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River Place South Housing Corporation (RPSHC)
DRAFT Minutes From the Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, November 19, 2019 In Attendance – Board of Directors
In Attendance – Property Management
In Attendance – Shareholders
Elin Schilling of Unit 636 requested the use of the multipurpose room in the gym during the repairs so that yoga and martial arts classes can continue during gym repairs. Board of Directors will discuss potential rooms that may be used for these classes. Marissa Fond of Unit 639 requested an update on the land lease. Ms. Mays stated that as of now no decisions have been made but that all things are possible and open. (1) Bonnie Kline of unit 928 requested an update from Board of Directors regarding the tax attorney’s opinion and list of expenses association with turning the rental portfolio over to shareholders. Requested an email be sent prior to Thanksgiving. (2) Bonnie Kline questioned spending limit for cosmetic reasons which she believed to be $40,000.00. Ms. Mays stated this was discussed at a prior meeting and she would email this information to Ms. Kline. See section 7.9. Additions, alterations or Improvements by Board of Directors for Bylaws. “Whenever in the judgement of the Board of Directors it is desirable to make additional. Alteration or improvements of the Common Elements costing in the aggregate more than Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00) during any period of twelve consecutive months, the making of such additions, alterations or improvements shall be approved by the Majority Vote at a meeting of the Shareholder. The dollar limitation fixed by this section shall increase annually by the percentage equal to the percentage increase in the annual budget of the Association” Legal Opinion/ Explanation from Kevin A. Kernan, Whiteford Taylor Preston “Article VII, Section 7.9 of the Bylaws states that the Board must obtain membership approval for expenditures in excess of $40,000 in any given year for “alterations, additions, or improvements” to the common elements. The $40,000 threshold does not apply to expenditures to maintain, repair, or replace the common elements. Typically, remodeling of a lobby is considered repair and maintenance of the building and does not require a membership vote. The Association is typically viewed as replacing the lobby furnishings with like for like materials. Expenditures for “alterations, additions or improvements” are those for items that did not previously exist or that alter the dimensions or use of the common elements. For instance, if the Association added a staircase or a fireplace to the lobby that did not previously exist, then the Board would need approval of the additions if they cost more than $40,000. Also, if the Board altered the common elements to include a gym or workout facility that exceeded a cost of $40,000, then membership approval would be necessary.”
River Place South Housing Corporation (RPSHC)
Final Minutes From the Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, October 29, 2019 In Attendance – Board of Directors
In Attendance – Property Management and Guest Presenter
In Attendance – Shareholders
A shareholder inquired about the Board’s plans to fill the vacant seat. Ms. Mays explained the cooperative’s bylaws allow for the appointment of a shareholder to the vacant seat. James McInerney, III has expressed his interest in serving out at least a portion of the remaining term, and Ms. Mays noted Mr. McInerney, III is a former member of the River Place South Board of Directors. The Board agreed to discuss the matter during Executive Session. A shareholder asked how the cooperative can enforce the occupancy maximums for the units. Ms. Waters explained four people of the same family can occupy a one-bedroom unit; five people of the same family can occupy a two-bedroom unit; and two people can occupy a studio. Adult residents must be registered with the management office to use the cooperative’s amenities. If management discovers there are more than the allotted number of people in a unit, the shareholder will be informed that the unit is in violation. (2) A shareholder, Mr. Marandi inquired whether the shares have increased for River Place South, and how many shares are currently issued. There are 1,094,193 shares in the River Place South Housing Corporation mostly due to the conversion of the Restaurant space into residential units.. Ms. Mays said the matter will be researched. (3) The shareholder congratulated Waqas Ali on his recent article published in the Wall Street Journal. A shareholder asked whether the existing mortgage loan will be due in 2020. Ms. Mays replied in the affirmative.
Bonnie Kline of Unit 926 asked for documentation of the tax attorney’s opinion along with a list of expenses associated with turning units over to the shareholders. Ms. Mays said the matters were discussed verbally. Obtaining a written/formal proposal would cost the cooperative money. Ms. Mays agreed to determine what the price would be to get something in writing, and will report her finding to Ms. Kline.
