Log of Meeting Minutes

Meeting on May 26, 2006 at 9:00 a.m.

Attendees:

Nazanin Hakim

Helga Justman

Daniel Kassabian

Activities / Actions Taken:

·        The committee conducted a partial tour of the building, including the 14th floor storage area and roof, the 9th floor sky-deck, and the 3rd floor pool area and BBQ area.

Discussion:

·        The committee discussed making the 14th floor on the North Tower into a usable common area.  At present, access is only allowed for emergencies (e.g., evacuation from the roof).  The committee recognized, however, that this would probably be cost prohibitive because it would require windows to be installed AND elevator access in order to make use of the beautiful views.

·        The committee discussed making the 9th floor sky-deck into a more user-friendly common area by installing a glass wind-barrier fence, and/or cabanas to shield wind that commonly occurs there.  Also, food smells by the restaurant’s vents on that floor would need to be minimized.  Finally, adding or moving other design/landscaping elements (e.g., planters) could improve the area’s esthetics.

·        The committee members discussed putting wheels on the bases of the umbrellas in the 3rd floor BBQ area pool areas, so that the umbrellas can be easily moved around.  It was noted that some of the umbrellas were damaged and in need of repair.  It was noted that some of the trees were diseased and in need of trimming.  The committee had previously submitted a report, including a recommendation to purchase new pool and BBQ area furniture, which included a new table and set of chairs for the BBQ area.  The Board approved this report and recommendation, but these particular items were not yet purchased.

·        The committee discussed placing plastic/glass tops for the various wooden table tops and other wooden top-surfaces of the entertainment room, conference room, and sitting area furniture so that these pieces last longer (similar to want has been done with the conference room table and lobby security desk).  The committee members also discussed the theft / taking of the newspapers provided in the entertainment room.

·        The committee discussed painting the garage pillars and walls white or another light color to make it more esthetically pleasing.  The committee decided to forward this particular item to the Board and management to see if we can get a quote and if it can fit into the budget for the upcoming year.

Planned Items / Tasks Going Forward:

·        To complete the tour of the building.

·        Depending on the final prioritization of the various areas inspected, and upon settling on the exact projects / work contemplated, the committee members would locate and get quotes from specific vendors to get cost estimates for these projects contemplated.

·        To have the garaged painted immediately if the budget permits.  Follow-up:  This request was forwarded to the Board and management.  Due to the limited room in the budget for improvements, which were already allotted to improve security per the Security Taskforce Report, there was not room in the 2005-2006 budget.  However, the garage will be cleaned, as it is annually, and over time yellow pillar and wall-corner guards will be installed to minimize scrapes and scuffs on pillars and wall-corners.

·        To purchase the table and chairs per the committee’s previous report regarding pool and BBQ area furniture.  Follow-up:  This request was forwarded to the Board and management, resulting in the purchase of these items in early August.  

·        To trim the BBQ area trees, repair umbrellas, and to have wheels installed on pool and BBQ umbrella stands.  Follow-up:  These requests were forwarded to management.  The trees were trimmed and the umbrellas were repaired.  Also the building’s engineers will look into installing wheels on the umbrella bases.

·        Consult management to prevent further theft of newspapers.  Follow-up:  Management is placing stickers on these newspapers making it clear that they are not to be taken.  Also, management investigated who was responsible for the thefts and believes that they have successfully addressed the issue.    

Meeting on June 23, 2006 at 4:00 p.m.

Attendees:

Paula Book

Linda Dunn

Nazanin Hakim

Helga Justman

Daniel Kassabian

Amelia Torres (Association’s assistant manager)

Activities / Actions Taken:

·        Dan Kassabian welcomed new members Paula Book and Linda Dunn to the committee and gave them an overview of the committees goals / mission.

·        The committee members met in the 3rd floor conference room to discuss various design issues.  The Association’s assistant manager also was present.

Discussion:

·        The committee members discussed the need to have a consistent design theme in making any recommendations for improvement so that the building maintains an upscale look, and does not look like ideas that have been patched together.  The committee agreed that the building’s style, per various furniture and other elements, is modern, with clean lines. 

·        The committee members agreed that some of the particular furniture chosen has not withstood high-traffic area wear and tear, and in making and improvements this must be taken into account (as it was with the previous pool and BBQ area report).  In addition, the wooden floors in the lobby, the entrance to the 3rd floor of the amenities building, and the 3rd floor kitchen have been worn and damaged due to these being high-traffic areas.  The committee discussed the possibility of replacing these areas with stone / travertine or other, more durable flooring, keeping in mind costs and the projected replacement time per the Association’s reserve study. 

·        The committee discussed the need for a designer to consult on any major projects, once the committee decides to move forward with one, so that the consistent design theme can be achieved.  Hopefully, this service can be part of any purchases made.  For maintenance or replacement items, it was felt that the committee could provide sufficient guidance.

