Board Meeting Minutes

Board Meeting Minutes
May 27, 2009

Attending: Peter Levy, Pres., Katharine Flanders Mukherji, V.P., Matthew Pilkington, Sec., Rose Firestein, David Crofton, Terra Chalberg, Jose Perez (to present Super’s report), and Elia Malara (Managing Agent).

I. Maintenance
The condo. is repairing cracks in the surrounding side-walks within the next few weeks in three separate places. A member of the board reported the dead trees on Dean Street to the NYC Parks Department. The Parks Department had already received notice and removed them on Tuesday June 2nd. New trees were requested for the empty tree wells. The city did not know why the trees between Dean and Bergen on Boerum Place were stressed. Three extra plants have been purchased, one for 134 Boerum Place and 2 for the dying pine bushes outside 15 Bergen. Two new planters were purchased, one for 134 Boerum Place, and one to replace the whiskey barrel on Dean Street. The renovation of 15 Bergen Street is moving forward, including new carpets, paint, baseboards, a new trash and recycling receptacle and a hose bib connection. The leaking heating water circulating pumps were mended. The Stucco was repaired on the garage and 134 Boerum façades.

Fines will be levied against condo. owners who leave objects in the common areas such as shoes, umbrellas, strollers, and scooters. This is against fire code and is in violation of condo. rules.

II. Financials
The financials were reviewed and found in order. NYC Water and Sewer charges will go up by 14% on July 1st. Water charges will have risen by 77% over the last 5 years, once the next raise has come into effect.

III. Board Positions
Four board positions are coming up for election at the next Annual Unit Owners Meeting. Peter Levy (President), Steve Dembitzer, and Matthew Pilkington (Secretary) are running again. Steve Bruner (Treasurer) has left the condo. and Terra Chalberg has been gracious enough to replace Steve Bruner on an interim basis. She is standing for election. Please put other nominations with a seconder in the Board of Managers box in the front lobby of your building.

IV. Annual Unit Owners Meeting
Notices have been posted for the Annual Unit Owners Meeting, which will be held at 8pm on Tuesday June 9th, at the Brooklyn Heights Montessori School, at 7-9 Bergen Street (and Court Street), immediately adjacent to 15 Bergen Street.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30pm

SkyTrack Annual Meeting

NOTICE OF MEETING

SKYTRACK CONDOMINIUM OWNERS ASSOCIATION

Dear Unit Owner:

Pursuant to Article 111, Sections 1 and 4 of the By-Laws of Skytrack Condominium, the board of managers is providing notice of the annual meeting of Skytrack Condominium Association.  Business will include an election to the board of managers, a report on financial status, and other important business concerning the future of the condominium.

This meeting is to be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 8 p.m. at the Montessori School located at 7-9 Bergen Street, immediately adjacent to 15 Bergen Street.  Please arrive and sign in between 7:45 and 8 pm so that the meeting can start on time.

There are four Board terms expiring this year.  Anyone who wants to run should drop a note to that effect in any of the lobby boxes for the Board of Managers.

If you are unable to attend in person, please delegate a representative to vote in your place by proxy.  A quorum of 50% of the ownership in person or by proxy is necessary for transaction of business.  A form of proxy is being distributed to each unit for this purpose.

Sincerely,

Matthew Pilkongton, Secretary
Skytrack Condominium Association

TO:   Secretary, Skytrack Condominium Association

The undersigned appoints ______________________________________ as proxy of the undersigned with power of substitution, to attend the Annual Meeting of Unit Owners of Skytrack Condominium Association to be held at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at the Montessori School and any adjournments thereof, and to cast all of his or her votes, as permitted by the By-Laws of Skytrack Condominium, in the name of the undersigned for the following purposes:

1. Election of individual(s) to the Board of Managers

2. For the transaction and voting upon of such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

Dated:    _________________________________, 2009

Signed:

_________________________________

_________________________________
Unit No. (Apt. and/or Garage spot)

Conserve Water

URBAN WATER CONSERVATION TIPS

In The Bathroom…

* Install a low-flow showerhead that restricts the flow of water from the shower to  2.5 gallons per minute.