VIII.Management Report A. Rooftop West Wing Exterior Door: A replacement door for the west wing of the rooftop has been ordered at a cost of $2,121, and will be installed upon delivery. B. Reserve Accounts: Ms. Waters spoke with Bob Porco of FirstService Residential during the day on Tuesday, October 29th. One set of the cooperative’s reserve funds has been moved to an account with FirstService Residential, and two more accounts are in the works. C. Fireplace Inspections: Management will send a notice to all 11th floor shareholders requiring them to provide proof of inspection for their fireplaces and flues on an annual basis. Ms. Waters will coordinate a discounted/bulk rate for those who would like to use such a service. D. Bylaw Change – “Non-Smoking” Building Designation: The approved non-smoking bylaw designation will go into effect on Wednesday, January 1, 2020. Management will send notice to all shareholders in advance of that date, and a location must be established for where people can smoke on the property. E. Fees for Violations: Ms. Waters would like to hold a discussion with the Board of Directors concerning violation fees. F. Occupancy: All of the building’s units are presently occupied, and there are zero delinquencies on the cooperative and rental sides.
These minutes were respectfully drafted and submitted by: ThRiver Place South Housing Corporation (RPSHC)
Final Minutes From the Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, September 24, 2019 In Attendance – Board of Directors
Regrets – Board of Directors
In Attendance – Property Management
In Attendance – Shareholders
VII.Management Report A. Balcony Work: The balcony project was completed at a total cost of $273,633. The total paid to Commercial Waterproofing was $214,833 – an overage of $19,483 due to additional paint, carpet and tile work that was required. B. Façade Work: This project is anticipated to begin in spring 2020, as the cooperative will take a break from major exterior projects during the winter months. C. Cell Towers: Ms. Waters spoke with Attorney Kevin Kernan and learned that one of the lawyers from Whiteford, Taylor Preston is reviewing the cooperative’s contract with T-Mobile to determine whether T-Mobile has the authority to install 12 antennas on the South Building’s rooftop. Management and the Board of Directors believes the installations would be contrary to the nine antennas noted in the drawing attachment in the original contract. D. Second Floor Rodent/Pest Issue: Some second floor units sit atop humid, damp areas of the boiler room. A safety valve recently blew on an RBI (hot water heater), causing hot water to flood the boiler room floor. During the days that followed, residents of Units 215 through 221 began to experience multiple mice sightings. The only way to prevent rodent access from the boiler room is to close the risers – something that must be done from within each unit. C.L. Boyd will begin closures to the convectors in Units 215, 216, 218, 219, 220 and 221 at a cost of $550 per unit. At the request of Ms. Mays, Ms. Waters will inquire during the next Managers’ Monthly Meeting whether the other buildings have been experiencing the same issue; and, if so, what they did to address them. E. Reserve Accounts: Signature cards have been signed for the reserve accounts, and they were returned to FSR during the day on Tuesday, September 24, 2019. The funds removed from National Cooperative Bank were deposited with United Bank. F. RivStar Transfer Agency: Management has been unable to reach Christine Stark of the RivStar Transfer Agency to pick up the long overdue stock certificates. The lack of response is causing a delay in transferring a River Place South unit into a Trust. Ms. Waters will invite Ms. Stark to attend an upcoming South Building Board meeting to discuss the process for the certificates. G. Non-Smoking Building – Bylaws Change: A letter is being drafted for sending to all shareholders and residents within the coming few weeks to inform them of the changes in the smoking policy, and to notify them about the balcony rules as they relate to coverings, paint, tile, etc. Ms. Waters noted smoking complaints continue. Ms. Waters will contact Attorney Kernan to determine what the cooperative is required to do to provide a smoking spot for residents; and to devise penalties for non-compliance. H. Rules and Regulations Re: Hate Speech, Emblems, Symbols and Assaults: During their October 2019 meeting, the Board of Directors will discuss language drafted by Ms. Hall concerning the handling of incidents involving hate speech, emblems, symbols and assaults.