·        The committee discussed how the dollies in the lobby were not esthetically pleasing, and that it may be preferable to have them located in the garage.

·        The committee discussed what could be done with the 3rd floor entrances to the North and South Towers of the building, which were currently considered dark, dead space.  Suggestions included making one into a library / book-share room, with shelving so that people could make books, DVDs, available for sharing.  Another suggestion was to turn one of the rooms into an art showroom / gallery, where local artists could put their work on display and garner interest from residents in the building, including a community social event to kick-off a particular display.

·        The committee discussed how the landscaping had improved to a fair degree recently, but that there was still substantial room for improvement.  The building’s assistant manager indicated that management was looking at replacing the existing landscaper to one more dedicated to improving the quality of the existing landscaping.  She shared a proposal by the new landscaper, and the committee generally agreed that this was a good idea, even in view of the additional budget expenditure.  

Planned Items / Tasks Going Forward:

·        To complete the tour of the building.

·        To receive and review more details on the new landscaping proposal. 

Meeting on September 22, 2006 at 8:30 a.m.

Attendees:

Paula Book

Linda Dunn

Nazanin Hakim

Daniel Kassabian

Ramy Mora, Unit ___ (fitness center proposal)

Activities / Actions Taken:

·        Given the recent interest in the Association’s Fitness Center expressed by the community during Board meetings, the committee met with Ramy Mora to discuss his proposal for the same and to take a tour of the Fitness Center. 

·        The committee inspected the front entrance and lobby of the building.

·        The committee had planned on visiting a fitness center showroom located down the street, but due to a scheduling mix-up this did not occur. 

Discussion:

·        Ramy Mora indicated that a little over a year ago, due to injuries he had suffered, he took a particular interest in fitness and using proper techniques to become more physically fit.  He explained that he took a particular interest in improving the Association’s Fitness Center, and in consulting with a trainer determined that the current weight machines were based on outdated thinking that may actually harm the body.  So, he solicited a quote to sell the existing equipment and replace it with the equipment embodying the latest thinking: free-motion.  He also indicated that the community at large supported revamping the Fitness Center, and that there as a town-hall meeting, where community members expressed their views, and his proposal was an attempt to best capture what the majority wanted.  Ramy also indicated that due to the frequency of the cardio equipment breaking down, the maintenance cost was approaching the replacement cost of this equipment.  Ramy’s proposal included a map indicating where new equipment would be placed.  It also required an expenditure of around $50,000, given the low return for the equipment being sold. The committee thanked Ramy for his time and indicated that it would consider his proposal.  The committee discussed a leasing option for the cardio equipment that was recently obtained from management.

·        The committee members also toured the Fitness Center itself.  It was noted that ventilation was an issue at times, and noted that the partially elevated flooring looked irregular, and presented an issue because it limited how weight machines could be relocated.  It was noted that the area on the 2nd floor, just outside the Fitness Center, was dead space and could be utilized if the Fitness Center could be expanded / opened-up to include this area.  The need for more treadmills, and space for the same, also was noted as well.  Their placement, to maximize the view of the marina and bay, was discussed

·        The committee noted that building maintenance could be improved by taking better care of furniture.  For examples, stain removal for upholstery could be improved, and damaged wood could be better masked with wood coloring markers or the like.

·        The committee conducted a quick tour of the lobby.  It was noted that the lobby flooring looked worn, and that the mailbox area walls and wall corners were damaged.  The floor damage by the entrance to the garage was also noted, but the committee understood that leaks that caused the damage remained unresolved, and that the Association was pursuing the resolution of this issue through the litigation, which may delay its repair. 

·        The committee conducted a quick tour the outside, main entrance area.  It was noted that the plastic sign hanging from the canopy structure was not upscale, especially compared to other building entrances.  It was noted that the palms in the ground floor planters were dying, and that it would be preferable to have them replaced with smaller palms that could be sustained given the planters’ size.  It was noted that the exterior brick façade looked worn due to stains.

·        The committee discussed that, in view of the many projects and areas that could be improved, it needed better direction and understanding as to how to prioritize improvements to these areas.  The committee discussed conducting a survey to determine which areas the Association’s membership would prefer the committee to focus its efforts on, so as to have recommendations in place for next year’s budget, and to have a better understanding which items were up for replacement by use of reserves.

Planned Items / Tasks Going Forward:

·        To complete the tour of the building to get a full understanding of all areas that require attention or could be improved upon significantly.

·        To receive and review more details on the new landscaping proposal. 

·        To review reserve study and understand from management which design elements require attention in the coming year per the reserve study.

