Author: Skytrack

Meeting of the Skytrack Board of Managers, Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Present: Michael Tedesco, President; Katharine Flanders Mukherji, Vice President; Matthew Pilkington, Treasurer; Peter Levy; Terra Chalberg; Anne Gilbert; Miranda Magnanini. Also present were Kathleen Malara, Managing Agent, and Valdet Bolevic, Superintendent

The Zoom meeting was called to order at 7:35p.m.

Reading of the May minutes was waived. No minutes were taken at the mini-meeting held after the Annual Meeting, at which three out of four officers were reelected although the secretary slot remained vacant. The annual meeting minutes have not yet been posted as there isn’t a secretary to incorporate edits, as Rose, the outgoing secretary, had done. The Financial Report was skipped because the May Financials had not been available to the Treasurer. The newest board member, Miranda Magnanini, was welcomed.

The Super’s report and Management report

Valdet reported on tree removal plans at 16 Dean Street and discussed irrigation system needs for hedges. Based on the building manager’s explanation, the board decided to implement city required Empire bins for trash collection requiring a $2,310 annual fee. 

The board unanimously selected Verrazzano over two other bidders as the contractor for exterior metal railing painting at $55,475, with discussions about handling greenery during the work, and the potential addition/expense of bulkhead painting which requires scaffolding or a cherry-picker. This project should not wait any longer due to ongoing metal deterioration and rising contractor fees. 

Board Discussions

The group addressed the need for a new secretary to handle administrative duties, like lease reviews and document management. Peter offered to handle digital records organization but declined the secretary position. Matthew offered to serve as interim secretary until a dedicated secretary can be assigned. The group explored using AI for meeting transcription and streamlining administrative tasks like lease management. Miranda suggested potential automation solutions for shifting some of the record keeping onus onto the lessors. Kathleen confirmed that 12 out of 50 units are currently rented, representing about 24% of apartments.

Confirmation of current officers followed: Michael as president, Katharine as vice president, Matthew as treasurer, and Matthew serving as interim secretary until a permanent replacement is found.

The group identified the need to find someone to take over Local Law 97 liaison work from Rose, with Hannah previously mentioned as potentially willing to help as a consultant.

New Owner Welcome Event Discussion

Miranda proposed and offered to host a cocktail party for new owners and introduce them to the board, potentially recruiting new members. The group discussed potential formats for the gathering, with Kathleen suggesting a potluck-style event on the roof decks. 

Additional Topics

The meeting also touched on several agenda items, including a letter from John Carluccio, and broken tiles at 120 Boerum Place, with Kathleen raising concerns about multiple damaged tiles in high-traffic areas. 

Kathleen noted that construction in Apartment 1M would begin in mid-July, coinciding with courtyard fence installation between units 1M and 1N.

Solar Panel and Bylaw Updates

The board discussed John Carluccio’s suggestions about solar panels and agreed to reconsider the issue following an upcoming contractor’s visit, scheduled for July 30, 2026.

They also discussed John’s suggestions for bylaw amendments aimed at building-wide improvements, including window replacements by the condominium; however, Kathleen noted that required bylaw changes, and bylaw changes require special meetings and a 66.67% owner approval. 

Renewable Energy Options Discussion

Anne offered to lead efforts to identify potential companies to assess new energy solutions, with input from Miranda and Matthew about solar and wind technology considerations. 

The next meeting was scheduled for September 29th.

Minutes of Board of Managers Meeting, January 27, 2026, which was called to order at 7:31 pm, held via Zoom.

Board Members Present: Michael Tedesco, President; Matthew Pilkington, Treasurer; Rose Firestein, Secretary; Peter Levy; Long Vu and Nick Jonas.

Also in Attendance:  Kathleen Malara, EM Holding Corp.; Valdet Boleviq, Superintendent

Approval of Prior Board Minutes

Via email, the board approved the minutes of its December 16, 2025, meeting.