River Place South Housing Corporation (RPSHC)
FINAL Minutes From the Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, August 27, 2019 In Attendance – Board of Directors
In Attendance – Property Management
In Attendance – Shareholders
Oscar Jobe of Unit 1007 reported experiencing repeated issues with the laundry machines. Ms. Waters explained the laundry vendor is expected to visit River Place South on Wednesday, August 28th to look at the machines, and also reported an issue to the vendor about the timing of the dryers not being evenly spread out and the timing needing to be realigned. She encouraged residents to immediately call in laundry issues when they are experienced. If any machine has been out of order for longer than a year, residents should report such instances to the management office.
VI.Management Report A. Balcony Work: The balcony project will be completed during the week of September 2, 2019. Nearly every balcony contained some kind of application to the floor, which is against the cooperative’s rules. Ms. Waters will send a notification to shareholders informing them of the OA’s bylaws concerning the prohibition of flooring applications on the balconies. Ms. Waters stated Commercial Waterproofing did an outstanding job. B. Façade Work: Facility Engineering Associates, P.C. (FEA) performed an evaluation of the building’s façade. The façade work will be pursued after the balcony project is done, and will likely not begin until spring 2020. C. Cooling Towers: The starter failed on the cooling tower on Monday, August 26th, causing the cooling tower to shut down. Densel was contacted and visited the property during the day on Tuesday, August 27th to replace the starter. During the performance of that work, a great deal of sediment was discovered in the system. Therefore, Densel will return to the property on Wednesday, August 28th to apply chemicals in the cooling tower. Ms. Waters will send an email during the morning of Wednesday, August 28th asking everyone to keep their windows and window treatments closed during application of the chemicals to keep their units cool, as the A/C will be off during the application. D. Cell Towers: 1. Ms. Waters met with one representative from T-Mobile and two representatives from Advantage Engineering on Thursday, July 25, 2019 regarding the cell tower upgrades. River Place South is known as “Project Anchor” to the representatives, and the engineers plan to install 12 antennas contrary to the nine antennas noted in the drawing attachment in the original contract. To explain the discrepancy, the engineers pointed to a section in the lease that indicates they have the right to alter, replace, expand, enhance or upgrade at any time during the time of the lease. The engineers offered to perform another study of the electromagnetic energy devices (EME’s), but have not contacted Ms. Waters since the July 25, 2019 meeting. Ms. Waters suggested getting attorneys involved – a recommendation with which many Board members expressed agreement. 2. During the July 25, 2019 meeting with the T-Mobile representatives and the engineers, a discussion was held about the screening that was formerly in place around the T-Mobile cell tower structure. The screen was made of a brick-like design, and presented both an eye sore and a barrier to the line of sight for some units. It is believed that the screen was removed at the direction of a former Board President. However, T-Mobile reported they were contacted by the Arlington County State Historical Preservation Office as well as management for the George Washington Memorial Parkway requesting replacement of the screening. The Board of Directors discussed the matter, but did not take any action. 3. Other topics discussed during the July 25th meeting included denial of access to the rooftop and the replacement of a router in the equipment room. E. Terrace Leak: A recent 11th floor terrace leak caused damage to a 10th floor unit. Commercial Waterproofing, Inc. (CWI) performed the needed repairs at a cost of $3,300. No additional leaks have been reported. F. Telephone System: The new telephone system has been installed for the management office and concierge team. G. Arlington County Commercial Space Tax Appeal: Management received a copy of the determination that the cooperative’s building value was reduced from $2,303,700 to $1,473,200 – a reduction of $830,500. The land value remained the same at $198,900. Ms. Waters acknowledged the work of Tom Colucci to achieve the reduction, and asked Board President Mays to sign the documentation needed to approve the decreased assessment. H. Stock Certificates: Attorney Kevin Kernan sent a letter to the RivStar Transfer Agency on Monday, July 29, 2019 demanding provision of the overdue stock certificates. The certificates were sent to River Place South the next day via courier, and were signed by Board President Mays. Once the cooperative’s attorney signs the certificates, they will be distributed to the appropriate shareholders. I. Rental Occupancy: The cooperative has one unit that is not rented.
