Notes and Zoom Views From The BOD Meeting of August 17, 2022
Unfortunately, the Zoom camera at this meeting was aimed at the audience and not the Board of Directors. Had it been pointed the other way you would have noticed that one of the Board Members was missing. Sadly, Board Member Diana Schumaker passed away in the week before the meeting.
Diana Schumaker
Board Chairman Audrey Davis began the meeting stating that a replacement for Diana would be needed and that anyone who wanted her position could put their name forward to run in an interim election. The term will last nine weeks until the regular annual election of Board members takes place. There will be a total of three open positions on the Board at that time and residents who would like to serve are urged to put in their applications so they can be listed on the forthcoming ballots.
Most of the meeting dealt with checking on projects that were previously authorized by the Board. For example a year ago the Board set about to contact contractors to get their pricing to power wash the exteriors of our buildings. Bids were received but the work was never authorized. Now, the Board has decided to see if those bids are still valid. With colder weather approaching it appears that the cleanings will probably be postponed until next year.
Another project still under way is the Board's negotiations with Beazer construction regarding responsibility for flaws that were found after Beazer signed off on the community.
In this latest meeting the Board authorized unit owners, who wished to do so, to install roll-up sunshades on their porches providing the shades were white, were kept rolled up when not in use and were installed so they would not blow off in a strong wind.
Once again forming a Covenant Committee was discussed. Its job it would be to report violations of the organization's bylaws.
A replacement for the Call Box in Building 2 will be looked into as well as our contracts with our trash and recycle companies. A shortage of bins in the trash rooms was noted and questions were raised as to exactly what kind of disposables these companies would collect from the fenced-in docks adjoining the outside garages.
The new patio tables are up and running and the Social Committee Chair Alison Prevost announced she had purchased covers for the new outdoor furniture. She was authorized to also purchase an outdoor waterproof plastic storage box for these covers. President Davis indicated that a unit owner, who insisted on remaining anonymous, contributed a set of new chairs to the patio. The Board accepted the gift and thanked the unknown donor for the kind gesture.
Unit owner Karen Lord reported that the nesting area for birds near Building 3, which was going to be removed in the fall, is now attracting the attention of foxes. The Board voted to have this installation removed immediately by our landscape company. Ms Lord also inquired about installing charging stations in our garages to accommodate the increasingly popular electric powered cars. The Board said the first unit owner who wants to install one of these chargers should get all the costs and requirements needed for their entire building and then bring these facts to the Board for consideration and possible approval.
Most of the meeting dealt with checking on projects that were previously authorized by the Board. For example a year ago the Board set about to contact contractors to get their pricing to power wash the exteriors of our buildings. Bids were received but the work was never authorized. Now, the Board has decided to see if those bids are still valid. With colder weather approaching it appears that the cleanings will probably be postponed until next year.
Another project still under way is the Board's negotiations with Beazer construction regarding responsibility for flaws that were found after Beazer signed off on the community.
In this latest meeting the Board authorized unit owners, who wished to do so, to install roll-up sunshades on their porches providing the shades were white, were kept rolled up when not in use and were installed so they would not blow off in a strong wind.
Once again forming a Covenant Committee was discussed. Its job it would be to report violations of the organization's bylaws.
A replacement for the Call Box in Building 2 will be looked into as well as our contracts with our trash and recycle companies. A shortage of bins in the trash rooms was noted and questions were raised as to exactly what kind of disposables these companies would collect from the fenced-in docks adjoining the outside garages.
The new patio tables are up and running and the Social Committee Chair Alison Prevost announced she had purchased covers for the new outdoor furniture. She was authorized to also purchase an outdoor waterproof plastic storage box for these covers. President Davis indicated that a unit owner, who insisted on remaining anonymous, contributed a set of new chairs to the patio. The Board accepted the gift and thanked the unknown donor for the kind gesture.
Unit owner Karen Lord reported that the nesting area for birds near Building 3, which was going to be removed in the fall, is now attracting the attention of foxes. The Board voted to have this installation removed immediately by our landscape company. Ms Lord also inquired about installing charging stations in our garages to accommodate the increasingly popular electric powered cars. The Board said the first unit owner who wants to install one of these chargers should get all the costs and requirements needed for their entire building and then bring these facts to the Board for consideration and possible approval.
Bird Box Builders Object To Removal Of Nests
File Petition With Board
To The BOD,
Below is a petition signed by the neighbors of building 3. It was a pleasure and positive response by 20 of the owners in our building. This is some of what we heard by them. The big question was WHY is this even an issue. One of our neighbors said, “ oh please let me get some signatures and she did! Another single woman told us when looking at our building to purchase in, she noticed the bird boxes and told herself this is going to a great place to live. Another person who signed said “isn’t it great that we have nature around us”. One man who has cancer said he takes pleasure in taking photos of the birds as they go in and out of the boxes feeding the young. One neighbor that has several health issues sits by his window and watches the boxes which helps calm him. We feel the BOD should listen to the community and not just one individual. Remember you were voted in to represent the welfare of the people in our community. Why don’t you approve grandfathering the bird boxes that are there now.
Thank You,
Malcolm and Dagmar Kirsop
Bldg. 3, Unit 402
Below is a petition signed by the neighbors of building 3. It was a pleasure and positive response by 20 of the owners in our building. This is some of what we heard by them. The big question was WHY is this even an issue. One of our neighbors said, “ oh please let me get some signatures and she did! Another single woman told us when looking at our building to purchase in, she noticed the bird boxes and told herself this is going to a great place to live. Another person who signed said “isn’t it great that we have nature around us”. One man who has cancer said he takes pleasure in taking photos of the birds as they go in and out of the boxes feeding the young. One neighbor that has several health issues sits by his window and watches the boxes which helps calm him. We feel the BOD should listen to the community and not just one individual. Remember you were voted in to represent the welfare of the people in our community. Why don’t you approve grandfathering the bird boxes that are there now.
Thank You,
Malcolm and Dagmar Kirsop
Bldg. 3, Unit 402
To All,
A P.S. to earlier email with attached petition. For the missing owners, 1 is just moved in, 1 moved out, 2 owners don’t speak English, 1 is on vacation in Australia and 2 were gone over the weekend. 1 is a member of the BOD. The other is Ms Lord.
Malcolm and Dagmar
A P.S. to earlier email with attached petition. For the missing owners, 1 is just moved in, 1 moved out, 2 owners don’t speak English, 1 is on vacation in Australia and 2 were gone over the weekend. 1 is a member of the BOD. The other is Ms Lord.
Malcolm and Dagmar
Notes From The Board Meeting Of May 18, 2022
Board Members: Diana Schumaker, President Audrey Davis,
Treasurer Chuck Keen,
Director Gerry Moore and Director Matt Berg
A Zoom's Eye View And Notes From The BOD Meeting of
July 20, 2022
Notes From The Special BOD Zoom Meeting of July 19th, 2022
Here are a few snaps from Tuesday's special BOD Zoom meeting with Dave Smith (center) from the J Hood HVAC company. The fellow on the lower left is Deraughn Fennell our new CMC Manager. The purpose of the meeting was to hear Dave's building-by-building asssessment of all of our common HVAC systems - the ones which service our lobbys and hallways. He recommended at least nine of our systems needed replacement. At the end of the meeting he gave the Board price estimates based on the brand of machine they might choose to use for the replacement. His detailed proposal will be sent to the Board today (Tuesday) and will be placed on the top of the Board's open meeting agenda scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday, July 20th at 6:30 PM). At that time the Board will decide on repair or replace and if they replace what brand they wish to have installed.
Notes From The Board of Director's Meeting of April 20, 2022
Although there were only 10 residents who attended the April Board meeting in person they all had something in common. They all entered the Clubhouse through the beautiful and newly installed front doors of the building. You might remember the old doors with their windows trapping moisture between their double panes and the wooden finish deteriorating in the weather. Well, the newly installed steel doors (see below) are not only a neat sight to behold they actually work. No more going around to the back door near the kitchen to get in. You can now enter through the elegant front door if you have the proper fob. If you don't have a fob ask your Building Captain and he or she should be able to help. By the way the metal pull handle requires a good yank to open. It's great to have the good yanks back again.
Unfortuneately, Board President Audrey Davis was not able to attend this month's meeting in person because of a severe cold. Director Gerry Moore sat in for her and followed the agenda to learn that the Treasurer's report had no issues this month and that item after item would be tabled for her return. Among them was the fact that the Beazer negotiations were still underway, the new patio tables were also still on their way, more working door fobs were needed, the insurance was renewed, the reserve study was approved as was the replanting of a rose bush between Buildings 4 and 5 in memory of Roger Iron Cloud's late wife and other residents who have passed away.
There were two subjects that attracted some attention. One had to do with enabling residents who were wheelchair or bed bound to safely leave their building in the case of a fire or another emergency that required a quick evacuation. The other subject concerned the Boards's mandate that every unit in The Gatherings have their dryer ducts and vents thoroughly cleaned by the end of September this year.
The question of how the handicapped can safely leave a building will now be included in a study that is currently in preparation by CMC our management company. The study is a handbook style presentation to address potential safety problems with our buildings and units. It covers subject such as fires, flood and storms and will now include personal safety for the handicapped. This inclusion will be because of the moving request for help by the resident who attended this meeting and told how worried she was when she saw the enormous difficulty a wheelchair bound resident had in getting to safety when the fire alarm in her building was set off.
The issue raised in the dryer duct cleaning discussion had to do with the Board only going as far as recommending a capable company who was able to provide a cleaning that would guarantee dryer duct safety for a three year period. The Board voted a few months ago to allow any owner to ignore the recommendation and hire any cleaner they wished as long as proof was presented that their job was done in a satisfactory manner. A member of the subcommittee searching for a company for the Board to recommend pointed out that allowing owners to hire their own company would result in a trend to get the cheapest price and not the best job. The member felt there should be a sole highly qualified contractor thus insuring the highest standard for all owners. Last night The Board voted to re-open this issue and bring it up for discussion and perhaps a revote next month in light of the information being provided by the current search for a recommended duct cleaning company.
There were two subjects that attracted some attention. One had to do with enabling residents who were wheelchair or bed bound to safely leave their building in the case of a fire or another emergency that required a quick evacuation. The other subject concerned the Boards's mandate that every unit in The Gatherings have their dryer ducts and vents thoroughly cleaned by the end of September this year.
The question of how the handicapped can safely leave a building will now be included in a study that is currently in preparation by CMC our management company. The study is a handbook style presentation to address potential safety problems with our buildings and units. It covers subject such as fires, flood and storms and will now include personal safety for the handicapped. This inclusion will be because of the moving request for help by the resident who attended this meeting and told how worried she was when she saw the enormous difficulty a wheelchair bound resident had in getting to safety when the fire alarm in her building was set off.
The issue raised in the dryer duct cleaning discussion had to do with the Board only going as far as recommending a capable company who was able to provide a cleaning that would guarantee dryer duct safety for a three year period. The Board voted a few months ago to allow any owner to ignore the recommendation and hire any cleaner they wished as long as proof was presented that their job was done in a satisfactory manner. A member of the subcommittee searching for a company for the Board to recommend pointed out that allowing owners to hire their own company would result in a trend to get the cheapest price and not the best job. The member felt there should be a sole highly qualified contractor thus insuring the highest standard for all owners. Last night The Board voted to re-open this issue and bring it up for discussion and perhaps a revote next month in light of the information being provided by the current search for a recommended duct cleaning company.
Notes From The Board of Director's Meeting March 16, 2022
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The middle-of-the-month Board of Directors meeting took place as scheduled both in the Clubhouse and virtually on-line this Wednesday. There were a total of 13 people present in the Clubhouse which included 4 Board Members, their secretary, two representative from CMC and six onlookers from the community for a total of 13 people of which four were wearing masks. CMC's outgoing rep William Bodden was there to show the ropes to our new reprepsentative Camillia Scott. What Ms Scott witnessed was a rather routine meeting with a lot of odds-and-ends needing to be discussed.
For example we learned that the new Clubhouse doors had not been installed because when they arrived at the contractor's premises there was a vital part missing which was later found on the doors delivery truck which, by now, had moved on to Pennsylvania. An attempt was being made to retrieve the part and reschedule the installation - hopefully, soon. Once the new doors are in place getting them to open was another problem facing the Board. There are not enough door unlocking electronic fobs available for everyone and new ones have been ordered. However, the electronic system in the Clubhouse that controls the fobs is out of order and needs either a replacemeent or a total reworking. That problem was one of many brought up in the meeting.
The Landscape Committee Co-Chairman Malcolm Kirsop reported that his group had completed a survey of the plants, shrubs and trees in the community and was recommending replacements for many of the ones which had died during the winter.
They are also studying methods of correcting the erosion problem in front of the Building 3 parking lot.
The Building and Grounds Committee is in the process of conducting their monthly Fire Safety checks. They have also started work on laying out a plan to get the clothes dryer ducts in every unit cleaned of the hazardous lint that piles up over time in these vented pipes which, when exposed to high heat, could cause a disasterous fire.
Rusted metal door frames in Buildings 1,2 and 3 were discussed. Did they have to be painted or replaced? That is the question and the answer has yet to be forthcoming.
A step towards solving the problem of delivery or other vehicles blocking
access to garages was taken when it was revealed that signs placed in Building 4 were having success in controlling who parks where. The Board hopes to bring on an advisor who is familiar with the Manassas ordinances regarding parking to help
find the proper spots for the delivery and vendor vehicles and direct these trucks to them via signage.
The Board spent some time discussing the need to replace the master water cut-off valves that are located in the ceilings of the first floor corridors. There are two small compartments that house these valves in each end of this hallway. The valves are
made of plastic and tend to become unworkabable over a period of time. The Board is now looking at a proposal to replace these valves with brass, lever operated cut-offs. Using these valves would enable residents to cut off the water to their units downstairs when a leak springs in their plumbing upstairs. A few residents have already found that the plastic cut-off valves in their boiler rooms have become inoperable preventing them from getting their water turned off. The mastervalves downstairs were also stuck in the open position. A fix has been proposed along with a price. It is now under consideration.
Finally, those Clubhouse patio aluminum topped tables that were ordered almost two years ago are now slowly coming into the country and may be here soon.
Welcome Ms Scott to The Gatherings.
For example we learned that the new Clubhouse doors had not been installed because when they arrived at the contractor's premises there was a vital part missing which was later found on the doors delivery truck which, by now, had moved on to Pennsylvania. An attempt was being made to retrieve the part and reschedule the installation - hopefully, soon. Once the new doors are in place getting them to open was another problem facing the Board. There are not enough door unlocking electronic fobs available for everyone and new ones have been ordered. However, the electronic system in the Clubhouse that controls the fobs is out of order and needs either a replacemeent or a total reworking. That problem was one of many brought up in the meeting.
The Landscape Committee Co-Chairman Malcolm Kirsop reported that his group had completed a survey of the plants, shrubs and trees in the community and was recommending replacements for many of the ones which had died during the winter.
They are also studying methods of correcting the erosion problem in front of the Building 3 parking lot.
The Building and Grounds Committee is in the process of conducting their monthly Fire Safety checks. They have also started work on laying out a plan to get the clothes dryer ducts in every unit cleaned of the hazardous lint that piles up over time in these vented pipes which, when exposed to high heat, could cause a disasterous fire.
Rusted metal door frames in Buildings 1,2 and 3 were discussed. Did they have to be painted or replaced? That is the question and the answer has yet to be forthcoming.
A step towards solving the problem of delivery or other vehicles blocking
access to garages was taken when it was revealed that signs placed in Building 4 were having success in controlling who parks where. The Board hopes to bring on an advisor who is familiar with the Manassas ordinances regarding parking to help
find the proper spots for the delivery and vendor vehicles and direct these trucks to them via signage.
The Board spent some time discussing the need to replace the master water cut-off valves that are located in the ceilings of the first floor corridors. There are two small compartments that house these valves in each end of this hallway. The valves are
made of plastic and tend to become unworkabable over a period of time. The Board is now looking at a proposal to replace these valves with brass, lever operated cut-offs. Using these valves would enable residents to cut off the water to their units downstairs when a leak springs in their plumbing upstairs. A few residents have already found that the plastic cut-off valves in their boiler rooms have become inoperable preventing them from getting their water turned off. The mastervalves downstairs were also stuck in the open position. A fix has been proposed along with a price. It is now under consideration.
Finally, those Clubhouse patio aluminum topped tables that were ordered almost two years ago are now slowly coming into the country and may be here soon.
Welcome Ms Scott to The Gatherings.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting February 16, 2022
There was a slight bit of normalcy for this month's open hybrid Board meeting at the Clubhouse. It was an in-person event for four of the Board members, their secretary plus the representative of CMC. Masks were partly evident. There were three unit owners who showed up in person to witness the meeting while everyone else joined via a Zoom hookup including the fifth Board member. Under the leadership of Board President Audrey Davis the meeting flew rapidly along the night's agenda landing about an hour and half later. Director and Treasurer Chuck Keene, calling in on Zoom, reported that, so far, things were still on the budget track with the amount being put aside for reserves on schedule but, still under discussion about its amount and adequacy.
The Board has now been presented with a series of questions whose answers will set the requirements contractors must meet to get the job of cleaning dryer ducts and vents in the community. When the subcomittee looking into this project has a uniform and thorough plan they will begin the job of contacting and contracting with firms that do this type of safety maintenance. The protocols will also serve as guidance to any unit owner who wishes to handle this requirement themself by hiring his or hers favorite cleaning company .
Many of the other items on the agenda such as the exterior building maintenance plan; the transition study involving the Beazer company; the repair of a number of The Gatherings HVAC units; cleaning of hallway carpets; the cleaning of all of the building's brickwork and tuckpointing it, were all still under consideration. The Clubhouse front door replacement is now scheduled for March the same month in which it is possible the long-ago ordered new patio tables will arrive. A progresss report on those tables indicated that their legs were finished but their cast aluminum tops were still on their way from an overseas factory. Hopefully, this long awaited order will also show up next month.
A discussion about the stairs leading up to a townhouses pathway centered on whether or not it could be made safer simply by installing a handrail rather than a series of steps. No decision on a handrail was made and CMS Rep William Bodden continued looking into providing a safe and practical access to the walkway via both stairs and handrails. Mr. Bodden is also looking into the maintenance and repair of space heaters throughout the community and also getting the required inspections of the fire protection accomplished. Board Director Matt Berg suggested that since it was not safe to use corrosion causing air in the fire system's piping that it be replaced with non-corrosive nitrogen gas.
Director Berg also piped up during a discussion of the reserve study. He pointed out that the reserve amount had been under-estimated in the early days of the community when it was still the responsibility of the Beazer Company. That low estimation enabled Beazer to present a more attractive price structure to potential buyers. Now, after all these years have passed by, the methods and amounts of calculating what will need maintenance, repair or replacement and when it will need the work is clearer and the reserves should be adjusted to reflect this. The aim is to have yearly incremental adjustments rather than than overwhelming costs when something fails or breakdowns.
In the Resident's Forum section of the meeting unit owner Alison Prevost, also calling in on Zoom, reported that the main water cutoff valve in her boiler room had become totally stuck and was impossible to use. She feared that if a large force was used to dislodge it that it would result in a broken pipe and a flood. The valve is plastic and sits in a plastic water main. She has called in a plumber to replace this item. Many residents have experienced the same problem. These plastic valves and pipes are also found in the main ceiling cutoff acceses on the first floor of each building. Replacing the valves with lever operated units made of metal is now a Board consideration.
One last observation that popped up during this discussion was that many unit owners had no idea about how to turn off their water or gas. Many do not know what to do in case of a fire or if they get stuck in an elevator. Handicapped people have no idea how to get out of the building if an evacuation in necessary. These and other safety consideration were immediately mentioned leading to the CMC Rep William Bonner to say that he would prepare a fresh set of safety instructions that could be handed out to all the unit owners.
With that the meeting ended and everyone went back to finding new problems for the Board and waiting for the fixes they already announced were in progress.
PS: Just as these minutes were being finished we received word of still another major change for us from our management company. Here it is:
The Gatherings portfolio manager, William Bodden, has accepted another position with CMC, effective Monday, Feb 21, 2022. Please welcome Camellia Scott, our new portfolio manager. Camellia has over 17 years experience in property management, most recently in the DC metro area.. William will serve as a resource for Camellia as needed.
And so the management company's musical chairs continue with a very familiar musical frame coming back once again.
Good luck to William in his new position.
Notes From The Board Meeting of
December 15th, 2021
From left to right Board Secretary Judith Smith, Board Directors Gerry Moore and Matt Berg and Board President Audrey Davis
Thanks to the Covid virus and Zoom the first hybrid Board of Directors took place yesterday that embraced locations including the Clubhouse and individual residences in The Gatherings. It was the first time in over a year that the Board met together publically at the Clubhouse with a few residents attending in person, but off-camera, and with a few others watching and participating on their devices at home via the Zoom on-line application. The meeting started about 20 minutes late as our CMC representative William Bodden wrestled with the complexity of streaming a live meeting with most of the Board members across the room from the camera and with almost everyone else at home.
What business was accomplished was a mixed bag considering there were 28 items on the agenda. Leading off the session was a problem in which the monthly assessment coupons had to be reprinted and re-sent because of errors in the new assessment amounts. The newly printed coupons will reach the residents who use them by the middle of January and will not incur any late fees for the month if paid when received.
In other business the Board approved the formation of a sub-committee within the Building and Grounds Committe consisting of at least three persons who will research the contractors, the methodology and the costs of cleaning the dryer ductwork for all of the units in the community. Board President Audrey Davis wants the cleaning completed no later than September 30th of next year.
Another committee that got the official go ahead last night was the Landscape Committee which now is an official offshoot of the Board reporting to them on projects and costs.
Other projects that the Board began investigation last evening was getting a number of metal entry doors that have exhibited rusting repaired and repainted before further damage occurs. A water leak in Building 1 was recaulked however there was no word from the contractor that the cause of the leak was found and that the new caulking fixed it. A follow-up with the contractor will hopefully get the answers to the questions related to the efficacy of the work.
As various building problems and fixes were discussed it became apparent that there was no overall master plan for the inspection of the buildings and their scheduled maintenance. Matt Berg, who supervises the Building and Grounds Committee will take charge of creating this vital plan and presenting it to the Board at a later time.
There were many items on the Agenda that were tabled as the Board waits for the completion and execution of previous go aheads. For example the new Clubhouse doors are still in the works as is the examination and upgrading of the lobby call
boxes and the hiring of a contractor to maintain the many common area HVAC units we have in the hallways.
The internet will soon be available for use in the Clubhouse. There will be seperate passwords for the Board and the Residents. When put into operation residents will be able to access the internet by bringing their laptops to the Clubhouse.
Vendor vehicles blocking the driveways is still an unsolved problem as is oversized items being placed in the outside trash corrals. Hopefully, these problems may be solved with proper signage installed.
In the new business section of the meeting making the steep sidewalk on the north side of Building 5 safer to use will be investigated by Board member Matt Berg who will measure how much of the walkway is on our property and what can be done to make it safer by possibly installing a few steps and a railing.
Resident Alison Prevost brought up the matter of lobby heaters constantly on and making noise. That will be looked into.
Finally the Board and some residents got into an extended discussion on how to prepare The Gatherings for the near future when electric vehicles are offered by the major manufacturers instead of cars powered by gasoline engines. Director Berg felt that charging stations might be installed in the parking areas adjacent to our various buildings. He said without an amenity like this The Gatherings might have trouble on the resale of units. He acknowledged these chargers were expensive items.
Others residents called for the installation of the proper power cables and electric meters in their unit's garages so they could hook up their own chargers and pay for what current they used. No one had any idea whether or not garage based chargers were feasilble. No one knew what might have to be done to bring the proper voltage into the garages or whether or not this was possible at all given the way our condos are constructed. And, no one knew what all this might cost. Board member Charles Keene said he would not like to be forced to pay for someone else's ability to have an electric vehicle. He said though the law cannot prevent someone from having such a car the owner should be the one responsible for not only getting the Board's and the City's permission for installing a charging unit but the resident should also provide information on the feasibility, safety and the costs to install chargers for all the residents who want them. None of the preliminary investigation would be done at a cost to anyone else but the person wanting The Gatherings first electrically powered car. The Board voted on this proposal and so, as it now stands, the cost of the first introduction of an EV will be the sole responsibility and financial obligation of the first resident who wants to drive into the future using volts and amps instead of gas and oil.
Soon, we may hear from residents on the first floors of our buildings who do not want to be charged for the costs of their building's elevators.
What business was accomplished was a mixed bag considering there were 28 items on the agenda. Leading off the session was a problem in which the monthly assessment coupons had to be reprinted and re-sent because of errors in the new assessment amounts. The newly printed coupons will reach the residents who use them by the middle of January and will not incur any late fees for the month if paid when received.
In other business the Board approved the formation of a sub-committee within the Building and Grounds Committe consisting of at least three persons who will research the contractors, the methodology and the costs of cleaning the dryer ductwork for all of the units in the community. Board President Audrey Davis wants the cleaning completed no later than September 30th of next year.
Another committee that got the official go ahead last night was the Landscape Committee which now is an official offshoot of the Board reporting to them on projects and costs.
Other projects that the Board began investigation last evening was getting a number of metal entry doors that have exhibited rusting repaired and repainted before further damage occurs. A water leak in Building 1 was recaulked however there was no word from the contractor that the cause of the leak was found and that the new caulking fixed it. A follow-up with the contractor will hopefully get the answers to the questions related to the efficacy of the work.
As various building problems and fixes were discussed it became apparent that there was no overall master plan for the inspection of the buildings and their scheduled maintenance. Matt Berg, who supervises the Building and Grounds Committee will take charge of creating this vital plan and presenting it to the Board at a later time.
There were many items on the Agenda that were tabled as the Board waits for the completion and execution of previous go aheads. For example the new Clubhouse doors are still in the works as is the examination and upgrading of the lobby call
boxes and the hiring of a contractor to maintain the many common area HVAC units we have in the hallways.
The internet will soon be available for use in the Clubhouse. There will be seperate passwords for the Board and the Residents. When put into operation residents will be able to access the internet by bringing their laptops to the Clubhouse.
Vendor vehicles blocking the driveways is still an unsolved problem as is oversized items being placed in the outside trash corrals. Hopefully, these problems may be solved with proper signage installed.
In the new business section of the meeting making the steep sidewalk on the north side of Building 5 safer to use will be investigated by Board member Matt Berg who will measure how much of the walkway is on our property and what can be done to make it safer by possibly installing a few steps and a railing.
Resident Alison Prevost brought up the matter of lobby heaters constantly on and making noise. That will be looked into.
Finally the Board and some residents got into an extended discussion on how to prepare The Gatherings for the near future when electric vehicles are offered by the major manufacturers instead of cars powered by gasoline engines. Director Berg felt that charging stations might be installed in the parking areas adjacent to our various buildings. He said without an amenity like this The Gatherings might have trouble on the resale of units. He acknowledged these chargers were expensive items.
Others residents called for the installation of the proper power cables and electric meters in their unit's garages so they could hook up their own chargers and pay for what current they used. No one had any idea whether or not garage based chargers were feasilble. No one knew what might have to be done to bring the proper voltage into the garages or whether or not this was possible at all given the way our condos are constructed. And, no one knew what all this might cost. Board member Charles Keene said he would not like to be forced to pay for someone else's ability to have an electric vehicle. He said though the law cannot prevent someone from having such a car the owner should be the one responsible for not only getting the Board's and the City's permission for installing a charging unit but the resident should also provide information on the feasibility, safety and the costs to install chargers for all the residents who want them. None of the preliminary investigation would be done at a cost to anyone else but the person wanting The Gatherings first electrically powered car. The Board voted on this proposal and so, as it now stands, the cost of the first introduction of an EV will be the sole responsibility and financial obligation of the first resident who wants to drive into the future using volts and amps instead of gas and oil.
Soon, we may hear from residents on the first floors of our buildings who do not want to be charged for the costs of their building's elevators.
Some Notes And Short Videos From The Gatherings Board Meeting of November 17, 2021
Building 5 Gets A New Makeup Job
The Gatherings Special Zoom Board Meeting On November 10, 2021 To Discuss The 2022 Budget
The Board of Directors held a special meeting on Wednesday, November 10th to discuss the community's budget for next year. The residents monthly assessments will be based on a final number they can all agree on. In taking on this job the Board wears many hats. They have to be accountants looking line-by-line at what was done this year and try to estimate whether or not next year will have the same costs. They have to be weather forecasters so they can make an educated guess on what snow removal might cost this coming winter. They have to be construction specialists in order to spot buildings or grounds deterioration and what it will cost to fix the problems. They have to be HVAC technicians with pesky compressors that may or may not make it through another season. And so it goes. Each line item in the budget has to be compared to last year's budget to determine if the cost should be increased or decreased next year. Mostly, it's an educated guessing game. Especially when it comes to one other major budget item that is the biggest guessing challenge of all. How much should they allot to the Repair and Replacement Reserve Fund. All we know is that the bigger the fund the better off we will be to face an unexpected emergency. Many different dollar amounts were discussed but there was no final figure ready to announce. From what was said we can speculate there will be a change in our assessments but we will all have to wait as the Board dons their chef hats to dish up their budgetary dish. There will be many ingredients in their final concoction and whether or not it's to our taste we won't know until they put the financial pie they are baking on the table for us to sample. To prepare for this event we advise you to have a supply of champagne and Pepto Bismol both on hand. Very soon we'll find out what our elected chefs have cooked up for us.
The open Zoom Board Meeting on Wednesday evening began where it left off a week ago with the Board members not able to agree on a final budget for 2022. For the first half-hour of the meeting it looked as though the Board was locked in a position similar to a circular firing squad. When one member made a proposal that could lead to a budget balance another member across the way would shoot it down. The phrase, "I wont vote for that!" was heard over-and-over again. It was almost like watching Congress trying to pass a Presidential initiative with Senator Joe Manchin refusing to vote "yes" unless some of his demands were adopted.
At one point a frustrated Board President, Audrey Davis, said they had to move on to other items on the agenda and perhaps they could either take the budget up again at another closed meeting or postpone the talks again for the next Board meeting in December. Then, about 35 minutes into the meeting the tide began to turn. William Bannon our CMC manager and Matt Berg began to offer slight alternations to the budget proposal on the table. What followed was a demonstration of determined concentration on the problem at hand.
It was like watching someone pack for a trip and trying to get all his garments, toiletries and cameras into a small overnight bag. The Board pushed and shoved
and repacked and repacked again. Little-by-little , dollar-by-dollar the members began to find some wiggle room for most of the items in the budget and amazingly fit them in to their proper place in the spending plan. A few items had to be renamed in order to get them into the bag for the trip.
When all the packing was finally completed the bag was compressed and closed tight with everyone's weight on it in unison. Then the vote was taken to approve this tight Budget bag for 2022. Yes, the bag still had some bulges but they would be handled by increasing the monthly assessments to iron them out. When it was all done the budget was approved leaving the residents to face a 9.08% increase in their monthly assessments. Wow! That Budget Bag was a heavy load to lift. Click on the video below to see and hear how a tiny bit of the meeting unfolded.
At one point a frustrated Board President, Audrey Davis, said they had to move on to other items on the agenda and perhaps they could either take the budget up again at another closed meeting or postpone the talks again for the next Board meeting in December. Then, about 35 minutes into the meeting the tide began to turn. William Bannon our CMC manager and Matt Berg began to offer slight alternations to the budget proposal on the table. What followed was a demonstration of determined concentration on the problem at hand.
It was like watching someone pack for a trip and trying to get all his garments, toiletries and cameras into a small overnight bag. The Board pushed and shoved
and repacked and repacked again. Little-by-little , dollar-by-dollar the members began to find some wiggle room for most of the items in the budget and amazingly fit them in to their proper place in the spending plan. A few items had to be renamed in order to get them into the bag for the trip.
When all the packing was finally completed the bag was compressed and closed tight with everyone's weight on it in unison. Then the vote was taken to approve this tight Budget bag for 2022. Yes, the bag still had some bulges but they would be handled by increasing the monthly assessments to iron them out. When it was all done the budget was approved leaving the residents to face a 9.08% increase in their monthly assessments. Wow! That Budget Bag was a heavy load to lift. Click on the video below to see and hear how a tiny bit of the meeting unfolded.
Discussion on the rest of the lengthy agenda went much more rapidly with about half the items being tabled for another meeting after they had been researched more thoroughly. Below, is a short video clip from the Zoom meeting as President Davis discussed a plan to have The Gathering's dryer vents cleaned. Click on it to get a brief sample of how things went last night.
With Covid restrictions still in mind The Gatherings Board of Directors meeting was once again in hybrid format with only a few residents showing up in the Clubhouse and the remainder listening in their units via Zoom. Board Director Gerry Moore was one of those attending by remote means. The major topic of the meeting, one which took almost an hour to discuss, was a discussion of various contract bids to build a retaining wall behind Building 4 to prevent further erosion of the steep embankment on which the structure stands. The retaining wall will run the entire length of the building and extend beyond the building on its south end. It's estimated that once started the work will take at least a month to perform. This will be a costly but necessary project to avoid the same fate that a condo in Miami Beach underwent when it collapsed after many danger signs were ignored.
There were two companies that offered bids for the job and the Board favored one of them but did not make any firm decision at the meeting. The Board agreed to review the favored contract with the Association's lawyers and to seek a permit from the City of Manassas before starting the work. The Board felt that further clarifications of the contract were necessary as well as the inclusion of certain language so that everyone understand the exact scope of the work before, during and after the project becomes a reality.
In the remaining hour of the meeting the Board discussed a wide range of subjects including the painting in Buildings 1 and 2 which is currently approaching completion; the authorizing of a new contract with the company that oversees the fire protection systems in our buildings; the operation of the lobby Call Boxes which do not perform properly in a few buildings; contracting for additional curb and parking lot painting for and striping for Buildings 4 and 5; getting the dryer ductwork in all the buildings properly cleaned; washing and cleaning the buildings and walkways; and repairing the loose and crumbling cement pointing in many of the building's lintels and other masonry.
One continuing subject has yet to be fully resolved is the creation of a Buildings and Grounds Committee that would work with the Board to point out structural problems that need to be addressed. The committee would also accept projects from the Board and seek solutions to them. Finally they would supervise the work when it was carried out. Matt Berg would be the Board's liaison with the new committee which, at the present time, is seeking new members and the appointment of its chair person.
Two of the residents made a poignant plea to have the deteriorated concrete walkway in the entrance to Building 2 replaced. The walkway began to desinigrate when snow melting salt was poured on it before it was able to cure properly. A handicapped resident of the building said she could neither walk across the entryway nor operate a wheel chair on it. William Bannon, our CMC Representative, said he would initiate a repair as soon as possible.
There were two companies that offered bids for the job and the Board favored one of them but did not make any firm decision at the meeting. The Board agreed to review the favored contract with the Association's lawyers and to seek a permit from the City of Manassas before starting the work. The Board felt that further clarifications of the contract were necessary as well as the inclusion of certain language so that everyone understand the exact scope of the work before, during and after the project becomes a reality.
In the remaining hour of the meeting the Board discussed a wide range of subjects including the painting in Buildings 1 and 2 which is currently approaching completion; the authorizing of a new contract with the company that oversees the fire protection systems in our buildings; the operation of the lobby Call Boxes which do not perform properly in a few buildings; contracting for additional curb and parking lot painting for and striping for Buildings 4 and 5; getting the dryer ductwork in all the buildings properly cleaned; washing and cleaning the buildings and walkways; and repairing the loose and crumbling cement pointing in many of the building's lintels and other masonry.