Management and Superintendent’s Report

• A leak in unit 6 at 134 Boerum Place was addressed by waterproofing a portion of the parapet wall and drain.
• Six  roof fans were installed. One owner at 134 Boerum Place complained of the noise. A possible solution will be investigated, but the fans are legally mandated.
• When the buildings lost heat for a short time during the current cold snap, Val resolved the problem quickly, and heat was restored.
•  Val insulated the shed at 15 Bergen St. that holds multiple pipes which had little or no insulation. 
• Val checked the roof drains, some of which were closed or almost closed, and opened them; insulated the pipes in the window wells; and unblocked some exterior locks with WD40 or a torch.
• Val reported that Spectrum’s connection box at 120 Boerum Place has a broken latch and won’t close. Kathleen and Val believe a Spectrum technician broke it and have requested multiple times that Spectrum fix this. They will continue to follow up on this issue. 
• The metal pipes Veriozon installed in 134 Boerum Place to carry its optical fibers to each floor will be painted to make them less noticeable.
• The snowblower is not working. Kathleen is looking for someone to fix it.
• Kathleen reported that since the last board meeting, she made additional requests to the wholesaler of the carpet tiles needed to replace those in the area at 120 Boerum Place leading from the mailbox area, as discussed in previous minutes. The wholesaler has failed to respond and Kathleen will follow up on this with the vendor.

Skytrack Board minutes, Jan. 27, 2026, Page 2 of 2

Financial Report of the Treasurer

Matthew reported that Skytrack ended 2025 with a loss of approximately $6,000. This was due primarily to a substantial increase in water usage as discussed below, replacement of multiple roof fans and arrears in common charge payments. The large expenses that are being paid by installments are close to being paid off. The board budgets for anticipated expenses in a way that prevents a significant surplus which would be treated as profit and taxed. It, therefore, happens that the condo will operate in the red for short periods of time.

Old and New Business

• Matthew also reported the results of his review of the condo’s water usage. He found that it increased from 34,898 to 46,276 hundred cubic feet (22%) from 2024 to 2025, resulting in an $8,000 increase in cost after accounting for the 8 percent rate increase. The total cost of water and sewer was $46,276 in 2025. Likely causes of the increased usage are leaking faucets, continuously running toilets and the need to drain the system to make repairs when the relevant unit owner has failed to install a shut-off valve. The board decided to send a notice to owners and tenants describing the increased water usage and requesting that they monitor their faucets and toilets to ensure they don’t run constantly and repair these conditions when found. This notice would also ask owners and tenants to help prevent frozen pipes during especially cold weather by ensuring their windows and any roof doors found open be closed and locked where possible and to keep the heat turned on at a low temperature when they are away for some time.
• An owner at 120 Boerum Place complained that the intercom was not working properly. As noted in previous minutes, the board is investigating the nature of this problem, whether a work-around or repairs will resolve it without having to replace the whole system, which would be a significant cost, how the cost of a replacement system would have to be allocated between the condo and owners under the bylaws, and which replacement system would strike the right balance between cost and appropriateness to the needs of the owners. This investigation will continue. 
• A garage owner requested the board’s approval of a plan to install an electric vehicle charging station in the garage. The request did not comply with the requirements of Real Property Law § 339-LL governing such installations in a condominium’s property. The owner will be advised of this.
• Peter agreed to review which leases have lapsed so the board can take appropriate action. The process for doing this in the future will be discussed further in subsequent board meetings.

Adjournment and next meeting date

A motion to adjourn was passed at approximately 9:10 pm. The Board will next meet on February 24, 2026.

Skytrack Board minutes, Jan. 27, 2026, Page 2 of 2

Minutes of Board of Managers Meeting, October 28, 2025, which was called to order at 7:30 pm, held via Zoom.