These minutes were respectfully drafted and submitted by: The Professional Document Service River Place South Housing Corporation (RPSHC)
FINAL Minutes From the Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, July 16, 2019 In Attendance – Board of Directors
Regrets – Board of Directors
In Attendance – Property Management
In Attendance – Shareholders
Luc and Diane Vidal of Unit T-4 requested 10 minutes on the record, but asked to raise their points with the Board of Directors during Executive Session.
VI.Management Report A. Balcony Work: In addition to the information reported in Section V.A of these minutes, Ms. Waters added that the balcony project is revealing damaged concrete as well as units that have covered balcony floors. There will be an additional cost of $500 to $550 per balcony for removing paint, carpeting or tile. B. Façade Work: Facility Engineering Associates, P.C. (FEA) performed an evaluation of the building’s façade. The façade work will be pursued after the balcony project has been completed. C. Cell Towers: T-Mobile’s attempts to gain access to the River Place South roof continue, as they would like to install Remote Radio Units (RRUs). Ms. Waters recommends holding out for the rubber mats to cover the walkway areas that were promised upon completion of the roof approximately one year and a half ago. Ms. Waters will attempt to have representatives from T-Mobile attend the August 2019 River Place South Board meeting. D. Washington Gas: Washington Gas failed to charge River Place South for commodities during the months of January 2019 through April 2019. The issue was discovered, and the Corporation was billed $40,529.48 – an amount that has been paid, and will be recorded in the July 2019 financial report. First Service Residential will include a footnote in the financial reports for the auditors to classify the expense as part of the 2018-2019 fiscal year. E. Terrace Leaks: The building has been experiencing more terrace leaks – something that is also being experienced in the West Building. The leaking terraces noted in the South Building will be investigated by Commercial Waterproofing, and repairs will be made as soon as possible. F. Telephone System Replacement: Ms. Waters requested and received a proposal from Slable to upgrade the telephone system used by the management office and concierge team. (Slable is the company that installed the new WiFi system in the building and provides ongoing technical support.) The proposal includes the installation of five new telephones with many more features than the current system and a fax line at a cost savings of approximately $100 per month. Service would no longer be with Verizon under the new arrangement. Those Board members in attendance agreed by unanimous consent to have management move forward with the telephone system replacement. G. Reserve Accounts: Management recommends changing the Corporation’s reserve accounts with First Service Residential to a new financial institution that offers greater interest income. The accounts with National Cooperative Bank, Lafayette Federal Credit Union, Eagle Bank, and Burke & Herbert Bank will be closed if better interest rates can be found. The account with United Bank will remain open, as they offered a higher interest rate to keep the Corporation’s accounts. Ms. Waters asked the officers of the Board to complete new signature cards for the United Bank account. H. Comcast: On Wednesday, July 24th, technicians will install fiber optics from the main trash/compactor room through the trash/compactor room on each floor where the nodes have been moved. The work will require a shutdown of Comcast’s services for several hours on the 24th. Comcast informed Ms. Waters that River Place South is the last building in Arlington to have the fiber moved. I. Lease Violation: Board members held a discussion concerning a lease violation. The Board of Directors agreed by unanimous consent that, if a shareholder presents lease paperwork indicating a three-month lease and the tenant moves out prior to the end of the three months, and the shareholder is a repeat offender and was made aware of the bylaw minimum lease requirement, the Board of Directors agreed that the penalty fee would escalate to the highest penalty allowed by the Board’s resolution on lease minimum guidelines rather than going up incrementally. Ms. Waters noted that management regularly reviews short-term rental web sites to identify River Place South units. J. RivStar Transfer Agency: A letter of complaint was sent by a shareholder seeking the Board’s help with the receipt of stock certificates from the RivStar Transfer Agency. Ms. Waters stated there are 26 missing stock certificates. Board members discussed the issue along with potential solutions. The Board agreed to have the Corporation’s attorney, Kevin Kernan, draft a letter to be sent to the RivStar Transfer Agency concerning the stock certificates that need to be provided. K. Non-Smoking Building: Attorney Kevin Kernan provided instructions regarding the process to designate River Place South as a smoke-free building. A survey was sent to shareholders seeking feedback concerning the matter. A total of 35 responses have been received to date – a 14% response rate. Of those 35 responses, 91.43% were in favor of making River Place South a smoke-free building. Those Board members in attendance agreed by unanimous consent to incorporate the proposed amendment into the smoke-free building notice and include the notice in the announcement for the next Board meeting. L. Rental Occupancy: The Corporation rented six units in the interim of the June 2019 and July 2019 Board meeting, with two units currently vacant.