One continuing subject has yet to be fully resolved is the creation of a Buildings and Grounds Committee that would work with the Board to point out structural problems that need to be addressed. The committee would also accept projects from the Board and seek solutions to them. Finally they would supervise the work when it was carried out. Matt Berg would be the Board's liaison with the new committee which, at the present time, is seeking new members and the appointment of its chair person.
Two of the residents made a poignant plea to have the deteriorated concrete walkway in the entrance to Building 2 replaced. The walkway began to desinigrate when snow melting salt was poured on it before it was able to cure properly. A handicapped resident of the building said she could neither walk across the entryway nor operate a wheel chair on it. William Bannon, our CMC Representative, said he would initiate a repair as soon as possible.
Notes From The Board Meeting Of June 16, 2021
The Board of Directors emerged from the Zoom eye this month to conduct their open meeting "Live" in The Clubhouse once again. There were a total of 11 attendees in the room including the Board, its Secretary and the CMC representative. Although there were others tuning in they were out of the picture as far as Zoom was concerned but not out of earshot. William Bodden had provided Zoom audio to those uncounted few who wished to or could not attend in person.
There were 20 items on the formal agenda including such topics as The Treasurer's Report; an expensive proposal to construct a retaining wall behind Building 4; updates on both common area painting and bids for proposed curb and parking lot painting ; a transition study update; a meeting with the nearby Town House association; call box operation and a variety of other issues ranging from crumbling masonry to hose faucets that do not work in several buildings.
The most time spent on any issue came about during the open meeting period in which the Unit Owners get a chance to address the Board about their issues of concern. Malcolm and Dagmar Kirsop were there as co-chairs of the eight year-old Landscape Committee. At last month's Board meeting former Board Present Alan Marsilio raised many questions about the Landscape Committee's operations including whether or not they were functioning properly under the Virginia laws which govern condominiums. He also wanted to know, for example, what was the fate of the two Crepe Myrtle trees that had been planted in front of Building 5 but were now gone - replaced by clumps of decorative tall grass. He had other questions as well and current Board President Audrey Davis provided answers to them at the end of the formal Board agenda.
However, there was still an elephant in the room. A few weeks before last night's meeting Mr. Kirsop asked a Board member to provide him a spot on the agenda so he could reply to Mr. Marsilio's comments. The member, Gerry Moore, who was not present last night, sent Mr. Kirsop and others an e-mail saying that because the Landscape Committee no longer had a budget and had been discontinued Mr. Kirsop could only speak during the short periods allotted to non-board members at the end of their scheduled meeting. Mr. Kirsop would get 3 minutes to find out what happened and explain 8 years of work.
This casual comment on cancellation was a shock to the Kirsops, committee volunteers, and many unit owners. Fortunately, everything calmed down by the end of the meeting. After explanations by President Davis and CMC's Mr. Bodden there was a lot more light shed on how committees comes to be, what their obligations are to the Board and the community and what their lifespans are. The result of this extended and informative exchange was that this small but vital committee, or whatever it might be called in the future, will continue doings its work in keeping The Gathering's shrubs, trees and flowers healthy and beautiful. It's a goal we all want.
There were 20 items on the formal agenda including such topics as The Treasurer's Report; an expensive proposal to construct a retaining wall behind Building 4; updates on both common area painting and bids for proposed curb and parking lot painting ; a transition study update; a meeting with the nearby Town House association; call box operation and a variety of other issues ranging from crumbling masonry to hose faucets that do not work in several buildings.
The most time spent on any issue came about during the open meeting period in which the Unit Owners get a chance to address the Board about their issues of concern. Malcolm and Dagmar Kirsop were there as co-chairs of the eight year-old Landscape Committee. At last month's Board meeting former Board Present Alan Marsilio raised many questions about the Landscape Committee's operations including whether or not they were functioning properly under the Virginia laws which govern condominiums. He also wanted to know, for example, what was the fate of the two Crepe Myrtle trees that had been planted in front of Building 5 but were now gone - replaced by clumps of decorative tall grass. He had other questions as well and current Board President Audrey Davis provided answers to them at the end of the formal Board agenda.
However, there was still an elephant in the room. A few weeks before last night's meeting Mr. Kirsop asked a Board member to provide him a spot on the agenda so he could reply to Mr. Marsilio's comments. The member, Gerry Moore, who was not present last night, sent Mr. Kirsop and others an e-mail saying that because the Landscape Committee no longer had a budget and had been discontinued Mr. Kirsop could only speak during the short periods allotted to non-board members at the end of their scheduled meeting. Mr. Kirsop would get 3 minutes to find out what happened and explain 8 years of work.
This casual comment on cancellation was a shock to the Kirsops, committee volunteers, and many unit owners. Fortunately, everything calmed down by the end of the meeting. After explanations by President Davis and CMC's Mr. Bodden there was a lot more light shed on how committees comes to be, what their obligations are to the Board and the community and what their lifespans are. The result of this extended and informative exchange was that this small but vital committee, or whatever it might be called in the future, will continue doings its work in keeping The Gathering's shrubs, trees and flowers healthy and beautiful. It's a goal we all want.
1. Audrey Davis, Matt Berg
2. Matt Berg, William Bodden
3. Judith Smith
4. Chuck Keen
5. Malcolm Kirsop
Notes From The Zoom Edition Of The Gatherings'
Board Of Directors Meeting Of May 19, 2021
Zoom was the host when The Gatherings’ Board of Directors held their monthly meeting on their digital platform this week. For this get-together nine residents ultimately joined the on-line proceedings to watch the Board and the CMC Rep tackle an agenda that included 22 items plus a stunning statement read by a former BOD president.
The meeting began with a warning from Board Treasurer Chuck Keen that the expenses for the first quarter were over budget and if that continued for the rest of the year it would end with a significant shortfall. CMC Rep William Bodden said some of the expenses were due to snow removal and, if nature played along this year, we should come out all right in the end.
Matt Berg said he is still looking for volunteers for the Buildings and Grounds Committee he heads
.
There were many items on the agenda that called for three bids to made before repair or replacement work could be contracted out. In most of these cases only one or two bids were received since last month’s meeting and therefore could not proceed until the Board saw all three bids and could vote their approval for one of them.
There was one agenda item that ate up the biggest portion of the meetings two-hour allotted time. This item concerned the fire protection and alarms systems that are installed in each of our buildings. Matt Berg said neither he nor anyone else on the Board had the required expertise to assess the technical aspects of these systems. For example: Was a sign of rust on the sprinkler system pipes a sign that they needed to replaced? Was the nitrogen gas in the dry part of the system leaking out and if so what was the best and cheapest way of fixing it? How often should systemwide inspections be undertaken and what should they cost? After many, many minutes of discussing problems such as these the Board realized that solving these problems was an area over their heads -literally! Matt Berg’s solution made the most sense and the Board agreed with him. We should find an impartial expert in the field who could advise us about the operation and maintenance of these vital life saving devices. We would use such a person to help draw up contracts that concentrated on what and when work was to be done so we didn’t end up paying for what we didn’t need. Have you heard that phrase before?
In other agenda items the community is still waiting for the Board to draw up rules and regulations regarding the cleaning of clothes dryer ducts. They will soon call an executive meeting to see of they can come up with a fair approach to this safety necessity.
There is still no meeting scheduled with Beazer to discuss the findings of the Transition Study.
An effort is being made to allow the residents who still maintain the phone numbers they had when they lived in another state to buzz in visitors, workman and delivery persons who use the call boxes in the outer lobbies to announce their arrival. Building 5 Liaison Tom Szymczak said he had this problem when he moved in from Ohio. He said he located a person at the call box company who came out and fixed the problem for him at Tom’s expense.
Matt Berg discovered that the City of Manassas still publishes on-line maps of The Gathering’s area which shows it to be in a flood plain although this is no longer 100% true. Matt says he will contact the City and ask them to upgrade the maps so that potential buyers will not be scared away by what they find.
Alison Prevost, who heads the Social Committee, announced that her team had searched and found replacement tables for the patio area of the Clubhouse. After reviewing various types of construction they settled on two tables made of aluminum because these tables, which can seat six to eight persons, would require the least maintenance. The Board approved the purchase which will take at least 10 weeks to fulfill.
At the end of the official agenda there remained one other person who wished to be heard by the Board. An angry Alan Marsilio read aloud a document he was about to present to the Board. Recently a Board President himself Mr. Marsilio said that the Virginia Condo Regulations called for the heads of condo committees to attend the Board’s meetings and that had not been done in the case of the Landscape Committee – that they were essentially unsupervised. He said the Landscape Committee was replacing bushes and trees without a go-ahead and had spent twice the amount of money for trees in front of Building 5 that were worth half that amount. To add insult to injury he went on to say those trees lasted only two years and were taken down to be replaced by tall grass plants. He also said that flowers had been planted on the north side of Building 5 without approval. However, Board Director Gerry Moore said the resident who planted the flowers, at her expense, got the Board’s permission before going ahead with her small project. During his term Mr. Marsilio canceled the Landscape Committee’s annual budget in a money saving move. Mr. Marsilio asked the current Board to carefully examine his statement and consider changes that would prevent the Landscape Committee from taking on projects without the Board’s strict approval. With that the meeting was over and the Zoom screens went dark.
The meeting began with a warning from Board Treasurer Chuck Keen that the expenses for the first quarter were over budget and if that continued for the rest of the year it would end with a significant shortfall. CMC Rep William Bodden said some of the expenses were due to snow removal and, if nature played along this year, we should come out all right in the end.
Matt Berg said he is still looking for volunteers for the Buildings and Grounds Committee he heads
.
There were many items on the agenda that called for three bids to made before repair or replacement work could be contracted out. In most of these cases only one or two bids were received since last month’s meeting and therefore could not proceed until the Board saw all three bids and could vote their approval for one of them.
There was one agenda item that ate up the biggest portion of the meetings two-hour allotted time. This item concerned the fire protection and alarms systems that are installed in each of our buildings. Matt Berg said neither he nor anyone else on the Board had the required expertise to assess the technical aspects of these systems. For example: Was a sign of rust on the sprinkler system pipes a sign that they needed to replaced? Was the nitrogen gas in the dry part of the system leaking out and if so what was the best and cheapest way of fixing it? How often should systemwide inspections be undertaken and what should they cost? After many, many minutes of discussing problems such as these the Board realized that solving these problems was an area over their heads -literally! Matt Berg’s solution made the most sense and the Board agreed with him. We should find an impartial expert in the field who could advise us about the operation and maintenance of these vital life saving devices. We would use such a person to help draw up contracts that concentrated on what and when work was to be done so we didn’t end up paying for what we didn’t need. Have you heard that phrase before?
In other agenda items the community is still waiting for the Board to draw up rules and regulations regarding the cleaning of clothes dryer ducts. They will soon call an executive meeting to see of they can come up with a fair approach to this safety necessity.
There is still no meeting scheduled with Beazer to discuss the findings of the Transition Study.
An effort is being made to allow the residents who still maintain the phone numbers they had when they lived in another state to buzz in visitors, workman and delivery persons who use the call boxes in the outer lobbies to announce their arrival. Building 5 Liaison Tom Szymczak said he had this problem when he moved in from Ohio. He said he located a person at the call box company who came out and fixed the problem for him at Tom’s expense.
Matt Berg discovered that the City of Manassas still publishes on-line maps of The Gathering’s area which shows it to be in a flood plain although this is no longer 100% true. Matt says he will contact the City and ask them to upgrade the maps so that potential buyers will not be scared away by what they find.
Alison Prevost, who heads the Social Committee, announced that her team had searched and found replacement tables for the patio area of the Clubhouse. After reviewing various types of construction they settled on two tables made of aluminum because these tables, which can seat six to eight persons, would require the least maintenance. The Board approved the purchase which will take at least 10 weeks to fulfill.
At the end of the official agenda there remained one other person who wished to be heard by the Board. An angry Alan Marsilio read aloud a document he was about to present to the Board. Recently a Board President himself Mr. Marsilio said that the Virginia Condo Regulations called for the heads of condo committees to attend the Board’s meetings and that had not been done in the case of the Landscape Committee – that they were essentially unsupervised. He said the Landscape Committee was replacing bushes and trees without a go-ahead and had spent twice the amount of money for trees in front of Building 5 that were worth half that amount. To add insult to injury he went on to say those trees lasted only two years and were taken down to be replaced by tall grass plants. He also said that flowers had been planted on the north side of Building 5 without approval. However, Board Director Gerry Moore said the resident who planted the flowers, at her expense, got the Board’s permission before going ahead with her small project. During his term Mr. Marsilio canceled the Landscape Committee’s annual budget in a money saving move. Mr. Marsilio asked the current Board to carefully examine his statement and consider changes that would prevent the Landscape Committee from taking on projects without the Board’s strict approval. With that the meeting was over and the Zoom screens went dark.
A Comment From The Kirsops
On behalf of the Landscaping Committee we want to add this comment to say we have been trying very hard to continue to maintain our beautiful grounds without any budget line item with which to repair, replace and maintain the plants for the past 3 years. We have always sought approval from the BOD for any project that has been done. Labor has come from volunteers like Ms. Pat Martin, Ms.Dagmar Kirsop and myself during years of very dry seasons. Considering all the trees and bushes we planted for over past 7 years only two trees have succumbed to diseases such as Canker. NOTHING WAS DONE WITHOUT BOD APPROVAL. To be accused of not abiding by the rules of our Condo Board and the Commonwealth of Virginia is not only wrong it is heart breaking! We hope the community has seen all of what has been done through the years and appreciates it. Our commitment will continue as long as possible, because we love our community.
Sincerely,
Malcolm and Dagmar Kirsop
Chairpersons for the GAW Landscaping Committee
Sincerely,
Malcolm and Dagmar Kirsop
Chairpersons for the GAW Landscaping Committee
This Is The Archive Of Notes Taken At The Monthly Open Meetings Of The Gatherings' Board Of Directors
Building 5 Resident Cheryl Brunner Speaks To The Board
The monthly open Board of Directors meeting was held once again via Zoom with 10 residents joining the virtual event from their condo units. The 23-item agenda began with the news that the community's expenses were $10,000 more for the first three months of this year than they were last year. The reasons for these overages was not stated but in the course of the meeting larger than expected costs for snow removal and maintenance of the alarm and fire prevention systems were indicated. Director Matt Berg said he couldn't understand why replacements for things like fire extinguishers was done for all the buildings at once when there was an age difference from building-to-building in the range of years. He suggested hiring an expert fire prevention engineer to review our needs and our recurring costs to see if they were warranted. He is going to pursue that possible avenue of gaining expert advice.
Director Berg also reported that he is still looking for volunteers to help him run the newly approved Buildings and Grounds Committee. He then said he was in receipt of a memo from the Landscape Committee requesting funds to replace flowers and bushes that have died. Ruppert, our landscaping company, will be asked to provide an estimate to replace these plants.
In other items on the agenda the Board is still waiting for Falcon Engineering to provide a cost estimate to build a retaining wall behind Building 4. The transition items that were discussed earlier this month are still in a state of limbo with no discussions scheduled, thus far, with Beazer the builder about whether or not they will honor the findings that Falcon reported about items that needed replacement or repair.
The Board said since Virginia had raised the number of people who could gather together to a maximum of 50 and this would allow the Clubhouse to resume some of the functions it hosted before the pandemic struck.
Resolving another agenda item Board President Audrey Davis said that there could be no parking in front of the resident's garages where there was a curbing painted yellow. The yellow curbs designate fire lanes and parking is not permitted there under any circumstances.
Most of the other items on the agenda were either not ready to be reported on or were referred to CMC for further follow-up. Skipping, shelving and postponing most of these items meant the meeting moved along quickly which gave more time to two residents to address the Board with their problems.
The first resident to address the Board was Cheryl Brunner of Building 5 who recently placed a plastic tub in each building's lobby to collect clothes washing detergent for distribution to families in need. Mrs. Brunner said that her women's club, which was active in providing food for the needy, learned that food stamps did not cover the purchase of the detergent. Her club decided that providing these families this vital product would free-up money for them to buy food. However, after the tubs were placed she was told that doing this required Board approval as this was not an authorized endeavor of the community as a whole. She asked the Board for approval but ran into two Board members who objected to these efforts. Director Gerry Moore said this duplicated efforts made by his church for the benefit of the poor. Gatherings' Treasurer Chuck Keen objected on the grounds that approval of Mrs. Brunner's project would open up a never-ending parade of tubs or fund raising activities in our lobbies. After some discussion the Board decided that Mrs. Brunner could place a notice on each of the lobby's bulletin boards asking for donations and telling where these offerings could be delivered.
The final resident to address the Board was Claudette Sylvester - a resident of Building 1. She read a lengthy list of problems that have been agenda items but which have not been properly resolved. Among those items was the fact that rain water was still penetrating a ground floor exit door in her building. Also, water was still pooling behind her building. Then, she stated, her building is now 8 years old and its interior has still not been painted. She said she understood the painting would take place after 5 years of use. And, Ms. Sylvester said, the hallway carpets needed replacing as well. The Board took Ms. Sylvester's complaints under advisement.
Director Berg also reported that he is still looking for volunteers to help him run the newly approved Buildings and Grounds Committee. He then said he was in receipt of a memo from the Landscape Committee requesting funds to replace flowers and bushes that have died. Ruppert, our landscaping company, will be asked to provide an estimate to replace these plants.
In other items on the agenda the Board is still waiting for Falcon Engineering to provide a cost estimate to build a retaining wall behind Building 4. The transition items that were discussed earlier this month are still in a state of limbo with no discussions scheduled, thus far, with Beazer the builder about whether or not they will honor the findings that Falcon reported about items that needed replacement or repair.
The Board said since Virginia had raised the number of people who could gather together to a maximum of 50 and this would allow the Clubhouse to resume some of the functions it hosted before the pandemic struck.
Resolving another agenda item Board President Audrey Davis said that there could be no parking in front of the resident's garages where there was a curbing painted yellow. The yellow curbs designate fire lanes and parking is not permitted there under any circumstances.
Most of the other items on the agenda were either not ready to be reported on or were referred to CMC for further follow-up. Skipping, shelving and postponing most of these items meant the meeting moved along quickly which gave more time to two residents to address the Board with their problems.
The first resident to address the Board was Cheryl Brunner of Building 5 who recently placed a plastic tub in each building's lobby to collect clothes washing detergent for distribution to families in need. Mrs. Brunner said that her women's club, which was active in providing food for the needy, learned that food stamps did not cover the purchase of the detergent. Her club decided that providing these families this vital product would free-up money for them to buy food. However, after the tubs were placed she was told that doing this required Board approval as this was not an authorized endeavor of the community as a whole. She asked the Board for approval but ran into two Board members who objected to these efforts. Director Gerry Moore said this duplicated efforts made by his church for the benefit of the poor. Gatherings' Treasurer Chuck Keen objected on the grounds that approval of Mrs. Brunner's project would open up a never-ending parade of tubs or fund raising activities in our lobbies. After some discussion the Board decided that Mrs. Brunner could place a notice on each of the lobby's bulletin boards asking for donations and telling where these offerings could be delivered.
The final resident to address the Board was Claudette Sylvester - a resident of Building 1. She read a lengthy list of problems that have been agenda items but which have not been properly resolved. Among those items was the fact that rain water was still penetrating a ground floor exit door in her building. Also, water was still pooling behind her building. Then, she stated, her building is now 8 years old and its interior has still not been painted. She said she understood the painting would take place after 5 years of use. And, Ms. Sylvester said, the hallway carpets needed replacing as well. The Board took Ms. Sylvester's complaints under advisement.
Notes From The Board Meeting Of March 17, 2021
Once again there was a sparse turnout for this month's Gathering's Board of Director's regular open meeting. Only a total of 12 people attended the Zoom meeting and seven of those people were the five Board members, the Board Secretary and the representative of our management company CMC. The remaining five attendees were curious residents who chose not to say anything during the open forum at the end of the meeting.
It took 45 minutes to get through the first three items in the 25 item meeting agenda. At that rate the Board was on the road to a possible six hour meeting with only two hours allotted for the trip on Zoom. Miraculously, the meeting finished on time. However, those first 45 minutes led to an important decision which, if followed in the future, will hopefully open a more business-like and speedier method of approaching and solving our community's problems. The issue's that were discussed concerned preventive maintenance of all our building's sprinkler systems as well as the inspection and replacement of these building's emergency lighting and fire extinguishers. As the various bids and contracts were discussed it soon become evident that there fuzzy details when it came to the scope of what had to be done or even how many items had to be inspected or replaced. Although different contractors were asked to bid on the projected work there was no uniformity in what each of them were asked to bid on thus making it impossible to intelligently assess each contract in relationship to the others being offered. What finally emerged out of this confusion was an agreement by the Board that before any bidding would begin we would prepare a standard written proposal of what we expected to be accomplished by the contractor. This proposal would include details of the work, the time frame for completion and the certification by the contractor that they were fully covered by their own insurance for any damage to our property or injuries their worker's might incur during the course of their work. While these procedures are standard in the business and contracting world we have yet to incorporate this standard proposal idea to its fullest extent in approaching work that needs to be done on our common property. So, even though discussing the first three items was ploddingly slow it did result in the realization that just asking for three bids on a fix was not enough. In the future our proposals will have to carefully spell out exactly what we expect to be done and when. It will be the only way we can thoughtfully select tradespeople to do the repairs and maintenance that we require in a timely and cost effective manner.
As an example of what a standardized approach would accomplish an item on the agenda concerned halting the flooding that occurs behind Building 1 when heavy rain falls. Various contractors were asked for solutions and costs and the variance between at least two of them was $15,000 without an explanation of why. In another agenda item a plumber was asked what it would cost to increase the water pressure in Building 5. He offered an estimate of $7,500 without explaining what he would do for the money. Would he replace a faulty valve or simply adjust an existing one? These are examples of not having a workable proposal ready before seeking bids to do the work.
Here's still another example of a common situation we run into when work has to be done. Last month it was decided to get bids on painting the interiors of Buildings 1 and 2. Four weeks later only two bids were received in time for this month's Board meeting and so a decision to proceed was put over until the next meeting. Having to wait an unreasonable time for bids delays any work we need done. Putting a time limit on when a bid must be in has to be the way to go in the future. Our credo has to be if you want the work we must have a bid in by a certain date or forget working here.
A few other topics from the meeting deserve mention. Matt Berg reported that Falcon Engineering had completed a drawing for a retaining wall that would halt the continuing erosion of the embankment behind Building 4. There was no cost estimate for this project offered at this time. Matt felt that before this item is presented to Beazer for their action it would be best to get approval for this work from the City of Manassas. He said he would pursue this avenue immediately.
A proposal was approved to remove the smelly and dirty cigarette ash bins that are in front of each building to see if this removal raises any complaints from our residents. Should any complaints come in then this matter will pop back up on a future Board meeting agenda for a final decision.
Chuck Keen was concerned that we are not cleaning out our dryer vents on a regular basis. Although our bylaws call for vent cleaning every five years he said that for safety's sake it should be done once a year with residents providing documentation that the work was done. Before Chuck's comments could be properly discussed or voted upon the Zoom time expired and so did the meeting.
To sum up... this meeting was an evolutionary event as the Board came to grips with the most efficient and cost effective ways and means to satisfy the never ending needs of our condo community. Hopefully, in the near future, the Corona cloud will lift, the Clubhouse Doors will open and we will be able to toss off our masks and once again come face-to-face with our Board of Directors and the problems they are trying to solve for all of us.
It took 45 minutes to get through the first three items in the 25 item meeting agenda. At that rate the Board was on the road to a possible six hour meeting with only two hours allotted for the trip on Zoom. Miraculously, the meeting finished on time. However, those first 45 minutes led to an important decision which, if followed in the future, will hopefully open a more business-like and speedier method of approaching and solving our community's problems. The issue's that were discussed concerned preventive maintenance of all our building's sprinkler systems as well as the inspection and replacement of these building's emergency lighting and fire extinguishers. As the various bids and contracts were discussed it soon become evident that there fuzzy details when it came to the scope of what had to be done or even how many items had to be inspected or replaced. Although different contractors were asked to bid on the projected work there was no uniformity in what each of them were asked to bid on thus making it impossible to intelligently assess each contract in relationship to the others being offered. What finally emerged out of this confusion was an agreement by the Board that before any bidding would begin we would prepare a standard written proposal of what we expected to be accomplished by the contractor. This proposal would include details of the work, the time frame for completion and the certification by the contractor that they were fully covered by their own insurance for any damage to our property or injuries their worker's might incur during the course of their work. While these procedures are standard in the business and contracting world we have yet to incorporate this standard proposal idea to its fullest extent in approaching work that needs to be done on our common property. So, even though discussing the first three items was ploddingly slow it did result in the realization that just asking for three bids on a fix was not enough. In the future our proposals will have to carefully spell out exactly what we expect to be done and when. It will be the only way we can thoughtfully select tradespeople to do the repairs and maintenance that we require in a timely and cost effective manner.
As an example of what a standardized approach would accomplish an item on the agenda concerned halting the flooding that occurs behind Building 1 when heavy rain falls. Various contractors were asked for solutions and costs and the variance between at least two of them was $15,000 without an explanation of why. In another agenda item a plumber was asked what it would cost to increase the water pressure in Building 5. He offered an estimate of $7,500 without explaining what he would do for the money. Would he replace a faulty valve or simply adjust an existing one? These are examples of not having a workable proposal ready before seeking bids to do the work.
Here's still another example of a common situation we run into when work has to be done. Last month it was decided to get bids on painting the interiors of Buildings 1 and 2. Four weeks later only two bids were received in time for this month's Board meeting and so a decision to proceed was put over until the next meeting. Having to wait an unreasonable time for bids delays any work we need done. Putting a time limit on when a bid must be in has to be the way to go in the future. Our credo has to be if you want the work we must have a bid in by a certain date or forget working here.
A few other topics from the meeting deserve mention. Matt Berg reported that Falcon Engineering had completed a drawing for a retaining wall that would halt the continuing erosion of the embankment behind Building 4. There was no cost estimate for this project offered at this time. Matt felt that before this item is presented to Beazer for their action it would be best to get approval for this work from the City of Manassas. He said he would pursue this avenue immediately.
A proposal was approved to remove the smelly and dirty cigarette ash bins that are in front of each building to see if this removal raises any complaints from our residents. Should any complaints come in then this matter will pop back up on a future Board meeting agenda for a final decision.
Chuck Keen was concerned that we are not cleaning out our dryer vents on a regular basis. Although our bylaws call for vent cleaning every five years he said that for safety's sake it should be done once a year with residents providing documentation that the work was done. Before Chuck's comments could be properly discussed or voted upon the Zoom time expired and so did the meeting.
To sum up... this meeting was an evolutionary event as the Board came to grips with the most efficient and cost effective ways and means to satisfy the never ending needs of our condo community. Hopefully, in the near future, the Corona cloud will lift, the Clubhouse Doors will open and we will be able to toss off our masks and once again come face-to-face with our Board of Directors and the problems they are trying to solve for all of us.
Notes From The Board Of Directors Meeting
Of Wednesday, February 17, 2021
This edition of the monthly virtual Board of Directors meeting was only able to attract 7 viewers to watch the Board members, their secretary and the CMC Representative report on their work. That meant that 91.1% of our total condo population decided to do something else while the Board wrestled with a long list of problems the community faces including storm water drainage; keeping birds out of the building's vents; and preventing severe erosion behind one of our buildings. All-in-all there were some 30 items on the agenda and four Board members to discuss them as Treasurer Chuck Keene was absent from this session.
Most of issues are still in the works waiting for contract bids, clarification of existing contracts or new problems that need attention. A few of the problems such as mold removal and curb painting will be resolved when warmer weather arrives.
The elephant in the Zoom room continues to be the Beazer Corporation which designed and constructed our residences. The Gatherings has already spent quite a sum to prepare a list of issues that, in the Board's opinion, were construction or other problems that should have been addressed by Beazer before the time frame of their responsibility to us expired. To date very little has been done to prevent The Gatherings from paying for corrections that we feel remain a responsibility of Beazer the Builder.
For example: At a number of meetings, going back quite a few months, the work of Falcon engineering was discussed. Falcon had prepared a costly transition study to present to Beazer filled with anomalies that called for either correction or compensation. This study has remained an open sore. It appears that Beazer has been mostly unresponsive to our continuing requests for remedies. For example: A ridge vent was never properly installed in Building 4 leading to an overheated attic and a shortened roof lifespan. Another problem the building itself has been experiencing is constant erosion of an embankment which is too close to part of its eastern wall. Falcon is now preparing another engineering study to determine what can be done to expand the embankment and at what cost. Who pays for a vital retention wall is still to be determined.
Low water pressure in Building 5 has been traced to a pressure valve that appears to have been made for a factory rather than a residence. Two of our Building Liaisons reported that none of the other buildings has one like this device. When this valve is repaired or replaced the pressure in the building will go up and the pressure on the Board will go down.
Birds have made homes in our vents and that problem will soon be fixed with new vent covers. Our casas will no longer be their casas.
Water pressure, birds and a building's back yard are examples of the inheritances from Beazer that we will might end up paying for. The Board, in frustration, has taken it upon themselves to try and fix many of these problems including water leaking into buildings because of improper drainage that caused the creation of pools of water right outside the door. Unfortunately, the monthly Board meetings are a running exhibit of snail-like progress in addressing many of these problems mainly because Beazer zigs when we zag.
It would be good to hear from our lawyers at one of the meetings to find out what they have done and are doing so that we residents do not have to foot the bills for the many expensive things that should have been done properly in the first place.
Most of issues are still in the works waiting for contract bids, clarification of existing contracts or new problems that need attention. A few of the problems such as mold removal and curb painting will be resolved when warmer weather arrives.
The elephant in the Zoom room continues to be the Beazer Corporation which designed and constructed our residences. The Gatherings has already spent quite a sum to prepare a list of issues that, in the Board's opinion, were construction or other problems that should have been addressed by Beazer before the time frame of their responsibility to us expired. To date very little has been done to prevent The Gatherings from paying for corrections that we feel remain a responsibility of Beazer the Builder.
For example: At a number of meetings, going back quite a few months, the work of Falcon engineering was discussed. Falcon had prepared a costly transition study to present to Beazer filled with anomalies that called for either correction or compensation. This study has remained an open sore. It appears that Beazer has been mostly unresponsive to our continuing requests for remedies. For example: A ridge vent was never properly installed in Building 4 leading to an overheated attic and a shortened roof lifespan. Another problem the building itself has been experiencing is constant erosion of an embankment which is too close to part of its eastern wall. Falcon is now preparing another engineering study to determine what can be done to expand the embankment and at what cost. Who pays for a vital retention wall is still to be determined.
Low water pressure in Building 5 has been traced to a pressure valve that appears to have been made for a factory rather than a residence. Two of our Building Liaisons reported that none of the other buildings has one like this device. When this valve is repaired or replaced the pressure in the building will go up and the pressure on the Board will go down.
Birds have made homes in our vents and that problem will soon be fixed with new vent covers. Our casas will no longer be their casas.
Water pressure, birds and a building's back yard are examples of the inheritances from Beazer that we will might end up paying for. The Board, in frustration, has taken it upon themselves to try and fix many of these problems including water leaking into buildings because of improper drainage that caused the creation of pools of water right outside the door. Unfortunately, the monthly Board meetings are a running exhibit of snail-like progress in addressing many of these problems mainly because Beazer zigs when we zag.
It would be good to hear from our lawyers at one of the meetings to find out what they have done and are doing so that we residents do not have to foot the bills for the many expensive things that should have been done properly in the first place.
Notes From The Gatherings Board Meeting Of January 20, 2021
The timing of the first Board meeting of the year coincided with the inauguration of a new Administration in Washington. Both the new U.S. President Joe Biden and The Gatherings Board President Audrey Davis faced old and new problems as they headed into 2021. Our meeting concerned problems closer to home. In fact they were our homes - their structures and their surroundings. Once again, it was a virtual meeting conducted on Zoom with only seven residents tuning in to see the Board's work.
It was a meeting that spent most of its two-hour time discussing works in progress and estimates for work yet to be authorized. Still under discussion was the creation of attic vents in Building 4, repainting parking spots and curbs, HVAC maintenance and repair, birds in the vents, flood and drainage control behind Building 1 and getting a retaining wall to hold back the sliding hill behind Building 4. Right now, Falcon Engineering is drawing up a proposed construction plan and budget that would address Building 4's continuing problem. It's estimated that if The Gatherings, and not Beezer the builder, had to pay for the project it would cost tens of thousands of dollars to complete. Money for this and other new projects have not been provided for in this year's budget.
Board Treasurer Chuck Keen suggested digging into our available funds and earmarking one-half the owner's equity as a line item to help prepare for the unforeseen projects now showing up on our horizon. The Board approved his suggestion and authorized an amount equal to almost 20 percent of the total yearly Gatherings assessments, money already in the bank, to be considered available for upcoming construction, repairs and maintenance.
Still to be priced out is the painting of corridors and doors in Buildings 1 and 2. Other potential costs that popped up this month were the repairing or replacement of fire sprinkler pipes that show signs of clogging and deterioration. On the subject of pipes there was concern that many of the units do not have sufficient water pressure. It was suggested that a plumber be brought in to measure the water pressures in each building and on each building's floors. With those readings in hand a determination can be made as to whether or not the problem is with our plumbing systems or the pressure supplied by the City of Manassas.
Chuck Keen had another concern and this dealt with the Gathering's security. He felt that we were inviting trouble by not changing the entry codes that have been in effect in each building since they were constructed. He said he was aware that changing them would cause a considerable inconvenience and said we should all think about this or other ways of safeguarding our hallways from intruders. So far, there has been little or no unwanted intrusion into our buildings.
Next month another meeting and an opportunity to see the progress our two Presidents have been able to bring about.
It was a meeting that spent most of its two-hour time discussing works in progress and estimates for work yet to be authorized. Still under discussion was the creation of attic vents in Building 4, repainting parking spots and curbs, HVAC maintenance and repair, birds in the vents, flood and drainage control behind Building 1 and getting a retaining wall to hold back the sliding hill behind Building 4. Right now, Falcon Engineering is drawing up a proposed construction plan and budget that would address Building 4's continuing problem. It's estimated that if The Gatherings, and not Beezer the builder, had to pay for the project it would cost tens of thousands of dollars to complete. Money for this and other new projects have not been provided for in this year's budget.
Board Treasurer Chuck Keen suggested digging into our available funds and earmarking one-half the owner's equity as a line item to help prepare for the unforeseen projects now showing up on our horizon. The Board approved his suggestion and authorized an amount equal to almost 20 percent of the total yearly Gatherings assessments, money already in the bank, to be considered available for upcoming construction, repairs and maintenance.
Still to be priced out is the painting of corridors and doors in Buildings 1 and 2. Other potential costs that popped up this month were the repairing or replacement of fire sprinkler pipes that show signs of clogging and deterioration. On the subject of pipes there was concern that many of the units do not have sufficient water pressure. It was suggested that a plumber be brought in to measure the water pressures in each building and on each building's floors. With those readings in hand a determination can be made as to whether or not the problem is with our plumbing systems or the pressure supplied by the City of Manassas.
Chuck Keen had another concern and this dealt with the Gathering's security. He felt that we were inviting trouble by not changing the entry codes that have been in effect in each building since they were constructed. He said he was aware that changing them would cause a considerable inconvenience and said we should all think about this or other ways of safeguarding our hallways from intruders. So far, there has been little or no unwanted intrusion into our buildings.
Next month another meeting and an opportunity to see the progress our two Presidents have been able to bring about.