* Install a low-flow toilet that uses only 1.6 gallons of water per flush.

* Take short showers. Install a showerhead with a cutoff valve or turn the water off while  soaping and turn it back on again to rinse.

* When brushing teeth, turn the water off until it is time to rinse.

* Do not let the water run while washing hands. Turn the water off while soaping and turn it on again to rinse.

* When shaving, fill the sink with hot water instead of letting the water run continuously.

* Test toilets for leaks. Add a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet to the water in the  toilet tank, but do not flush the toilet. Wait a few minutes to see if the coloring appears in the bowl. If so, the toilet has a silent leak that needs to be repaired.

* Use a toilet tank water displacement device, such as a toilet dam or bag. Also, a plastic bottle can be filled with stones or with water, recapped, and placed in the toilet tank.
These devices will reduce the volume of water in the tank but will still provide enough for flushing. (Bricks are not recommended as they eventually crumble and can damage the flushing mechanism.)
Displacement devices are not recommended for use with newer low-flow toilets.

* Never use the toilet as a trash can to dispose of bugs, cigarette butts, or other items.
Unnecessary flushing wastes water and places an unnecessary burden on sewage
treatment plants and septic tanks.

In The Kitchen…
* Never run the dishwasher without having a full load.

* Keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running water from the tap until it is cool.

* Keep conservation in mind when working in the kitchen. Small water savings, such as not making too much coffee or letting ice cubes melt in a sink, can add up over time.

In The Laundry…
* Wash only a full load when using the washing machine.  It takes about 32 to 59 gallons of water per load!

Board Meeting Minutes
April 22, 2009

Attending:  Peter Levy, Pres., Katharine Flanders Mukherji, V.P., Steve Bruner, Treas., Matthew Pilkington, Sec., Steve Dembitzer, Rose Firestein, David Crofton, Jose Perez (to present Super’s report), and Elia Malara (Managing Agent).

I.    Maintenance
There was a new leak found on the 3rd floor roof of 120 Boerum Place.  The source area had been found and a crew organized to mend it once a period of dry weather appeared.  The city has advised the condo. to mend the sidewalks in three places or otherwise receive fines.  The cracks are probably caused by tree root growth.  An estimate had been given for removing old concrete, increasing the size of some of the tree pits, and re-laying new concrete around the trees.  Two new planters will be ordered, one for 134 Boerum, and one to replace the wooden tub on Dean Street.   The stucco had come off in two places on outside walls at 134 Boerum Place and above the southern garbage area of the garage.  Repairs have been arranged.  The hot water pumps for the heating system are leaking.  The gaskets are damaged, but the pumps are so old that new gaskets have been difficult to find.  Jose is still looking for replacements.  An electrician replaced two of the fan motors on the roof on the K apartment line at 120  Boerum Place.  They were full of lint.

Owners are reminded that the outlet from their dryers must not be fed into the ventilation shafts.  It is a fire hazard and the individual owners maybe liable for lint removal, motor replacement and any other more serious consequences.
The board noted that lint traps should be checked on a regular basis, and that some machines recycle the hot air and have more efficient lint traps than the venting types.  A clogged lint trap can cause dryers to use 30% more energy.  In 1998 there were 15,600 clothes dryer fires (Consumer Product Safety Commission document # 5022).

Owners are reminded that permission has to be requested for any alterations to condo common property.  Carrying out alterations without consent from the condo board will usually result in fines and/or restoration to the previous state at the owners’ expense.

The renovation of 15 Bergen is going ahead, including a water source and a sink for Jose to use for both cleaning and watering plants.

Owners are reminded that it is against fire code to keep any objects in the communal hallways and lobbies, such as strollers, shoes, shoe racks, scooters, helmets and umbrellas.

II.    Financials
Financials were found to be in order.   The owner of 3C was served a summons with notice to foreclose.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30pm