Board Members Present: Michael Tedesco, President; Katharine Flanders Mukherji, Vice-President; Matthew Pilkington, Treasurer; Rose Firestein, Secretary; Peter Levy; Terra Chalberg 

Also in Attendance:  Kathleen Malara, EM Holding Corp.; Valdet Boleviq, Superintendent

Approval of Prior Board Minutes

Via email, the board approved the minutes of its September 30, 2025, meeting.

Management and Superintendent’s Report

• The radiator valve in unit 1R at 15 Bergen was replaced. Because of the unique design of 15 Bergen’s domestic hot water system, the building’s entire system had to be drained and a spigot installed in the backyard before the valve could be replaced. This took around six hours Instead of the short amount of time normally needed for this type of repair. Consequently, the board is investigating a long-term solution to  the current need to drain 15 Bergen’s entire system whenever work needs to be done that impacts its domestic hot water system. The owner is responsible for the cost of replacing the valve while the condominium is responsible for the additional cost incurred in draining the building’s system because this added step was needed due to the building’s design.
• The board is also investigating solutions to air being trapped in the domestic hot water system and the delay in hot water reaching some units. Currently, the pumps are not working at an optimal level, and it may be necessary to add or reposition circulating pumps and valves. A plumbing company has been asked for recommendations to address these issues.
• The board also discussed whether the boiler’s hot water temperature setting should be raised to reduce the delay in hot water reaching some units. The legal standard is that the water must reach in-unit faucets above 120°F. Val stated that increasing the outflow temperature would defeat the effect of the recently replaced mixing valve on energy costs and suggested that the efficiency of the existing circulating pumps be investigated.
• The condominium has consulted with a plumber concerning the flooding in the courtyards, and the plumber will submit a proposal. Until this issue is resolved either by taking corrective action or a board decision that the proposed solution is beyond the condominium’s means or is unlikely 

Skytrack Board minutes, October 28, 2025, page 1 of 3

to be successful, the issue of diverting the roof water on the M line of 120 Boerum Place will be held in abeyance. 

• The buildings will be winterized during the second week of November.
• It is believed that the courtyard fence between 1M and 1N at 120 Boerum Place has not been replaced, although the owners of 1N were notified that either they had to do this or the condominium would contract for this work at the owner’s expense. This message will be reiterated and a deadline imposed. If the owners of 1N do not comply within this deadline, the condominium will proceed to replace the fence and bill the owners for its cost.
•  The state of the carpet and tile on the first floor of 120 Boerum Place was again discussed. The condominium does not have and cannot acquire a sufficient number of carpet tiles to replace the dirtiest part of the carpet, which runs from where the lobby tile ends to the first turn of the hallway. This section is the most heavily traveled within the building, is especially unsightly and does not adequately remove the outdoor dirt that is now being tracked throughout the building. In contrast, the carpeting close to the Dean Street entrance, which has a rougher texture, has successfully kept out much of the dirt that would otherwise be tracked into the rest of the building. Based on these considerations, the board voted to replace the carpeting that runs from the end of the lobby tile to the first hallway turn, an area that is approximately 20 feet by 5 feet, with a piece of carpet (not tiles) that is the same or of a similar texture as that which was installed at the Dean Street entrance of the building. 

At this time, the broken tiles in the lobby will not be replaced, as doing so would require work on the structure under the tiles. The board acknowledged that the owners of the units on floors two and three of 120 Boerum Place have requested that the hallway carpeting on their floors be replaced and their doors be repainted. As compared to the first-floor carpet that is being replaced, the second- and third-floor carpeting was judged (1) not as deteriorated and (2) not contributing to the deterioration of the rest of the building’s carpeting.

Financial Report of the Treasurer

• The condominium’s water bills have increased by approximately 30 percent and have far outstripped the amount budgeted for this service. Matthew Pilkington will investigate whether this increase is due to increased usage, an increased rate, incorrect readings, a leak in a pipe or other cause and will report his findings to the board. 
• Arrears in the payment of common charges continue to be a problem.
• Otherwise, the condominium is in reasonable financial shape, although upcoming necessary and committed-to high-cost maintenance and repairs may create a financial strain. Historically, Skytrack has structured its common charges and special assessments so they cover needed expenses but do not create a surplus that is subject to tax.