Notes From The Board Of Directors Virtual Meeting On
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
With the Corona virus pandemic still roaring along the Board of Directors once again held their monthly meeting on-line. This time joining the five Board members, their secretary and the CMC representative were eight additional members of the community who also tuned in. The first and most far reaching of the decisions the Board made in this Zoom get-together was their approval of The Gathering's annual budget for 2021 which had increased substantially over last year's amount. Reasons given for the rise were a series of additional costs ranging from gutter cleaning, fire extinguisher replacement, painting and an increase in costs for services such as landscaping maintenance and funds being put aside for projected problems such as the retaining wall which is envisioned for the eroding area behind Building 4. The result of these increases will be felt by everyone when they find that their monthly assessments will rise by 9.75% in 2021. This increase will not be applied to the fees that many residents now pay to keep extra refrigerators in their store rooms or garages.
Toward the end of the meeting former Board president Alan Marsilio expressed his dismay at the monthly rise. He pointed out that the Board had sufficient funds available to maintain the current assessment at its present level. He voiced his reasoning to the Board by reading from a written statement which he said he would distribute to the Board members after the meeting. In it he outlined how he would go about funding the coming year using reserve funds negating the need for any increases to the residents. Mr. Marsilio spoke at the end of the session and it was adjourned as soon as he finished with no further comment or questions from the Board. Whether or not they reconsider the budget based on his recommendations remains to be seen.
Between the meeting's start and finish, mentioned above, the Board had other business to handle. They approved a fee to be paid to Falcon Engineering to prepare a plan to construct a retaining wall to halt the erosion taking place behind Building 4. Board member Matt Berg will be involved in this project.
The Board also heard that a water leak in the east entrance door of Building 1 had been repaired but there was still a considerable amount of water pooling in the outside area. The Board and CMC will look into this problem and suggest a solution. Member Berg said that he was concerned about the water drainage behind and near Building 4 with it's potential to undermine the building's parking areas which could cause them to collapse. He said that this is a City of Manassas responsibility and he would discuss this with them. Speaking of water a long running leak (over a year of dripping) in a garage in Building 5 was finally fixed when a faulty pipe installation behind one of the garage's walls was found and repaired.
The gutter cleaning on all the buildings was completed but Mr. Berg pointed out that the work resulted in a slew of rusty nails coming off the roof and landing in the parking areas of the garages below. He cautioned everyone to take a careful look at their driveways and remove any nails they find before they cause flat tires.
The work of Jim the handyman from CMC, who visits The Gatherings for six hours a week, was once again scrutinized. William Bannon, the CMC rep, agreed to see to it that a report is given to the Board each week outlining the work Jim accomplishes on his visits here.
Work to open the ridge vents in Building 4 may begin in the coming week. Also, the elevator in that building will undergo two days worth of repairs next week as well.
In other decisions the Board authorized a Reserve study to study what future work or purchases need to be made and how much should be put aside to pay for them. In another important matter they will try to find out from Pope's Air Conditioning and Heating company exactly what work they did here and how they justified their charges. The Board believes they may have paid for work that was never done.
In an important move, and by a vote of 4 to 1, the Board approved the creation and chartering of a Buildings and Grounds Committee which will work with Matt Berg. Their mission is to assist him in locating problems in the common areas that need to be addressed and help find solutions to fix them. They will not negotiate with contractors nor will they authorize any work without the Board's permission. One of their jobs will be to witness scheduled work and comment on how well it was completed. They might also help contractors get access to work areas and inform residents of impending work. The object of the new committee is to help speed up the time it takes from the recognition of a problem to it's resolution. As in the case of the water leaks some of these problems have extended over a period of years.
There were many other items on the agenda which were either postponed to future meetings or which were referred to CMC for further information.
Toward the end of the meeting former Board president Alan Marsilio expressed his dismay at the monthly rise. He pointed out that the Board had sufficient funds available to maintain the current assessment at its present level. He voiced his reasoning to the Board by reading from a written statement which he said he would distribute to the Board members after the meeting. In it he outlined how he would go about funding the coming year using reserve funds negating the need for any increases to the residents. Mr. Marsilio spoke at the end of the session and it was adjourned as soon as he finished with no further comment or questions from the Board. Whether or not they reconsider the budget based on his recommendations remains to be seen.
Between the meeting's start and finish, mentioned above, the Board had other business to handle. They approved a fee to be paid to Falcon Engineering to prepare a plan to construct a retaining wall to halt the erosion taking place behind Building 4. Board member Matt Berg will be involved in this project.
The Board also heard that a water leak in the east entrance door of Building 1 had been repaired but there was still a considerable amount of water pooling in the outside area. The Board and CMC will look into this problem and suggest a solution. Member Berg said that he was concerned about the water drainage behind and near Building 4 with it's potential to undermine the building's parking areas which could cause them to collapse. He said that this is a City of Manassas responsibility and he would discuss this with them. Speaking of water a long running leak (over a year of dripping) in a garage in Building 5 was finally fixed when a faulty pipe installation behind one of the garage's walls was found and repaired.
The gutter cleaning on all the buildings was completed but Mr. Berg pointed out that the work resulted in a slew of rusty nails coming off the roof and landing in the parking areas of the garages below. He cautioned everyone to take a careful look at their driveways and remove any nails they find before they cause flat tires.
The work of Jim the handyman from CMC, who visits The Gatherings for six hours a week, was once again scrutinized. William Bannon, the CMC rep, agreed to see to it that a report is given to the Board each week outlining the work Jim accomplishes on his visits here.
Work to open the ridge vents in Building 4 may begin in the coming week. Also, the elevator in that building will undergo two days worth of repairs next week as well.
In other decisions the Board authorized a Reserve study to study what future work or purchases need to be made and how much should be put aside to pay for them. In another important matter they will try to find out from Pope's Air Conditioning and Heating company exactly what work they did here and how they justified their charges. The Board believes they may have paid for work that was never done.
In an important move, and by a vote of 4 to 1, the Board approved the creation and chartering of a Buildings and Grounds Committee which will work with Matt Berg. Their mission is to assist him in locating problems in the common areas that need to be addressed and help find solutions to fix them. They will not negotiate with contractors nor will they authorize any work without the Board's permission. One of their jobs will be to witness scheduled work and comment on how well it was completed. They might also help contractors get access to work areas and inform residents of impending work. The object of the new committee is to help speed up the time it takes from the recognition of a problem to it's resolution. As in the case of the water leaks some of these problems have extended over a period of years.
There were many other items on the agenda which were either postponed to future meetings or which were referred to CMC for further information.
Notes From The Board Of Directors Virtual Meeting On
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
This was the first Board of Directors meeting that was chaired by our newly elected Board President Audrey Davis. It was also attended by newly elected Board Member-At-Large Diana Schumaker and our new CMC Management Representative William Bodden.
Audrey Davis Diana Schumaker William Bodden
Eight residents also joined this two-hour Zoom virtual meeting to watch and find out what's not only what's been going on in our community but what's coming up in the future as well.
The meeting progressed smoothly under a new leadership that faced a packed agenda of unfinished, pending and future projects that they had to consider, reconsider and either approve or disapprove of.
The meeting progressed smoothly under a new leadership that faced a packed agenda of unfinished, pending and future projects that they had to consider, reconsider and either approve or disapprove of.
The first announcement was that the community's budget was still in the works and was not ready for discussion at the meeting. That become the first of many items that would be tabled until next month.
It was agenda was a long list with many familiar items discussed such as: cleaning and painting the buildings; HVAC maintenance; getting invoices from the nearby Town Houses; vent cleaning and capping to keep birds out; whether or not a new Building's and Grounds Committee should be approved (Note: this item has been on the Agenda for the last 16 months). Other items discussed included blocked attic vents; fire extinguisher replacement; erosion behind Building 4; painting lines and curbs in the driveway areas; unfixed leaks and negotiating a new contract with our landscaping/snow removal company.
As each of the agenda items were discussed various Board members and the CMC rep took on the responsibility of trying to get estimates for new work and to see to it that there was follow-through on many of the problems previously presented that have persisted for quite some time on the community's to-do list.
Towards the end of the meeting there was a brief discussion of the Covid 19 crises. Signs have been posted in the Clubhouse asking that masks be worn in the building. The Board once again has put the responsibility for protection against the virus squarely in the hands, mouths and noses of the unit owners. They will not issue any mandates nor close the Clubhouse during the present onslaught of the pandemic. They stressed that they can not take responsibility for any illness that occurs during their watch.
At 8:30 PM the meeting adjourned after discussing about 80 per cent of the long agenda. There was no time left to bring up new business and none of the Zoom watchers at home had signed-up to speak. All-in-all it was a business-like and efficient start for the newly elected Board members and a hopeful sign that some of the long standing issues will be addressed and completed by the time of the next meeting in December.
It was agenda was a long list with many familiar items discussed such as: cleaning and painting the buildings; HVAC maintenance; getting invoices from the nearby Town Houses; vent cleaning and capping to keep birds out; whether or not a new Building's and Grounds Committee should be approved (Note: this item has been on the Agenda for the last 16 months). Other items discussed included blocked attic vents; fire extinguisher replacement; erosion behind Building 4; painting lines and curbs in the driveway areas; unfixed leaks and negotiating a new contract with our landscaping/snow removal company.
As each of the agenda items were discussed various Board members and the CMC rep took on the responsibility of trying to get estimates for new work and to see to it that there was follow-through on many of the problems previously presented that have persisted for quite some time on the community's to-do list.
Towards the end of the meeting there was a brief discussion of the Covid 19 crises. Signs have been posted in the Clubhouse asking that masks be worn in the building. The Board once again has put the responsibility for protection against the virus squarely in the hands, mouths and noses of the unit owners. They will not issue any mandates nor close the Clubhouse during the present onslaught of the pandemic. They stressed that they can not take responsibility for any illness that occurs during their watch.
At 8:30 PM the meeting adjourned after discussing about 80 per cent of the long agenda. There was no time left to bring up new business and none of the Zoom watchers at home had signed-up to speak. All-in-all it was a business-like and efficient start for the newly elected Board members and a hopeful sign that some of the long standing issues will be addressed and completed by the time of the next meeting in December.
Notes From The Annual Board Meeting Of October 20, 2020
With the national election still two weeks ago the Gatherings Board of Directors met last night, in an on-line Zoom meeting, to announce the results of the community's own annual election. They were joined by 11 residents watching and listening from their units. This was the annual meeting to replace two of the Board's members whose terms were expiring at this time of year. Last month Board President Alan Marsilio announced he had decided not to seek another term while Board member Gerry Moore chose to give it another shot. He was successful in winning another term. The remaining seat on the Board was won by Building 1 resident Diana Schumaker.
After the Zoom meeting the Board met off-line to select their new President. Here's how it came out:
The newly elected President of the Board is Audrey Davis.
After the Zoom meeting the Board met off-line to select their new President. Here's how it came out:
The newly elected President of the Board is Audrey Davis.
President of the Board
Audrey Davis
Gerry Moore will be Vice-president and the Treasurer will continue to be Chuck Keen. Member-at-large Matt Berg will still bring his engineering expertise to the Board, Diana Schumaker will be the new member-at-large and Judith Smith will remain as Board Secretary.
Conducting his last meeting as leader of the Board President Marsilio announced the near completion of The Gatherings's budget for 2021. Once again, under his leadership, there will be no increase in the monthly assessments for the residents. This was accomplished, even though the overall budget increased, by tapping into the funds that the Board had squirreled away in an item called "Owner's Equity". This money was not part of the required "Reserve" fund that the Board budgets each year to replace and maintain major items in our buildings such as the elevators, roofs, painting, landscaping, snow removal etc. Dipping into the "Owner's Equity" put-away enabled the Board to maintain a stable assessment for still another year.
Retiring President Marsilio said that in spite of the stable assessments there would be necessary increases in the budget lines for items such as water, elevator repair, snow removal, gutter cleaning; the fire warning and sprinkler system, HVAC replacement and repair and general interior and exterior maintenance. A draft of the proposed budget with an estimated yearly increase of approximately $75,000 was issued and will become final, with Board approval, by December 31, 2020.
President Marsilio also looked back at some of the accomplishments during his term besides maintaining a level monthly assessment. He pointed out that our required audits for 2018 had passed review while the audit for 2019 is now underway and looks good. He said our payments for our share of the road maintenance and lighting with the neighboring Town Houses will depend on the invoices they provide the Board and not just guesses as to what is owed. He also mentioned that our insurance payments were up to date and that Board meeting continued during the Covid Crisis thanks to the Zoom hook-up arranged by our management company CMC.
Speaking of insurance our outgoing Board President said that our insurance did not cover anyone who contracted Covid 19 by visiting the Clubhouse. Nevertheless, the Clubhouse remains open with notices posted stating that by using it residents take on their own responsibility if they get sick. He went on to report that the Ruppert Landscaping contract had been renewed for next year; a $10 monthly fee was mandated for refrigerators and freezers in operation in any owner's ground floor store room; and that mold spraying on all of our buildings had been completed. He said that all of the fire extinguishers have either been repaired or replaced and that LED bulbs were being used to replace the original lighting in the hallways bringing about a saving in power usage. Other accomplishments include the cleaning of each building's carpets along with lobby and elevator tile grout; contracts being considered for HVAC maintenance; the creation of standard contracts for any work performed by outside companies; and bidding required for any work exceeding $1,500. At least three bids are required along with Board approval before any work is to begin. Parking lots and curbs at Buildings 1,2 and 3 were repaired and painted; bird nests in vent pipes were surveyed; and run-off from newly installed drainage on Dumfries Road was being looked at for its potential impact on our properties. Transition studies on Buildings 1,2 and 3 have been completed with Building 4 and 5 still in the works. Beazer's responsibility to pay for or repair the problems found is still in progress.
In the coming year the vents will be outfitted with devices to keep the birds out; the eroding slope behind Building 4 will undergo professional appraisement and the city and along with Beazer will be approached to make repairs. The legally required rules regarding our covenants will be enforced with unauthorized objects being removed from balconies and items such as floor carpeting being installed where required. The common areas of Buildings 1 and 2 will be painted in 2021 with Building 4 and 5 scheduled for a year later. The proposal for a Buildings and Grounds Committee will be considered; the responsibilities of the the Building Liaisons will be spelled out and the exterior cleaning of the buildings will take place.
To sum up it was a busy year for Alan and the Board and next year promises more of the same with a new captain at the helm. The newly comprised Board will meet again Tuesday, November 17th at 6:30 PM in what well may be another on-line meeting. Good luck to our new President Audrey Davis and the Board as they tackle the problems that lie ahead.
Conducting his last meeting as leader of the Board President Marsilio announced the near completion of The Gatherings's budget for 2021. Once again, under his leadership, there will be no increase in the monthly assessments for the residents. This was accomplished, even though the overall budget increased, by tapping into the funds that the Board had squirreled away in an item called "Owner's Equity". This money was not part of the required "Reserve" fund that the Board budgets each year to replace and maintain major items in our buildings such as the elevators, roofs, painting, landscaping, snow removal etc. Dipping into the "Owner's Equity" put-away enabled the Board to maintain a stable assessment for still another year.
Retiring President Marsilio said that in spite of the stable assessments there would be necessary increases in the budget lines for items such as water, elevator repair, snow removal, gutter cleaning; the fire warning and sprinkler system, HVAC replacement and repair and general interior and exterior maintenance. A draft of the proposed budget with an estimated yearly increase of approximately $75,000 was issued and will become final, with Board approval, by December 31, 2020.
President Marsilio also looked back at some of the accomplishments during his term besides maintaining a level monthly assessment. He pointed out that our required audits for 2018 had passed review while the audit for 2019 is now underway and looks good. He said our payments for our share of the road maintenance and lighting with the neighboring Town Houses will depend on the invoices they provide the Board and not just guesses as to what is owed. He also mentioned that our insurance payments were up to date and that Board meeting continued during the Covid Crisis thanks to the Zoom hook-up arranged by our management company CMC.
Speaking of insurance our outgoing Board President said that our insurance did not cover anyone who contracted Covid 19 by visiting the Clubhouse. Nevertheless, the Clubhouse remains open with notices posted stating that by using it residents take on their own responsibility if they get sick. He went on to report that the Ruppert Landscaping contract had been renewed for next year; a $10 monthly fee was mandated for refrigerators and freezers in operation in any owner's ground floor store room; and that mold spraying on all of our buildings had been completed. He said that all of the fire extinguishers have either been repaired or replaced and that LED bulbs were being used to replace the original lighting in the hallways bringing about a saving in power usage. Other accomplishments include the cleaning of each building's carpets along with lobby and elevator tile grout; contracts being considered for HVAC maintenance; the creation of standard contracts for any work performed by outside companies; and bidding required for any work exceeding $1,500. At least three bids are required along with Board approval before any work is to begin. Parking lots and curbs at Buildings 1,2 and 3 were repaired and painted; bird nests in vent pipes were surveyed; and run-off from newly installed drainage on Dumfries Road was being looked at for its potential impact on our properties. Transition studies on Buildings 1,2 and 3 have been completed with Building 4 and 5 still in the works. Beazer's responsibility to pay for or repair the problems found is still in progress.
In the coming year the vents will be outfitted with devices to keep the birds out; the eroding slope behind Building 4 will undergo professional appraisement and the city and along with Beazer will be approached to make repairs. The legally required rules regarding our covenants will be enforced with unauthorized objects being removed from balconies and items such as floor carpeting being installed where required. The common areas of Buildings 1 and 2 will be painted in 2021 with Building 4 and 5 scheduled for a year later. The proposal for a Buildings and Grounds Committee will be considered; the responsibilities of the the Building Liaisons will be spelled out and the exterior cleaning of the buildings will take place.
To sum up it was a busy year for Alan and the Board and next year promises more of the same with a new captain at the helm. The newly comprised Board will meet again Tuesday, November 17th at 6:30 PM in what well may be another on-line meeting. Good luck to our new President Audrey Davis and the Board as they tackle the problems that lie ahead.
Notes From The Board of Director's Meeting Of
September 15, 2020
With the Covid 19 pandemic still roiling the state, the nation and the world The Gathering's Board of Directors once again picked Zoom as the safest way to conduct their regular monthly meetings. The five members of the Board, its Secretary and the CMC-Management representative were all present at the electronic session along with eleven other resident regulars who once again followed the meeting via Zoom's two-way video and telephone hook-up. For almost two hours the Board waded through a 40-item agenda with most of the subjects quite familiar by now. It seems that the same problems keep showing up in meeting-after-meeting with little progress being made in getting most of the problems solved before the next open session occurs.
One item on the agenda was presented to the Board 13 months ago and is still waiting for a discussion and decision. Back again on the agenda list were water leaks, strange smells, poorly executed contractor work, faulty air conditioners, overheated attics, and our tennis court relationship with the neighboring town houses.
One of the most important discussions of the meeting concerned whether or not the Board should require each resident to wear a mask when in the common areas of our buildings such as the hallways, lobbies or elevators. When the proposal was put to a vote the Board could not agree either to say "yes" or "no" to the idea. Instead, they asked that notices be posted in the lobbies recommending the use of masks thus leaving this important health decision to the residents themselves. In this matter of health or sickness or life or death they chose to make the proverbial punt and then retired to the sidelines. At this meeting peeling paint, weeds growing on the tennis court and smelly trash rooms took center stage.
The highlight of the evening was the brief encounter the Board had with Cheryl Brunner who resides in The Gatherings with her husband Bob. She had two important questions for the Board. The first asked: "Once reported how long does it usually take for a building's problem to be resolved?" The second question asked: "Do certain problems take priority over others?" She said that most of the problems on the agenda were holdovers from other meetings months ago. Many of them had been entangled in the red tape of finding the right person to notify, getting contractors to bid on fixes, considering the bids, correcting the contracts and then, finally, waiting for the work to be done - many times without proper supervision. All steps that seem, from a resident's perspective, to progress at a snail's pace. She was concerned that the quality of life here was deteriorating because of bureaucratic malaise.
Meanwhile, Ms Brunner said, a garage in her building had a leak that had not been fixed since it was reported many months ago. While Ms Brunner spoke the Board's secretary held up a smart phone to her computer's camera. On the phone's screen, for all to see, was a ticking stop watch quickly eating away the three minutes that each of the residents were given to talk to the Board.
In his response to Ms Brunner Board President Alan Marsilio said it was difficult to tell how long any job would take. In the case of the garage leak it was intermittent. It could only be traced when it was active and that might mean tearing down walls to get to the problem. This might reveal that the sprinkler system was at fault, or it was a plumbing failure or a leak in a dishwasher many floors above. He also said that a roof leak required someone to walk on the roof looking for a missing or damaged shingle and this exploration work was costly. He said, "It was also important to find out who was responsible." When asked if the Board had enough money to conduct timely inspections and order repairs when leaks are reported he said, "Yes." At this point the Board President said Ms Brunner's time was up and called on the next resident to talk.
And so, at our Board meetings, a stop watch is used track a resident's complaint while a calendar is used to track the time it takes to fix the problems that makes life here unpleasant at times. Even though the Board has the money to order fixes they are reluctant to spend the cash without an extended "fix-the-blame"and "make-no-mistakes" process that is beginning to irk many residents. This approach is re-mindful of the famous folk music classic called the Arkansas Traveler which also confronts leaks and one man's attitude towards fixing them.
Oh, once upon a time in Arkansas,
An old man sat in his little cabin door
And fiddled at a tune that he liked to hear,
A jolly old tune that he played by ear.
It was raining hard, but the fiddler didn't care,
He sawed away at the popular air,
Tho' his rooftree leaked like a waterfall,
That didn't seem to bother the man at all.
A traveler was riding by that day,
And stopped to hear him a-practicing away;
The cabin was a-float and his feet were wet,
But still the old man didn't seem to fret.
So the stranger said "Now the way it seems to me,
You'd better mend your roof," said he.
But the old man said as he played away,
"I couldn't mend it now, it's a rainy day."
The traveler replied, "That's all quite true,
But this, I think, is the thing to do;
Get busy on a day that is fair and bright,
Then patch the old roof till it's good and tight."
But the old man kept on a-playing at his reel,
And tapped the ground with his leathery heel.
"Get along," said he, "for you give me a pain;
My cabin never leaks when it doesn't rain."
At the next Board meeting in October an election will be held to fill the two Board seats whose terms have expired.
Notes From The Board Of Directors Meeting
August 18, 2020
Only 14 residents showed up for this month's on-line Board of Director's meeting and six of those people were the 5 Board Members themselves plus the Board's secretary. The meeting took exactly two hours during which time the Board had to deal with over 40 items on their agenda. President Alan Marsilio opened the meeting by reminding everyone that there were two openings for Board membership this year and that the election for those positions would take place, as usual, in October when the entire community is asked to meet and vote. With the pandemic still with us it has not yet been determined how that vote will be held. Meanwhile, anyone interested in running for the Board should make and turn-in their applications soon.
President Marsilio said he was looking for a few volunteers to help with the election. He also said that a new budget for the Gathering's is in the works and that a preliminary audit of it's spending during the year indicates a surplus which, hopefully, can provide funds for needed projects. However, he reminded everyone that the audit of our 2019 budget has yet to be completed.
As the meeting continued the agenda was discussed item-by-item. The only expenditures approved totaled $1,166 to pay for a replacement switch in a fire warning system plus a fee for felling or pruning a few trees behind Building 4. There was nothing new to report on the costly Falcon Engineering study which still remains in limbo. Other items discussed include: updated elevator certificates are in the mail and future elevator maintenance and repair schedules will be announced in advance so that residents who rely on the elevators will be able to adjust their schedules while the work is being done; the CMC handyman has still not filed any reports about his work; August marked the 13th month since forming a Buildings and Ground Committee was first proposed with no action taken as yet; having the Building Liaisons become a formal committee was discussed with action on the proposal put off for further study; power washing all the buildings was again discussed with a few bids received but still no decision to go ahead; revising the wording in maintenance and other contracts so that all bidders will be adhering to a standard agreement is still under discussion with The Gathering's lawyer; common area air conditioners continue to malfunction leading to questions with no answers as to which service company is best suited for the job of keeping these machines running; carpet cleaning in the common areas may start soon; the landscape contractor will be asked to be sure to trim the weeds surrounding the tennis court including the growth along its fence; curb painting is still on the to do list; $100 in total will be distributed to reimburse those unit owners who replaced, at their own expense, carbon monoxide detectors in their Building 1 garages; bids will be solicited from painting contractors as the time for repainting Buildings 1 and 2 approach; there was nothing new to report on the replacement costs for the cracked plastic pads on which all of the Building's common air conditioner compressors sit; how to prevent birds nesting in the exhaust vents is still up in the air as is determining who has responsibility for the sloping and difficult to navigate handicapped parking areas in the vicinity of Buildings 1,2 and 3; progress in cleaning gutters was mentioned as well as the continuing lack of proper ventilation in the building's attics with the work there still to be accomplished.
As the items were discussed many of them were turned over to our CMC manager Natasha Jimenez for completion or further study. At one point Ms Jimenez indicated that still being new in her job she was trying her best to satisfy all of the Board's requests for action and information. However, she indicated, she was swamped with work considering her responsibilities included not only The Gatherings but also other associations for which she worked who also wanted a quick resolve of their problems.
In the open session of the meeting Alison Prevost was concerned that a malfunction in her building's call box prevented unit owners from buzzing in tradespeople and deliverers. She asked if it was okay to unlock the lobby door until repairs were made. However, she was concerned if she unlocked the door that she would be held responsible if an unwanted intruder used the opportunity to enter. She was told she could unlock it for a short period of time and that a repair would be made as soon as possible. Unit owners were also requested to go down to the lobby and let their guests in themselves until the repairs are made.
Also speaking in the open portion of the meeting was Claudette Sylvester who said her ground level porch was still being inundated with water every time it rained. Whether or not it was due to a clogged drain pipe or something else she said her complaints have been extending from meeting-to-meeting without any action taken to come up with a solution that would divert the water away from her residence. The Board said they would take a look at her problem.
Ms Sylvester also said a friend of hers had received three bids for cleaning up the mess that is the surface of the tennis court behind Building 1 and the Clubhouse. Board member Matt Burg reminded her that the maintenance of the tennis court was the responsibility of the Town Houses nearby with The Gatherings sharing any costs of fixing things that needed attention. After a period of discussion it was determined that The Gatherings would bring up the problem with the Town House Association during which the three repair bids Ms Sylvester's friend had obtained would be offered.
There were still a number of items remaining on the agenda when the meeting was promptly adjourned at 6:30 PM. They will be held over until the next meeting next month.
The Archive of Notes from Previous Meetings of the Board of Directors
Notes From The Board Of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
A screen shot taken of The Board of Directors meeting held on-line using Zoom.
Once again The Gatherings Board of Directors had their monthly meeting via a digital online connection. This time the session was held using the popular Zoom application and was organized by Natasha Jimenez our most recent representative from CMC Management. Working from her home Natasha was able to bring to our resident's computer screens a meeting of the five Board directors, herself and nine interested residents. You can see the results of her efforts in the screen clip above. Because of the newness of this effort the meeting started about 30 minutes during which time those who wanted to participate were given their place either on the screen or via an audio hookup with just their names showing. Board President Alan Marsilio was also there via the audio hookup but his place icon, a telephone, was not labeled with his name.
At 7 PM the on-line meeting began with Board President Marsilio reminding everyone that this is the time of year that next year's budget is beginning to take shape. He asks that anyone who has an item they feel should be included in the budget please let the Board know so it can be considered for inclusion in next year's expenditures.
Matt Berg and Natasha are setting up gutter inspections because of water leakage and the possibility that some of the gutters are overgrown with weeds.
Sinking floors and stuck windows in two of the units in the northeast corner of Building 4 are believed to be the tell-tale signs that the building is settling due to the erosion of the steep hill directly behind the structure in that same location. A retaining wall is needed to stop this erosion so it was decided to request that an engineering survey of this problem be initiated including an estimate of what it would cost to build this vital wall. It will be presented to the Board as soon as possible. It was stated that this problem was not included in the Falcon Engineering transition study which has yet to be completed.
Building 2 and 3 had been approved for flashing repair. Work was done on Building 3 but, whether or not this included Bldg 2 is in doubt and needs to be checked.
Once again Board member Matt Berg told the Board that a standard contract proposal be developed by our management company that includes warranties, insurance, certifications, etc. Matt says every contractor does things differently. Contracts need to be standardized before approved so there are no surprises after a contractor completes the work. Natasha says that although she is still learning her job she will look into this so that our proposals are more standardized.
Common area repairs done by homeowners will be brought to the attention of our residents by President Marsilio as soon as Board Director Gerry Moore finishes his report on the subject and turns it over to the Board President.
Matt Bert says that the Beazer Corporation claims it is not responsible for the sloping pavement in the parking area on the west side of Buildings 1,2 and 3. Because of the incline handicapped owners have their wheel chairs roll away. Matt also noted that Carbon Monoxide detectors were not installed in the garages of Building 2 and 3 but were put into Buildings 4 and 5. Matt says we need to get in touch with the city to find out what the code is regarding CO detectors in garages. Natasha will look into it. Our detached garages have no detectors. Is this a violation of the city code? The owners in Building 1 who paid for repairs on their detectors will soon be reimbursed for the new parts they purchased.
The closed roof vents in building 4 is being examined by a contractor.
Board Treasurer Chuck Keen reported that the audit of our organization's books is not yet complete.
A Fire and Safety Inspection was conducted on June 29th. However, Building 1,2 and 3 have a total of 10 extinguishers marked "failed" on their tags. Natasha will check why they weren't fixed. Since there are substantial costs for these inspections the need for a regular schedule to be established was discussed so costs can be anticipated. Treasurer Keen questioned the current billing for this service.
The pavement and striping work that was recently completed was considered poor work. The contractor is coming back to see why curbing paint is peeling. If they haven't been paid yet they won't be until they fix it. The Board says they will get a new contractor for Buildings 4 and 5. since the work on the other buildings was "screwed up."
Regarding dead birds in some of the kitchen vents in Building 3; Natasha has to see what work was done to remove them.
The reserve study is still underway.
Algae and mold spraying on various building exteriors has been done and the work was done well says Member Gerry Moore. Discussion on any other clean-up requests has been tabled for now.
Audrey Davis reported on her meeting with the Building Liaisons who asked questions about what their responsibilities were. They said they need a single point of contact with the Board when they have an issue. Audrey was informed that in case of emergency they should call 911. Gerry Moore feels all Board members should be contacted when a knotty problem comes up. Also, the Liaisons wish to know when repair people are coming so they can be present to see the work done. They also want to know when new residents move in so they can help them. Right now, all our buildings, except 3, have a liaison. (Audrey's notes from their meeting are below these notes.)
Distribution of keys and fobs for new and old owners was discussed. Natasha will pick them up from Gerry Moore for distribution.
Storm water drainage - Alan drafted a letter to the city with our concerns and will send it to them when completed.
Matt and Audrey did a comprehensive survey of all the buildings and wrote a well received report on the subject of birds nesting in dryer, kitchen and bathroom vent openings. There were many variations in what they found. They need comments from the Board. The kitchen vents are the major culprits and need a mesh covering to keep the birds out.
President Marsilio reported that a discussion is being conducted with Ruppert Landscaping regarding the broken pads beneath the air conditioning compressors behind most of the buildings. The company says they did not cause the damage. The broken pads are unsightly and need to be replaced.
The elevator that was repaired in Building 4 is still exhibiting jerky movements. The maintenance company will return to fix the problem after an appointment is made and building residents are notified of when the work is to be done. It is possible that the fix could take as long as two days.
An expenditure was approved for the removal of the top-half of a dying tree behind Building 4. Because the tree is helping support an existing retaining wall only the top portion will will be removed along with the vines that entangle its trunk. The city arborist, who was brought to see the problem by the Landscape Committee's Malcolm and Dagmar Kirsop of Building 3, inspected the tree and recommended the cure. This expert is hopeful the tree will renew itself after the work is done.
Suggestions were made for improving the proposal for the forming of a Building and Grounds Committee.
A report from a resident about dirty carpets on the main floor of Building 1 was met with a promise from President Marsilio that he would contact the cleaning company to come and restore the carpets to a pristine look.
With everyone who wanted to speak heard from the Board meeting was adjourned at approximately 9 PM.
At 7 PM the on-line meeting began with Board President Marsilio reminding everyone that this is the time of year that next year's budget is beginning to take shape. He asks that anyone who has an item they feel should be included in the budget please let the Board know so it can be considered for inclusion in next year's expenditures.
Matt Berg and Natasha are setting up gutter inspections because of water leakage and the possibility that some of the gutters are overgrown with weeds.
Sinking floors and stuck windows in two of the units in the northeast corner of Building 4 are believed to be the tell-tale signs that the building is settling due to the erosion of the steep hill directly behind the structure in that same location. A retaining wall is needed to stop this erosion so it was decided to request that an engineering survey of this problem be initiated including an estimate of what it would cost to build this vital wall. It will be presented to the Board as soon as possible. It was stated that this problem was not included in the Falcon Engineering transition study which has yet to be completed.
Building 2 and 3 had been approved for flashing repair. Work was done on Building 3 but, whether or not this included Bldg 2 is in doubt and needs to be checked.
Once again Board member Matt Berg told the Board that a standard contract proposal be developed by our management company that includes warranties, insurance, certifications, etc. Matt says every contractor does things differently. Contracts need to be standardized before approved so there are no surprises after a contractor completes the work. Natasha says that although she is still learning her job she will look into this so that our proposals are more standardized.
Common area repairs done by homeowners will be brought to the attention of our residents by President Marsilio as soon as Board Director Gerry Moore finishes his report on the subject and turns it over to the Board President.
Matt Bert says that the Beazer Corporation claims it is not responsible for the sloping pavement in the parking area on the west side of Buildings 1,2 and 3. Because of the incline handicapped owners have their wheel chairs roll away. Matt also noted that Carbon Monoxide detectors were not installed in the garages of Building 2 and 3 but were put into Buildings 4 and 5. Matt says we need to get in touch with the city to find out what the code is regarding CO detectors in garages. Natasha will look into it. Our detached garages have no detectors. Is this a violation of the city code? The owners in Building 1 who paid for repairs on their detectors will soon be reimbursed for the new parts they purchased.
The closed roof vents in building 4 is being examined by a contractor.
Board Treasurer Chuck Keen reported that the audit of our organization's books is not yet complete.
A Fire and Safety Inspection was conducted on June 29th. However, Building 1,2 and 3 have a total of 10 extinguishers marked "failed" on their tags. Natasha will check why they weren't fixed. Since there are substantial costs for these inspections the need for a regular schedule to be established was discussed so costs can be anticipated. Treasurer Keen questioned the current billing for this service.
The pavement and striping work that was recently completed was considered poor work. The contractor is coming back to see why curbing paint is peeling. If they haven't been paid yet they won't be until they fix it. The Board says they will get a new contractor for Buildings 4 and 5. since the work on the other buildings was "screwed up."
Regarding dead birds in some of the kitchen vents in Building 3; Natasha has to see what work was done to remove them.
The reserve study is still underway.
Algae and mold spraying on various building exteriors has been done and the work was done well says Member Gerry Moore. Discussion on any other clean-up requests has been tabled for now.
Audrey Davis reported on her meeting with the Building Liaisons who asked questions about what their responsibilities were. They said they need a single point of contact with the Board when they have an issue. Audrey was informed that in case of emergency they should call 911. Gerry Moore feels all Board members should be contacted when a knotty problem comes up. Also, the Liaisons wish to know when repair people are coming so they can be present to see the work done. They also want to know when new residents move in so they can help them. Right now, all our buildings, except 3, have a liaison. (Audrey's notes from their meeting are below these notes.)
Distribution of keys and fobs for new and old owners was discussed. Natasha will pick them up from Gerry Moore for distribution.
Storm water drainage - Alan drafted a letter to the city with our concerns and will send it to them when completed.