River Place South Housing Corporation (RPSHC)
FINAL Minutes From the Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, August 27, 2019 In Attendance – Board of Directors
In Attendance – Property Management
In Attendance – Shareholders
Oscar Jobe of Unit 1007 reported experiencing repeated issues with the laundry machines. Ms. Waters explained the laundry vendor is expected to visit River Place South on Wednesday, August 28th to look at the machines, and also reported an issue to the vendor about the timing of the dryers not being evenly spread out and the timing needing to be realigned. She encouraged residents to immediately call in laundry issues when they are experienced. If any machine has been out of order for longer than a year, residents should report such instances to the management office.
VI.Management Report A. Balcony Work: The balcony project will be completed during the week of September 2, 2019. Nearly every balcony contained some kind of application to the floor, which is against the cooperative’s rules. Ms. Waters will send a notification to shareholders informing them of the OA’s bylaws concerning the prohibition of flooring applications on the balconies. Ms. Waters stated Commercial Waterproofing did an outstanding job. B. Façade Work: Facility Engineering Associates, P.C. (FEA) performed an evaluation of the building’s façade. The façade work will be pursued after the balcony project is done, and will likely not begin until spring 2020. C. Cooling Towers: The starter failed on the cooling tower on Monday, August 26th, causing the cooling tower to shut down. Densel was contacted and visited the property during the day on Tuesday, August 27th to replace the starter. During the performance of that work, a great deal of sediment was discovered in the system. Therefore, Densel will return to the property on Wednesday, August 28th to apply chemicals in the cooling tower. Ms. Waters will send an email during the morning of Wednesday, August 28th asking everyone to keep their windows and window treatments closed during application of the chemicals to keep their units cool, as the A/C will be off during the application. D. Cell Towers: 1. Ms. Waters met with one representative from T-Mobile and two representatives from Advantage Engineering on Thursday, July 25, 2019 regarding the cell tower upgrades. River Place South is known as “Project Anchor” to the representatives, and the engineers plan to install 12 antennas contrary to the nine antennas noted in the drawing attachment in the original contract. To explain the discrepancy, the engineers pointed to a section in the lease that indicates they have the right to alter, replace, expand, enhance or upgrade at any time during the time of the lease. The engineers offered to perform another study of the electromagnetic energy devices (EME’s), but have not contacted Ms. Waters since the July 25, 2019 meeting. Ms. Waters suggested getting attorneys involved – a recommendation with which many Board members expressed agreement. 2. During the July 25, 2019 meeting with the T-Mobile representatives and the engineers, a discussion was held about the screening that was formerly in place around the T-Mobile cell tower structure. The screen was made of a brick-like design, and presented both an eye sore and a barrier to the line of sight for some units. It is believed that the screen was removed at the direction of a former Board President. However, T-Mobile reported they were contacted by the Arlington County State Historical Preservation Office as well as management for the George Washington Memorial Parkway requesting replacement of the screening. The Board of Directors discussed the matter, but did not take any action. 