Old and New Business

• Deciding whether to paint the bulkhead staircase in 120 Boerum Place was postponed until spring since no work can be done on this project until the weather warms.

Skytrack Board minutes, October 28, 2025, page 2 of 3

• Clarification will be sought on the scope of work covered by the three bids the condominium received for repairing or replacing the garage’s façade. Whenever this is done, management will attempt to work out a payment plan that spreads the cost over time.
• The board approved holiday bonuses for Val Boleviq, our superintendent, and Patrick Knights, our porter.
• This holiday season, please remember to show Val and Patrick your appreciation for all of their hard work this year.

Adjournment and next meeting date

A motion to adjourn was passed at 9:20 pm. The Board will next meet on December 17, 2025, at 7:30 pm via Zoom.

Skytrack Board meeting, October 28, 2025, page 3 of 3

Minutes of Board of Managers Meeting, March 31, 2026, which was called to order at 7:32 pm, held via Zoom.

Board Members Present: Michael Tedesco, President; Katharine Flanders Mukherji, Vice-President; Matthew Pilkington, Treasurer; Rose Firestein, Secretary; Peter Levy; Anne Ashby Gilbert and Terra Chalberg.

Also in Attendance:  Kathleen Malara, EM Holding Corp.; Valdet Boleviq, Superintendent.

Approval of Prior Board Minutes

Via email, the board approved the minutes of its February 24, 2026, meeting.

Superintendent’s Report

• Val painted the lobby at 120 Boerum Place and the Verizon pipe at 134 Boerum Place; cleaned the portions of the awning at 120 Boerum Place that could be reached by ladder but left the writing intact; prepared the snowblower for use when needed; scraped, plastered and painted staircase A at 120 Boerum Place.
• The glass in the exterior door at 134 Boerum Place cracked. It has been taped, and the contractor who previously repaired similar cracks has been contacted to replace the glass.
•  Val is evaluating the hydraulic door-closures on interior doors and the exterior on staircase B at 120 Boerum Place, to determine whether they need to be adjusted or replaced. He will take appropriate action to keep them from banging closed.
• On one day, at least two units did not have hot water. Val restarted the boiler, which restored hot water. The boiler’s error code was the same as it was during a similar incident in February. An appointment has been made with a contractor to determine whether the pilot requires maintenance.

Management Report

• The delay in replacing the metal fence between units 1M and 1N is attributable to the weather. This will be taken care of once access to the two courtyards has been secured.
• Kathleen is requesting bids for painting all of the railings throughout the condominium.
• A bid for painting a bulkhead and outer staircase came in at $60,000. The board is considering whether to go forward with this maintenance at this time.
• Kathleen noted that the recently repaired garage parapet is peeling. She has contacted the contractor that made the repairs to remedy this problem, which it will do. The contractor stated that the problem probably resulted from making the repairs when it was too cold to do so. 
• Financial Report
• Matthew reported that In March the condominium transferred $7,000 from its savings account to checking. The total loss for the month across all accounts was $7,599.22. Kathleen characterized Skytrack’s financial condition as serious and noted that further withdrawals from savings would be ill advised.
• Major disbursements included payment of the quarterly water bill and the bill for natural gas, which included fuel for heating during an unusually cold period. The excess disbursements over the amount collected is particularly concerning because no insurance payment was due in March.
• Going forward, the cost of  insurance, which increased by approximately 9 percent to $11,313 per month, will continue to burden the condominium’s budget. The current annual cost is expected to reach around $140,000, which contrasts unfavorably to the $90,000 budgeted for this item based on the prior year’s experience. Matthew suggested that the increased cost of insurance is at least partially due to the decrease of competition in this market as companies have stopped writing certain types of policies for condominiums.
• The cost of insurance is not the only area in which the condominium’s expenses are increasing due to overall inflation. 
• The board has intentionally avoided building a surplus that could be used in the short term to cover increasing expenses in order to reduce or eliminate taxes on such a “profit.”
• In order to ensure the condominium remains financially stable, the board voted to increase common charges by at least 10-15 percent beginning in June 2026. The exact percentage will be determined following a consultation with our accountant.
• New and Old Business
• The narrowing of the sidewalk on Dean Street due to the new tree wells continues to be a concern. Anne suggested that thin-cut pavers could be placed flush with the sidewalk within the wells’ perimeter to create a stable, slightly wider space for pedestrian traffic. She will research the cost of such a solution and report to the board.
• The carpet tiles the board previously voted to replace in 120 Boerum Place have been delivered and will be installed.

