In a recent email, we notified you of open Board positions and strongly encouraged owners to apply. We need to periodically change the Board composition so no one position dominates. This also gives more owners awareness of how the building operates. Since the decision is made by a vote of the owners, it would be helpful if the voters understood more about candidate’s views on important topics such as these below. You may not have enough information to have specific opinions but you do have values that guide you in one general direction or another. Your vision for the building is important. What would you like to accomplish if elected to the Board? These topics are only examples.
- Building projects. Our 93 year old building still has work to be done to keep it in good shape and protect our financial investment. These projects are paid for by supplements to the budget. So there is always a balance between wanting to continue with important capital projects (such as elevators, roofs, etc.) and not wanting to spend too much. What is your general position?
- Pet policy. The Master Deed makes several statements giving cause for various interpretations about how the decision about pets is made. In addition to the legal issues, there are also the wishes of the owners.
- Staffing levels. A major portion of the operating budget consists of paying for staff who provide security, keep the building clean, make repairs, coordinate building projects as well as projects within units, repair damage caused by leaks, handle the accounting functions, help residents with their issues, concerns, and more. All this is paid for in large part by our regime fees. What is your general opinion about the balance between having all these functions performed and the amount of your regime fee?
There are many important decisions to be made about the standards we expect for our building. All these affect property values and livability. I strongly encourage interested owners to apply. Please send a written response to these issues with your background to Joy Jarvis who will disseminate it so all owners have a better understanding of who they are voting for.
Thank you.