3. Other topics discussed during the July 25th meeting included denial of access to the rooftop and the replacement of a router in the equipment room. E. Terrace Leak: A recent 11th floor terrace leak caused damage to a 10th floor unit. Commercial Waterproofing, Inc. (CWI) performed the needed repairs at a cost of $3,300. No additional leaks have been reported. F. Telephone System: The new telephone system has been installed for the management office and concierge team. G. Arlington County Commercial Space Tax Appeal: Management received a copy of the determination that the cooperative’s building value was reduced from $2,303,700 to $1,473,200 – a reduction of $830,500. The land value remained the same at $198,900. Ms. Waters acknowledged the work of Tom Colucci to achieve the reduction, and asked Board President Mays to sign the documentation needed to approve the decreased assessment. H. Stock Certificates: Attorney Kevin Kernan sent a letter to the RivStar Transfer Agency on Monday, July 29, 2019 demanding provision of the overdue stock certificates. The certificates were sent to River Place South the next day via courier, and were signed by Board President Mays. Once the cooperative’s attorney signs the certificates, they will be distributed to the appropriate shareholders. I. Rental Occupancy: The cooperative has one unit that is not rented.
These minutes were respectfully drafted and submitted by: The Professional Document Services To all River Place South Shareholders
The next River Place South Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 6:00 pm in the South Party Room. All shareholders are cordially invited to attend. River Place South Housing Corporation (RPSHC)
FINAL Minutes From the Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, June 4, 2019 In Attendance – Board of Directors
In Attendance – Property Management
In Attendance – Shareholders
(Mr. McInerney arrived at this juncture at 6:00 p.m.)
VI.Management Report A. Balcony Work: Balcony work has been completed in the first two tiers, and work is underway in the next set of tiers. The expense to remove surfaces on the balcony floors will be higher than anticipated, as there are more balconies with surface coverings than expected. B. Façade Engineering Study: The project will cost approximately $500,000 in total. However, the final number cannot be determined until the design specifications have been completed. The project will also address the commercial area which is rented by the OA. During the next OA Board meeting, representatives from the South Building will explain why the South Building must fully fund the work for the OA’s commercial area. C. Boilers: The boilers have been shut down for the season, and water is being heated by the RBIs (domestic hot water heaters). The cooling system was activated on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. D. Cell Towers: Management will schedule a meeting with the Board of Directors and representatives from T-Mobile to discuss what upgrades will be done to the cell towers and relay other information. Due to damages done to the building’s roof by T-Mobile during prior upgrades and the extended length of time before compensation was received, workers sent by T-Mobile can no longer access the roof without an escort unless rubber mats are used to protect the new roof. E. Potential Non-Smoking Designation: Management received 35 responses (approximately 14% of owners) to the survey circulated on the possible conversion of River Place South into a smoke-free building. Of the 35 respondents, 91.43% were in favor of River Place South becoming a non-smoking building – an action that would require a bylaws amendment. The amendment would include language requiring landlords to add a non-smoking clause to their lease documents as well as provide a non-smoking agreement that all residents must sign when moving into the building; and would also include a one-year transition period. Management and the cooperative’s legal counsel will draft an amendment, and information regarding the proposed change will be included in the notice for the next Board of Directors meeting. Legal counsel will be consulted regarding grandfathering for current shareholders. F. Skigen Settlement: Skigen currently owes $12,283 to be paid at the settlement scheduled for early June 2019. G. Rental Occupancy: As of Friday, May 31, 2019, there were six vacant rental units – four of which have since been rented. H. Parking: Seventy-two percent (72%) of the parking lot is currently occupied. Nine spaces cannot be used due to balcony work, and several other spaces are unrentable because they are too small to fit a car. Management will speak with the OA regarding the spaces that cannot be used.
