Author: Skytrack

Board Meeting Minutes: March 23, 2021

Meeting conducted via videoconference

Board Members Present:  Peter Levy, President; Katharine Flanders Mukherji, V.P.; Andrew Kurland, Sec.; Hannah Berkin-Harper; Terra Chalberg; Michael Tedesco; Cameron Martin

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

Superintendent’s Report:

  • Stained ceiling tiles were replaced in Common Areas
  • Flickering hallway lights were repaired in 1st floor of 120 Boerum; additional problematic fixtures to be repaired in the coming weeks.
  • Reports of mice by residents has decreased, although activity is present in the trash compactor room in basement.  The building exterminator will try a different treatment.
  • To address a recurring leak, the roofing company completed the re-roofing of an area at the north side of 120 Boerum, involving a total tear down and rebuild from the roof underlayment. 

Financials:

  • The financials were reviewed and are in good order.
  • Please be reminded that to make things easier, we now permit Common Charges to be debited automatically from your bank account each month.  There is a $5 signup fee and a 25-cent monthly fee for this optional service, which covers the associated bank charges.  Please reach out to EM Holding with questions.  To sign up, fill out the form on the Website (https://skytrackcondo.com/private-documents) and provide to EM Holding.

New Business:

  • The Super will repaint the scuffed wall at the entrance to 120 Boerum, and also areas of the Dean Street stairs once current unit renovation projects are completed.
  • The Board discussed the often overflowing City garbage can at the corner of Boerum and Bergen, and will attempt to get the City to address with more frequent pickups.
  • The design phase for renovations to lobbies of 15 Bergen and 134 Boerum is continuing; three designers have been identified and are providing quotes for their services.
  • ConEd has conducted a survey and determined it is possible to supply the garage with sufficient electricity to allow for electric vehicle charging.  This will be costly, however.  The Board decided that the Condo will not pay for this amenity, but is considering allowing garage space owners to fund the project directly.  We will be contacting garage owners about this.

Other Reminders and Notices: Our longtime Porter, Patrick Knights, has decided to take another position so will no longer be working at Skytrack.  We thank him for his service, especially during this difficult pandemic.  We are actively seeking a new Porter to assist at the Condo on weekends.  To the extent you have any recommendations, please reach out to EM Holding.

Board Meeting Minutes: February 23, 2021

Meeting conducted via videoconference

Board Members Present:  Peter Levy, President; Katharine Flanders Mukherji, V.P.; Andrew Kurland, Sec.; Matthew Pilkington, Treas.; Michael Tedesco; Cameron Martin; Malik Ashiru; Hannah Berkin-Harper; Terra Chalberg

Also in Attendance:  Valdet Boleviq, Superintendent; Kathleen Malara, EM Holding Corp.; Larry Deshati, Verrazano Roofing (for a portion of the meeting)

Superintendent’s Report:

  • The Super now has keys for all Units, as required. 
  • Leak in roof above unit 3F still not resolved.  The Super is working with management and the roofing company to address this (see also below).
  • ConEd is scheduled to come to the building during the first week of March to assess providing additional electricity supply to the garage to support electric car charging.
  • The Super is still working to repair a broken exhaust fan on the G line of 120 Boerum.
  • Some units at 120 Boerum are reporting increased mice activity, and the Super is working with the exterminators to target, in particular, Common Areas around those units.

Financials:

  • The financials were reviewed and are in good order.

New Business:

  • We expect to be able to take advantage of NYC programs and implement periodic e-waste and textiles collection at Skytrack, hopefully starting this Spring.  We will post additional information on this on the website as we know more details.
  • Due to the continuing leak in Unit 3F, the roofing contractor attended part of the meeting and presented a proposed solution to address the problem, involving more significant repairs to the roof around that part of the building.  The Board is continuing to assess and will move quickly on this so that the leak is remedied as expediently as possible.
  • The Board, and the “Design Committee,” is continuing to work towards developing plans to renovate the Common Areas of buildings other than 120 Boerum.

Other Reminders and Notices:

  • By and large, the Units which are reporting the most mice activity have not taken necessary steps to ensure potential areas of access within their apartments are properly sealed.  Please be reminded that it is the responsibility of Unit Owners to take these steps.  However, note that the Condo is working diligently to ensure all Common Areas are appropriately and adequately addressed in this regard.