·        To formulate a survey to help the committee prioritize among areas identified as in need of improvement¾e.g., the main entrance and lobby; the Fitness Center; the waterfall / pond area; the 9th floor sky deck; etc. ¾and to understand, what if any, additional amounts the community would be willing to pay to improve these areas.  Upon arriving at a prioritization, the committee could focus its efforts on one area at a time.

·        To meet with management and maintenance staff to discuss maintenance items.

Meeting on December 1, 2006 at 9:00 a.m.

Attendees:

Paula Book

Helga Justman

Daniel Kassabian

Activities / Actions Taken:

·        Discussed items for which maintenance were needed.

·        Discussed furniture items that will be up for replacement per the Reserve Study and a plan of action for replacing the same.

·        Discussed outline of a survey to help the committee prioritize among areas identified as in need of improvement. 

·        The committee agreed that these minutes can be made available to the Association’s membership, either by posting physically or online.

Discussion:

·        Per Nazanin Hakim’s e-mail, she would not longer be able to participate in work of the committee.  Per a response e-mail, the committee thanked her for her participation to date.

·        In terms of maintenance, the committee members noted that the landscaping was improved, and that generally maintenance was pretty good. 

·        The committee also noted that more emphasis needed to be placed on the repair and maintenance of common area wooden furniture, including buffing out, staining, or using furniture markers to repair scuffs and scratches.  Also, better care should be taken in handling and moving of these items during events in the third-floor entertainment room.

·        The committee also noted that, if possible, the lobby floor needed to be buffed to reduce shoe marks and other spots.  It was understood that replacement of the floor may be forthcoming now that the leak into the lobby had been repaired.  Also, in replacing the lobby floor, the committee recommended using stone tiles, such as travertine, that should hold up better in such a high-traffic area.

·        In terms of replacing furniture, the committee reviewed the Reserve Study, and generally noted that many furniture items were due to be replaced in 2007-08.  Thus, planning for this in the coming year was essential. 

·        It was also agreed that many items, if repaired, would not need replacement in 2007-08 – e.g., the furniture in the lobby waiting area.  However, other items – e.g., the entertainment room furniture – are looking worn and when replaced should be replaced with furnishings designed for wear and tear, and easy repair and maintenance, such as from Knoll.

·        Helga Justman recommended the use of a local interior designer, John Stewart, in replacing furniture items, so that any new purchases would blend with current colors and themes.  She and others in the building have used this particular designer.  The committee decided to take a closer look at the amounts budgeted for furniture replacement in the Reserve Study, and from there decide if there is sufficient money to retain a designer and purchase items separately wholesale, or have consultation included in as part of retail purchase from a design store. 

·        The committee discussed the use of a survey to better understand where the community would like to see improvements.  For example, with respect to the fitness center, Dan Kassabian indicated that many members wished for it to be improved, and some may be even willing to pay a one-time assessment to procure better equipment, etc.  However, as pointed out by Helga Justman, and recognized by all, other members thought the quality of the current gym equipment was par for the community of this type and composition, and there were many options for health enthusiasts.  Moreover, some members would have their own budgetary concerns with increased charges by the Association, even if it was for an improvement / upgrade rather than maintenance.

·        The committee decided to construct a survey noting the many areas examined that may be subject to significant improvement, including the fitness center, the building entrance / lobby, the water fountain area, the 9^th floor sky-deck, and possible use of the 14^th floor.  In addition to asking the members to prioritize which areas need to be improved, the survey would also ask whether the member would support an additional payment to have such improvements.  Dan Kassabian indicated that the committee should further discuss this when Linda Dunn could be present, because she mentioned some survey software that may be able to assist us.

Meeting on January 26, 2007 at 9:00 a.m.

Attendees:

Paula Book

Linda Dunn

Helga Justman

Daniel Kassabian

Activities / Actions Taken:

·        Discussed items for which maintenance was needed and how to proceed with ensuring such maintenance takes place.

·        Discussed hiring an interior designer, John Stewart, or someone else with experience in the building to provide designs and recommendations to update the lobby and third floor recreation area. Mr. Stewart will be present at the committee’s next meeting.

·        Agreed on plan of action to make survey ranking the areas identified as needing improvement.

Discussion:

·        The committee again noted that more emphasis needed to be placed on the repair and maintenance of common area wooden furniture, including buffing out, staining, or using furniture markers to repair scuffs and scratches.  The committee agreed that it needs to meet with management to set out goals with respect to the same and follow-up on their execution. All members will take pictures and write down items to be presented to management.

·        The committee discussed the need for a designer to give recommendations for replacement of existing worn furniture, in keeping with the design themes of the building.  The committee also noted that the lobby in particular was looking extremely worn, and should be an area of focus, in addition to the third floor recreation area in the amenities building.

·        The committee agreed that it needs to move forward with the survey to all homeowners.  Dan and Linda will work on this project using the survey tool at zoomerang.com to construct the survey.