These minutes were respectfully drafted and submitted by: River Place South Housing Corporation (RPSHC)
FINAL Minutes From the Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, August 27, 2019 In Attendance – Board of Directors
In Attendance – Property Management
In Attendance – Shareholders
Oscar Jobe of Unit 1007 reported experiencing repeated issues with the laundry machines. Ms. Waters explained the laundry vendor is expected to visit River Place South on Wednesday, August 28th to look at the machines, and also reported an issue to the vendor about the timing of the dryers not being evenly spread out and the timing needing to be realigned. She encouraged residents to immediately call in laundry issues when they are experienced. If any machine has been out of order for longer than a year, residents should report such instances to the management office.
VI.Management Report A. Balcony Work: The balcony project will be completed during the week of September 2, 2019. Nearly every balcony contained some kind of application to the floor, which is against the cooperative’s rules. Ms. Waters will send a notification to shareholders informing them of the OA’s bylaws concerning the prohibition of flooring applications on the balconies. Ms. Waters stated Commercial Waterproofing did an outstanding job. B. Façade Work: Facility Engineering Associates, P.C. (FEA) performed an evaluation of the building’s façade. The façade work will be pursued after the balcony project is done, and will likely not begin until spring 2020. C. Cooling Towers: The starter failed on the cooling tower on Monday, August 26th, causing the cooling tower to shut down. Densel was contacted and visited the property during the day on Tuesday, August 27th to replace the starter. During the performance of that work, a great deal of sediment was discovered in the system. Therefore, Densel will return to the property on Wednesday, August 28th to apply chemicals in the cooling tower. Ms. Waters will send an email during the morning of Wednesday, August 28th asking everyone to keep their windows and window treatments closed during application of the chemicals to keep their units cool, as the A/C will be off during the application. D. Cell Towers: 1. Ms. Waters met with one representative from T-Mobile and two representatives from Advantage Engineering on Thursday, July 25, 2019 regarding the cell tower upgrades. River Place South is known as “Project Anchor” to the representatives, and the engineers plan to install 12 antennas contrary to the nine antennas noted in the drawing attachment in the original contract. To explain the discrepancy, the engineers pointed to a section in the lease that indicates they have the right to alter, replace, expand, enhance or upgrade at any time during the time of the lease. The engineers offered to perform another study of the electromagnetic energy devices (EME’s), but have not contacted Ms. Waters since the July 25, 2019 meeting. Ms. Waters suggested getting attorneys involved – a recommendation with which many Board members expressed agreement. 2. During the July 25, 2019 meeting with the T-Mobile representatives and the engineers, a discussion was held about the screening that was formerly in place around the T-Mobile cell tower structure. The screen was made of a brick-like design, and presented both an eye sore and a barrier to the line of sight for some units. It is believed that the screen was removed at the direction of a former Board President. However, T-Mobile reported they were contacted by the Arlington County State Historical Preservation Office as well as management for the George Washington Memorial Parkway requesting replacement of the screening. The Board of Directors discussed the matter, but did not take any action. 3. Other topics discussed during the July 25th meeting included denial of access to the rooftop and the replacement of a router in the equipment room. E. Terrace Leak: A recent 11th floor terrace leak caused damage to a 10th floor unit. Commercial Waterproofing, Inc. (CWI) performed the needed repairs at a cost of $3,300. No additional leaks have been reported. F. Telephone System: The new telephone system has been installed for the management office and concierge team. G. Arlington County Commercial Space Tax Appeal: Management received a copy of the determination that the cooperative’s building value was reduced from $2,303,700 to $1,473,200 – a reduction of $830,500. The land value remained the same at $198,900. Ms. Waters acknowledged the work of Tom Colucci to achieve the reduction, and asked Board President Mays to sign the documentation needed to approve the decreased assessment. H. Stock Certificates: Attorney Kevin Kernan sent a letter to the RivStar Transfer Agency on Monday, July 29, 2019 demanding provision of the overdue stock certificates. The certificates were sent to River Place South the next day via courier, and were signed by Board President Mays. Once the cooperative’s attorney signs the certificates, they will be distributed to the appropriate shareholders. I. Rental Occupancy: The cooperative has one unit that is not rented.
