sample motion follows: “I move the Board of Directors (grants/denies) the rental exception request for the Unit Owners of 2309.”

11. Construction Requests

Attached to the report for Board Member review are the remodeling packets for Units 1114, 2106, 2707 and 4407.

1114 – Washer/Dryer Install & Kitchen Cabinets

2106 – Washer/Dryer Install & Bathroom Remodel

2707 – Full Remodel

4407 – Flooring Remodel

A sample motion follows: “I move the Board of Directors approves the remodeling plans of units 1114, 2106, 2707 and 4407, as submitted by the unit owner, following the recommendations of the building engineer as outlined in their written specifications and in accordance with the Rules and Regulations and remodeling guidelines of the Park Tower Condo Association.”

Business Reports

1.     Treasurer’s Report

Attached to the Report for Board Review is the February 2020 Balance Sheet and Statement of Income & Expenses from the Habitat Company.

Fund Balances End of February 2020

Operating assets totaled $1,348,756, the Reserve cash and investments were $1,876,412, for a total of cash and investments of $3,225,168.

February 2020 Revenue and Expenses

Total Operating Revenue: $570,373

Total Operating Expenses: $410,454

Income From Garage: $50,710

Contribution To Reserve: $144,975

Total Surplus: $210,629

2.     Management Report

a. Business and Activities – Management would like to review outlook for the years planned repair and improvement projects. Attached to the report for Board review is the Proposed Reserve Project Definitions.

b. Recent Sales Activity

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, the Board will consider adjourning the meeting.

A sample motion: “I move the Board of Directors adjourns the April 13, 2020 Board Meeting at ____PM.”

OWNER FORUM – 15 minutes, 2 minutes per person

The Board of Directors and Management will welcome and address feedback and questions from Unit Owners via ZOOM chat.

Next Board Meetings Scheduled for Monday April 27th and May 11th at 7:30pm. There is also a Resident Forum scheduled on Monday April 20th at 7pm. Until Further Notice, all meetings will be held online via ZOOM. Instructions to join the meeting will be posted in advance.