Notice Concerning Building and Apartment Keys

Please review this important notice concerning Skytrack locks and keys

I. New Building Exterior Locks
To address recurring issues with building keys and lock cylinders, many of which are more than a decade old, in the coming weeks we will be replacing all of the locks on all building entrances — 15 Bergen, 134 Boerum, 122 Boerum, 120 Boerum, and Dean Street, as well as on the roof doors. (The garage and 120 Boerum package room locks will remain separate and will not be changed.) Once this takes place, your old building keys WILL NO LONGER WORK in any of the building entrances. A separate notice will be posted identifying the specific date of the changeover.

Starting Monday Oct. 5, the Super will begin distributing new keys to all residents, and keys will be mailed to owners who do not live in the Buildings. By default, each unit will receive two new keys only. Additional keys are available for purchase at $5 per key — if you would like more than the two keys that will be provided automatically, please fill out the request form at https://forms.gle/yQcSqr1K6e5JuBkk6 or contact EM Holding Corp at (718) 625-4671. Alternatively, you will be able to take your key that will be provided to a locksmith at your convenience who will be able to make additional copies for you.

II. Apartment Keys
As you are aware, we had a water leak in an apartment earlier this week, and the water to the entire Condo had to be shut off for an extended period of time because we were unable to access the apartment in question, since the owner had changed the locks and was out of town.  We eventually had to force entry into the apartment in question, destroying the unit’s lock. 

To avoid this situation in the future, and to ensure all units are in compliance with Rule 17 and Bylaw Article VI, Section 15 (Right of Access), at the time the Super hands the new exterior lock keys to each resident/owner he will be testing the keys the Condo has for each apartment to ensure they work.  If the Condo’s key does not work, the apartment owner will be required to provide a working key to the unit for the Condo, as our Rules and Bylaws require.  Note that apartment keys are at all times securely stored in a locked box at the Condo which only the Board and the Super can access, and only would access in event of an emergency. 

We reserve the right to fine unit owners who do not comply with the foregoing.  Also, to the extent owners do not provide keys, the Condo will be required to force entry into apartments in event of an emergency, and the Condo will not be liable for any damage caused or repairs required as a result of the forced entry — all costs will be solely borne by the unit owner.   We must do this in order to avoid situations like the one we had earlier this week.

Please contact EM Holding Corp. with any questions. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Board Meeting Minutes: Sept. 23, 2020

Meeting conducted via videoconference

Board Members Present:  Peter Levy, President; Katharine Flanders Mukherji, V.P.; Andrew Kurland, Sec.; Matthew Pilkington, Treas.; Michael Tedesco; Cameron Martin; Terra Chalberg; Hannah Berkin-Harper; Malik Ashiru

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

Superintendent’s Report:

  • The Super attended to various leaks that were reported in a number of units, and is coordinating with EM Holding and roofing contractors to ensure they are addressed.
  • New sewer backflow prevention valves have been installed in lower level units at 120 Boerum; old valves in two units remain, and will be replaced soon.
  • The structural repairs to the rear wall of 15 Bergen were completed.
  • A new awning was installed at the 15 Bergen entrance.
  • New screening was installed in window well drains.
  • The boiler was drained and checked for proper operation in advance of heating season.  The Super will work with boiler company to ensure everything is in proper working order.

Financials:

  • The Condo’s finances were reviewed, and everything is in good order.  
  • Significant maintenance projects and expenses are occurring (e.g., roof repairs, the 15 Bergen wall repair, etc.), but fortunately we have adequately budgeted for them.

New Business:

  • The Super is inspecting peeling paint on the roof track railings to determine how to address.
  • Due to recurring issues with exterior door locks throughout the buildings, and because our current locks are more than a decade old, the Board elected to replace the locks to all exterior doors (except the door to the garage, which has been and will remain keyed separately), including 120 Boerum, Dean Street, 122 Boerum, 134 Boerum, ,and 15 Bergen, as well all roof doors.  New keys will be provided to all residents and owners in advance, and additional details regarding this change will be distributed separately and posted to the website.
  • The Board discussed initial concepts for renovations of and improvements to the lobbies of 122 Boerum, 134 Boerum, and 15 Bergen.  Board member Hannah Berkin-Harper will be forming a committee and we encourage residents of those buildings to join the committee to ensure their wishes are incorporated in the design.

Other Important Reminders and Updates:

  • Many lower level units experienced sewer backups during the extremely heavy rain that took place on July 1.  All owners should know that the Board and Management continue to work to address these issues so hopefully they do not occur in the future. 
  • Many of the leaks that were reported to the Super over the past weeks were not new, and had gone unreported for long periods of time.  Thankfully none appear major, and they will be addressed.  Please remember to report all building issues promptly.
  • Remember that masks are required in hallways at all times due to the COVID pandemic.