These minutes were respectfully drafted and submitted by: River Place South Housing Corporation (RPSHC)
FINAL Minutes From the Board of Directors Meeting Tuesday, April 30, 2019 – 6:00 p.m. In Attendance – Board of Directors
Regrets – Board of Directors
In Attendance – Property Management
In Attendance – Shareholders
(5-1-0).
Janice Mays, President Waqas Ali, Vice President Sarah Shahade, Secretary Jim McInerney, Treasurer All other Board members will serve as Directors Ms. Mays seconded, and the motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).
Operations are running slightly above the $12,000 surplus for the 11 months of the current fiscal year. Budget variances were highlighted. It was noted that there is a $45,000 contingency line item under “Administrative Expenses” that can be used as a buffer. In the past 11 months, the Corporation has had capital improvements of approximately $186,000 and has only moved $42,000 from the reserves. However, additional funds have been moved in April 2019 that are not reflected in the March 2019 financials. Approximately $600,000 will be contributed to the reserves during the 2018-2019 fiscal year. The reserve contribution may be decreased for the next fiscal year. X.Management Report A. Balcony Work: Balcony work commenced on Monday, April 15, 2019 on the 06-07 tier. The 18-19 tier will be next. This work is being performed by Commercial Waterproofing – the same company that is working on the OA garage project. The work is expected to be complete on the 06-07 tier before the pool has opened for the season. B. Façade Engineering Study: As part of the reserve study, the façade of the building is due to be evaluated for repair. Facility Engineering Associates has already completed the first step. Their estimate for the visual inspection and engineering study came to $4,600. They are now moving on to the second step – the performance of a restoration design study and specifications which is estimated to cost approximately $4,000. C. Boilers and Cooling Tower: The boilers have been shut down, and water is now being heated by the RBIs (domestic hot water heaters). The intake tank on the cooling tower must be replaced, which will cost approximately $10,000. The part has been delivered, and should be installed by Friday, May 3rd. The air conditioning system will then be turned on. D. Convector Cleaning: This work is underway, and a more thorough cleaning is being done in 2019 than usual. A wet degreaser cleaning will take longer, but is more thorough and will hopefully aid in resolving the convector leak issues seen in summer 2018. E. Cell Towers: Management continues to push back against the installation of more equipment in the building’s trash rooms. The Corporation’s legal counsel has looked at the T-Mobile contract to determine if River Place South has any leverage, but it seems the Corporation does not. Ms. Waters will not allow any workers related to the cell towers onto the roof without being accompanied due to damage that was previously caused to the roof. F. Annual Meeting Packet: The shareholder packet that follows the 2019 Annual Meeting was mailed during the week of April 22nd, and included a link to an electronic survey regarding the options of shareholders regarding the designation of River Place South as a non-smoking building. If implemented, the change would require a bylaws amendment, and legal counsel has provided a sample for how that amendment would be written. Management and the Board also indicated that Corporation-owned rentals are now leased as non-smoking units, and recommended that owners renting their units consider adding a non-smoking clause to their lease agreement. G. Rental Occupancy: Rentals have reached their maximum limit at 100%. However, commercial occupancy is low. Parking spaces are 87% occupied, and several parking spaces are not rentable due to their size, obstruction, or four spaces being taken up by balcony work. Management will discuss these spaces with the Owners Association, as the OA should give additional parking spaces to a building whose spaces have been compromised. H. Loading Dock: A sign is in place stating that any individuals found to be dumping trash at the loading dock will be subject to a $250 fine. This is now being enforced by management. I. Breaking Down Boxes: Trash rooms are becoming increasingly full due to residents not breaking down boxes. Ms. Waters is obtaining larger recycling cans, and will send a letter reminding residents to flatten boxes before placing them in or on the side of the green recycling bin.
These minutes were respectfully drafted and submitted by: |