Matt and Audrey did a comprehensive survey of all the buildings and wrote a well received report on the subject of birds nesting in dryer, kitchen and bathroom vent openings. There were many variations in what they found. They need comments from the Board. The kitchen vents are the major culprits and need a mesh covering to keep the birds out.
President Marsilio reported that a discussion is being conducted with Ruppert Landscaping regarding the broken pads beneath the air conditioning compressors behind most of the buildings. The company says they did not cause the damage. The broken pads are unsightly and need to be replaced.
The elevator that was repaired in Building 4 is still exhibiting jerky movements. The maintenance company will return to fix the problem after an appointment is made and building residents are notified of when the work is to be done. It is possible that the fix could take as long as two days.
An expenditure was approved for the removal of the top-half of a dying tree behind Building 4. Because the tree is helping support an existing retaining wall only the top portion will will be removed along with the vines that entangle its trunk. The city arborist, who was brought to see the problem by the Landscape Committee's Malcolm and Dagmar Kirsop of Building 3, inspected the tree and recommended the cure. This expert is hopeful the tree will renew itself after the work is done.
Suggestions were made for improving the proposal for the forming of a Building and Grounds Committee.
A report from a resident about dirty carpets on the main floor of Building 1 was met with a promise from President Marsilio that he would contact the cleaning company to come and restore the carpets to a pristine look.
With everyone who wanted to speak heard from the Board meeting was adjourned at approximately 9 PM.
Notes From The Gathering's
Virtual Board Of Director's Meeting
Held On Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Once again,because of the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, the Gathering's Board of Directors were obliged to hold their monthly meeting without face-to-face contact between either them or the residents who wanted to hear what they were up to. This time the session was not purely on a telephone hook-up as it was last month. This time the meeting had a brush with modern internet technology as it was conducted not only on a digital phone hookup but also on computer screens which added the capability of seeing the participants including the Board members and their audience. However, the video conference did not work as expected. Only one person and no one was else visible on the screen for the long meeting. Perhaps, if these meeting continue being held in the digital realm, more and more people will become comfortable with the relatively simple but unfamiliar way it works. Nevertheless, the meeting went ahead as scheduled and a host of important issues were discussed and plans of action were developed.
The most important subject facing the Board is the pressing problem behind Building 4 as wind and water continue to erode the steep hill close to the east end of the building's rear wall. At this meeting there was also concern that the dangerous situation was beginning to affect the Building's second floor although it was not clear as to what the problem there actually was. This erosion issue has been presented by the Gathering's lawyers to Beazer the builder and received no response from them. Director Matt Berg suggested that hiring an engineering firm to assess the problem and to recommend corrective action might be a way of moving towards solving this ongoing and worsening menace. No action on Matt's proposal was taken and the problem went back on the to-do list to present to Beazer once again.
In another issue concerning Beazer some of the preliminary findings of the Falcon engineering firm, which was hired to assess the quality and code adherence of all the Gatherings' buildings, was also presented to the Beazer company. Their reply was that they did not want to comment on Falcon's preliminary work but only on their final findings. And so, Beazer continues to stonewall and Falcon's costly and necessary study never seems to end.
Possible faults in the flashing used to waterproof the buildings came up and three proposal were discussed from three different contractors. Each contractor had a different approach, different terms and different costs. Matt Berg said he would write a detailed email to the board spelling out exactly what the problem is so that the contractors will have in writing explaining exactly what the job is that they are bidding on and what we expect from them.
While paving has been completed on the west side of Buildings 1,2, and 3 there still is the matter of repainting the curbing which marks the fire lanes. These lanes must be painted yellow and have the words "FIRE LANE" stenciled on them. Buildings 4 and 5, which do not need driveway replacement, are in need of the curb coloring and marking and this will be done soon under the authorization of the Board.
A recurring problem is what to do about the mold and algae starting to appear on the exteriors of all of our buildings. Board Director Gerry Moore inquired and got quotes from three different companies with each having a different approach to this expensive job. Matt Berg suggested that he write up a standard proposal spelling out exactly what we wanted done so that all bidders would be bidding on the identical procedures. This would make choosing one much easier for the Board.
By the way, standardizing our proposals to outside contractors came up again and the Board said that it would rely on CMC to help design bidding procedures and documents that would enable the Board to pick the best way forward without having to deal with a host of caveats and different approaches placed in the contracts by the bidders. Member Berg said that he hoped this standardized approach would prevail as CMC seeks bids on bird proofing vents and exhausts that have become bothersome nesting places for our neighborhood's birds. In an unusual move the Board voted to reimburse two residents who paid to have decaying dead birds removed from the exhaust ducts that serviced their kitchen and bathrooms. The Board emphasized this is a one-time only payment. Hopefully, they said, bird proofing the duct inlets and outlets in all the buildings would solve this problem for all the residents.
Audrey Davis said there was confusion about exactly what duties our Building Liaisons were expected to perform. She is going to draw up a list of Rules and Regulations for those important volunteers and will report her recommendations to the Board.
A question was asked: How does a new resident get a key or a fob or both for the Clubhouse? Gerry Moore who has a supply of fobs will turn them over to CMC for distribution to new residents. There was no clear answer on how a new resident would get a key to the front door of this building.
--In other issues there was a call to have a formalized schedule of contracted service calls available from FLSA our overseer of fire alarms, extinguishers and emergency equipment.
--Work has to be scheduled to removing material which is blocking roof vents and causing the attics to heat up causing the roofs to loose part of their expected lifespan.
--Many of the plastic feet on the HVAC compressors, which sit on the grassy areas behind some of the buildings, are broken and have to be replaced. CMC will talk to various contractors hoping to find an inexpensive way of moving the grass further away from the machines so that their feet do not get destroyed by the force of the string trimmers used by the landscaping company.
To sum up: In spite of the difficulties in setting up this meeting it did manage to move ahead in some areas. There's still plenty of important things to do and hopefully constructive solutions to these challenges will be in the wind soon.
The most important subject facing the Board is the pressing problem behind Building 4 as wind and water continue to erode the steep hill close to the east end of the building's rear wall. At this meeting there was also concern that the dangerous situation was beginning to affect the Building's second floor although it was not clear as to what the problem there actually was. This erosion issue has been presented by the Gathering's lawyers to Beazer the builder and received no response from them. Director Matt Berg suggested that hiring an engineering firm to assess the problem and to recommend corrective action might be a way of moving towards solving this ongoing and worsening menace. No action on Matt's proposal was taken and the problem went back on the to-do list to present to Beazer once again.
In another issue concerning Beazer some of the preliminary findings of the Falcon engineering firm, which was hired to assess the quality and code adherence of all the Gatherings' buildings, was also presented to the Beazer company. Their reply was that they did not want to comment on Falcon's preliminary work but only on their final findings. And so, Beazer continues to stonewall and Falcon's costly and necessary study never seems to end.
Possible faults in the flashing used to waterproof the buildings came up and three proposal were discussed from three different contractors. Each contractor had a different approach, different terms and different costs. Matt Berg said he would write a detailed email to the board spelling out exactly what the problem is so that the contractors will have in writing explaining exactly what the job is that they are bidding on and what we expect from them.
While paving has been completed on the west side of Buildings 1,2, and 3 there still is the matter of repainting the curbing which marks the fire lanes. These lanes must be painted yellow and have the words "FIRE LANE" stenciled on them. Buildings 4 and 5, which do not need driveway replacement, are in need of the curb coloring and marking and this will be done soon under the authorization of the Board.
A recurring problem is what to do about the mold and algae starting to appear on the exteriors of all of our buildings. Board Director Gerry Moore inquired and got quotes from three different companies with each having a different approach to this expensive job. Matt Berg suggested that he write up a standard proposal spelling out exactly what we wanted done so that all bidders would be bidding on the identical procedures. This would make choosing one much easier for the Board.
By the way, standardizing our proposals to outside contractors came up again and the Board said that it would rely on CMC to help design bidding procedures and documents that would enable the Board to pick the best way forward without having to deal with a host of caveats and different approaches placed in the contracts by the bidders. Member Berg said that he hoped this standardized approach would prevail as CMC seeks bids on bird proofing vents and exhausts that have become bothersome nesting places for our neighborhood's birds. In an unusual move the Board voted to reimburse two residents who paid to have decaying dead birds removed from the exhaust ducts that serviced their kitchen and bathrooms. The Board emphasized this is a one-time only payment. Hopefully, they said, bird proofing the duct inlets and outlets in all the buildings would solve this problem for all the residents.
Audrey Davis said there was confusion about exactly what duties our Building Liaisons were expected to perform. She is going to draw up a list of Rules and Regulations for those important volunteers and will report her recommendations to the Board.
A question was asked: How does a new resident get a key or a fob or both for the Clubhouse? Gerry Moore who has a supply of fobs will turn them over to CMC for distribution to new residents. There was no clear answer on how a new resident would get a key to the front door of this building.
--In other issues there was a call to have a formalized schedule of contracted service calls available from FLSA our overseer of fire alarms, extinguishers and emergency equipment.
--Work has to be scheduled to removing material which is blocking roof vents and causing the attics to heat up causing the roofs to loose part of their expected lifespan.
--Many of the plastic feet on the HVAC compressors, which sit on the grassy areas behind some of the buildings, are broken and have to be replaced. CMC will talk to various contractors hoping to find an inexpensive way of moving the grass further away from the machines so that their feet do not get destroyed by the force of the string trimmers used by the landscaping company.
To sum up: In spite of the difficulties in setting up this meeting it did manage to move ahead in some areas. There's still plenty of important things to do and hopefully constructive solutions to these challenges will be in the wind soon.
Notes From The Gathering's Board Of Director's Meeting
Held By Teleconference On Monday, May 4th, 2020
With the statewide orders to not hold public meetings still in effect this month's Board of Director's meeting was held via teleconferencing. Coincidentally, the United States Supreme Court was also making history when it too held it's first session using teleconferencing. Here at the Gatherings it was the first meeting the Board has held to consider business since they last met in February. What follows are the notes we took as we listened in on the phone along with a scattered group of other closed-in residents as the Board did its work and tried to catch up with old and new business.
Once the minutes from the last meeting were approved the next Board meeting was announced for June 9th Hopefully, it will be back in the Clubhouse again but there is a good chance that, once again, it will be held on the phone. The Gatherings' residents will be informed ahead of time about the form the next meeting will take. The phone meeting on May 4th started at 10 AM and was attended by all the Board members. It also included CMC representative Sara Pagani. Sara announced that the Gatherings would have a newly appointed rep named Natasha Jimenez at our meetings in the future.
The first item of the agenda was an announcement by Board President Alan Marsilio that our attorneys have sent two letters to the Beazer corporation regarding problems that were uncovered in the course of a survey conducted by the Falcon Engineering company.
The first letter concerned structural problems, cracks, adherence to code and other issues Falcon uncovered in the common areas of Buildings 4 and 5. The Board commissioned this study prior to the end of the 5-year period before Beazer turns over all responsibility for the buildings to the Board.
The second letter to Beazer was about the serious erosion on the steep slope behind Bldg 4. A partial retaining wall has not stopped erosion along the entire length of the buildings rear. This issue is in negotiation with Beazer. Things are moving forward on these issues and updates will be made public as decisions about who will be responsible for what are made.
Board Member Gerry Moore, a resident of Building 4, said the erosion wall seems to be working but only along its limited length. Beyond that it doesn't do the job.
Board Member Matt Berg said a landscaper was contacted to get s proposal for extending the wall but they found it too complex to offer a fix. They suggested contacting a consulting engineering firm to make a proposal. The Board felt that if Beazer doesn't respond to the letter then the Board should go ahead and hire a consulting firm to recommend a professional fix. This issue has been put on the agenda of the next meeting. There was also concern that the gutters in the erosion area were clogged. CMS was asked to look into it.
Director Moore also reported that the air conditioning in Building 4 now seems to be working properly. Pope's Heating and Air corrected the work the Burns company had done earlier. The Board said CMC should notify Burns that their repairs were unsatisfactory.
Regarding the mold now growing on all the buildings Moore says it is a bad idea to spray a removal preparation such as Wet It and Forget It from a ladder. He warned that using a ladder is dangerous and upward spraying can force chemicals way under the siding and hurt the building. The worst mold is on Building 4's northwest corner. Moore says a job like this requires a lift to do properly and safely. Meanwhile, the whole process of combating the mold has yet to be initiated. CMC says they reached out to the Gatherings with a plan but never heard back. No decision was made regarding what method, ladder or lift and what it should cost. CMC has been asked to present proposals on this issue.
Matt Berg said he and the other Board members never received a proposal regarding repairs for flashing. CMS was asked to resend it.
Member Berg went on to talk about emergency-light repairs including batteries and other problems.. Matt had a proposal from FLSA, the company that looks after our alarm and safety systems, to do the necessary repairs. In the time since they offered their proposal FLSA found additional lights that needed repair. Matt asked that they redo the proposal but they have yet to reply. Matt urged a telephone vote when the new proposal comes in. Alan Marsilio suggested that the Board approve the original proposal to spend up to $3000 for all repairs and if the final job estimate comes in over $3000 then the Board would vote again. The Board gave unanimous approval to the Feb. 12th proposal to repair the emergency lights.
The Board then approved the payment to FLSA for the work they did on replacing the dated fire extinguishers in the buildings. Matt Berg then suggested that we work out a regular schedule for FSLA so we know when contracts renew and when inspection and maintenance will take place. He asked CMC to work up this schedule.
Board Member Gerry Moore then said a tour of the buildings with unit owner Alison Prevost indicated that at this time Building 2 is most in need of a new paint job. The Board approved going ahead with the work providing the cost is the same as the work done in Building 3. On this issue Matt Berg suggested that we need more attorney approved terms and conditions in the contracts regarding quality of work and payment. Board Treasurer Chuck Keen said he was not willing to agree to this because it would raise the cost of a contract. Berg countered by saying the Board should approve the final payment. Chuck said, "Lets do it!" Matt said we should set up terms and conditions that should be included in future proposals and contracts. Sara was asked to look into whether or not they have been using set provisions in our contracts. She agreed to do it and the Board approved the idea.
On another important, but testy, issue Gerry Moore reported painting work is being done in the common area of one of the buildings by a volunteer unit owner who is not being paid by the Board. Member Moore is concerned that the fixer-upper is not covered by insurance etc. He suggests that this practice not be honored by the Gatherings Board or community. There is a proposal to notify all owners that this potentially unsafe practice is not in keeping with the Gatherings mandates and does not protect it from lawsuits and costs. The Board said it needs immunity from unauthorized work. A posting will be made regarding this issue.
Discussions are still ongoing regarding the transition studies for Bldgs. 1,2 and 3. Matt Berg reported that we are still waiting for Falcon Engineering to finalize their transition reports. CMC was asked to get more information before the Board pays the final bill.
Parking lot striping and repair for Bldgs. 1-3 is somewhat underway. One of the issues encountered was that in some places the macadam was lower than the nearby drains. Work is being done to correct this condition. Matt says it is vital to have residents notified in advance to move their cars. He said the work should be phased in. CMC will take care of this change in scheduling.
Crumbling joint compound was found over a doorway in recently painted Building 3. Since the same company who did the work will now also be painting Building 2 they will be asked to correct the problem.
Board President Marsilio reported on the Reserve Funds the law requires our association to maintain. Because, as buildings age, they develop predictable problems which need repair such as worn out driveways, roofs, elevators, etc a study of items of major nature is undertaken every five years to make sure that the Reserve Funds will cover any work that might have to be done. Sara says the company that conducts the survey has pulled back and is not bidding now because of the Covid-19 crisis. Once started it will take 90 to 100 days to complete. However, so far, there are no problems and the balances are OK.
Audit of books requires CMC to provide copies of 2018 audit.
The Gatherings has a number of shared expenses with our neighboring town homes. According to Charles Keen they are supposed to send us invoices every year. Right now we are only paying the Reserve portion of our agreement with them We only want to pay actual expenses. They have not sent anything showing what they have paid. We have paid for Reserves up through 2018 and just received the 2019 invoice. Treasurer Keen asked should he pay the Reserves ahead all the way to the end of 2020 or should we pay at end of year. Matt suggests waiting till end of 2020 to pay and use the Reserve issue as a bargaining chip to get the past-due invoices. Chuck will draft a letter. Board approved.
There has been a meeting with the person from CMC regarding the impending legal need to conduct a covenant inspection of the exteriors of the all the units in the Gatherings. $1200 has been budgeted to start enforcing a limited posture of bylaws on common elements. This means that violations will incur no punishment. This service is to be done twice a year. The inspector will not go into units but will, instead, look closely at common elements such as porches and with permission interiors of garages. Nothing was put into writing. Board approves initial payment including travel. Garage inspections may be done at a later time.
Back in February a resident requested Board approval to install a walk-in bathtub. However, under the regulations if the Board did not act within 45 days, it had to be considered an approval. So, after the 45 day waiting period, with no reply from the Board the tub was put in. Sara pointed out the work was done without any structural changes to the building.
An audit of our 2019 expenses and expenditures is now required. A standard letter has been received from our audit company about how they will conduct the work. The audit was approved.
The Residents Speak:
Mary Keen of Building 4 phoned in her request that when Building 1,2 and 3 have their dryer vents cleaned we should also include cleaning the dryer vents in Buildings 4 and 5. Also, she said, birds are flying into vents to make nests. All the vents do not have covers. Her proposal is that 1,2 and 3 go ahead and clean their vents and then check 4 and 5. In addition she suggested that inexpensive vent covers be installed where needed to keep the birds at bay.
Mary also felt that better policing of our bulletin boards is needed. She said she was not interested in seeing the Virginia Covid-19 death count in her lobby and that notices be limited to each buildings concerns. President Marsilio replied that it is up to each building to devise their own standards. He and the other Board members agreed that determining what should and shouldn't show up on a lobby bulletin board was outside their responsibility.
Dona Green told the Board that when a Beazer rep came to her Building 4 regarding conditions inside of her condo she was told the eroding slope problem behind her building and her unit was not Beazer's problem. She said the earthen bank behind her unit is too steep to cut the foot-high grass and that the drain pipes placed on the slope to direct water away from the building are not working when it rains. Gerry Moore told her he is certain that the problem exists because the roof gutter is clogged. Another job for CMC.
The meeting adjourned at 11:51 AM.
The official minutes of this meeting will be posted when they are submitted to and approved by the Board of Directors.
Once the minutes from the last meeting were approved the next Board meeting was announced for June 9th Hopefully, it will be back in the Clubhouse again but there is a good chance that, once again, it will be held on the phone. The Gatherings' residents will be informed ahead of time about the form the next meeting will take. The phone meeting on May 4th started at 10 AM and was attended by all the Board members. It also included CMC representative Sara Pagani. Sara announced that the Gatherings would have a newly appointed rep named Natasha Jimenez at our meetings in the future.
The first item of the agenda was an announcement by Board President Alan Marsilio that our attorneys have sent two letters to the Beazer corporation regarding problems that were uncovered in the course of a survey conducted by the Falcon Engineering company.
The first letter concerned structural problems, cracks, adherence to code and other issues Falcon uncovered in the common areas of Buildings 4 and 5. The Board commissioned this study prior to the end of the 5-year period before Beazer turns over all responsibility for the buildings to the Board.
The second letter to Beazer was about the serious erosion on the steep slope behind Bldg 4. A partial retaining wall has not stopped erosion along the entire length of the buildings rear. This issue is in negotiation with Beazer. Things are moving forward on these issues and updates will be made public as decisions about who will be responsible for what are made.
Board Member Gerry Moore, a resident of Building 4, said the erosion wall seems to be working but only along its limited length. Beyond that it doesn't do the job.
Board Member Matt Berg said a landscaper was contacted to get s proposal for extending the wall but they found it too complex to offer a fix. They suggested contacting a consulting engineering firm to make a proposal. The Board felt that if Beazer doesn't respond to the letter then the Board should go ahead and hire a consulting firm to recommend a professional fix. This issue has been put on the agenda of the next meeting. There was also concern that the gutters in the erosion area were clogged. CMS was asked to look into it.
Director Moore also reported that the air conditioning in Building 4 now seems to be working properly. Pope's Heating and Air corrected the work the Burns company had done earlier. The Board said CMC should notify Burns that their repairs were unsatisfactory.
Regarding the mold now growing on all the buildings Moore says it is a bad idea to spray a removal preparation such as Wet It and Forget It from a ladder. He warned that using a ladder is dangerous and upward spraying can force chemicals way under the siding and hurt the building. The worst mold is on Building 4's northwest corner. Moore says a job like this requires a lift to do properly and safely. Meanwhile, the whole process of combating the mold has yet to be initiated. CMC says they reached out to the Gatherings with a plan but never heard back. No decision was made regarding what method, ladder or lift and what it should cost. CMC has been asked to present proposals on this issue.
Matt Berg said he and the other Board members never received a proposal regarding repairs for flashing. CMS was asked to resend it.
Member Berg went on to talk about emergency-light repairs including batteries and other problems.. Matt had a proposal from FLSA, the company that looks after our alarm and safety systems, to do the necessary repairs. In the time since they offered their proposal FLSA found additional lights that needed repair. Matt asked that they redo the proposal but they have yet to reply. Matt urged a telephone vote when the new proposal comes in. Alan Marsilio suggested that the Board approve the original proposal to spend up to $3000 for all repairs and if the final job estimate comes in over $3000 then the Board would vote again. The Board gave unanimous approval to the Feb. 12th proposal to repair the emergency lights.
The Board then approved the payment to FLSA for the work they did on replacing the dated fire extinguishers in the buildings. Matt Berg then suggested that we work out a regular schedule for FSLA so we know when contracts renew and when inspection and maintenance will take place. He asked CMC to work up this schedule.
Board Member Gerry Moore then said a tour of the buildings with unit owner Alison Prevost indicated that at this time Building 2 is most in need of a new paint job. The Board approved going ahead with the work providing the cost is the same as the work done in Building 3. On this issue Matt Berg suggested that we need more attorney approved terms and conditions in the contracts regarding quality of work and payment. Board Treasurer Chuck Keen said he was not willing to agree to this because it would raise the cost of a contract. Berg countered by saying the Board should approve the final payment. Chuck said, "Lets do it!" Matt said we should set up terms and conditions that should be included in future proposals and contracts. Sara was asked to look into whether or not they have been using set provisions in our contracts. She agreed to do it and the Board approved the idea.
On another important, but testy, issue Gerry Moore reported painting work is being done in the common area of one of the buildings by a volunteer unit owner who is not being paid by the Board. Member Moore is concerned that the fixer-upper is not covered by insurance etc. He suggests that this practice not be honored by the Gatherings Board or community. There is a proposal to notify all owners that this potentially unsafe practice is not in keeping with the Gatherings mandates and does not protect it from lawsuits and costs. The Board said it needs immunity from unauthorized work. A posting will be made regarding this issue.
Discussions are still ongoing regarding the transition studies for Bldgs. 1,2 and 3. Matt Berg reported that we are still waiting for Falcon Engineering to finalize their transition reports. CMC was asked to get more information before the Board pays the final bill.
Parking lot striping and repair for Bldgs. 1-3 is somewhat underway. One of the issues encountered was that in some places the macadam was lower than the nearby drains. Work is being done to correct this condition. Matt says it is vital to have residents notified in advance to move their cars. He said the work should be phased in. CMC will take care of this change in scheduling.
Crumbling joint compound was found over a doorway in recently painted Building 3. Since the same company who did the work will now also be painting Building 2 they will be asked to correct the problem.
Board President Marsilio reported on the Reserve Funds the law requires our association to maintain. Because, as buildings age, they develop predictable problems which need repair such as worn out driveways, roofs, elevators, etc a study of items of major nature is undertaken every five years to make sure that the Reserve Funds will cover any work that might have to be done. Sara says the company that conducts the survey has pulled back and is not bidding now because of the Covid-19 crisis. Once started it will take 90 to 100 days to complete. However, so far, there are no problems and the balances are OK.
Audit of books requires CMC to provide copies of 2018 audit.
The Gatherings has a number of shared expenses with our neighboring town homes. According to Charles Keen they are supposed to send us invoices every year. Right now we are only paying the Reserve portion of our agreement with them We only want to pay actual expenses. They have not sent anything showing what they have paid. We have paid for Reserves up through 2018 and just received the 2019 invoice. Treasurer Keen asked should he pay the Reserves ahead all the way to the end of 2020 or should we pay at end of year. Matt suggests waiting till end of 2020 to pay and use the Reserve issue as a bargaining chip to get the past-due invoices. Chuck will draft a letter. Board approved.
There has been a meeting with the person from CMC regarding the impending legal need to conduct a covenant inspection of the exteriors of the all the units in the Gatherings. $1200 has been budgeted to start enforcing a limited posture of bylaws on common elements. This means that violations will incur no punishment. This service is to be done twice a year. The inspector will not go into units but will, instead, look closely at common elements such as porches and with permission interiors of garages. Nothing was put into writing. Board approves initial payment including travel. Garage inspections may be done at a later time.
Back in February a resident requested Board approval to install a walk-in bathtub. However, under the regulations if the Board did not act within 45 days, it had to be considered an approval. So, after the 45 day waiting period, with no reply from the Board the tub was put in. Sara pointed out the work was done without any structural changes to the building.
An audit of our 2019 expenses and expenditures is now required. A standard letter has been received from our audit company about how they will conduct the work. The audit was approved.
The Residents Speak:
Mary Keen of Building 4 phoned in her request that when Building 1,2 and 3 have their dryer vents cleaned we should also include cleaning the dryer vents in Buildings 4 and 5. Also, she said, birds are flying into vents to make nests. All the vents do not have covers. Her proposal is that 1,2 and 3 go ahead and clean their vents and then check 4 and 5. In addition she suggested that inexpensive vent covers be installed where needed to keep the birds at bay.
Mary also felt that better policing of our bulletin boards is needed. She said she was not interested in seeing the Virginia Covid-19 death count in her lobby and that notices be limited to each buildings concerns. President Marsilio replied that it is up to each building to devise their own standards. He and the other Board members agreed that determining what should and shouldn't show up on a lobby bulletin board was outside their responsibility.
Dona Green told the Board that when a Beazer rep came to her Building 4 regarding conditions inside of her condo she was told the eroding slope problem behind her building and her unit was not Beazer's problem. She said the earthen bank behind her unit is too steep to cut the foot-high grass and that the drain pipes placed on the slope to direct water away from the building are not working when it rains. Gerry Moore told her he is certain that the problem exists because the roof gutter is clogged. Another job for CMC.
The meeting adjourned at 11:51 AM.
The official minutes of this meeting will be posted when they are submitted to and approved by the Board of Directors.
Notes From The Board Of Directors Meeting February 13, 2020
Mary Keen - Outgoing Board of Directors Secretary
Only ten Unit owners attended the mid-winter meeting of The Gathering's Board of Directors. They had a chance to hear about many items that were pending - many going back to mid-2019. Absent from the meeting was Board Member Audrey Davis as well as a permanent representative from CMC. In regard to not having a CMC dedicated manager present, fill-in manager Sarah Pagani of CMC was there and mentioned that the search for a new manager for our units was still going on. She said her interviews of candidates for the position would continue until a qualified and licensed person was found.
In other personnel announcement it was revealed that Mary Keen, who as been the Board's unelected volunteer secretary, was moving on and that this meeting would be her last minute taking in her semi-official capacity. Mary has done a great job and will be missed. Meanwhile, the call has gone out for volunteers to replace Mary in this very import task.
There was a long list of subjects that needed attention. Matt Berg had quite a list of building problems that he had discovered along with a list of other concerns he was already trying to get corrected. For example, he was bothered about the costs of paying a rather steep fee we pay to have burned out light bulbs replaced. The work is part of the chores of the the CMC maintenance man but records of the work he has performed have not been readily available.
When it comes to saving money Matt is a proponent of replacing power hungry bulbs with lower wattage, but more expensive, LED lamps. He reminds us that over time the savings in electricity will more than pay for the replacements. Matt has been keeping tabs on emergency-light battery replacement as well.
Matt called attention to perhaps the greatest challenge facing The Gatherings at the present time. It's the ongoing erosion of the slope behind the southeast corner of Building 4. It has been steadily eroding causing cracks to start appearing in the brick facade of the building. Windows and patio doors in that area have also malfunctioned due to the slight shift in the building's underpinnings. Matt has communicated his concerns to the Board and the City of Manassas. Matt hopes that the city will authorize the construction of a cost-effective retaining wall in the affected area. Who would pay for it has yet to be decided. As an emergency solution to the problem Matt has diverted some of the rainwater output of the gutter downspouts to bypass the erosion zone. He says this is only a stop gap measure until a permanent solution to this bothersome and dangerous condition is addressed. Donna Green who lives in the most affected unit seconded and endorsed everything Matt is trying to do as hers is the unit smack in the epi-center of the affected zone.
The Board received a letter of complaint from a resident calling attention to the smell of cigarette smoke in Building 3 and other buildings as well. The Board's reaction to the letter was that while smoking is not permitted in a building's common areas there is nothing that can be done legally to stop residents from smoking within their own units. Smokers were cautioned that even opening windows while smoking was in progress did not solve the problem for the many residents who are forced to breathe the created polluted air.
There was talk of once again inviting the Manassas Fire Department to conduct lobby lectures about what to do in case of a fire in a resident's building. The primary concern was what to do we do to help residents who are confined to wheel chairs or who have trouble walking. Once again everyone was reminded that if a resident cannot navigate his or her way out of a building undergoing a fire emergency they should seek safety in one of the two stair wells in each building and wait there until a fireman comes to their aid and takes them to safety, It was stressed that The Gatherings was not an assisted living facility and that residents had no responsibility to carry people out unless they wished to do so. Taking shelter in a fireproof stair well and waiting for help was the best advice to be given to a handicapped person.
The final item of the busy agenda was consideration of a resident's suggestion for the creation of a Building and Grounds Committee to address and resolve many of the structural and surroundings problems that continue to plague our community and which seemed to take forever to fix. The committee would aid Matt Berg in discovering conditions that could be improved and devising solutions for them which could be taken to the entire Board for approval. The current sink-hole problem that Matt mentioned is an example of a defect that the committee could tackle. They could also keep an eye on the grounds calling attention and helping to find help to repair cracked roadways, crumbling driveways, emergency lighting that is not working, leaks, and general disrepair on the buildings as time goes by. They would not supersede the Landscape Committee who oversees the planting of flowers, shrubs, trees and grass. The proposal was met with some caution and the Board agreed to try the concept over a three month period providing our insurance carriers did not raise any warning flags about this homegrown effort to get things done in a safe and timely fashion.
Finally, thank you Mary Keen. You did a terrific job.
In other personnel announcement it was revealed that Mary Keen, who as been the Board's unelected volunteer secretary, was moving on and that this meeting would be her last minute taking in her semi-official capacity. Mary has done a great job and will be missed. Meanwhile, the call has gone out for volunteers to replace Mary in this very import task.
There was a long list of subjects that needed attention. Matt Berg had quite a list of building problems that he had discovered along with a list of other concerns he was already trying to get corrected. For example, he was bothered about the costs of paying a rather steep fee we pay to have burned out light bulbs replaced. The work is part of the chores of the the CMC maintenance man but records of the work he has performed have not been readily available.
When it comes to saving money Matt is a proponent of replacing power hungry bulbs with lower wattage, but more expensive, LED lamps. He reminds us that over time the savings in electricity will more than pay for the replacements. Matt has been keeping tabs on emergency-light battery replacement as well.
Matt called attention to perhaps the greatest challenge facing The Gatherings at the present time. It's the ongoing erosion of the slope behind the southeast corner of Building 4. It has been steadily eroding causing cracks to start appearing in the brick facade of the building. Windows and patio doors in that area have also malfunctioned due to the slight shift in the building's underpinnings. Matt has communicated his concerns to the Board and the City of Manassas. Matt hopes that the city will authorize the construction of a cost-effective retaining wall in the affected area. Who would pay for it has yet to be decided. As an emergency solution to the problem Matt has diverted some of the rainwater output of the gutter downspouts to bypass the erosion zone. He says this is only a stop gap measure until a permanent solution to this bothersome and dangerous condition is addressed. Donna Green who lives in the most affected unit seconded and endorsed everything Matt is trying to do as hers is the unit smack in the epi-center of the affected zone.
The Board received a letter of complaint from a resident calling attention to the smell of cigarette smoke in Building 3 and other buildings as well. The Board's reaction to the letter was that while smoking is not permitted in a building's common areas there is nothing that can be done legally to stop residents from smoking within their own units. Smokers were cautioned that even opening windows while smoking was in progress did not solve the problem for the many residents who are forced to breathe the created polluted air.
There was talk of once again inviting the Manassas Fire Department to conduct lobby lectures about what to do in case of a fire in a resident's building. The primary concern was what to do we do to help residents who are confined to wheel chairs or who have trouble walking. Once again everyone was reminded that if a resident cannot navigate his or her way out of a building undergoing a fire emergency they should seek safety in one of the two stair wells in each building and wait there until a fireman comes to their aid and takes them to safety, It was stressed that The Gatherings was not an assisted living facility and that residents had no responsibility to carry people out unless they wished to do so. Taking shelter in a fireproof stair well and waiting for help was the best advice to be given to a handicapped person.
The final item of the busy agenda was consideration of a resident's suggestion for the creation of a Building and Grounds Committee to address and resolve many of the structural and surroundings problems that continue to plague our community and which seemed to take forever to fix. The committee would aid Matt Berg in discovering conditions that could be improved and devising solutions for them which could be taken to the entire Board for approval. The current sink-hole problem that Matt mentioned is an example of a defect that the committee could tackle. They could also keep an eye on the grounds calling attention and helping to find help to repair cracked roadways, crumbling driveways, emergency lighting that is not working, leaks, and general disrepair on the buildings as time goes by. They would not supersede the Landscape Committee who oversees the planting of flowers, shrubs, trees and grass. The proposal was met with some caution and the Board agreed to try the concept over a three month period providing our insurance carriers did not raise any warning flags about this homegrown effort to get things done in a safe and timely fashion.
Finally, thank you Mary Keen. You did a terrific job.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting Of January 21, 2020
Shown above in the top photo are Board members Matt Berg, Audrey Davis, Gerry Moore and Board President Alan Marsilio. The new face in the other photos belongs to CMC representative Sarah Pagani.
There was a temporary new face at the table for The Gatherings first Board of Directors meeting in 2020. She was Sarah Pagani of the CMC Management company. She was there for the absent CMC Manager Lisa Gardner who, we found out, had left the company. Sarah told us she is not a permanent replacement for Lisa. She will be with us only until she hires a new manager with the experience that this job requires. Sarah said although she has interviewed a number of people there is no one in sight at the present time who could fill the bill. Not happy with the work of the Management company Board member Gerry Moore submitted a list of three possible companies that could possibly take over this job.
Sarah and the seven residents who showed up for the meeting on this chilly night heard a recap of many of the problems that have been on the Board's agenda for many months now. They included applying an anti-mold spray to many of the buildings, repairing roadways and sidewalks, and perhaps, the most serious problem of all, the gradual erosion of the sandy slope behind Building 4. As a result of this problem one of the ground floor residents has found that she is unable to open her porch doors due to the shifting ground. That movement has already caused some cracks to appear in the walls of her unit. This worrisome condition has been reported to the transition study company however, as yet, there is no word about whether or not a fix is in the works. Speaking of the transition study Board member Matt Berg presented a substantial list of pending work items that the study has already detected. Matt's list contained items such as faulty roof ventilation, leaks in some roofs and windows, localized flooding due to improper drainage, and concrete pavement cracking and deteriorating. However, there was no indication that the Beazer construction company was either going to fix them or simply walk away from them altogether. Board President Alan Marsilio said this would probably be a problem for our lawyers to contend with.