• ReDocs has completed the 2026 annual LL 97 greenhouse gas report, and it will be filed on time.
• The annual owners’ meeting will be held via Zoom on June 2, 2026, at which time the terms of three board members, Michael, Matthew and Rose, will expire. A formal notice of the meeting will be sent to the owners in accordance with the Bylaws. Michael and Matthew indicated they will probably run for another term, but Rose will not.
• Several issues were raised about the condominium’s plantings. 
  • Several of the yews in the concrete planter that surrounds 120 Boerum Place have died, and others show signs of stress and probable disease. They also extend beyond the side of the planter which further reduces the width of the sidewalk on the Dean Street side. Because of how these plants grow, if they were pruned any further to be flush with the planter, they would have very little if any green on the side facing the sidewalk. The board voted to replace yews that die with boxwoods, which are extremely hardy, relatively fast-growing, more available and less expensive than yews and leaf along their branches making it possible to keep them green after pruning.
  • Rose will continue to water and care for the plants in the two most eastern tree wells on Bergen Street, the plants in the fenced area on Bergen, the tree wells on Boerum Place and the potted plants on Boerum Place through the three holly plants. She will not care for the yews, the tree wells and potted plants on Dean Street or  those in front of 15 Bergen Street. The board will ask the owners for volunteers to help maintain the plants in these areas in order to relieve Val who has a great deal on his plate.

Adjournment and next meeting date

A motion to adjourn was passed at 8:42 pm. The board will next meet on April 28, 2026.

Minutes of Board of Managers Meeting, February 24, 2026, which was called to order at 7:31 pm, held via Zoom.

Board Members Present: Michael Tedesco, President; Katharine Flanders Mukherji, Vice-President; Matthew Pilkington, Treasurer; Rose Firestein, Secretary; Peter Levy; Long Vu, Anne Ashby Gilbert and Terra Chalberg.

Also in Attendance:  Kathleen Malara, EM Holding Corp.; Valdet Boleviq, Superintendent.

Approval of Prior Board Minutes

Via email, the board approved the minutes of its January 27, 2026, meeting.

Management and Superintendent’s Report

• During the recent cold snap, Val concentrated on warming and clearing the drain pipes to prevent freezing and resulting leaks. Because of this drain on his time, he has had to put some other projects on hold, including painting the FIOS pipe in 134 Boerum Place and staircase B in 120 Boerum Place.
• There was a leak in the boiler room due to a frozen pipe, which Val was able to defrost and clear. His efforts prevented any other pipes from freezing, and no other leaks were reported.
• Also during the extreme cold, the boiler stopped working. Val reset it, which worked, and he continued to monitor it for three days. He called the plumber to check the boiler, but the plumbing service was making only emergency calls. The boiler and heat pump continued to work properly.
• Unit 2D reported a lack of heat. The owners were advised to check if the pipe bringing heat into the apartment was hot to the touch, which would indicate the heat was circulating to the unit. Other units used their personal supplemental electric heaters. In these cases, the cool temperature in the unit may have been due to leaky windows and doors. The patio door In Val’s apartment allows cold air to enter the apartment. As noted below, the board approved replacing this door, as the unit belongs to the condominium.
• The top floor of staircase B at 120 Boerum Place did not receive sufficient heat during the extreme cold. This was probably due to air in the heating pipe as air rises to the top of a system. The mechanism to bleed air from this pipe is defective and risky to use. A new mechanism to bleed air from the heating pipe is needed for staircases B and A. 