There was a long list of old business to discuss and it soon became evident that there were still a lot of nagging problems that remain to be resolved. In something of a "financial shock"Board member Berg pointed out that the 2020 budget for The Gatherings had a costly error in it. The itemized entry for the Management Fees listed only the cost of one month's fees. The figure shown under Professional Services on line item 7040 should have been 12 times larger. This typo will cause the Board to reconsider the budget as they search for cuts totaling many thousands of dollars which will be necessary to once again balance costs vs income.
Among other items discussed was the forthcoming work of the outside Covenants inspectors; elevator problems in Building 4; and small jobs that Unit owners would be happy to undertake if they were reimbursed for the costs involved. Some of the Unit owners who replaced the CO alarms in their garages have yet to be reimbursed for the devices they bought. Also pending is an examination of the emergency lighting in some of the buildings which has exhibited failures in the past.
There is also a need for more volunteers for the positions of Building Liaison. Many residents still do not know who their building's Liaison is as there has been a significant turn-over in those positions as time has gone by.
A proposal to form a new Buildings and Grounds Committee, which was submitted last August, was tabled until the next Board meeting.
To sum-up most of the business discussed was old problems still awaiting fixing.
Sarah and the seven residents who showed up for the meeting on this chilly night heard a recap of many of the problems that have been on the Board's agenda for many months now. They included applying an anti-mold spray to many of the buildings, repairing roadways and sidewalks, and perhaps, the most serious problem of all, the gradual erosion of the sandy slope behind Building 4. As a result of this problem one of the ground floor residents has found that she is unable to open her porch doors due to the shifting ground. That movement has already caused some cracks to appear in the walls of her unit. This worrisome condition has been reported to the transition study company however, as yet, there is no word about whether or not a fix is in the works. Speaking of the transition study Board member Matt Berg presented a substantial list of pending work items that the study has already detected. Matt's list contained items such as faulty roof ventilation, leaks in some roofs and windows, localized flooding due to improper drainage, and concrete pavement cracking and deteriorating. However, there was no indication that the Beazer construction company was either going to fix them or simply walk away from them altogether. Board President Alan Marsilio said this would probably be a problem for our lawyers to contend with.
There was a long list of old business to discuss and it soon became evident that there were still a lot of nagging problems that remain to be resolved. In something of a "financial shock"Board member Berg pointed out that the 2020 budget for The Gatherings had a costly error in it. The itemized entry for the Management Fees listed only the cost of one month's fees. The figure shown under Professional Services on line item 7040 should have been 12 times larger. This typo will cause the Board to reconsider the budget as they search for cuts totaling many thousands of dollars which will be necessary to once again balance costs vs income.
Among other items discussed was the forthcoming work of the outside Covenants inspectors; elevator problems in Building 4; and small jobs that Unit owners would be happy to undertake if they were reimbursed for the costs involved. Some of the Unit owners who replaced the CO alarms in their garages have yet to be reimbursed for the devices they bought. Also pending is an examination of the emergency lighting in some of the buildings which has exhibited failures in the past.
There is also a need for more volunteers for the positions of Building Liaison. Many residents still do not know who their building's Liaison is as there has been a significant turn-over in those positions as time has gone by.
A proposal to form a new Buildings and Grounds Committee, which was submitted last August, was tabled until the next Board meeting.
To sum-up most of the business discussed was old problems still awaiting fixing.
Notes From The Board Meeting Of December 10, 2019
The last Board of Directors open meeting for 2019 opened with the approval of the 2020 budget with the good news that there would be no increase in the condo fees for next year. However, effective January 1st those owners who have refrigerators and/or freezers in their store rooms or garages will be asked to pay a $10 monthly fee to cover the extra cost to the community for their use of electricity which is measured on a common community meter.
In her update report Lisa Gardner, our account representative at CMC, said that the fire extinguishers in each of The Gatherings buildings have now been either recharged or replaced. A review of the batteries in the hallway emergency lights will also take place in the next few days with replacements made where needed. Board member Matt Berg raised the question as to whether or not the law required those lights to be tested on a monthly basis. That issue will be looked into.
Lisa noted that the main valve in each of the buildings fire sprinkler system must be replaced every five years. She has received bids on the replacement costs and has requested that these costs be included in forthcoming budgets. She also brought up the fact that the leaks in the roofs of Buildings 1 and 2 have to be examined with a lift that takes the workers to the roof. Presently, only buildings 3,4 and 5 have roof hatches that allow access to the roof from the attic. One of the reason these leak inspections will take place is to establish who is responsible for them. Are they a result of normal aging or was shoddy materials and workmanship performed by the Beazer contractors. Responsibility will be determined in the forthcoming weeks.
The Board has decided to okay the repair of a broken air conditioner that services a lobby location. The repair is about half the price of a replacement. Again, as with the leaks, the responsibility for the failure is under review
In the case of the mold growing on the west side of buildings 1,,2 and 3 and in the rear of Building 4 the use of the Wet and Forget It treatment came under discussion once again. Lisa is in the progress of obtaining bids for this work which will probably require the use of a lift so that the workers applying the spray will be to access the mold infested and other parts of the building quickly and safely.
As far as the transition study is concerned there has not been much to report. One of the lawyers on the case was away and fear was expressed that the deadline for obtaining remuneration from the Beazer company would come-and-go with nothing being accomplished. Meanwhile, it appears that the road surface repair work along with repainting lines on the parking area behind buildings 1,2, and 3 will probably be postponed until March. The company hired to do the work has been unable to find a time when there is not only a dry period but one which guarantees all the cars in the area will be removed on a date in which the weather cooperates. This project is now in limbo.
In the open section of the meeting one of the owners suggested that mats be placed on the floor inside the Clubhouse by the front and side doors to help prevent people from slipping when they enter with wet shoes. This resident also suggested adding pegs to a Clubhouse wall so that visitors had a place to hang their coats and jackets. Another resident called for better "communication" with the Board as she has received no answers to her request to examine the papers which govern the conduct of the association. In a lively discussion which followed it was pointed out that it was true that those papers must be made available to unit owners but because supplying each resident with the hundreds of pages involved was very costly it was perfectly reasonable to ask a resident who wished access to these documents to visit the CMS offices to read them there. This resident also said she did not know who her Building Captain was. As a result of her complaint the Board will post the names of the Building Captains and the alternates in each of the lobbies as they had done one once before.
Another resident pointed up the need to provide written instructions so that outside contractors and repair people could gain access to utility rooms or locate turn-off valves and switches when they showed up for an emergency or simply to do installations or repair work.
The need to provide "No Smoking" signs in the common areas was discussed as well as the fact that the mortar from various cornices was still falling onto the driveways with the chance of damaging cars or causing people to slip and fall.
While the condo owners can make changes in their units the Board has suggested that when structural changes occur they be notified before any work is done. While moving a sink or a vanity in a remodel is generally okay the Board wants to know if any plumbing or electrical work might interfere with the overall supply of water and power to the buildings. They said please notify them when work is planned that is not a mere this-for-that redo.
The Social Committee indicated an extremely successful effort to collect food donations for the needy in the month of November.
Should the Gatherings undergo periodic fire drills under the supervision of the Manassas Fire Department? The answer seems to be yes and a request is going out to the department for help in scheduling and conducting those drills. There was a reminder that there was a Safety Week each spring and that would be good time for the fire drill(s).
As the meeting wound down President Marsilio indicated that the Rules and Regulations are being reviewed with the idea of including the new ones the Board has already approved as well a removing those that do not apply at this time. He reported that the outside Covenant Committee would be looking at the outside balconies and porches for violations of condo rules. Other investigations might take place when a complaint is filed with the Board. An example of this type of complaint is a resident complaining about noise from above because of no or insufficient carpeting on the upstairs floor. It was suggested that when these investigations were made photos be taken of the infractions to help determine what remedies should be applied.
In her update report Lisa Gardner, our account representative at CMC, said that the fire extinguishers in each of The Gatherings buildings have now been either recharged or replaced. A review of the batteries in the hallway emergency lights will also take place in the next few days with replacements made where needed. Board member Matt Berg raised the question as to whether or not the law required those lights to be tested on a monthly basis. That issue will be looked into.
Lisa noted that the main valve in each of the buildings fire sprinkler system must be replaced every five years. She has received bids on the replacement costs and has requested that these costs be included in forthcoming budgets. She also brought up the fact that the leaks in the roofs of Buildings 1 and 2 have to be examined with a lift that takes the workers to the roof. Presently, only buildings 3,4 and 5 have roof hatches that allow access to the roof from the attic. One of the reason these leak inspections will take place is to establish who is responsible for them. Are they a result of normal aging or was shoddy materials and workmanship performed by the Beazer contractors. Responsibility will be determined in the forthcoming weeks.
The Board has decided to okay the repair of a broken air conditioner that services a lobby location. The repair is about half the price of a replacement. Again, as with the leaks, the responsibility for the failure is under review
In the case of the mold growing on the west side of buildings 1,,2 and 3 and in the rear of Building 4 the use of the Wet and Forget It treatment came under discussion once again. Lisa is in the progress of obtaining bids for this work which will probably require the use of a lift so that the workers applying the spray will be to access the mold infested and other parts of the building quickly and safely.
As far as the transition study is concerned there has not been much to report. One of the lawyers on the case was away and fear was expressed that the deadline for obtaining remuneration from the Beazer company would come-and-go with nothing being accomplished. Meanwhile, it appears that the road surface repair work along with repainting lines on the parking area behind buildings 1,2, and 3 will probably be postponed until March. The company hired to do the work has been unable to find a time when there is not only a dry period but one which guarantees all the cars in the area will be removed on a date in which the weather cooperates. This project is now in limbo.
In the open section of the meeting one of the owners suggested that mats be placed on the floor inside the Clubhouse by the front and side doors to help prevent people from slipping when they enter with wet shoes. This resident also suggested adding pegs to a Clubhouse wall so that visitors had a place to hang their coats and jackets. Another resident called for better "communication" with the Board as she has received no answers to her request to examine the papers which govern the conduct of the association. In a lively discussion which followed it was pointed out that it was true that those papers must be made available to unit owners but because supplying each resident with the hundreds of pages involved was very costly it was perfectly reasonable to ask a resident who wished access to these documents to visit the CMS offices to read them there. This resident also said she did not know who her Building Captain was. As a result of her complaint the Board will post the names of the Building Captains and the alternates in each of the lobbies as they had done one once before.
Another resident pointed up the need to provide written instructions so that outside contractors and repair people could gain access to utility rooms or locate turn-off valves and switches when they showed up for an emergency or simply to do installations or repair work.
The need to provide "No Smoking" signs in the common areas was discussed as well as the fact that the mortar from various cornices was still falling onto the driveways with the chance of damaging cars or causing people to slip and fall.
While the condo owners can make changes in their units the Board has suggested that when structural changes occur they be notified before any work is done. While moving a sink or a vanity in a remodel is generally okay the Board wants to know if any plumbing or electrical work might interfere with the overall supply of water and power to the buildings. They said please notify them when work is planned that is not a mere this-for-that redo.
The Social Committee indicated an extremely successful effort to collect food donations for the needy in the month of November.
Should the Gatherings undergo periodic fire drills under the supervision of the Manassas Fire Department? The answer seems to be yes and a request is going out to the department for help in scheduling and conducting those drills. There was a reminder that there was a Safety Week each spring and that would be good time for the fire drill(s).
As the meeting wound down President Marsilio indicated that the Rules and Regulations are being reviewed with the idea of including the new ones the Board has already approved as well a removing those that do not apply at this time. He reported that the outside Covenant Committee would be looking at the outside balconies and porches for violations of condo rules. Other investigations might take place when a complaint is filed with the Board. An example of this type of complaint is a resident complaining about noise from above because of no or insufficient carpeting on the upstairs floor. It was suggested that when these investigations were made photos be taken of the infractions to help determine what remedies should be applied.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting of June 13, 2018
This was a wide ranging meeting covering such subjects as the forthcoming work on repairing and replacing The Gathering's roofs and answering such questions as, "Can a unit owner install a roll-up shade on his porch to protect him from the glare of the afternoon sun?" and "Can a unit owner have more space so that he can more easily back his car out of his garage?" Here's a summary of the meeting.
The Gathering's cash reserves remained excellent in spite of the fact that there are 10 unit owners in arrears. The Social Committee has a small cash balance and will schedule Happy Hours from time to time. Also there was a reminder that the residents of Building 4 can expect to see many trees disappear behind their units as Columbia Gas continues its construction of a new pipeline along Dumfries Road.
There was a reminder that the advent of the new CMC web site called Town Square does not mean the site you are now viewing will go away soon. Both sites are meant to be complementary entities with the Town Square site being the voice of the management company with our GAW site being a reflection of what our residents are doing and planning.
There was an extended conversation about the upcoming roof repairs on all of The Gathering's buildings starting on June 18th weather permitting. Most of the discussion had to do with relocating the resident's cars during work on their respective buildings. A foreman from the roofing company will be on hand to help driver's leave their garages if necessary. A request for help in getting one's car free should allow at least 30 minutes before the request can be honored. As a reminder the work day for the roofers will be from 7:30 AM to about 6 PM for a period of about two weeks for each building. A better quality shingle will be used on the roofs that will be totally replaced. A shingle similar to what is installed presently will be used on a building which only requires a repair.
On the subject of what do handicapped people do during the roofing work there were many questions that needed answering. Suppose the handicapped needed assistance or access to their vehicles? Where can they park? Do we know who they are so they can be helped? It was suggested to the Board, and they agreed, that it was up to each building to have its own meeting to discuss their unique problems in helping their handicapped residents cope with the forthcoming reconstruction work. There were also reminders that the roofing work may cause shaking and rattling of the upper floors of the condo buildings. Residents were reminded to safeguard fragile items that could fall and be broken. There was also concern expressed that the building roofs be examined for proper attic ventilation since this is a "must have" for longer roof life. Also urged was an examination of the blown-in insulation in the attics to see if it was, in any way, interfering with the proper ventilation of each attic.
The microwave which was stolen from the Clubhouse had a value of approximately $250 when it was new five years ago. The theft has been reported to the police along with the picture of the stolen machine. The picture is now part of national data base of stolen property which pawn brokers refer to when items are brought in to their establishments to be exchanged for cash.
There was discussion of a contract to cover the cleaning services now provided for our buildings. While there is general approval of the quality of the work being done it does not negate the need for a contract. That problem is in the process of being solved. There were also requests from two of the residents for special consideration. One unit owner asked for permission to install an awning or shade to shield his outside porch from the strong rays of the afternoon sun. Another request was from a resident who said he needed more room to back out of his garage. He suggested a "No Parking" zone across from his garage. In consecutive unanimous votes the Board voted not to approve either request. They cited the condo bylaws which prohibit attachments such as TV antennas to the porches. In the case of the extended driveway that was turned down since the garage clearances had already been approved by the City of Manassas and were found to be adequate for backing out safely.
The Gathering's cash reserves remained excellent in spite of the fact that there are 10 unit owners in arrears. The Social Committee has a small cash balance and will schedule Happy Hours from time to time. Also there was a reminder that the residents of Building 4 can expect to see many trees disappear behind their units as Columbia Gas continues its construction of a new pipeline along Dumfries Road.
There was a reminder that the advent of the new CMC web site called Town Square does not mean the site you are now viewing will go away soon. Both sites are meant to be complementary entities with the Town Square site being the voice of the management company with our GAW site being a reflection of what our residents are doing and planning.
There was an extended conversation about the upcoming roof repairs on all of The Gathering's buildings starting on June 18th weather permitting. Most of the discussion had to do with relocating the resident's cars during work on their respective buildings. A foreman from the roofing company will be on hand to help driver's leave their garages if necessary. A request for help in getting one's car free should allow at least 30 minutes before the request can be honored. As a reminder the work day for the roofers will be from 7:30 AM to about 6 PM for a period of about two weeks for each building. A better quality shingle will be used on the roofs that will be totally replaced. A shingle similar to what is installed presently will be used on a building which only requires a repair.
On the subject of what do handicapped people do during the roofing work there were many questions that needed answering. Suppose the handicapped needed assistance or access to their vehicles? Where can they park? Do we know who they are so they can be helped? It was suggested to the Board, and they agreed, that it was up to each building to have its own meeting to discuss their unique problems in helping their handicapped residents cope with the forthcoming reconstruction work. There were also reminders that the roofing work may cause shaking and rattling of the upper floors of the condo buildings. Residents were reminded to safeguard fragile items that could fall and be broken. There was also concern expressed that the building roofs be examined for proper attic ventilation since this is a "must have" for longer roof life. Also urged was an examination of the blown-in insulation in the attics to see if it was, in any way, interfering with the proper ventilation of each attic.
The microwave which was stolen from the Clubhouse had a value of approximately $250 when it was new five years ago. The theft has been reported to the police along with the picture of the stolen machine. The picture is now part of national data base of stolen property which pawn brokers refer to when items are brought in to their establishments to be exchanged for cash.
There was discussion of a contract to cover the cleaning services now provided for our buildings. While there is general approval of the quality of the work being done it does not negate the need for a contract. That problem is in the process of being solved. There were also requests from two of the residents for special consideration. One unit owner asked for permission to install an awning or shade to shield his outside porch from the strong rays of the afternoon sun. Another request was from a resident who said he needed more room to back out of his garage. He suggested a "No Parking" zone across from his garage. In consecutive unanimous votes the Board voted not to approve either request. They cited the condo bylaws which prohibit attachments such as TV antennas to the porches. In the case of the extended driveway that was turned down since the garage clearances had already been approved by the City of Manassas and were found to be adequate for backing out safely.
One of the residents was reminded that if birds were nesting in her kitchen vent outlet that the responsibility for removing them was hers and not the condo association.
Finally, information is still being gathered as to the feasibility of providing locked key boxes in each lobby for emergency use. These boxes would be connected to the police and fire departments electronically and would warn them if unauthorized entry was being attempted into the boxes.
Finally, information is still being gathered as to the feasibility of providing locked key boxes in each lobby for emergency use. These boxes would be connected to the police and fire departments electronically and would warn them if unauthorized entry was being attempted into the boxes.
BOD President Alan Marsilio
Although other business forced Board President Alan Marsilio to join the Board meeting late he brought with him a
proposal from the Manassas City Development Department. As the Department identifies projects and plans
for the city's future they intend to hold a series of Community Conversations to tell what they are doing and to receive suggestions from the citizens of the city. President Marsilio proposed that the Clubhouse be used for one of those meetings so that residents of The Gatherings could conveniently attend. More information about what the City of Manassas is planning can be found by clicking this symbol. ►
The Board approved the idea of inviting the city to hold one of their community meeting in our Clubhouse. As the details are worked out they will be made public to our residents.
proposal from the Manassas City Development Department. As the Department identifies projects and plans
for the city's future they intend to hold a series of Community Conversations to tell what they are doing and to receive suggestions from the citizens of the city. President Marsilio proposed that the Clubhouse be used for one of those meetings so that residents of The Gatherings could conveniently attend. More information about what the City of Manassas is planning can be found by clicking this symbol. ►
The Board approved the idea of inviting the city to hold one of their community meeting in our Clubhouse. As the details are worked out they will be made public to our residents.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting of May 9, 2018
This month's open Board of Directors meeting welcomed back Board Member Sheldon Levi who has been recuperating from recent surgery.
There were two major issues discussed in this session. The first part of the meeting was given over to an informational presentation by Ms Jonelle Cameron, an attorney representing the Rappaport Property Company. This is the company that owns and manages the buildings and property on which the Giant supermarket and other businesses in our neighborhood reside. Ever since this shopping center opened there has remained a vacancy in the corner store south of Giant. In a slide presentation Ms Cameron showed the audience how a potential new Rappaport client would use the space if they are permitted to lease it. The new tenant would be the Meineke Car Care Center which specializes in oil change, exhaust, tires and brakes. Meineke would have to completely alter the characteristics of the property from a usual retail store to a six bay garage with a show- room/office. The bays would be installed on the south side of the building and would face not only the rear of Building 1 of The Gatherings but also the rear areas of a number of town houses that front on Fountain Circle. Ms. Cameron showed an architect's rendition of the changes that would be made to the supermarket building and stressed that a series of trees would be planted to hide the activities in the auto center from Building 1. These planting would be maintained by the Rappaport Company. However, the trees would not be tall enough to shield residents on the upper floors from the view, sounds and smells of the six service bays.
There were a number of comments offered by the unit owners who saw the presentation. They were concerned about any emissions that might emanate from the business since their mechanics will be draining oil and servicing faulty mufflers. There was also concern about the noise that will come from the site since powerful pneumatic tools are used to remove and install tires and perform other garage chores. The Rappaport representative was reminded that The Gatherings is an "over 55" community and that Meineke's opening time of 7:30 AM would find many residents still asleep. There was also concern that the walkway that crosses the relatively inactive delivery road that provides access to the Meineke garages will now be quite active with cars coming and going. It was suggested that a proper cross-walk with a stop sign be installed if the project goes ahead.
As the presentation ended it was revealed that the project is not a certainty. It has to be approved by the Manassas City Council and also by he Manassas Planning Commission. Those approvals are not a yet forthcoming. Also, if enough residents of The Gatherings object they can attend the City's meetings and formerly state the reasons why they think Meineke should choose another location. There will be much more to find out as time goes by.
There were a number of comments offered by the unit owners who saw the presentation. They were concerned about any emissions that might emanate from the business since their mechanics will be draining oil and servicing faulty mufflers. There was also concern about the noise that will come from the site since powerful pneumatic tools are used to remove and install tires and perform other garage chores. The Rappaport representative was reminded that The Gatherings is an "over 55" community and that Meineke's opening time of 7:30 AM would find many residents still asleep. There was also concern that the walkway that crosses the relatively inactive delivery road that provides access to the Meineke garages will now be quite active with cars coming and going. It was suggested that a proper cross-walk with a stop sign be installed if the project goes ahead.
As the presentation ended it was revealed that the project is not a certainty. It has to be approved by the Manassas City Council and also by he Manassas Planning Commission. Those approvals are not a yet forthcoming. Also, if enough residents of The Gatherings object they can attend the City's meetings and formerly state the reasons why they think Meineke should choose another location. There will be much more to find out as time goes by.
Following the Rappaport presentation Jennifer Jordan of CMC Management brought the community up to date on its financial health. It was a favorable report with most of our spending categories showing a positive balance.
The open portion of the meeting also included a lengthy discussion on the status of the roof repairs needed by the community as a result of the severe wind storm last March. CMC is still collecting invoices they received as the result of the storm. For example there were bills for placing the tarps on the damaged portions of the roofs and there were expenses incurred when it was noticed that at least one of the metal rain diverters had flown off a roof and nearly hurt a resident. There were also some expenses for the repair of cars that had been damaged by the falling shingles. A roofing contractor has been signed up to do the repair work and now waits for the insurance company to announce how much will be available for the repairs which include complete roof replacements for Building 3 and 5. Jennifer said that repair work should begin within at least another three months.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting of April 11, 2018
ppFor this monthly meeting the Board of Directors had three guest speakers who brought important news to the Gatherings. The first two speakers were Andrew Hilton and Kevin Gilboy who reported on what is being done about the roofs that suffered damage in the violent wind storm that swept through our area in the first week of March. Both men are associated with our management company CMC and their parent company SCS. They told the Board and the the unit owners who were present at the meeting that a number of inspections conducted by the insurance adjusters have been completed on the damaged roofs in each of the association's five buildings. They explained that the damage ranged from extensive to minimal. A final report as to exactly what the insurance company will cover will, hopefully, be delivered to our management company on Friday, April 13th. Preliminary indications are that two of our buildings, Building Three and Building Five will probably have to have their roofs replaced while the other buildings will undergo repairs. Although the recently completed engineering survey of three of the buildings found that that the roofs were not installed properly or to code by the Beazer company which constructed the buildings. Beazer has commented that the damage to the roofs was a work of God. They have 30 days to reply as to what their solution to the roofing problem will be before any lawsuit can be filed against them. As Board President Alan Marsilio commented he hopes a suit can be avoided as it will involve considerable time and expense to complete without assurance it will be successful. Meantime, the fate of the roofs is in the hands of our insurance company. The Gatherings insurance policy has a $10,000 deductible clause that covers all of the buildings. This amounts to $2,000 for each building which the Gatherings will have to pay as it's share of the repairs. Messrs Hilton and Gilroy assured the residents that any repairs would be done with quality materials unlike what is on the buildings at the present time. When the repair work begins careful note will be taken to see whether or not the buildings that seemed to have lesser damage actually had extensive damage - damage that remains undiscovered at this time. A target date for the beginning of repairs was not announced at this meeting.
The third guest speaker from CMC was Jose Ponton who announced a new website named townSq would begin online in mid-May. townSq is a site designed for all of the communities that Associa manages and will contain information on rules and regulations, the accounts of residents and other convenient ways to keep in touch with what is going on in our condo world. Mr. Ponton distributed a flyer with information regarding what the website hoped to accomplish. The site will be closed to the public and real estate agents. It will not substitute for the website you are now on but will instead supplement it. While it will start in a very simple form and be free charging fees for its use has not been ruled out for the future as the site adds new content and features. A copy of the flyer can be seen below.
After the presentations were complete the regular Board meeting began. First to report was Jennifer Jordan our contact at CMC. She reviewed the community's budget and announced that for another month we were ahead of our budget expectations. One item which seemed to be excessive was the last electric bill. Jennifer said she was going to do a review of what might have caused the current jump in current costs.
Next, Board President Marsilio asked for comment on the recent carpet cleaning that was done in a few of the buildings and the Clubhouse. Most of the residents who offered their opinions of the work that was done were enthusiastic about its quality. President Marsilio reminded everyone that because the hall carpets are glued to the sub floor steam cleaners can not be used. The cleaning machines used resulted in raised carpet nap in some of the areas. However, the carpet company will be returning to smooth those naps out.
There was a brief discussion of the best way to return the deposits unit owners make when they reserve the Clubhouse for personal events. The solution that was arrived at was that if an owner wanted his or her deposit returned the fastest way to get it would be to enclose a self addressed stamped envelope to go along with the deposit. Then, providing there were no deductions made for damage to or missing items in the Clubhouse after the event, the check could be mailed back quickly. Resident Bruce Van Dusen volunteered that he would go into the Clubhouse after an event and report any damage or missing items to Jennifer Jordan.
The matter of removing the excessive sand in the Gatherings streets that was left behind by the snow removal company was discussed. They will be contacted about the matter and if nothing results from that conversation our landscaping company will be asked for an estimate for the removal.
The discussion on the re-installation of the AED heart defibrillator in the Clubhouse was tabled until the next meeting of the Board when it is hoped that Sheldon Levi, who now has the device in his possession will be sufficiently recovered from recent surgery, will be present to answer all questions and explain all costs.
The Landscaping Committee's Malcolm Kirsop told the Board he needed immediate permission to hire a company to start watering patches of sod that were installed last week. The sod is beginning to dry out and will be lost if watering does not begin at once. There was also a proposal to install two beds of rosebushes on the berms alongside Building 4 and 5. If approved the cost would be approximately $1,195 per bed. The request is under consideration.
One of the residents wanted to know if lock boxes to hold the resident's keys in case of an emergency were still under consideration. President Marsilio said that the Board did not want to get involved in collecting keys or purchasing the boxes. However, if residents in the various building wanted to do so they would have to pay for the box and keys themselves. They would also have to get the Board's permission regarding where such a box would be placed. The lobby was suggested at the proper place for the box. It was also suggested that the people interested in establishing lock boxes contact the Manassas Fire Department for help in this quest. The department can suggest where a proper box can be obtained. The firemen could also catalog the keys and keep masters for themselves in case of an emergency. The Board left it to the interested residents to pursue this project themselves.
Other residents reported that damaged brickwork was being repaired, broken shingles still in the gutters had been removed and that rust was beginning to appear at the bottom of the metal frames at the side exit doors in various buildings. Jennifer Jordan said she would look into this and order repairs if necessary.
Finally, the fate of the concrete walkway behind Buidling 4 is still in limbo as the City of Manassas has taken over what should be done with it. In the meantime the City, in the name of safety, has officially closed the walkway making it illegal to use.
The third guest speaker from CMC was Jose Ponton who announced a new website named townSq would begin online in mid-May. townSq is a site designed for all of the communities that Associa manages and will contain information on rules and regulations, the accounts of residents and other convenient ways to keep in touch with what is going on in our condo world. Mr. Ponton distributed a flyer with information regarding what the website hoped to accomplish. The site will be closed to the public and real estate agents. It will not substitute for the website you are now on but will instead supplement it. While it will start in a very simple form and be free charging fees for its use has not been ruled out for the future as the site adds new content and features. A copy of the flyer can be seen below.
After the presentations were complete the regular Board meeting began. First to report was Jennifer Jordan our contact at CMC. She reviewed the community's budget and announced that for another month we were ahead of our budget expectations. One item which seemed to be excessive was the last electric bill. Jennifer said she was going to do a review of what might have caused the current jump in current costs.
Next, Board President Marsilio asked for comment on the recent carpet cleaning that was done in a few of the buildings and the Clubhouse. Most of the residents who offered their opinions of the work that was done were enthusiastic about its quality. President Marsilio reminded everyone that because the hall carpets are glued to the sub floor steam cleaners can not be used. The cleaning machines used resulted in raised carpet nap in some of the areas. However, the carpet company will be returning to smooth those naps out.
There was a brief discussion of the best way to return the deposits unit owners make when they reserve the Clubhouse for personal events. The solution that was arrived at was that if an owner wanted his or her deposit returned the fastest way to get it would be to enclose a self addressed stamped envelope to go along with the deposit. Then, providing there were no deductions made for damage to or missing items in the Clubhouse after the event, the check could be mailed back quickly. Resident Bruce Van Dusen volunteered that he would go into the Clubhouse after an event and report any damage or missing items to Jennifer Jordan.
The matter of removing the excessive sand in the Gatherings streets that was left behind by the snow removal company was discussed. They will be contacted about the matter and if nothing results from that conversation our landscaping company will be asked for an estimate for the removal.
The discussion on the re-installation of the AED heart defibrillator in the Clubhouse was tabled until the next meeting of the Board when it is hoped that Sheldon Levi, who now has the device in his possession will be sufficiently recovered from recent surgery, will be present to answer all questions and explain all costs.
The Landscaping Committee's Malcolm Kirsop told the Board he needed immediate permission to hire a company to start watering patches of sod that were installed last week. The sod is beginning to dry out and will be lost if watering does not begin at once. There was also a proposal to install two beds of rosebushes on the berms alongside Building 4 and 5. If approved the cost would be approximately $1,195 per bed. The request is under consideration.
One of the residents wanted to know if lock boxes to hold the resident's keys in case of an emergency were still under consideration. President Marsilio said that the Board did not want to get involved in collecting keys or purchasing the boxes. However, if residents in the various building wanted to do so they would have to pay for the box and keys themselves. They would also have to get the Board's permission regarding where such a box would be placed. The lobby was suggested at the proper place for the box. It was also suggested that the people interested in establishing lock boxes contact the Manassas Fire Department for help in this quest. The department can suggest where a proper box can be obtained. The firemen could also catalog the keys and keep masters for themselves in case of an emergency. The Board left it to the interested residents to pursue this project themselves.
Other residents reported that damaged brickwork was being repaired, broken shingles still in the gutters had been removed and that rust was beginning to appear at the bottom of the metal frames at the side exit doors in various buildings. Jennifer Jordan said she would look into this and order repairs if necessary.
Finally, the fate of the concrete walkway behind Buidling 4 is still in limbo as the City of Manassas has taken over what should be done with it. In the meantime the City, in the name of safety, has officially closed the walkway making it illegal to use.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting of March 14, 2018
This month's quarterly Board of Directors meeting began with some good news delivered by Jennifer Jordan our representative with the Community Management Corporation (CMC). She indicated that at this point in time, because of a winter without much need for snow removal, our Community's budget was running a surplus of about $16,000. There was also about $10,000 in surplus funds left over from last year's budget which can be used as the Board sees fit this year.
Following Ms Jordan's report Malcolm Kirsop reported for the Landscape Committee. He said that he and many others in the community expressed approval of the work that has been under way by our new landscape contractor Ruppert Landscaping. Besides doing routine clean-ups Ruppert has been seen tending to the trees and shrubs. They have been pruning, fertilizing, applying weed and bug killing solutions as well as spreading mulch on our surrounding greenery. Malcolm also brought along an architect's rendering of a new building that has just begun to be built by the nearby Grace United Methodist Church on their property which borders the western side of Buildings 1, 2 and 3. A copy of the drawing is shown below. When completed it will serve as a storage barn for the church. The church still has plans to expand its main building into the wooded area near the church itself.
Following Ms Jordan's report Malcolm Kirsop reported for the Landscape Committee. He said that he and many others in the community expressed approval of the work that has been under way by our new landscape contractor Ruppert Landscaping. Besides doing routine clean-ups Ruppert has been seen tending to the trees and shrubs. They have been pruning, fertilizing, applying weed and bug killing solutions as well as spreading mulch on our surrounding greenery. Malcolm also brought along an architect's rendering of a new building that has just begun to be built by the nearby Grace United Methodist Church on their property which borders the western side of Buildings 1, 2 and 3. A copy of the drawing is shown below. When completed it will serve as a storage barn for the church. The church still has plans to expand its main building into the wooded area near the church itself.
Grace Memorial Methodist Church Proposed Storage Barn
In other business the Board indicated it had renewed its Workman's Compensation policy for the year and also voted to go ahead with a contract to clean the carpets in the hallways and public spaces in all five of the Gatherings' building and in the Clubhouse as well. The question also came up asking whether or not the Board was willing to spend $1,000 to purchase a two-year certificate from the FHA that would guarantee prospective unit buyers seeking an FHA mortgage that the buildings were certified and met FHA requirements. The Board decided not to purchase the certificate.
Member-at-Large Sheldon Levi then led a discussion on the merits or re-installing the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) that had been removed from the Clubhouse exercise room under the auspices of the previous BOD. The machine has the capability of using an electric shock to revive a heart attack victim. Mr. Levi took possession of the $1200 device and has been keeping it in his garage ever since last year. He indicated that to revive the machine itself would require the replacement of its contact pads at a cost of about $67. He also said the battery would be good until 2019. A discussion by the Board discussed such things as how to keep children away from the AED when there was an event in the Clubhouse and whether or not residents would need special training to operate it. Mr. Levi reminded the Board that the machine issued simple spoken instructions when it's door was opened and continued giving audible instructions through the intervention process. He also reminded the Board that under The Good Samaritan laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia if a mishap happened during a well-intentioned revival attempt there would be no charges brought against the person who tried, in good faith, to aid a person in distress. The Board asked for more time to study all the ramifications of re-installing the AED with a decision expected by the next Board meeting.
Another issue which was discussed and voted upon was whether or not a unit owner could modify his entry door by replacing the currently installed bright metal door handle and dead-bolt with a keypad and key combination to make it easier for someone who had the lock combination to enter the unit in the case of an emergency without having to first search for a key. After considerable debate on the issue the Board voted to allow the change to be made providing the finish of the newly installed device matches the other door handles and deadbolts throughout the Gatherings' compound. They also requested that in the advent of a unit owner moving out that the original equipment be restored to the door. A reminder was issued that if the Fire Department had to enter a unit in an emergency they would break the door down if that was the quickest way of getting into a locked unit.
Speaking about locks the Board reminded all that if an apartment is up for sail a realtor's lock box shall not be placed on a unit's door. Instead, they requested that the lock boxes be attached to the railing spindles in front of each building's main outside doors.
Member-at-Large Sheldon Levi then led a discussion on the merits or re-installing the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) that had been removed from the Clubhouse exercise room under the auspices of the previous BOD. The machine has the capability of using an electric shock to revive a heart attack victim. Mr. Levi took possession of the $1200 device and has been keeping it in his garage ever since last year. He indicated that to revive the machine itself would require the replacement of its contact pads at a cost of about $67. He also said the battery would be good until 2019. A discussion by the Board discussed such things as how to keep children away from the AED when there was an event in the Clubhouse and whether or not residents would need special training to operate it. Mr. Levi reminded the Board that the machine issued simple spoken instructions when it's door was opened and continued giving audible instructions through the intervention process. He also reminded the Board that under The Good Samaritan laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia if a mishap happened during a well-intentioned revival attempt there would be no charges brought against the person who tried, in good faith, to aid a person in distress. The Board asked for more time to study all the ramifications of re-installing the AED with a decision expected by the next Board meeting.
Another issue which was discussed and voted upon was whether or not a unit owner could modify his entry door by replacing the currently installed bright metal door handle and dead-bolt with a keypad and key combination to make it easier for someone who had the lock combination to enter the unit in the case of an emergency without having to first search for a key. After considerable debate on the issue the Board voted to allow the change to be made providing the finish of the newly installed device matches the other door handles and deadbolts throughout the Gatherings' compound. They also requested that in the advent of a unit owner moving out that the original equipment be restored to the door. A reminder was issued that if the Fire Department had to enter a unit in an emergency they would break the door down if that was the quickest way of getting into a locked unit.
Speaking about locks the Board reminded all that if an apartment is up for sail a realtor's lock box shall not be placed on a unit's door. Instead, they requested that the lock boxes be attached to the railing spindles in front of each building's main outside doors.
Two Realtor's Lock Boxes
A major portion of the evening's meeting dealt with the aftermath of the horrendous wind storm that tore the shingles off most of the The Gathering's Buildings in the first week of March. Jennifer Jordan reported that all the roofs now had tarps installed as a temporary means of making the buildings water tight until a permanent solution to the roofing problem is ironed out. She outlined what the next steps will be. She is in the process of arranging to have the damaged portions of the roofs repaired but, whether or not that will also be a long term solution is still up for consideration. She said that she had accompanied an insurance adjuster in a tour of all the buildings. Photos were taken of the roof damage on each building and attics were also inspected. The adjuster's report will become the basis of a discussion between the insurance company and the builder, Beazer. The discussion, we were advised, could take as long as a year before a solution was offered. Building codes had to be examined and a determination had to be made as to whether or not the roofs met the requirements of these codes. It is possible that the outcome will be that Beazer will either pay for entire roof replacements, for partial roof replacements or nothing at all. Meanwhile some of the residents wondered who would pay for the storm damage done to their cars by flying shingles. They were informed that this kind of damage had to be handled by their own auto insurance companies some of whom might refuse to pay because the damage was a result of "An Act of God."
Board President Alan Marsilio rose to explain the difference between responsibility for "Common Elements" vs "Limited Common Elements." He told the residents that "Common Elements" were structures outside their units such as brickwork, siding, hallways, roofs and other features of The Gatherings in which all residents had a common interest. All these items were maintained as a distributed expense to all unit owners. The "Limited Common Elements" included such items as unit doors, garage doors, wiring and plumbing within units, leaks and general maintenance. Windows and screen were included in this category and were the home owner's responsibility and financial obligation to keep working.
Finally, JoAnn Simpson, a resident of Building 4, brought up the still nagging problem of unit owners parking in the few places marked for Visitors when they had other assigned places. She pointed out that even the spaces for handicapped drivers seemed to have permanent parkers. All this, she said, made it difficult to find spaces for family and trades who needed those spaces when they arrived to visit or do work. She asked the Board to do something about this including towing away the squatters. The Board indicated once again they could not authorize towing but would try to do something about informing residents about keeping out of the visitors spaces. They also reiterated that if someone parks in a space reserved for a resident that it is the resident's responsibility to call the towing company and have the intruding car removed. Ms Simpson said she would gather documentary evidence of the improper parking and supply it to the Board.
Board President Alan Marsilio rose to explain the difference between responsibility for "Common Elements" vs "Limited Common Elements." He told the residents that "Common Elements" were structures outside their units such as brickwork, siding, hallways, roofs and other features of The Gatherings in which all residents had a common interest. All these items were maintained as a distributed expense to all unit owners. The "Limited Common Elements" included such items as unit doors, garage doors, wiring and plumbing within units, leaks and general maintenance. Windows and screen were included in this category and were the home owner's responsibility and financial obligation to keep working.
Finally, JoAnn Simpson, a resident of Building 4, brought up the still nagging problem of unit owners parking in the few places marked for Visitors when they had other assigned places. She pointed out that even the spaces for handicapped drivers seemed to have permanent parkers. All this, she said, made it difficult to find spaces for family and trades who needed those spaces when they arrived to visit or do work. She asked the Board to do something about this including towing away the squatters. The Board indicated once again they could not authorize towing but would try to do something about informing residents about keeping out of the visitors spaces. They also reiterated that if someone parks in a space reserved for a resident that it is the resident's responsibility to call the towing company and have the intruding car removed. Ms Simpson said she would gather documentary evidence of the improper parking and supply it to the Board.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting of February 15, 2018
The Board of Directors meeting on February 16th was a lengthy, busy and productive session. It led off with news of a new, less costly insurance provider for 2018 and the good news from Portfolio Manager Jennifer Jordan that the Gatherings finished 2017 with a surplus in it's budget. There was more good news when she also reported that the indications for 2018 was for a continuation of keeping to the Board's budget.
The Board then turned to confront a continuing problem regarding the parking spaces around our buildings. The problem is especially severe at Buildings 4 and 5. Owners have been complaining that spaces marked "Visitor" are often filled for long periods of time with cars belonging to owners who have other spaces assigned or with vehicles belonging to vendors, mechanics and other people visiting on service calls. The Board indicated it did not want to get into the process of identifying the intruding parkers. They reiterated the rules that govern every owners access to parking spaces.
First of all every owner is given two spaces to park. The first space is in the unit's designated garage. If a unit owner uses the garage as a storage area then the owner is entitled to only one more reserved space. If the owner has a driveway leading into the garage that driveway is considered to be space number two. Where there is no driveway in front of the garage then the owner's second space will be allotted in the driveway area with a specific numbered space marked "Reserved" painted on it. If at any time an owner finds a car other than his own parked in his allotted space he may have it removed by calling the towing company which the Board authorized at this meeting. The towing company will soon install signs indicating that illegal parking in a reserved space is subject to having the car towed.
In addition to the two spaces allotted to each unit owner each building is also authorized at least 2.2 common element spaces for additional parking. At Buildings 4 and 5 those spaces were incorrectly marked as belonging to "Visitor." Actually, the Board emphasized, these spaces can be used by anyone on a "first come, first served" basis. The Board preferred not to change the existing by laws because of the cost and complexity of doing so. They let stand the existing procedures and closed that subject. When a Building 5 unit owner said that he had confronted a nearby town house owner parking his car in one of the "Visitor" spaces he was informed to tell the driver that this is private property and his car will be subject to towing if he does it again. It will be up to the unit owners to make the calls to the towing company when infractions take place.
A discussion about the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) which was removed from the Clubhouse last year was postponed until the next Board Meeting.
A motion to replace the faulty Hi-Low sprinkler switch in Building 4 was approved.
Currently, the Gathering's contract with the snow removal company calls for plowing when there is more than 2 inches of snow. Whether or not the driveways are pre-treated with sand and ice melters will be subject to the number of calls any Board member receives from owners requesting pre-treatment. These treatments are expensive and if they can be avoided it would benefit our budget.
Board Treasurer Sue Berg gave a status report on our shared expenses with our town house neighbors. Those expenses include the cost of lighting the streets, snow removal and street and side walk repair. There is also an amount put aside in a reserve. At this time the only outstanding cost to be settled with the town house association is the Expense portion for 2017. Sue is waiting for an itemized list from the town house board reflecting the actual costs incurred before she authorizes payment on our portion of those expenses.
A recent survey by two of our Board members revealed a number of rather larger ceiling and wall cracks appearing in the public areas of Building 1, 2 and 3. At the time these cracks began to appear Beazer controlled the Board of Directors. In this meeting the Board decided to inform Beazer of this situation so responsibility for fixing them can be determined. Repairing cracks within the units are the owners responsibility once the warranties expire.
Board President Alan Marsilio announced that he found a carpet cleaning company that would clean and treat the carpets in the common areas of all the buildings and the Clubhouse for approximately $3,000. The Board approved the expenditure provided the contract was specific on what and where the cleaning would take place and that there was no conflict with the existing cleaning contractor's agreement with the Gatherings.
The Board also approved the repair of cap stones and brickwork in the gas meter pens of one of the buildings.
The Board then turned to confront a continuing problem regarding the parking spaces around our buildings. The problem is especially severe at Buildings 4 and 5. Owners have been complaining that spaces marked "Visitor" are often filled for long periods of time with cars belonging to owners who have other spaces assigned or with vehicles belonging to vendors, mechanics and other people visiting on service calls. The Board indicated it did not want to get into the process of identifying the intruding parkers. They reiterated the rules that govern every owners access to parking spaces.
First of all every owner is given two spaces to park. The first space is in the unit's designated garage. If a unit owner uses the garage as a storage area then the owner is entitled to only one more reserved space. If the owner has a driveway leading into the garage that driveway is considered to be space number two. Where there is no driveway in front of the garage then the owner's second space will be allotted in the driveway area with a specific numbered space marked "Reserved" painted on it. If at any time an owner finds a car other than his own parked in his allotted space he may have it removed by calling the towing company which the Board authorized at this meeting. The towing company will soon install signs indicating that illegal parking in a reserved space is subject to having the car towed.
In addition to the two spaces allotted to each unit owner each building is also authorized at least 2.2 common element spaces for additional parking. At Buildings 4 and 5 those spaces were incorrectly marked as belonging to "Visitor." Actually, the Board emphasized, these spaces can be used by anyone on a "first come, first served" basis. The Board preferred not to change the existing by laws because of the cost and complexity of doing so. They let stand the existing procedures and closed that subject. When a Building 5 unit owner said that he had confronted a nearby town house owner parking his car in one of the "Visitor" spaces he was informed to tell the driver that this is private property and his car will be subject to towing if he does it again. It will be up to the unit owners to make the calls to the towing company when infractions take place.
A discussion about the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) which was removed from the Clubhouse last year was postponed until the next Board Meeting.
A motion to replace the faulty Hi-Low sprinkler switch in Building 4 was approved.
Currently, the Gathering's contract with the snow removal company calls for plowing when there is more than 2 inches of snow. Whether or not the driveways are pre-treated with sand and ice melters will be subject to the number of calls any Board member receives from owners requesting pre-treatment. These treatments are expensive and if they can be avoided it would benefit our budget.
Board Treasurer Sue Berg gave a status report on our shared expenses with our town house neighbors. Those expenses include the cost of lighting the streets, snow removal and street and side walk repair. There is also an amount put aside in a reserve. At this time the only outstanding cost to be settled with the town house association is the Expense portion for 2017. Sue is waiting for an itemized list from the town house board reflecting the actual costs incurred before she authorizes payment on our portion of those expenses.
A recent survey by two of our Board members revealed a number of rather larger ceiling and wall cracks appearing in the public areas of Building 1, 2 and 3. At the time these cracks began to appear Beazer controlled the Board of Directors. In this meeting the Board decided to inform Beazer of this situation so responsibility for fixing them can be determined. Repairing cracks within the units are the owners responsibility once the warranties expire.
Board President Alan Marsilio announced that he found a carpet cleaning company that would clean and treat the carpets in the common areas of all the buildings and the Clubhouse for approximately $3,000. The Board approved the expenditure provided the contract was specific on what and where the cleaning would take place and that there was no conflict with the existing cleaning contractor's agreement with the Gatherings.
The Board also approved the repair of cap stones and brickwork in the gas meter pens of one of the buildings.
From left to right: Tom Szymczak, Bob Crate, Chuck Keen, Malcolm Kirsop, Janet Hatch and Mary Keen
In the open portion of the meeting, where unit owners were invited to ask questions, Malcolm Kirsop wondered if our snow removal contract could also include a provision to remove, at the end of the winter season, the sand and debris left behind in the snow removal and de-icing process . The Board said they would look into this suggestion. Mr. Kirsop also wondered if a report could be provided to indicate the current status of the Falcon Transition Study. And, he also announced, that as Chairman of the Landscaping Committee, he was extremely pleased with our new landscaping contractor Ruppert Landscaping Services.
In another request to the Board a resident of Building 1 asked that when various servicing personnel are expected to be in a building a notification of their pending visit be posted so that the residents can be assured that these guests are not unwanted intruders.
In other miscellaneous comments:
The next meeting of the Board will be on March 14th when the various sub-committees will make their quarterly reports.
In another request to the Board a resident of Building 1 asked that when various servicing personnel are expected to be in a building a notification of their pending visit be posted so that the residents can be assured that these guests are not unwanted intruders.
In other miscellaneous comments:
- Owners were reminded that no lobby décor can be changed without permission of the Board. Holiday decorations are permissible but should be checked with Board member Kay Witt.
- A request to put trash cans outside the front doors of Building 4 to collect dog droppings was denied. It was pointed out that the receptacles in the park area across from the buildings should be used for that purpose.
- In light of a vent fire in Building 4 there was a reminder that unit owners are responsible for cleaning their own vents. Building 4 will soon have their own first cleaning at the expense of the association.
- Finally, Social Committee Chairman Allison Prevost inquired who pays for the supplies in the Clubhouse kitchen. She was told not to worry about that as the Association would pick up the small costs involved.
The next meeting of the Board will be on March 14th when the various sub-committees will make their quarterly reports.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting of January 10, 2018
The Board of Directors Meeting on January 10th was delayed because a resident had an accident in the exercise room which required her to be removed on a stretcher by EMT specialists from the Manassas Fire and Rescue Department. As a result it was decided to hold the open meeting first with the few residents who were attending with the closed business meeting beginning after the residents had their say. Only three Board members were present. However, this was enough to have an official meeting.
Janet Hatch
The main topic of the open meeting centered around a complaint by unit owner Janet Hatch who pointed out the difficulty of finding parking spaces for guests in the areas around Buildings 4 and 5. She said the same cars could be seen parked in the visitors spaces day and night. She wanted to know what could be done to discourage those who already had two parking spaces assigned to them from occupying additional spaces. "Could these offenders be towed away?", she asked. Alan Marsilio, the President of the Board, replied that the Board had studied the rules and bylaws of the community and found no authority there to initiate a towing since that would mean interfering with private property. He said the Board would issue a written notice to be placed in all buildings that will spell out the minimum parking rules that have been established so far. He pointed out the fact that some spaces were marked "Visitors" did not mean that only visitors could park in those spots. He said the "Visitors" markings on the pavement were done by the company that painted the parking areas. They did it on their own and did not have an official order to do it. Solving this problem would take everyone's cooperation and the Board will try to make it clear that cooperation was necessary to free up more spaces. He said that if a unit owner was using his garage for storage purposes that did not entitle that unit owner to an additional outdoor space. The garage itself counts as one space. If the garage has a short driveway in front of it that area also counts as one space for a total of two. The Board hopes the posting of the rules will help clarify what is permitted. However, he re-emphasized that the Board can not touch private property and can not have a car towed unless it is in violation of Manassas City law.
Alan Marsilio
In another issue brought before the Board resident Malcolm Kirsop suggested that a bin in the trash room be assigned to hold the used plastic bags that held the recyclables now that it is illegal to dump full bags into the Recyle bins. The Board said it would look into the issue but the resident was reminded that the used bags qualified as ordinary trash and could go into the existing bins. Adding another bin may be impossible because of space limitation in the Trash Rooms. A solution is being sought.
Another issue Mr. Kirsop brought up was the accumulating sand in the Gatherings driveways placed there by the company that has the snow removal contract. He was wondering if the contract called for the company to remove the sand when the snow season ended. If the contract did not specifically signify the removal he wondered if that could be included in the next contract. He said if there was no provision for removal this year that the Board could find out how much it would cost to have it carted away. The Board said they would look into this problem.
The final discussion concerned the use of Lock Boxes to hold duplicates of the keys the residents use to access their units. In the case of a fire or medical emergency those keys would be used to enter a unit without breaking down the door. This idea had been tried before with only the Board members having access to the keys. Many people felt this was not a secure enough system because of the regular turn-over of Board members and the potential for their unavailability in the case of an emergency. The idea has been revised with some significant changes. First of all the new Lock Boxes would be of substantial construction and would probably be mounted in an easily accessible area such as the lobby. Durable keys would be required. The only people who would have the master Lock Box keys would be the Manassas Police and Fire Departments. No residents or Board members would have access to the boxes. It was pointed out that providing a secure system such as this would not be cheap with each box costing more than $100. The Board is currently researching just how much it would cost and will present their findings for approval as soon as they have compiled all the information they need.
Another issue Mr. Kirsop brought up was the accumulating sand in the Gatherings driveways placed there by the company that has the snow removal contract. He was wondering if the contract called for the company to remove the sand when the snow season ended. If the contract did not specifically signify the removal he wondered if that could be included in the next contract. He said if there was no provision for removal this year that the Board could find out how much it would cost to have it carted away. The Board said they would look into this problem.
The final discussion concerned the use of Lock Boxes to hold duplicates of the keys the residents use to access their units. In the case of a fire or medical emergency those keys would be used to enter a unit without breaking down the door. This idea had been tried before with only the Board members having access to the keys. Many people felt this was not a secure enough system because of the regular turn-over of Board members and the potential for their unavailability in the case of an emergency. The idea has been revised with some significant changes. First of all the new Lock Boxes would be of substantial construction and would probably be mounted in an easily accessible area such as the lobby. Durable keys would be required. The only people who would have the master Lock Box keys would be the Manassas Police and Fire Departments. No residents or Board members would have access to the boxes. It was pointed out that providing a secure system such as this would not be cheap with each box costing more than $100. The Board is currently researching just how much it would cost and will present their findings for approval as soon as they have compiled all the information they need.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting of December 13, 2017
Rose Marie Walker
The last Board of Director's meeting of the year turned out to be a lengthy, productive but sparsely attended session. The meeting lasting more than two-and-a-half hours began with a detailed report by Rose Marie Walker who is a representative of the Schindler Elevator Company. This is the company that services the elevators in each of our buildings. Ms Walker focused on details of the maintenance contract that The Gatherings has with Schindler. Special attention was paid to a provision called the 8-hour service call-back. What this means is that each working day of the week, Monday-through Friday, has a specific time window in which an emergency call to Schindler will bring a mechanic to fix an elevator without incurring charges in excess of what our contract provides. The daily window starts at 7:00 AM and ends at 3:30 PM. Calls outside of the window's hours will incur special charges. So will calls on Saturday, Sunday and on most holidays. This is important to us because if an elevator problem which does not involve a breakdown or a safety hazard is called in outside of the contractual window our costs can sky-rocket. Unit owners encountering an elevator problem should contact their Building Captain who will make the determination of when the service call should be made.
Ms Walker also talked about the operation of the elevators and what would happen if one failed while in use. She said the elevator, in the case of mechanical failure, is designed to descend to the first floor where the doors will open. However, she cautioned, this will not happen if there is a power failure while it is in use. In a power failure the elevator will stop where it is and the doors will remain closed. There is a safety phone in each elevator mounted on the control panel. Placing a call on the unit will connect with the Schindler operator who will call 911 if necessary to call the Fire Department to come and get you out. A battery operated light will go in the elevator cab so you can see until help arrives. Nevertheless, she said that it always a good idea to keep a cell phone with you when you use the elevator in case either the light or the built-in communication device fails.
Finally, Ms Walker reminded those present that damages to the elevator such as dented control panels or doors damaged because they were propped open during a move are not covered under our contract. Keys have beren provided to enable the doors to remain open if necessary. If you are planning a move and need the elevator doors propped open call your Building Captain ahead of time and he will see to it the doors are operated in a safe and convenient way thus eliminating the high costs involved in reparing damage caused by improper propping.
In other business the Board epressed their satisfaction that the residents of Building 4 were able to pitch in and hire a person to remove the vines that were suffocating the trees behind their building.
The Building Captains reported that the Club House door locks have been repaired and now work properly with the key fobs. Also, a new technician has been located in Woodbridge who has proved to be an ace in understanding and repairing our lobby call boxes. He was an extremely fortunate find after the previous contractor walked off the job.
Mention was made about keeping car doors locked after someone was observed walking through the parking lots trying door handles. Recently, two cars were entered but nothing was stolen. However, their interiors were left in a mess. It was also noted that some residents, at times, have left their garage doors open. This gives an intruder easy access to the building. It was requested that if you see a door open you can close it by pressing the "Enter" button on the door frame mounted controller.
The Social Committee reported on their recent successful events and announced that the Monday Chat and Wednesday Game Days will continue.
The agreement with our neighboring town houses has been agreed to pending the receipt of recent bills. The Gatherings will pay a yearly fee to the Town House HOA to cover our share of the costs of maintaining the tennis courts, the roads and the lighting in our shared area. Our costs will be limited to the agreement and any over-runs in excess of the agreement will be absorbed by the Town House HOA.
The Board unanimously approved of a $100 payment to the Scout group who watered our trees last summer.
A proposal was made to the Board about instituting a Neighborhood Watch program to maintain the secuity of our development. A Manassas police officer will be invited to talk about establishing a watch and about safety in general. The watch, if established would be a voluntary function performed by our residents who would call the police if they noticed anything or any one acting in a suspicious way. There will also be a Manassas fireman visiting each of our lobbies on January 6th to discuss fire safety and evacuation procedures with those who wish to attend. Another visit to the lobbies will be made on Friday, January 19th when the Manassas Refuse and Recycling Coordinator comes to talk about the City's efforts in recycling. These visits are being arranged by Paula Julian.
Board member Gerry Moore is going to look into the costs the community incurs for the services of a handy-man once or twice a week. He will see what is being done, whether or not it is cost effective and whether or not there are cheaper alternatives available.
Finally, one of the unit owners in Building 4 pointed out that the available parking spaces for guests is always filled up. Many of the cars which occupy those spaces belong to unit owners who have already been assigned their own spaces. When talk arose about towing those intruding cars away the Board said that before any car is towed proper warning would have to be issued. The Board does not wish to do something which might damage someone's property and will seek a solution to the problem such as increased monitoring of whose cars that should not be parked in those Guest spaces.
Ms Walker also talked about the operation of the elevators and what would happen if one failed while in use. She said the elevator, in the case of mechanical failure, is designed to descend to the first floor where the doors will open. However, she cautioned, this will not happen if there is a power failure while it is in use. In a power failure the elevator will stop where it is and the doors will remain closed. There is a safety phone in each elevator mounted on the control panel. Placing a call on the unit will connect with the Schindler operator who will call 911 if necessary to call the Fire Department to come and get you out. A battery operated light will go in the elevator cab so you can see until help arrives. Nevertheless, she said that it always a good idea to keep a cell phone with you when you use the elevator in case either the light or the built-in communication device fails.
Finally, Ms Walker reminded those present that damages to the elevator such as dented control panels or doors damaged because they were propped open during a move are not covered under our contract. Keys have beren provided to enable the doors to remain open if necessary. If you are planning a move and need the elevator doors propped open call your Building Captain ahead of time and he will see to it the doors are operated in a safe and convenient way thus eliminating the high costs involved in reparing damage caused by improper propping.
In other business the Board epressed their satisfaction that the residents of Building 4 were able to pitch in and hire a person to remove the vines that were suffocating the trees behind their building.
The Building Captains reported that the Club House door locks have been repaired and now work properly with the key fobs. Also, a new technician has been located in Woodbridge who has proved to be an ace in understanding and repairing our lobby call boxes. He was an extremely fortunate find after the previous contractor walked off the job.
Mention was made about keeping car doors locked after someone was observed walking through the parking lots trying door handles. Recently, two cars were entered but nothing was stolen. However, their interiors were left in a mess. It was also noted that some residents, at times, have left their garage doors open. This gives an intruder easy access to the building. It was requested that if you see a door open you can close it by pressing the "Enter" button on the door frame mounted controller.
The Social Committee reported on their recent successful events and announced that the Monday Chat and Wednesday Game Days will continue.
The agreement with our neighboring town houses has been agreed to pending the receipt of recent bills. The Gatherings will pay a yearly fee to the Town House HOA to cover our share of the costs of maintaining the tennis courts, the roads and the lighting in our shared area. Our costs will be limited to the agreement and any over-runs in excess of the agreement will be absorbed by the Town House HOA.
The Board unanimously approved of a $100 payment to the Scout group who watered our trees last summer.
A proposal was made to the Board about instituting a Neighborhood Watch program to maintain the secuity of our development. A Manassas police officer will be invited to talk about establishing a watch and about safety in general. The watch, if established would be a voluntary function performed by our residents who would call the police if they noticed anything or any one acting in a suspicious way. There will also be a Manassas fireman visiting each of our lobbies on January 6th to discuss fire safety and evacuation procedures with those who wish to attend. Another visit to the lobbies will be made on Friday, January 19th when the Manassas Refuse and Recycling Coordinator comes to talk about the City's efforts in recycling. These visits are being arranged by Paula Julian.
Board member Gerry Moore is going to look into the costs the community incurs for the services of a handy-man once or twice a week. He will see what is being done, whether or not it is cost effective and whether or not there are cheaper alternatives available.
Finally, one of the unit owners in Building 4 pointed out that the available parking spaces for guests is always filled up. Many of the cars which occupy those spaces belong to unit owners who have already been assigned their own spaces. When talk arose about towing those intruding cars away the Board said that before any car is towed proper warning would have to be issued. The Board does not wish to do something which might damage someone's property and will seek a solution to the problem such as increased monitoring of whose cars that should not be parked in those Guest spaces.
Notes From The Board of Directors Interim Meeting of November 27, 2017
The Board of Directors had a closed interim business meeting on this date to discuss contracts with their legal consul. They also had a discussion regarding the removal of the wild vines growing behind Building 4. As long as they were at it the Board also had a short open meeting to discuss with residents the security of the Clubhouse as well as the decorations some in the community hoped to display during the oncoming Holiday season.
The meeting began with a report on the progress of discussions with the neighboring Town House Association which shares some common costs with us. Those costs include road and sidewalk maintenance, snow removal and electricity to power the the 32 street lights that service the Gatherings. For the first time the Board was able to look at the actual invoices for the last three years in the determination of our share of the expenses. An effort is now underway to determine the reserve we will pay each month in the future to the newly formed Home Owners Association next door. No longer will we pay these costs on an annual basis. Also, we will not be responsible for overage payments if the estimated costs exceed the estimated budget.
Present at the Board meeting was Jennifer Jordan, the representative of CMC-Management, who participated in the Town House meetings. She also gave a report about the cost of replacing the doors at the three entryways into the Clubhouse. Ms Jordan presented the results she obtained from three bidders and the prices she mentioned were quite a surprise to the residents at the meeting. The lowest bid was more than $26,000 and then went up from there. A discussion followed as residents wanted to know exactly who was responsible for the installation of interior grade doors on the outside of the building where they were not suited to resist the ravages of the weather. It was revealed that the Clubhouse was not built by Beazer, the company which constructed our residences, but by Elm Street Development as part of their preparations to sell the property to builders. Under the laws of Manassas they were required to provide recreation facilities for the new community they were planning. Thus, they built not only the Clubhouse but the tennis court behind it as well. Initially it was thought that the cost of maintaining it would be shared with the Town Houses next door but the residents there did not want an increase in their monthly assessments and allowed the Clubhouse to be exclusive to the Beazer customers. There is a transition study now under way to determine what costs, if any, Beazer will be responsible for when they shortly turn over complete financial responsibility for the buildings to our Board. The study will try to determine who should pay to have the doors replaced. In the meantime an effort will be made to insure that the existing locks work on the Clubhouse doors. Two of our residents have already discovered an uninvited interloper sleeping in the Clubhouse.
In another transition issue one of our residents suggested that our roofs should conform to the building codes and that this should also be looked at as part of the transition study. He warned that premature replacement of the roofs would be extremely expensive and he wanted assurance that they would have a reasonably long working life.
There was no immediate information as to when the destructive vines behind Building 4 would be removed but it was stressed that as winter approached the needed removal would be almost impossible to perform. More information on the subject was to be provided at the next regular meeting of the Board on December 13th.
The remainder of the interim meeting consisted of a discussion of what, if any, Holiday decoration would be permitted in the interiors and exteriors of The Gatherings. Paula Jullian suggested that the exterior decorations could be very simple and very inexpensive. She proposed a plan that would place two wreaths on each of the stone entry ways into the community. She also said two additional wreaths could be placed on the Clubhouse doors. Those wreaths and some simple portable lighting would cost no more than $50 she estimated. Those decorations would be a one-time purchase as they could be stored and used again in subsequent years. The Board indicated by vote that the plan would be approved with the stipulation that any costs associated with it not be provided by the community as a whole but by those who were interested in having the decorations go up. Simple decorations, at the owners expense, were also approved for the lobbies of the various buildings. There was a reminder that these decorations had to be non-religious and be removed into storage for future use by no later than January 2nd of next year.
By the way, before Ms. Julian left the meeting many of the residents in attendance presented her with cash donations for the outside wreaths and lights.
The meeting began with a report on the progress of discussions with the neighboring Town House Association which shares some common costs with us. Those costs include road and sidewalk maintenance, snow removal and electricity to power the the 32 street lights that service the Gatherings. For the first time the Board was able to look at the actual invoices for the last three years in the determination of our share of the expenses. An effort is now underway to determine the reserve we will pay each month in the future to the newly formed Home Owners Association next door. No longer will we pay these costs on an annual basis. Also, we will not be responsible for overage payments if the estimated costs exceed the estimated budget.
Present at the Board meeting was Jennifer Jordan, the representative of CMC-Management, who participated in the Town House meetings. She also gave a report about the cost of replacing the doors at the three entryways into the Clubhouse. Ms Jordan presented the results she obtained from three bidders and the prices she mentioned were quite a surprise to the residents at the meeting. The lowest bid was more than $26,000 and then went up from there. A discussion followed as residents wanted to know exactly who was responsible for the installation of interior grade doors on the outside of the building where they were not suited to resist the ravages of the weather. It was revealed that the Clubhouse was not built by Beazer, the company which constructed our residences, but by Elm Street Development as part of their preparations to sell the property to builders. Under the laws of Manassas they were required to provide recreation facilities for the new community they were planning. Thus, they built not only the Clubhouse but the tennis court behind it as well. Initially it was thought that the cost of maintaining it would be shared with the Town Houses next door but the residents there did not want an increase in their monthly assessments and allowed the Clubhouse to be exclusive to the Beazer customers. There is a transition study now under way to determine what costs, if any, Beazer will be responsible for when they shortly turn over complete financial responsibility for the buildings to our Board. The study will try to determine who should pay to have the doors replaced. In the meantime an effort will be made to insure that the existing locks work on the Clubhouse doors. Two of our residents have already discovered an uninvited interloper sleeping in the Clubhouse.
In another transition issue one of our residents suggested that our roofs should conform to the building codes and that this should also be looked at as part of the transition study. He warned that premature replacement of the roofs would be extremely expensive and he wanted assurance that they would have a reasonably long working life.
There was no immediate information as to when the destructive vines behind Building 4 would be removed but it was stressed that as winter approached the needed removal would be almost impossible to perform. More information on the subject was to be provided at the next regular meeting of the Board on December 13th.
The remainder of the interim meeting consisted of a discussion of what, if any, Holiday decoration would be permitted in the interiors and exteriors of The Gatherings. Paula Jullian suggested that the exterior decorations could be very simple and very inexpensive. She proposed a plan that would place two wreaths on each of the stone entry ways into the community. She also said two additional wreaths could be placed on the Clubhouse doors. Those wreaths and some simple portable lighting would cost no more than $50 she estimated. Those decorations would be a one-time purchase as they could be stored and used again in subsequent years. The Board indicated by vote that the plan would be approved with the stipulation that any costs associated with it not be provided by the community as a whole but by those who were interested in having the decorations go up. Simple decorations, at the owners expense, were also approved for the lobbies of the various buildings. There was a reminder that these decorations had to be non-religious and be removed into storage for future use by no later than January 2nd of next year.
By the way, before Ms. Julian left the meeting many of the residents in attendance presented her with cash donations for the outside wreaths and lights.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting of November 8, 2017
This was the first regular meeting of the newly composed Board of Directors. To begin various committees made reports about their activities. The Social Committee, represented by Paula Julian, announced that the Monday morning Coffee Chats and the Wednesday Game Playing sessions were a success and would continue. She also reported a large turn-out for the Committee's End of Summer Barbecue and their first Walk-A-Thon to raise money to fight breast cancer. The walk-a-thon raised approximately $1,000 for the charity. On the 11th of November the Committee will host a reception for the Community's veterans in the Club House to honor their service by celebrating Veterans Day with them.
The Building Captain's co-chair Kay Witt began a discussion of an elevator in one of our buildings that "squeaks, bumps and jiggles." It's often out-of-service and has consumed about 10 gallons of hydraulic fluid since being put into service. The Board discussed the merits of waiting for a routine maintenance call to fix the problem (covered under our 10 year contract) or request an immediate costly repair visit. There have been problems with other elevators as well and the Board has said they will keep detailed notes about the quality of the service we are getting should they determine it wise to see another company to look after our vital elevators. Jennifer Jordan, representing CMC Management, said she will try to get help for the ailing elevator.
Sheldon Levi who represents the By Laws Committee had nothing to report and suggested that the Committee be terminated for now since new By Laws required a 2/3 vote affirmative vote by the community which would be difficult to achieve.
Malcolm Kirsop, Chairman of the Landscape Committee said the Committee was still seeking a volunteer or two to help supervise the grounds surrounding Building's 4 and 5. There was still money in the Committee's budget to provide plantings or improvements for these two buildings.
Although there is no Web Site Committee Joel Heller, who oversees this private project, reported the posting of a re-call notice put out by the Kiddee fire extinguisher company concerning 40-million defective extinguishers some of which may be installed by the owners in their units. Kiddee will replace those faulty extinguishers at no cost. Details and photos are on the "Home" page of this web site.
In the general discusssion portion of the Board Meeting a host of topics were brought up. Among them was a complaint that some residents had chosen to change the locks on the internal doors leading to their garages. In some cases the change resulted in an unsightly and incomplete installation. Unit owners were informed that these locks had to conform to the overall look of the original installations and that it was the responsibility of the unit owners to pay for any work that had to be done to restore the original design of the doors.
The lobby entrance keypads were again discussed. On one hand owners wanted to know who was responsible for fixing the units when they failed to work. Former Board Treasurer Joe Phoenix said he would help until others, such as the Building Captains, could be taught how to handle problems. There was also a discussion of who, exactly, knows the codes needed to get in the buildings. They have already been shared with the Post Office, FedEx, UPS, tradesmen, housekeepers, friends and relatives. In other words these codes are no longer a secure method of providing security to the the residents. It was acknowledged by the Board that not much could be done about this situation besides keeping an eye out for strangers in the buildings and reporting them to the authorities if they were doing something suspicious. Board Member-At-Large Sheldon Levi said he provided the code to his garage door opener to his private house cleaners so they could enter the building through the garage. When there was a change in the cleaning personnel he changed the codes to maintain the security he wanted. This is an excellent idea but unfortunately does nothing for the twenty-five unit owners who have stand-alone garages apart from their buildings.