Continued on next page

• Val will consult with a specific plumber who previously indicated he has some suggestions for how to optimize the heat pumps so they work more efficiently and reduce energy usage. This will be done in the spring when the plumber’s workload decreases.
• Kathleen reported she has purchased the carpet tiles the board agreed to replace in 120 Boerum Place. Because of the difficulty in obtaining these tiles, she ordered surplus ones in case they are needed in the future. The plan is to hire a contractor to lay the new tiles in March.
• Kathleen made five attempts to reach a specific exterminator an owner repeatedly urged as superior to the one the condominium currently uses. The board agreed that five attempts were sufficient.
• Kathleen has also attempted to obtain bids for painting the bulkhead at 120 Boerum Place and the railings outside the buildings and on the decks. She has not yet received responses and will continue to reach out to contractors.
• The condominium’s snowblower is being repaired and should be ready soon.

Financial Report

• Kathleen and Matthew are working on a budget for 2026.
• Matthew reported that the Condominium revenue for January was less than expenses, even though we had received a refund of $1,362.83 from NYS Workers Compensation Insurance fund. The shortfall was just under $3,300.  The largest out flow was the final payment for the repointing of the cracked masonry on the outside of the Garage building for $19,450.  
• The condominium retains $18,000 in its reserve fund as well as a $150,000 undrawn line of credit.  As noted in previous minutes, Skytrack intentionally operates with a minimum surplus in order to avoid taxes on profits.

Old and New Business

• The board approved replacing the patio door in the Superintendent’s apartment, which the condominium owns. The existing door seal is not adequate resulting in unnecessary energy usage due to loss of heat, entry of cold air and loss of air-conditioned air.
• Matthew reported that he had Academy service his intercom. It is usable but does not operate as it did originally. It appears that new replacement parts are no longer available, although some can be bought on eBay. The board continued the general discussion of whether the intercom systems need to be replaced and whether owners understand how to operate them. Matthew is meeting with another company’s representative concerning a replacement intercom system and will request a bid for this alternative system.
• The board discussed whether the condominium’s budget for maintenance should be increased for 2026. It was noted that a number of expensive but necessary maintenance projects have been waitlisted because of lack of funds and that the cost of maintenance tasks should be covered by common charges, not special assessments. The discussion focused on whether the board has been unnecessarily frugal with respect to larger, more expensive maintenance tasks and whether this approach has been driven by the no surplus/no tax approach to budgeting (discussed above), resulting in common charges that are insufficient to address critical maintenance needs. These considerations will be taken into account in developing the 2026 budget 

Skytrack Board Minutes, February 24, 2026, page 2

• The investigation into the condominium’s water usage is continuing.
• The owner who requested the board’s approval to install electric vehicle charging stations in her garage units and that the condominium pay for individually metering her garage units for that purpose was informed that her written request did not contain the elements required by the NY Condominium Law and would have to be resubmitted. She responded indicating that she may consider litigation against the condominium if the board denies her request. She has not yet submitted a request for approval that meets the statute’s requirements.
• The board concluded that transferring ownership of unit 3E to an LLC was permissible, but decided to ask the owner for the contact information for both  the LLC’s owners/members and the individuals  who will live in the unit after the transfer, as well as an assurance that the owner will inform the new owners about the limitations on the use of the “fireplace” in the unit.
• It was noted that Boerum Hill residents are seeing significant increases in the cost of natural gas. Currently, there is an expectation that electricity rates will increase to fund infrastructure maintenance.

Adjournment and next meeting date

A motion to adjourn was passed at 9:02 pm. The board will next meet on March 31, 2026.

Skytrack Board Minutes, February 24, 2026, page 3