A request from one of the residents asked the Board to report on the status of their problem solving efforts as part of each Board Meeting. The Board said they would try to do this. Another discussion towards the end of the open session of this month's meeting concerned what to do and where to go in case of a fire. Since the elevators cease to work when the alarm is sounded and since many residents are unable to walk down the stairs unaided questions arose about what actions these people should take to be safe or to be rescued. Sheltering-in-place in the fire proof stair wells was at the top of the list of what to do. Using a cell phone to call 911 for help was discussed but it was acknowledged that some signals would not make it through the cinder block walls of the stair enclosures. The idea was raised bout having members of the Manassas Fire Department visit each building to conduct a safety session.
Another possible visit by experts from the city concerned the disposal of trash designated as "recyclable." Help was needed to help residents understand what type of trash was qualified for those bins specifically marked for that kind of waste. There are no penalties for making mistakes when sorting ones garbage or even failing to recycle. Nevertheless, many residents would like to have more information about what they can do to preserve our environment and the open meeting ended with a gesture from resident Paula Julian that she would contact the city in an effort to define and clarify this important part of living in The Gatherings.
The Building Captain's co-chair Kay Witt began a discussion of an elevator in one of our buildings that "squeaks, bumps and jiggles." It's often out-of-service and has consumed about 10 gallons of hydraulic fluid since being put into service. The Board discussed the merits of waiting for a routine maintenance call to fix the problem (covered under our 10 year contract) or request an immediate costly repair visit. There have been problems with other elevators as well and the Board has said they will keep detailed notes about the quality of the service we are getting should they determine it wise to see another company to look after our vital elevators. Jennifer Jordan, representing CMC Management, said she will try to get help for the ailing elevator.
Sheldon Levi who represents the By Laws Committee had nothing to report and suggested that the Committee be terminated for now since new By Laws required a 2/3 vote affirmative vote by the community which would be difficult to achieve.
Malcolm Kirsop, Chairman of the Landscape Committee said the Committee was still seeking a volunteer or two to help supervise the grounds surrounding Building's 4 and 5. There was still money in the Committee's budget to provide plantings or improvements for these two buildings.
Although there is no Web Site Committee Joel Heller, who oversees this private project, reported the posting of a re-call notice put out by the Kiddee fire extinguisher company concerning 40-million defective extinguishers some of which may be installed by the owners in their units. Kiddee will replace those faulty extinguishers at no cost. Details and photos are on the "Home" page of this web site.
In the general discusssion portion of the Board Meeting a host of topics were brought up. Among them was a complaint that some residents had chosen to change the locks on the internal doors leading to their garages. In some cases the change resulted in an unsightly and incomplete installation. Unit owners were informed that these locks had to conform to the overall look of the original installations and that it was the responsibility of the unit owners to pay for any work that had to be done to restore the original design of the doors.
The lobby entrance keypads were again discussed. On one hand owners wanted to know who was responsible for fixing the units when they failed to work. Former Board Treasurer Joe Phoenix said he would help until others, such as the Building Captains, could be taught how to handle problems. There was also a discussion of who, exactly, knows the codes needed to get in the buildings. They have already been shared with the Post Office, FedEx, UPS, tradesmen, housekeepers, friends and relatives. In other words these codes are no longer a secure method of providing security to the the residents. It was acknowledged by the Board that not much could be done about this situation besides keeping an eye out for strangers in the buildings and reporting them to the authorities if they were doing something suspicious. Board Member-At-Large Sheldon Levi said he provided the code to his garage door opener to his private house cleaners so they could enter the building through the garage. When there was a change in the cleaning personnel he changed the codes to maintain the security he wanted. This is an excellent idea but unfortunately does nothing for the twenty-five unit owners who have stand-alone garages apart from their buildings.
A request from one of the residents asked the Board to report on the status of their problem solving efforts as part of each Board Meeting. The Board said they would try to do this. Another discussion towards the end of the open session of this month's meeting concerned what to do and where to go in case of a fire. Since the elevators cease to work when the alarm is sounded and since many residents are unable to walk down the stairs unaided questions arose about what actions these people should take to be safe or to be rescued. Sheltering-in-place in the fire proof stair wells was at the top of the list of what to do. Using a cell phone to call 911 for help was discussed but it was acknowledged that some signals would not make it through the cinder block walls of the stair enclosures. The idea was raised bout having members of the Manassas Fire Department visit each building to conduct a safety session.
Another possible visit by experts from the city concerned the disposal of trash designated as "recyclable." Help was needed to help residents understand what type of trash was qualified for those bins specifically marked for that kind of waste. There are no penalties for making mistakes when sorting ones garbage or even failing to recycle. Nevertheless, many residents would like to have more information about what they can do to preserve our environment and the open meeting ended with a gesture from resident Paula Julian that she would contact the city in an effort to define and clarify this important part of living in The Gatherings.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting of November 1, 2017
The first meeting of the newly elected and reassigned Board of Directors was brief with only a few topics under discussion in the open portion of the session. With no Board member serving as Secretary that position was filled by volunteer Debby Levi who had been the Secretary of The Board when she herself was a Board member in a previous administration.
Deby Levi
The initial issue brought up in the open part of the meeting was what do do about the front lobby doors being propped in the open position when movers, residents and the trades have had to have a wide access to the lobby without the doors automatically closing on them. Each of our five buildings have these automatic doors and when their closing function in interfered with by the use of wood or rolled up carpeting to hold them open their mechanisms can be damaged and require costly repairs. The door openers have switches that turn off this automatic function allowing the doors to remain ajar without damage. The discussion centered about using signs to warn about the damage to the doors if the switches are not used. Placing a sign with this warning on each door was discussed as well as sending notes to all the residents about this potential costly problem. It was emphasized that if a door was damaged when a resident was moving or having work done than that resident would be responsible for any damage done to the door. In the photo below is a picture of the door opener and an arrow pointing to the location of the on/off switch. It is a black switch on a black background and hard to locate if it has never been used before.
Another problem concerning doors was also brought up. Occasionally, technicians working in one of the locked utility rooms on the first floor of each building completes their work or goes out to their truck for a part or a tool leaving the door to the room open. Should a resident who sees the open door close it, leave it alone or call a Building Captain or Board member to close it? An idea was floated to use a magnetic sign or a pylon to indicate that the room was in use. A worker could place the sign on the door or the pylon on the floor near the door until the work was done and then put either one back in the room when the job was done.
In another issue a unit owner reminded everyone that if a unit is sold or rented the new occupant had to be given instructions not only about the rules we live under but also instructions on the various doors and elevator safety as well.
At the meeting it was revealed that the Board had recently signed a five year agreeement with our present management company CMC. The contract provides a yearly option to renew or not renew for another year.
In the final part of the open discussion the question of carpet cleaning in the open areas of the buildings came up. Many of the residents were concerned about the accumulating stains that were an eyesore if not a health hazard. Most of these stains were caused by leaking garbage bags on their way through the hallways to the disposal room. At least one cleaning company came up with a bid to clean one building that exceeded by $1,000 the Community's entire yearly building repair and maintenance budget for all the buildings. Less expensive bids have been considered as well as the idea of cleaning the carpets in only one building each year. Many residents have taken to removing severe carpet stains themselves. The Board promised serious consideration of this issue. Also brought up was what to do when a trail of spots led to a particular unit. It was suggested that this problem be presented to a Building Captain for solution to avoid uncomfortable confrontations.
In another issue a unit owner reminded everyone that if a unit is sold or rented the new occupant had to be given instructions not only about the rules we live under but also instructions on the various doors and elevator safety as well.
At the meeting it was revealed that the Board had recently signed a five year agreeement with our present management company CMC. The contract provides a yearly option to renew or not renew for another year.
In the final part of the open discussion the question of carpet cleaning in the open areas of the buildings came up. Many of the residents were concerned about the accumulating stains that were an eyesore if not a health hazard. Most of these stains were caused by leaking garbage bags on their way through the hallways to the disposal room. At least one cleaning company came up with a bid to clean one building that exceeded by $1,000 the Community's entire yearly building repair and maintenance budget for all the buildings. Less expensive bids have been considered as well as the idea of cleaning the carpets in only one building each year. Many residents have taken to removing severe carpet stains themselves. The Board promised serious consideration of this issue. Also brought up was what to do when a trail of spots led to a particular unit. It was suggested that this problem be presented to a Building Captain for solution to avoid uncomfortable confrontations.
Notes From The Annual Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
The Gatherings at Wellington Village Condominium Association held the Annual Association Meeting and Election Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at the Grace UMC Fellowship Hall.
Joe Phoenix, 2017 Treasurer spoke about the 2018 budget and announced that the 2018 monthly assessments (condo fees) will remain the same as the 2017 monthly assessments.
Alan Marcilio, Gerry Moore and Sheldon Levi were elected as members of the Board of Directors.
The Board appointed the Officers as follows:
Joe Phoenix, 2017 Treasurer spoke about the 2018 budget and announced that the 2018 monthly assessments (condo fees) will remain the same as the 2017 monthly assessments.
Alan Marcilio, Gerry Moore and Sheldon Levi were elected as members of the Board of Directors.
The Board appointed the Officers as follows:
- President – Alan Marcilio
- Vice President – Gerry Moore
- Treasurer – Sue Berg
- Member-at-large - Kay Witt
- Member- at-large - Sheldon Levi
- Secretary - Deby Levi (Volunteer)
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
The first and most surprising item on the agenda at this month's regular Board of Directors meeting was the announcement that Board President Liz Schrader had resigned for "personal reasons." Liz was not at attendance at the meeting and so retiring Vice President Malcolm Kirsop stepped in as temporary president to conduct the Board's final session before the Community votes in the general election on October 25th. With the resignations of Liz, Malcolm and Joe Phoenix there will now be three opening to fill on the Board.
Moving on to other business there was good news in that the Unit Assessments for 2018 would remain the same as this year. A forecast for 2019 was not available as there was still the transition study for Buildings 4 and 5 to complete. The study, already completed for Buildings 1, 2 and 3 is designed to uncover defects in construction before the Beazer Corporation turns over complete responsibility for the integrity of the property to the Community.
Another item brought up was the decoration of lobbies for the coming Holiday season. Owners were reminded that they had the responsibility for whether or not their building's lobby would be decorated and if so what type of theme it would reflect. Religious motifs are not permitted. Board Secretary Kay Will will inspect each buildings Holiday decorations making sure that they are confined to the first floor lobby area only and that they conform to the seasonal and not their religious aspect.. If they go ahead each building will be responsible to pay for their's building's decorations.
The matter of the walkway behind Building 4 was also discussed. The Beazer Corporation and the City of Manassas are still trying to determine if the current concrete sidewalk can safely remain in its present form. In the meantime no one is to use this walkway to enter or leave the building. The owners of the first floor units were warned that if they were caught using their porch exits that they ran the risk that their rear doors would be boarded off until a solution is found to the problem.
Another topic brought up in the meeting was the work of the local scouting community for their diligence in keeping the healthy trees alongside Buildings 4 and 5 alive by watering them each week during the summer. It was originally hoped they would be rewarded with an appreciation party at the end of the season but scheduling it, now that school is back in session with all of its activities, has become very difficult. Now, instead of the party the plan is to make a donation to the scout groups who helped us with this vital chore. The amount to be donated is yet to be determined. It was estimated that the Community saved about $800 in watering costs this year because of the scouts work. It was also noted that there were still over 20 trees that Elm Street Development must replace before the City allows them to redeem the bond they posted when construction began on our buildings. Hopefully, the new trees will be planted soon and the scouts will be back on the job next season.
Finally, the meeting concluded with a discussion of the voting process coming up on the 25th of October. Only two people have turned in application to run for what is now three open seats on the board. Nominations can still be made at the meeting prior to the actual vote taking place. All that is necessary is for a unit member to vocally nominate someone he or she thinks would make a good Board member and the person nominated must publicly announce that they would accept the nomination. At that point the representative of the Management Company will check the records and approve the nomination if there is no delinquency in the nominee's assessment account After the election the five Board members will meet the next day to determine who will occupy the various positions on the Board. It was pointed out that the Board Secretary and the Board Treasurer need not be members of the Board themselves. It is possible for those positions to be filled by either volunteers from the community or even by outside paid persons.
The Board meeting ended with the two announced candidates for the new Board meeting and greeting their prospective voters. They were Alan Marsillo and Gerry Moore both of Building 4. The two men related the experiences they could bring to the Board if elected. Both candidates expressed their desire to keep the Gatherings beautiful, costs down and the Community functioning well. Their reasons and qualifications for running can be found by clicking on the arrow. ► Everyone was reminded that there will be no voting until all the floor nominations have been made and accepted. Under the bylaws at least 25% of the Community must vote for the results to be official. Good luck to all.
Moving on to other business there was good news in that the Unit Assessments for 2018 would remain the same as this year. A forecast for 2019 was not available as there was still the transition study for Buildings 4 and 5 to complete. The study, already completed for Buildings 1, 2 and 3 is designed to uncover defects in construction before the Beazer Corporation turns over complete responsibility for the integrity of the property to the Community.
Another item brought up was the decoration of lobbies for the coming Holiday season. Owners were reminded that they had the responsibility for whether or not their building's lobby would be decorated and if so what type of theme it would reflect. Religious motifs are not permitted. Board Secretary Kay Will will inspect each buildings Holiday decorations making sure that they are confined to the first floor lobby area only and that they conform to the seasonal and not their religious aspect.. If they go ahead each building will be responsible to pay for their's building's decorations.
The matter of the walkway behind Building 4 was also discussed. The Beazer Corporation and the City of Manassas are still trying to determine if the current concrete sidewalk can safely remain in its present form. In the meantime no one is to use this walkway to enter or leave the building. The owners of the first floor units were warned that if they were caught using their porch exits that they ran the risk that their rear doors would be boarded off until a solution is found to the problem.
Another topic brought up in the meeting was the work of the local scouting community for their diligence in keeping the healthy trees alongside Buildings 4 and 5 alive by watering them each week during the summer. It was originally hoped they would be rewarded with an appreciation party at the end of the season but scheduling it, now that school is back in session with all of its activities, has become very difficult. Now, instead of the party the plan is to make a donation to the scout groups who helped us with this vital chore. The amount to be donated is yet to be determined. It was estimated that the Community saved about $800 in watering costs this year because of the scouts work. It was also noted that there were still over 20 trees that Elm Street Development must replace before the City allows them to redeem the bond they posted when construction began on our buildings. Hopefully, the new trees will be planted soon and the scouts will be back on the job next season.
Finally, the meeting concluded with a discussion of the voting process coming up on the 25th of October. Only two people have turned in application to run for what is now three open seats on the board. Nominations can still be made at the meeting prior to the actual vote taking place. All that is necessary is for a unit member to vocally nominate someone he or she thinks would make a good Board member and the person nominated must publicly announce that they would accept the nomination. At that point the representative of the Management Company will check the records and approve the nomination if there is no delinquency in the nominee's assessment account After the election the five Board members will meet the next day to determine who will occupy the various positions on the Board. It was pointed out that the Board Secretary and the Board Treasurer need not be members of the Board themselves. It is possible for those positions to be filled by either volunteers from the community or even by outside paid persons.
The Board meeting ended with the two announced candidates for the new Board meeting and greeting their prospective voters. They were Alan Marsillo and Gerry Moore both of Building 4. The two men related the experiences they could bring to the Board if elected. Both candidates expressed their desire to keep the Gatherings beautiful, costs down and the Community functioning well. Their reasons and qualifications for running can be found by clicking on the arrow. ► Everyone was reminded that there will be no voting until all the floor nominations have been made and accepted. Under the bylaws at least 25% of the Community must vote for the results to be official. Good luck to all.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
The Quarterly Board meeting was a mixed bag of reports about works in progress, projects pending and problems being recognized and solved. There was also a new face at the Board of Director's table. She is Jennifer Jordan who replaces Cynthia Lyman as The Gatherings go-to person at CMC Management. If you ever need her help you can find her phone number and e-mail address in the "Contacts" section of this web site. Her photos is above with a few of our Board members.
The first order of business was the announcement that Malcolm Kirsop has resigned his Vice President post on the Board effective later this September. He received a well deserved round of applause for his work on the Gatherings first official Board made up solely of Unit owners. The good news about Malcolm is that he will continue as Chairman of the Landscape Committee. Another resignation was also noted. Ben Rodriguez has bowed out of his co-chairmanship of the Building Captains. He has been replaced by Matt Berg.
Following the personnel announcements there were reports of some of the Gatherings works-in-progress. First on the list was the efforts to make the outer lobby call boxes work properly by allowing entrance to the building when a Unit owner was called from the box by a visitor. The door is supposed to be opened remotely from a Unit by pressing "9" or "6" on a land line phone. However, in many cases, it has not worked. Efforts are now under way to provide a fix for this inconvenience which has forced residents to travel down to the lobby to open the doors for their guests or work persons.
On the subject of doors it was noted that there have been strangers seen trying to open the doors of parked cars on our grounds. One unlocked car was recently entered and the contents were examined for an item worth stealing. Fortunately, nothings was taken. So, the Board has issued a warning about reporting strangers in the area and about locking cars when they are parked in front of garages. Would-be intruders, the Board cautioned, can use an unlocked car's garage door opener to gain access not only to a garage but also to the building. Owners were asked to preserve the integrity of the buildings by closing open garage doors that appear to have been left open by mistake. In another warning about personal and Building security a statement was issued about foxes and feral cats roaming in the neighborhood. Don't feed the cats and don't pet the foxes was the Board's advice. They also noted that people have been observed sleeping on the tennis court behind the Clubhouse. The solution to this problem is to call the cops when you see it happening. Only one kind of "love" is permitted on tennis courts.
Sue Berg gave some details about the upcoming Community election to fill the two vacancies which are opening up on the Board. (Joe Phoenix has also indicated his intention to retire.) Sue is now accepting nominating petitions and has asked that all applicants submit their forms to her by September 20th. She announced a meet-and-greet occasion at the Clubhouse on October 11th from 6:30 to 8 PM so candidates for the board can be seen and heard in person. The actual election of the candidates will take place on October 25th at the Grace Memorial Church's Fellowship Hall when the Community holds it annual meeting. From 6:30 to 6:45 PM nominations will be accepted from the floor and candidates will have a few minutes to make themselves known to the community. Actual voting will begin at 6:45 PM and end at 7:30 PM. If there are 10 formal nomination applications in hand prior to this meeting no new nominations will be accepted from the floor.
The landscape Committee report indicated new bushes will soon be planted on either side of the front door to the Clubhouse to replace the current ones which have not survived. Residents of Buildings 4 and 5 requested for addition greenery will have to wait until the Board has compete control of the properties. A comment about excessive crabgrass in the lawn areas being looked into for resolution. Finally, at stalest 20 or more trees will soon be replaced next to buildings 4 and 5 at the insistence of the City of Manassas. Replacement will be done at no charge to the community. A big "Thank you!" was issued to the Cub Scouts and their parents who helped the Community by attending to the weekly watering required by the trees and shrubs that surround several of our buildings. A party is being planned for them in the near future.
The Social Committee has reported success in their various recurring Clubhouse events and will continue to host them In the planning stage is a Christmas Party for December.
Work on the Community Directory is coming along and should soon be finished and distributed.
In the not-so-good news department was the revelation that the walkway behind Building 4 has not been approved by the City of Manassas. As a result a new barricade will be erected to keep residents from walking on it until it's structural integrity can be verified. This is a problem that can only be solved by Beazer with no date in sight when the access will be re-opened. Also, this is a special hardship for the first floor residents of Building 4 many of whom are handicapped and need a ground level entrance and exit.
Board President Liz Schrader brought up the problems of insufficient parking spaces around Buildings 4 and 5. Even though the lots were recently marked out with reserved places for the residents and other places for visitors many of the residents continue to permanently park in the visitors spots creating a problem when guests arrive and have no place to park. Liz said the Board will formulate parking procedures and tow-away penalties for residents who violate the rules.
Next week work will begin to clean the storm drain system around Building 4. In other news the Community recently received an excellent report from FLSA the company that inspects and maintains our fire and safety systems. However they reported that at least 100 batteries had to be replaced for the emergency lights in the hallways and in the lighted "Exit" signs. The battery replacement will come with a charge of $6,000. However, although the Board was happy with the reports of the inspection the introspection itself left a mess near the doors of the buildings as a result of a powerful discharge of overflow vents when the fire systems were tested. FLSA will be asked to clean up the mess and not let it to occur in the future. FLSA also reported a faulty fire extinguisher. To save money it will be replaced by volunteering residents rather than by the maintenance company..
Jennifer Jordan announced the current financial position of the Community as of July 31st. It was good news with a budget surplus making the headline. As the meeting neared it's end a resident asked that future announcements of Board meetings contain the agenda of the meeting so residents can better decide whether or not they should attend. The Board agreed to do this.
Finally, another resident called attention to an error on this website. In the "Tip" section it was wrongly reported that hall temperatures during the cooling season be kept at 70 degrees. The temperature should actually be kept at 74 degrees for air conditioning and at 68 degree for heating. Thank you for catching this mistake. It has been corrected.
The first order of business was the announcement that Malcolm Kirsop has resigned his Vice President post on the Board effective later this September. He received a well deserved round of applause for his work on the Gatherings first official Board made up solely of Unit owners. The good news about Malcolm is that he will continue as Chairman of the Landscape Committee. Another resignation was also noted. Ben Rodriguez has bowed out of his co-chairmanship of the Building Captains. He has been replaced by Matt Berg.
Following the personnel announcements there were reports of some of the Gatherings works-in-progress. First on the list was the efforts to make the outer lobby call boxes work properly by allowing entrance to the building when a Unit owner was called from the box by a visitor. The door is supposed to be opened remotely from a Unit by pressing "9" or "6" on a land line phone. However, in many cases, it has not worked. Efforts are now under way to provide a fix for this inconvenience which has forced residents to travel down to the lobby to open the doors for their guests or work persons.
On the subject of doors it was noted that there have been strangers seen trying to open the doors of parked cars on our grounds. One unlocked car was recently entered and the contents were examined for an item worth stealing. Fortunately, nothings was taken. So, the Board has issued a warning about reporting strangers in the area and about locking cars when they are parked in front of garages. Would-be intruders, the Board cautioned, can use an unlocked car's garage door opener to gain access not only to a garage but also to the building. Owners were asked to preserve the integrity of the buildings by closing open garage doors that appear to have been left open by mistake. In another warning about personal and Building security a statement was issued about foxes and feral cats roaming in the neighborhood. Don't feed the cats and don't pet the foxes was the Board's advice. They also noted that people have been observed sleeping on the tennis court behind the Clubhouse. The solution to this problem is to call the cops when you see it happening. Only one kind of "love" is permitted on tennis courts.
Sue Berg gave some details about the upcoming Community election to fill the two vacancies which are opening up on the Board. (Joe Phoenix has also indicated his intention to retire.) Sue is now accepting nominating petitions and has asked that all applicants submit their forms to her by September 20th. She announced a meet-and-greet occasion at the Clubhouse on October 11th from 6:30 to 8 PM so candidates for the board can be seen and heard in person. The actual election of the candidates will take place on October 25th at the Grace Memorial Church's Fellowship Hall when the Community holds it annual meeting. From 6:30 to 6:45 PM nominations will be accepted from the floor and candidates will have a few minutes to make themselves known to the community. Actual voting will begin at 6:45 PM and end at 7:30 PM. If there are 10 formal nomination applications in hand prior to this meeting no new nominations will be accepted from the floor.
The landscape Committee report indicated new bushes will soon be planted on either side of the front door to the Clubhouse to replace the current ones which have not survived. Residents of Buildings 4 and 5 requested for addition greenery will have to wait until the Board has compete control of the properties. A comment about excessive crabgrass in the lawn areas being looked into for resolution. Finally, at stalest 20 or more trees will soon be replaced next to buildings 4 and 5 at the insistence of the City of Manassas. Replacement will be done at no charge to the community. A big "Thank you!" was issued to the Cub Scouts and their parents who helped the Community by attending to the weekly watering required by the trees and shrubs that surround several of our buildings. A party is being planned for them in the near future.
The Social Committee has reported success in their various recurring Clubhouse events and will continue to host them In the planning stage is a Christmas Party for December.
Work on the Community Directory is coming along and should soon be finished and distributed.
In the not-so-good news department was the revelation that the walkway behind Building 4 has not been approved by the City of Manassas. As a result a new barricade will be erected to keep residents from walking on it until it's structural integrity can be verified. This is a problem that can only be solved by Beazer with no date in sight when the access will be re-opened. Also, this is a special hardship for the first floor residents of Building 4 many of whom are handicapped and need a ground level entrance and exit.
Board President Liz Schrader brought up the problems of insufficient parking spaces around Buildings 4 and 5. Even though the lots were recently marked out with reserved places for the residents and other places for visitors many of the residents continue to permanently park in the visitors spots creating a problem when guests arrive and have no place to park. Liz said the Board will formulate parking procedures and tow-away penalties for residents who violate the rules.
Next week work will begin to clean the storm drain system around Building 4. In other news the Community recently received an excellent report from FLSA the company that inspects and maintains our fire and safety systems. However they reported that at least 100 batteries had to be replaced for the emergency lights in the hallways and in the lighted "Exit" signs. The battery replacement will come with a charge of $6,000. However, although the Board was happy with the reports of the inspection the introspection itself left a mess near the doors of the buildings as a result of a powerful discharge of overflow vents when the fire systems were tested. FLSA will be asked to clean up the mess and not let it to occur in the future. FLSA also reported a faulty fire extinguisher. To save money it will be replaced by volunteering residents rather than by the maintenance company..
Jennifer Jordan announced the current financial position of the Community as of July 31st. It was good news with a budget surplus making the headline. As the meeting neared it's end a resident asked that future announcements of Board meetings contain the agenda of the meeting so residents can better decide whether or not they should attend. The Board agreed to do this.
Finally, another resident called attention to an error on this website. In the "Tip" section it was wrongly reported that hall temperatures during the cooling season be kept at 70 degrees. The temperature should actually be kept at 74 degrees for air conditioning and at 68 degree for heating. Thank you for catching this mistake. It has been corrected.
Notes From The Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
This month's Board of Directors meeting addressed a variety of topics starting off with the announcement that the time has almost arrived to accept applications from residents who are interested in serving on the Board. Two of the present Board members, Treasurer Joe Phoenix and Vice President Malcolm Kirsop have both announced that they will be retiring from the Board in October. However, the exact positions the newly elected members will hold will be determined by the Board itself after the election is held. The election will be held at the Gatherings annual meeting on October 25th in Fellowship Hall at the nearby Grace Memorial Church . Nomination applications will be available from Board member Sue Berg between August 18th and 20th.
Another subject that was discussed concerned bothersome pools of water that are showing up from time-to-time in three different locations on the streets of our community. At first it was thought that there were leaking water mains in these areas but, that theory was ruled out when the City of Manassas Water Department chemically tested the outflow and found no traces that it had been treated by the city. Therefore, they claimed, if it's not city water the leaks are not their responsibility. Now, an investigation is under way to determine the source of this water with the idea of stemming its flow before it creates damage either to property or to the streets. Since these streets are shared by both the Gatherings and our town house neighbors it was good to hear that soon the town houses will elect their own Board which then can work with our Board to find and solve the problem and, hopefully, share the expenses of the testing and repairs that will have to made.
This area is still awaiting the beginning of work on the new gas pipeline that will be installed by Columbia Gas of Virginia. The work will replace the existing 8 inch line with a higher capacity 12 inch line. Construction was slated to begin last April but there were questions raised by many property owners along the route which required, in some cases, revising the route of the line. The major impact the Gatherings will experiencee will be behind Building 4 where trees will be removed for the construction to take place. Columbia Gas has said they will try to restore as much as possible to lessen it's visual impact. The company recently presented the Board with a $10,000 easement fee which has been added to our Community's reserve fund. There was no way to force the line to take another route since the law of eminent domain is on the side of the company.
If you have used the exercise room in the Community Clubhouse you have probably already noticed the cardiac defibrillator which hangs on the wall. It's been there for some time now and badly needs a servicing and a new battery. This condition has raised this question: "Does the Board want to spend the $300 per year necessary to keep the device operational?" Their answer is, "No they do not!" So, before long the device will be removed from the Clubhouse exercise room since there are no Federal, State or local laws that require it to be there.
The Board has received a quote on repairing a water leak in Building 1. It was decided to solicit additional quotes before proceeding with the repair work..
The question of what to do with all the Unit keys that were collected some time ago came up, once again, for discussion. The Building Captains will be asked to find a place in the electrical rooms (rather than the elevator rooms) to place the key boxes which hold the keys that many residents turned in for use in an emergency. Hopefully, these keys will soon have a permanent home and a simplified way of obtaining them if the need arises.
George Bango reported that so far he has received 69 responses to his requests for enrollment in the Community Directory. Note: Since there was confusion the as to the purpose of the directory its name was changed from "Social" Directory to "Community" Directory to indicate this was not a list for the Social Committee. When completed the list will be distributed to all Unit owners so they can communnicate with their fellow residents.
Efforts are now underway to clean the drier vents in Buildings 1,2,3 and 5. The work will begin when a contrfact review is made of various companies who can do the work. There's two pieces of good news about this cleaning. First it will be done at no charge to the Unit owners. Secondly, it will be done from outside the building and require no entry into the Units themselves.
Some residents have complained that the lobby call boxes do not work when they push the correct numbers on their cell phones to allow a guest to enter. This does not happen with land line phones and only with certain cell phones. It appears that there is no fix for this problem which mainly has to do with the way the cell phone operates.
Boaard Vice President Malcolm Kirsop issued a warning to look out for foxes in the area. They have have been attracted here by rabbits and other small animals such as rodents. He advises that no food should be put out for animals such as feral cats as that just adds to the problem. If someone is caught feeding these wild animals there is a strong possibility they will be fined. Rabid foxes have been known to attack people. Should you be bitten you should get medical care immediately aince rabies can be a fatal disease.
VP Kirsop also said the spraying for grubs and Japanese Beetles has been completed. The aeration of the green areas has been scheduled for the end of this month.
The CMC Management Company will conduct a Board Training Session in November at a time and place to be announced. CMC has invited any Unit owner who is interested to attend this open-to-all meeting.
Finally, there was an open discussion about how to disagree with the decisions of the Board without causing an avalanche of ill feelings. The topic was prompted by a resident who fired off indignant emails to fellow residents based on conclusions that were not founded by the facts of the situation. A simple conversation with a Board member would have resolved the issue. It should be remembered that Board members are residents too. They operate under very strict state and local rules and regulations and are, themselves, subject to the same rules and regulations they require for every one else. They are really us, unpaid volunteers who have their own reasons to keep costs down and fees at a minimum. They didn't volunteer to take these positions so they could lose their friends or to make their living environment worse. So, if you think the Board is doing something you don't like or don't understand take a few moments to make a friendly call. A public rant won't help keep the peace we all seek nor will it solve the problem that caused it. Get the facts from the people who know them and try to understand why certain things are being done. Also, try to attend as many Board meetings as possible. If you think you are not represented properly then run for the Board yourself. As we noted at the top of this report that opportunity is coming up soon.
Another subject that was discussed concerned bothersome pools of water that are showing up from time-to-time in three different locations on the streets of our community. At first it was thought that there were leaking water mains in these areas but, that theory was ruled out when the City of Manassas Water Department chemically tested the outflow and found no traces that it had been treated by the city. Therefore, they claimed, if it's not city water the leaks are not their responsibility. Now, an investigation is under way to determine the source of this water with the idea of stemming its flow before it creates damage either to property or to the streets. Since these streets are shared by both the Gatherings and our town house neighbors it was good to hear that soon the town houses will elect their own Board which then can work with our Board to find and solve the problem and, hopefully, share the expenses of the testing and repairs that will have to made.
This area is still awaiting the beginning of work on the new gas pipeline that will be installed by Columbia Gas of Virginia. The work will replace the existing 8 inch line with a higher capacity 12 inch line. Construction was slated to begin last April but there were questions raised by many property owners along the route which required, in some cases, revising the route of the line. The major impact the Gatherings will experiencee will be behind Building 4 where trees will be removed for the construction to take place. Columbia Gas has said they will try to restore as much as possible to lessen it's visual impact. The company recently presented the Board with a $10,000 easement fee which has been added to our Community's reserve fund. There was no way to force the line to take another route since the law of eminent domain is on the side of the company.
If you have used the exercise room in the Community Clubhouse you have probably already noticed the cardiac defibrillator which hangs on the wall. It's been there for some time now and badly needs a servicing and a new battery. This condition has raised this question: "Does the Board want to spend the $300 per year necessary to keep the device operational?" Their answer is, "No they do not!" So, before long the device will be removed from the Clubhouse exercise room since there are no Federal, State or local laws that require it to be there.
The Board has received a quote on repairing a water leak in Building 1. It was decided to solicit additional quotes before proceeding with the repair work..
The question of what to do with all the Unit keys that were collected some time ago came up, once again, for discussion. The Building Captains will be asked to find a place in the electrical rooms (rather than the elevator rooms) to place the key boxes which hold the keys that many residents turned in for use in an emergency. Hopefully, these keys will soon have a permanent home and a simplified way of obtaining them if the need arises.
George Bango reported that so far he has received 69 responses to his requests for enrollment in the Community Directory. Note: Since there was confusion the as to the purpose of the directory its name was changed from "Social" Directory to "Community" Directory to indicate this was not a list for the Social Committee. When completed the list will be distributed to all Unit owners so they can communnicate with their fellow residents.
Efforts are now underway to clean the drier vents in Buildings 1,2,3 and 5. The work will begin when a contrfact review is made of various companies who can do the work. There's two pieces of good news about this cleaning. First it will be done at no charge to the Unit owners. Secondly, it will be done from outside the building and require no entry into the Units themselves.
Some residents have complained that the lobby call boxes do not work when they push the correct numbers on their cell phones to allow a guest to enter. This does not happen with land line phones and only with certain cell phones. It appears that there is no fix for this problem which mainly has to do with the way the cell phone operates.
Boaard Vice President Malcolm Kirsop issued a warning to look out for foxes in the area. They have have been attracted here by rabbits and other small animals such as rodents. He advises that no food should be put out for animals such as feral cats as that just adds to the problem. If someone is caught feeding these wild animals there is a strong possibility they will be fined. Rabid foxes have been known to attack people. Should you be bitten you should get medical care immediately aince rabies can be a fatal disease.
VP Kirsop also said the spraying for grubs and Japanese Beetles has been completed. The aeration of the green areas has been scheduled for the end of this month.
The CMC Management Company will conduct a Board Training Session in November at a time and place to be announced. CMC has invited any Unit owner who is interested to attend this open-to-all meeting.
Finally, there was an open discussion about how to disagree with the decisions of the Board without causing an avalanche of ill feelings. The topic was prompted by a resident who fired off indignant emails to fellow residents based on conclusions that were not founded by the facts of the situation. A simple conversation with a Board member would have resolved the issue. It should be remembered that Board members are residents too. They operate under very strict state and local rules and regulations and are, themselves, subject to the same rules and regulations they require for every one else. They are really us, unpaid volunteers who have their own reasons to keep costs down and fees at a minimum. They didn't volunteer to take these positions so they could lose their friends or to make their living environment worse. So, if you think the Board is doing something you don't like or don't understand take a few moments to make a friendly call. A public rant won't help keep the peace we all seek nor will it solve the problem that caused it. Get the facts from the people who know them and try to understand why certain things are being done. Also, try to attend as many Board meetings as possible. If you think you are not represented properly then run for the Board yourself. As we noted at the top of this report that opportunity is coming up soon.
The Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
There were quite a few topics up for discussion at this month's Board of Director's meeting. First on the agenda was the very important safety issue of clothes dryer duct work cleaning. Our units have a particular problem with keeping the ducts clean because of the length of the duct work and the various twists and turns they must take to exhaust their hot air and lint accumulations to the outdoors. Also, adding to our problems is the multiple floor installation of the ducts. Failure to keep these vents free of lint accumulation can result in a serious fire with both the lives and property of a building's residents at stake. It has been also noted that some of the vents have screens attached which trap the dangerous flammable lint. These screens are code violations and must be removed. While some residents have already had their ducts cleaned the expert recommendation is that everyone else, who has not had the work performed, be subject to this requirement. All the duct work in every building except Building 4 (because of its newness) must be cleaned as soon as possible. Future cleaning will have to be done on a yearly basis. An effort will be made to compile a list of all residents to make sure everyone's duct work is cleaned when the work begins. This is to insure no unit is neglected because of their owner's possible absence from the Gatherings when the work is done. George Bango and Gerry Moore have volunteered to oversee this vital project and will solicit estimates for all the cleaning to be done at the same time to achieve the lowest possible costs.
Another issue that was discussed was the leakage of refrigerant from the air conditioning system of a unit owner in Building 1. Constant attempts to locate the source of the leak have failed leading to the conclusion that the leak must be occurring in a line that is hidden behind the walls, floor or ceiling. Limited exposure — for example, a spill on your skin or breathing near an open container — is only mildly harmful. However, you should try to avoid all contact with these types of chemicals. Even small amounts can cause symptoms. Inhaling these fumes on purpose to “get high” can be very dangerous. It can be fatal even the very first time you do it. Regularly inhaling high concentrations of refrigerant can cause issues such as: breathing problems, fluid buildup in the lungs, organ damage and perhaps sudden death. The Board is now making every effort to find this slow leak and to assess the Association's responsibility and liability in this case.
Speaking about health the subject of the Clubhouse's wall mounted heart defibrillator was brought up. It was installed many years ago by Beazer. Now, because of its age the unit needs servicing and perhaps a new battery. There appears to be no Virginia law requiring the installation of this device on the Association's premises. If the Board's investigation finds that a defib machine is not required they will then decide to either service it or remove it to save the costs of maintenance.
The expense of maintaining and repairing the Associations elevators continues to be an ongoing sticking point. While efforts continue to find a less expensive elevator contractor the current contractor has indicated that Building 4 will have to undergo a complete three-day shutdown of its elevators starting on July 17th at 6 AM and continuing through July 18th and 19th so that repairs can be made.
The Board of Diretors is trying to put together a Resident Roster that will list every unit owner's name, unit number, phone number and email address. Although there has been a popular request for this roster's creation participation will be voluntary. More details on this project will be forthcoming.
The Board is still wrestling with the question of what to do with all the unit keys that were collected for use in emergencies. Because many owners have deep security concerns about making their keys available and because of concerns about time lags to find and produce keys in an emergency this issue remains unresolved.
Conducting fire drills was discussed and concerns were raised about not having these drills until adequate lighting was provided in hallways and stairwells.
The Landscape Committee received an approval to spend $575 to have insecticide applied to the grounds to fight Japanesee Beetles and the grubs they produce. Also, included in this expenditure was the aeration of the grounds to provide a more conducive environment for the grass to grow. The Committee also reported that of the 35 trees on the building grounds 22 of them have been marked for replacement by the city's arborist. The Board believes it is the responsibility of Elm Street Development to replace these trees.
Negotiations continue regarding the Associations financial obligations regarding the charges made by the townhouse developer next door for our past and present share of maintaining the streets and paying our share of lighting them and keeping the snow removed. There has been a significant reduction in the initial request for reimbursement and nogotiations continue in a favorable direction for the Gatherings.
Alan Marsilo reported that in August a pedestrian cross walk will be painted on the street near the Miniland Academy to give both adults and children a safe zone for crossing Hendley Road. This is a project he has been working on for many months. Alan also reported that the City of Manassas is now considering building a new fire station on Dumfries Road in an area between the ReStore and the 7-11. They will consider the issue in City Hall on July 19th. The town has also announced that it will revitalize a portion of Georgetown South by building a new Police Station behind the BP Gas station on Grant Avenue. And, on July 25th the city will consider a move by the Manassas Museum.
Another issue that was discussed was the leakage of refrigerant from the air conditioning system of a unit owner in Building 1. Constant attempts to locate the source of the leak have failed leading to the conclusion that the leak must be occurring in a line that is hidden behind the walls, floor or ceiling. Limited exposure — for example, a spill on your skin or breathing near an open container — is only mildly harmful. However, you should try to avoid all contact with these types of chemicals. Even small amounts can cause symptoms. Inhaling these fumes on purpose to “get high” can be very dangerous. It can be fatal even the very first time you do it. Regularly inhaling high concentrations of refrigerant can cause issues such as: breathing problems, fluid buildup in the lungs, organ damage and perhaps sudden death. The Board is now making every effort to find this slow leak and to assess the Association's responsibility and liability in this case.
Speaking about health the subject of the Clubhouse's wall mounted heart defibrillator was brought up. It was installed many years ago by Beazer. Now, because of its age the unit needs servicing and perhaps a new battery. There appears to be no Virginia law requiring the installation of this device on the Association's premises. If the Board's investigation finds that a defib machine is not required they will then decide to either service it or remove it to save the costs of maintenance.
The expense of maintaining and repairing the Associations elevators continues to be an ongoing sticking point. While efforts continue to find a less expensive elevator contractor the current contractor has indicated that Building 4 will have to undergo a complete three-day shutdown of its elevators starting on July 17th at 6 AM and continuing through July 18th and 19th so that repairs can be made.
The Board of Diretors is trying to put together a Resident Roster that will list every unit owner's name, unit number, phone number and email address. Although there has been a popular request for this roster's creation participation will be voluntary. More details on this project will be forthcoming.
The Board is still wrestling with the question of what to do with all the unit keys that were collected for use in emergencies. Because many owners have deep security concerns about making their keys available and because of concerns about time lags to find and produce keys in an emergency this issue remains unresolved.
Conducting fire drills was discussed and concerns were raised about not having these drills until adequate lighting was provided in hallways and stairwells.
The Landscape Committee received an approval to spend $575 to have insecticide applied to the grounds to fight Japanesee Beetles and the grubs they produce. Also, included in this expenditure was the aeration of the grounds to provide a more conducive environment for the grass to grow. The Committee also reported that of the 35 trees on the building grounds 22 of them have been marked for replacement by the city's arborist. The Board believes it is the responsibility of Elm Street Development to replace these trees.
Negotiations continue regarding the Associations financial obligations regarding the charges made by the townhouse developer next door for our past and present share of maintaining the streets and paying our share of lighting them and keeping the snow removed. There has been a significant reduction in the initial request for reimbursement and nogotiations continue in a favorable direction for the Gatherings.
Alan Marsilo reported that in August a pedestrian cross walk will be painted on the street near the Miniland Academy to give both adults and children a safe zone for crossing Hendley Road. This is a project he has been working on for many months. Alan also reported that the City of Manassas is now considering building a new fire station on Dumfries Road in an area between the ReStore and the 7-11. They will consider the issue in City Hall on July 19th. The town has also announced that it will revitalize a portion of Georgetown South by building a new Police Station behind the BP Gas station on Grant Avenue. And, on July 25th the city will consider a move by the Manassas Museum.
The Board of Directors Quarterly Meeting
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
The Quarterly Meeting on June 14th covered a wide variety of subjects as the Board of Directors brought residents up-to-date on its activities since the last Board meeting in April. A report by Head Building Captain Ben Rodriquez called attention to the fact that 50% per cent of the units have screens across their drier vents and about 30% of those had collected considerable lint. There was concern shown for the safety of the buildings as a pile-up of lint and occasional bird's nests created a potential fire hazard. While the need for keeping these vents clear was emphasized the Board affirmed they could not force unit owners to clean these hazards (see note below). Instead, they said, our unit owners should think not only their own safety but also, the safety of the other owners. They called it "Common Courtesty." It was a phrase that would be used often during the meeting.
Ben said that another problem facing the Building Captains was the constant changing of the thermostat settings in the common areas. The goal has been to keep settings at 74 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter. Although, each building's captain checks these settings every day the captains have been reporting that these settings are undergoing constant change as residents fiddle with the settings to satisfy their own tastes. One of the solutions is to these temperature swings is to remount the units in the locked air handler rooms with its sensor outside. Another solution was to encase the thermostats within a plastic box which keeps the controls of the unit away from the temperature changers. Both solutions involved considerable expense to the Gatherings. It was hoped that "Common Courtesy" would prevail as it became understood that only a few degrees change in designated temperature could cost the Association hundreds of dollars a month in additional energy costs.
Malcolm Kirsop led a discussion about the address sign in front of Building 5. It was damaged during a routine lawn maintenance operation but has since been repaired and re-installed. To help protect the sign from further damage our landscape company will plant low bushes and flowers around it to keep it away from the mowing machines. A few of the residents commented that the sign was too low and could not be seen from the street. This complaint is being looked into. There will be no charge for the new plantings.
Vice President Kirsop also announced that the Landscaping Committee had possession of the watering bags for the trees on the berm alongside Building 5. Boy Scouts associated with Grace Memorial Church will keep the bags full of water as they work towards earning merit badges for their efforts. VP Kirsop also said that at the present rate of spending, which included replacing dead trees, he hoped that the Landscape Committee would have a 3 to 4 thousand dollar surplus at the end of the budget year.
There was a discussion of the Transition Study now underway by the Falcon engineering group. The purpose of the study is to ultimately examine all the common areas of the Gatherings buildings, including the Clubhouse, with the purpose of identifying errors in construction for which the builder, Beazer, has responsibility. The study has to be completed and any claims made prior to the builder's termination of responsibility at the end of a proscribed 5 year period after which major issues such as faulty roof installation, plumbing, electrical, and fire detection problems become the Association's responsibility. One major issue, the tight, closet-installation of each unit's air handler, is being investigated as to whether or not it violates Virginia's building code.
A contract for elevator maintenaance for Building 4 is about to be signed with the existing company. However, because of this company's high fees a search is now underway for a different contractor to handle all of the building's elevators provided the existing contract can be terminated before the contract's current expiration date many years down the road.
With the election of Board Members for next year only 100 days away Alternate Board Member Sue Berg has agreed to head the Election Committe. She will be assisted by unit owner Debi Levi. To meet all the regulations concerning the election the process of submitting applications must begin no later than 65 days prior to the election date.
The Board voted to spend approximately $100 to purchase 10 folding chairs for the Clubhouse to ease the seating shortage when crowded events are held in the facility.
Finally, a major discussion was held on the shortage of parking spaces around Buildings 4 and 5 after all the parking areas were recently assigned and marked. Below is a letter send to Board of Directors President Liz Schrader which summarized the frustrations of many unit owners.
Dear Liz. I am not one to make complaints but one of the reasons I moved to this condo unit was
that there was ample parking for my visitors. When I bought into the units, I understood that were
had 2 assigned parking spaces per unit. For a long time others were using my space because the
spaces were not labeled. I thought that by not using their assigned spaces in front of their garage
units was inconsiderate, left very limited parking for those that did not have skirts in front of their
garages, and no parking for visitors. I know that the rules state, "any unit owner having the right to
use one or more I limited common element parking spaces may use any adjacent area not within
another unit owner's parking space if such space in not otherwise necessary for the use of the Unit
Owners Association". Since there were plans for painting of the assigned parking I was patient.
Presently I have 2 parking spaces. One in the garage and one in the parking lot. There are many
residents that think they are entitled to 3 parking space. One in the garage, their skirt in front of
their garage, and a private "visitor" space. I thought the painting of the parking area would solve
the parking problem however it is worse. Some do not know what "visitor" means. Under the
rules the label "visitor" has been posted because parking for visitors is "necessary for the use of the
· Unit Owners Association". I interpret this as "visitor "parking should be shared by all the units
and not by just a few. I know that it is an inconvenience to move a second car to get a car out of a
garage but it is an inconvenience to have a visitor, some which are elderly and workmen, to park a
block away. I am disappointed that when I have more that one person visit me, they cannot find a
"visitor" parking space and not a handicap space if needed, since one is also used as a private
parking area. I know this is a very sensitive subject, but I am hoping that members of the
association can be more considerate.
If the board is considering amending the parking rules, they may consider amending it to include
extended visitor parking. As the rules are written at this time, a unit's guest may park their car in a
"visitor" parking space for an extended period of time while they take a vacation out of the area.
This has been a problem in other condo communities and they have written rules against this. As
the parking rules are written, we are open to this problem occurring in the future.
A solution to this problem is now being investigated however, once again, the Board has recommended that the idea of "Common Courtesy" guide the residents to a resolution of this situation. Hopefully, they said, unit owners will adhere to their assigned spaces and keep additional cars away from the Vistor's section so that families and trades can find parking spaces. The Board would prefer to not act as a policeman and requests that owners evaluate their own use of the parking spaces and extend "Common Courtesy" to other unit owners who are already abiding by the parking rules.
Ben said that another problem facing the Building Captains was the constant changing of the thermostat settings in the common areas. The goal has been to keep settings at 74 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter. Although, each building's captain checks these settings every day the captains have been reporting that these settings are undergoing constant change as residents fiddle with the settings to satisfy their own tastes. One of the solutions is to these temperature swings is to remount the units in the locked air handler rooms with its sensor outside. Another solution was to encase the thermostats within a plastic box which keeps the controls of the unit away from the temperature changers. Both solutions involved considerable expense to the Gatherings. It was hoped that "Common Courtesy" would prevail as it became understood that only a few degrees change in designated temperature could cost the Association hundreds of dollars a month in additional energy costs.
Malcolm Kirsop led a discussion about the address sign in front of Building 5. It was damaged during a routine lawn maintenance operation but has since been repaired and re-installed. To help protect the sign from further damage our landscape company will plant low bushes and flowers around it to keep it away from the mowing machines. A few of the residents commented that the sign was too low and could not be seen from the street. This complaint is being looked into. There will be no charge for the new plantings.
Vice President Kirsop also announced that the Landscaping Committee had possession of the watering bags for the trees on the berm alongside Building 5. Boy Scouts associated with Grace Memorial Church will keep the bags full of water as they work towards earning merit badges for their efforts. VP Kirsop also said that at the present rate of spending, which included replacing dead trees, he hoped that the Landscape Committee would have a 3 to 4 thousand dollar surplus at the end of the budget year.
There was a discussion of the Transition Study now underway by the Falcon engineering group. The purpose of the study is to ultimately examine all the common areas of the Gatherings buildings, including the Clubhouse, with the purpose of identifying errors in construction for which the builder, Beazer, has responsibility. The study has to be completed and any claims made prior to the builder's termination of responsibility at the end of a proscribed 5 year period after which major issues such as faulty roof installation, plumbing, electrical, and fire detection problems become the Association's responsibility. One major issue, the tight, closet-installation of each unit's air handler, is being investigated as to whether or not it violates Virginia's building code.
A contract for elevator maintenaance for Building 4 is about to be signed with the existing company. However, because of this company's high fees a search is now underway for a different contractor to handle all of the building's elevators provided the existing contract can be terminated before the contract's current expiration date many years down the road.
With the election of Board Members for next year only 100 days away Alternate Board Member Sue Berg has agreed to head the Election Committe. She will be assisted by unit owner Debi Levi. To meet all the regulations concerning the election the process of submitting applications must begin no later than 65 days prior to the election date.
The Board voted to spend approximately $100 to purchase 10 folding chairs for the Clubhouse to ease the seating shortage when crowded events are held in the facility.
Finally, a major discussion was held on the shortage of parking spaces around Buildings 4 and 5 after all the parking areas were recently assigned and marked. Below is a letter send to Board of Directors President Liz Schrader which summarized the frustrations of many unit owners.
Dear Liz. I am not one to make complaints but one of the reasons I moved to this condo unit was
that there was ample parking for my visitors. When I bought into the units, I understood that were
had 2 assigned parking spaces per unit. For a long time others were using my space because the
spaces were not labeled. I thought that by not using their assigned spaces in front of their garage
units was inconsiderate, left very limited parking for those that did not have skirts in front of their
garages, and no parking for visitors. I know that the rules state, "any unit owner having the right to
use one or more I limited common element parking spaces may use any adjacent area not within
another unit owner's parking space if such space in not otherwise necessary for the use of the Unit
Owners Association". Since there were plans for painting of the assigned parking I was patient.
Presently I have 2 parking spaces. One in the garage and one in the parking lot. There are many
residents that think they are entitled to 3 parking space. One in the garage, their skirt in front of
their garage, and a private "visitor" space. I thought the painting of the parking area would solve
the parking problem however it is worse. Some do not know what "visitor" means. Under the
rules the label "visitor" has been posted because parking for visitors is "necessary for the use of the
· Unit Owners Association". I interpret this as "visitor "parking should be shared by all the units
and not by just a few. I know that it is an inconvenience to move a second car to get a car out of a
garage but it is an inconvenience to have a visitor, some which are elderly and workmen, to park a
block away. I am disappointed that when I have more that one person visit me, they cannot find a
"visitor" parking space and not a handicap space if needed, since one is also used as a private
parking area. I know this is a very sensitive subject, but I am hoping that members of the
association can be more considerate.
If the board is considering amending the parking rules, they may consider amending it to include
extended visitor parking. As the rules are written at this time, a unit's guest may park their car in a
"visitor" parking space for an extended period of time while they take a vacation out of the area.
This has been a problem in other condo communities and they have written rules against this. As
the parking rules are written, we are open to this problem occurring in the future.
A solution to this problem is now being investigated however, once again, the Board has recommended that the idea of "Common Courtesy" guide the residents to a resolution of this situation. Hopefully, they said, unit owners will adhere to their assigned spaces and keep additional cars away from the Vistor's section so that families and trades can find parking spaces. The Board would prefer to not act as a policeman and requests that owners evaluate their own use of the parking spaces and extend "Common Courtesy" to other unit owners who are already abiding by the parking rules.
Board of Directors Open Meeting - Wednesday, April 19, 2017
The big news of this meeting was the announcement that the Board of Directors had renewed the contract with the Gathering's management company CMC Community Management for a new, four-year term effective June 1st. The contract contains a provision that it may be canceled at any time with 90 days notice.
There was good news in another Board announcement that a new insurance company had been found that will provide coverage for the community's buildings at significant less cost than the previous company had charged.
The Board also received an overdue insurance payment of $9,000 to help pay for the widespread damage of last year's water leaks in the fire prevention system. This system will be re-inspected in all the buildings as a provision of the new insurance company's taking over the policies.
More money flowed into the community's reserves when it received a $10,000 check from the Columbia Gas company as payment for an easement to allow it to build a new gas line behind Building 4. Work on the gas line was to have begun in April but this has now been postponed until September or October as the gas company works out problems with other properties along the route of the new line. At the meeting one of the residents was assured that easement money would not be used to pay for any problems left behind as a result of the new construction as that would be the responsibility of Columbia Gas.
A new laptop computer has been received by the Board and is in the possession of Board Secretary Kay Witt. It will be used to prepare the electronic fobs used to gain entrance to the Clubhouse. The Clubhouse computer has also been re-programmed to reflect the change to Daylight Savings Time. The doors to the Clubhouse will be receptive to the fobs beginning at 6 AM each day. The fobs will cease to work at 10 PM.
There was considerable conversation, led by Building's Captain Chairman Ben Rodriguez, about the potential fire hazard of lint accumulation in our building's many dryer vents. The results of his committee's vent inspection can be found in the minutes of the Building Captain's Report which is included in the "Committee" section of this website. Access it by clicking here. There was a discussion as to whether or not it was in the Community's interest to have all the vents in all the buildings cleaned at the same time at five-year intervals to not only insure that the work was 100% completed but, also, to gain the price advantage of a mass purchase of this service. Savings to each unit owner was estimated to be about 50% less than if each owner contracted separately for the work. Owners were reminded that if they have had their vents cleaned privately they should be sure to preserve any documentation proving the work was done.
Dog poop popped up again as a sticking point in a Board meeting. Seems some unit owners are not picking up their canines daily deposits. The result is bad for the lawns as well as us humans. Bagged droppings should not be disposed of either in the lobby trash cans or in the trash room bins. They should be put in the bins in the outside corrals. Also, there was another reminder issued about all dogs being licensed and vaccinated, with proof thereof, if they were to continue their residencies in the Gatherings.
With the discovery of a second propane tank at the Clubhouse it was requested that a notification be given to the board when a tank became empty so that it could be refilled allowing for a spare tank to be ready if a tank runs dry during a BBQ on the Clubhouse patio.
The Board is waiting to find out if there will a volunteer team of Scouts coming to help with the watering of the community's landscape at no cost to us. Newly planted trees need at least three years of attention as their roots grow out to accommodate them. A purchase is being considered of water bags that will help each tree get the moisture it needs to thrive during dry times.
The unit keys many residents provided for emergency access will soon find their way to the lock boxes that reside in the elevator rooms of each building.
Finally, unit owners who have freezers or refrigerators in their store rooms will soon be informed of the small fee that will be added to their monthly assessment to cover the cost of electricity for those machines.
There was good news in another Board announcement that a new insurance company had been found that will provide coverage for the community's buildings at significant less cost than the previous company had charged.
The Board also received an overdue insurance payment of $9,000 to help pay for the widespread damage of last year's water leaks in the fire prevention system. This system will be re-inspected in all the buildings as a provision of the new insurance company's taking over the policies.
More money flowed into the community's reserves when it received a $10,000 check from the Columbia Gas company as payment for an easement to allow it to build a new gas line behind Building 4. Work on the gas line was to have begun in April but this has now been postponed until September or October as the gas company works out problems with other properties along the route of the new line. At the meeting one of the residents was assured that easement money would not be used to pay for any problems left behind as a result of the new construction as that would be the responsibility of Columbia Gas.
A new laptop computer has been received by the Board and is in the possession of Board Secretary Kay Witt. It will be used to prepare the electronic fobs used to gain entrance to the Clubhouse. The Clubhouse computer has also been re-programmed to reflect the change to Daylight Savings Time. The doors to the Clubhouse will be receptive to the fobs beginning at 6 AM each day. The fobs will cease to work at 10 PM.
There was considerable conversation, led by Building's Captain Chairman Ben Rodriguez, about the potential fire hazard of lint accumulation in our building's many dryer vents. The results of his committee's vent inspection can be found in the minutes of the Building Captain's Report which is included in the "Committee" section of this website. Access it by clicking here. There was a discussion as to whether or not it was in the Community's interest to have all the vents in all the buildings cleaned at the same time at five-year intervals to not only insure that the work was 100% completed but, also, to gain the price advantage of a mass purchase of this service. Savings to each unit owner was estimated to be about 50% less than if each owner contracted separately for the work. Owners were reminded that if they have had their vents cleaned privately they should be sure to preserve any documentation proving the work was done.
Dog poop popped up again as a sticking point in a Board meeting. Seems some unit owners are not picking up their canines daily deposits. The result is bad for the lawns as well as us humans. Bagged droppings should not be disposed of either in the lobby trash cans or in the trash room bins. They should be put in the bins in the outside corrals. Also, there was another reminder issued about all dogs being licensed and vaccinated, with proof thereof, if they were to continue their residencies in the Gatherings.
With the discovery of a second propane tank at the Clubhouse it was requested that a notification be given to the board when a tank became empty so that it could be refilled allowing for a spare tank to be ready if a tank runs dry during a BBQ on the Clubhouse patio.
The Board is waiting to find out if there will a volunteer team of Scouts coming to help with the watering of the community's landscape at no cost to us. Newly planted trees need at least three years of attention as their roots grow out to accommodate them. A purchase is being considered of water bags that will help each tree get the moisture it needs to thrive during dry times.
The unit keys many residents provided for emergency access will soon find their way to the lock boxes that reside in the elevator rooms of each building.
Finally, unit owners who have freezers or refrigerators in their store rooms will soon be informed of the small fee that will be added to their monthly assessment to cover the cost of electricity for those machines.
January 10, 2017
At the January 10th meeting of the Board of Directors it was decided to have regular meetings at the Community Clubhouse on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM. The next Board of Directors meeting will be held on February 8th. These meetings double as the Quarterly Meetings at the same time and place every three months beginning on March 8, 2017.
Quarterly meetings have been scheduled for March 8th, June 14th, September 13th and December 13th.
The Annual Association Meeting is scheduled for October with the exact date and time dependent on the availability of Fellowship Hall at the Grace United Methodist Church.
The Board of Directors also approved the purchase and installation of two items.
The first is two hose reels to be used by the Landscape Committee. They'll be stored in the lobby air conditioning rooms during the winter months.
The second purchase is for five benches. Each building will have a bench at its entrance portico so our residents can sit while waiting for a ride. These items and the hose reels were paid out of surplus in the Landscape Committee's budget.
The Board of Directors has also begun a search for a new insurance carrier with the idea of reducing the premiums now being paid.
Quarterly meetings have been scheduled for March 8th, June 14th, September 13th and December 13th.
The Annual Association Meeting is scheduled for October with the exact date and time dependent on the availability of Fellowship Hall at the Grace United Methodist Church.
The Board of Directors also approved the purchase and installation of two items.
The first is two hose reels to be used by the Landscape Committee. They'll be stored in the lobby air conditioning rooms during the winter months.
The second purchase is for five benches. Each building will have a bench at its entrance portico so our residents can sit while waiting for a ride. These items and the hose reels were paid out of surplus in the Landscape Committee's budget.
The Board of Directors has also begun a search for a new insurance carrier with the idea of reducing the premiums now being paid.
February 8, 2017
The February 8th meeting of The Board of Directors featured a lively discussion on the boundaries of the Board when it comes to purchasing amenity items, such as the entry way benches, for the Community with the Board doing so without getting the approval through a Community vote. The condo association's attorney prepared a letter outlining the responsibilities of the Board and the specific powers it has. One of those powers is the making of purchases on behalf of the community without putting it to a vote. However, there was an agreement that future purchases of amenities would be announced in advance in a published Board meeting agenda and be subject to discussion at those meetings before a final decision was made by The Board of Directors to go ahead with the buy. Actually, it was the same procedure used for the purchase of the benches. If you would like to read what the attorney wrote about the various responsibilities and prerogatives of the Board of Directors click here.
Other matters the residents brought before the Board included a complaint about proper leaf removal from the ground floor patios in the Spring and Fall. The Board agreed that, in the future, the landscape contractor will not be given strict dates for the removal of the debris but, instead, will, at the direction of the Board, do the cleanup after the bulk of the leaves have actually fallen.
There was a discussion of removing items of lumber that blocked the walkway behind Building 4. The lumber will be removed however, no gate will be installed at that location.
An inquiry to the Board about the safety of the Community's elevators resulted in the revelation that the contract for elevator maintenance called for four routine inspections per year. Any malfunctions that occur between these inspections are costly to repair partly because of the contractor's extreme distance from the Community. A search for a closer contractor is presently underway.
Residents were reminded that they must submit written requests to the Board of Directors if they wish to install a freezer or refrigerator in their garage or storage room. Approval depends on the assurance of electrical safety and the assumption of the costs, by the appliance owner, for the installation of the machines and the electricity used.
The residents of Building 4 were reminded that it is important they add their names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses to the Community roster.
Providing a key for emergency entry into the units is no longer a requirement. However, the Board recommended that the owners provide keys to persons of their choice and that they inform their Building Captains who has been given those keys. A secure lock box in the elevator motor room is available for those who wish to place their keys there instead of giving them to someone else. Each key will contain a code and only the Board of Directors will keep the list of the owners of those keys. It was estimated that if the Fire Department had to break into a unit the cost to repair the damage and fix the door could possibly exceed $1,000.
The Transition Study is underway and soon residents of Buildings 1-3 will be asked to fill-in a form indicating problems they have encountered in the common property, which means not within the confines of their units. The study is costly and has been included in this year's budget and will be included in next year's budget as well. (For more details about the study see the item about the Transition Engineering Study below.)
A review of the Rules and Regulation will shortly be underway with Board member Sue Berg heading up a committee to recommend changes and additions. Sue welcomes volunteers to help in this project.
At the request of Board of Directors President, Liz Schrader, a Welcoming Committee has been approved for which Liz seeks volunteers. They will meet and greet new unit owners and provide information and good will to recent arrivals as they begin their journey in this Community.
There was a reminder that, in April, Columbia Gas will begin its work of installing a new gas main in this area. It will go east on Wellington Ave. and turn south on Dumfries Road passing behind Building 4. An easement fee of $10,000 will be paid to the Community by Columbia Gas for the disruption the work will cause.
Finally, there was a discussion of the small number of handicapped parking spaces for Buildings 4 and 5 as well as the lack of numbered reserved spaces for the rest of these building's residents. Each unit in the Community is entitled to two spaces. The short driveways in front of the garages within the main buildings count as one of those two spaces with the garage itself counting as the other space. The remaining outside spaces will be numbered and assigned when ready. Beazer is being notified of this need and will be asked to do the numbering work, which is their responsibility, as soon as possible.
There was a discussion of removing items of lumber that blocked the walkway behind Building 4. The lumber will be removed however, no gate will be installed at that location.
An inquiry to the Board about the safety of the Community's elevators resulted in the revelation that the contract for elevator maintenance called for four routine inspections per year. Any malfunctions that occur between these inspections are costly to repair partly because of the contractor's extreme distance from the Community. A search for a closer contractor is presently underway.
Residents were reminded that they must submit written requests to the Board of Directors if they wish to install a freezer or refrigerator in their garage or storage room. Approval depends on the assurance of electrical safety and the assumption of the costs, by the appliance owner, for the installation of the machines and the electricity used.
The residents of Building 4 were reminded that it is important they add their names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses to the Community roster.
Providing a key for emergency entry into the units is no longer a requirement. However, the Board recommended that the owners provide keys to persons of their choice and that they inform their Building Captains who has been given those keys. A secure lock box in the elevator motor room is available for those who wish to place their keys there instead of giving them to someone else. Each key will contain a code and only the Board of Directors will keep the list of the owners of those keys. It was estimated that if the Fire Department had to break into a unit the cost to repair the damage and fix the door could possibly exceed $1,000.
The Transition Study is underway and soon residents of Buildings 1-3 will be asked to fill-in a form indicating problems they have encountered in the common property, which means not within the confines of their units. The study is costly and has been included in this year's budget and will be included in next year's budget as well. (For more details about the study see the item about the Transition Engineering Study below.)
A review of the Rules and Regulation will shortly be underway with Board member Sue Berg heading up a committee to recommend changes and additions. Sue welcomes volunteers to help in this project.
At the request of Board of Directors President, Liz Schrader, a Welcoming Committee has been approved for which Liz seeks volunteers. They will meet and greet new unit owners and provide information and good will to recent arrivals as they begin their journey in this Community.
There was a reminder that, in April, Columbia Gas will begin its work of installing a new gas main in this area. It will go east on Wellington Ave. and turn south on Dumfries Road passing behind Building 4. An easement fee of $10,000 will be paid to the Community by Columbia Gas for the disruption the work will cause.
Finally, there was a discussion of the small number of handicapped parking spaces for Buildings 4 and 5 as well as the lack of numbered reserved spaces for the rest of these building's residents. Each unit in the Community is entitled to two spaces. The short driveways in front of the garages within the main buildings count as one of those two spaces with the garage itself counting as the other space. The remaining outside spaces will be numbered and assigned when ready. Beazer is being notified of this need and will be asked to do the numbering work, which is their responsibility, as soon as possible.
March 8, 2017
At this well-attended Quarterly Meeting of the Board of Directors Chairman of the Captain's Committee, Ben Rodriguez, reported that a resident had reported a possible break-in to their apartment. He reminded everyone that they be careful to keep their units locked at all times and to confront or report any strangers encountered in the hallways. Unit owners who suspect a crime should report the event directly to the police.
The chairperson of the Social Committee reported a good turn-out for the recent wine tasting event in the Clubhouse. She proudly reported that the Committee has, thus far, been able to make most of their events financially self-supporting and that they had accumulated a small surplus of funds. As of now they have not needed to use any part of the budgeted funds assigned to them in our community's annual budget. However, it was stated, that those funds will most probably be called upon for their Christmas events.
The Traffic Committee reported that after a number of calls to the City of Manassas an agreement has been reached to discuss their request for marked crossings on Hastings Drive and Hendley Road at a soon to be determined meeting of the Manassas Department of Public Works.
The Management company reported a year-end surplus in the budget for 2016 with January still under budget as well. They said the funds could be used to increase the reserves or to help pay for expenses that will soon be showing up in the next monthly accounting report.
Residents of Building 4 were reminded to be on the lookout for information regarding the refinishing of the garage hallway floors on the 16th of March. A sealer will be applied that needs sufficient time to dry. Residents will be asked not to enter these hallways during an evening time interval that will be announced shortly.
The approval of the wooden platform behind Building 4 is still in a state of limbo needing a final OK from the City of Manassas. Approval depends on the filing of a new site plan and other administrative procedures. It is expected that the platform will be approved when all is said and done.
There was a discussion of the forthcoming striping and numbering for reserved parking places for Buildings 4 and 5. The work is estimated to cost approximately $615. Residents are cautioned that when the work is scheduled to be performed they had better move their cars out of the parking lots around the buildings. Any cars that are not moved will be subject to a towing fee of $130 payable by the car's owner. When the work is complete many owners will have to find alternative parking if they have not been assigned a reserved spot.
There was a discussion of how the yearly assessments are made for each of the units. Briefly, the amounts are determined by a formula that takes into account the size of each unit and perhaps other factors that were determined by the builder or the law some time ago. These weighted numbers represent the proportional share of the total condo expenses. They all add up to 100% with the larger units paying more than the smaller units. The exact amount each unit pays is determined in September when the budget for the following year is considered and approved by the Board of Directors. Items reflected in the assessments include electrical, water and insurance costs for the common areas as well as a reserve fund to cover future repairs to the roofs, elevators, sidewalks, driveways and fire suppression systems. Unforeseen events can also cause budgets and assessments to rise. Currently, a study is being made of Buildings 1, 2 and 3 to discover if any major problems exist that must be fixed by the builders before they leave and cede responsibility to the community itself.
The chairperson of the Social Committee reported a good turn-out for the recent wine tasting event in the Clubhouse. She proudly reported that the Committee has, thus far, been able to make most of their events financially self-supporting and that they had accumulated a small surplus of funds. As of now they have not needed to use any part of the budgeted funds assigned to them in our community's annual budget. However, it was stated, that those funds will most probably be called upon for their Christmas events.
The Traffic Committee reported that after a number of calls to the City of Manassas an agreement has been reached to discuss their request for marked crossings on Hastings Drive and Hendley Road at a soon to be determined meeting of the Manassas Department of Public Works.
The Management company reported a year-end surplus in the budget for 2016 with January still under budget as well. They said the funds could be used to increase the reserves or to help pay for expenses that will soon be showing up in the next monthly accounting report.
Residents of Building 4 were reminded to be on the lookout for information regarding the refinishing of the garage hallway floors on the 16th of March. A sealer will be applied that needs sufficient time to dry. Residents will be asked not to enter these hallways during an evening time interval that will be announced shortly.
The approval of the wooden platform behind Building 4 is still in a state of limbo needing a final OK from the City of Manassas. Approval depends on the filing of a new site plan and other administrative procedures. It is expected that the platform will be approved when all is said and done.
There was a discussion of the forthcoming striping and numbering for reserved parking places for Buildings 4 and 5. The work is estimated to cost approximately $615. Residents are cautioned that when the work is scheduled to be performed they had better move their cars out of the parking lots around the buildings. Any cars that are not moved will be subject to a towing fee of $130 payable by the car's owner. When the work is complete many owners will have to find alternative parking if they have not been assigned a reserved spot.
There was a discussion of how the yearly assessments are made for each of the units. Briefly, the amounts are determined by a formula that takes into account the size of each unit and perhaps other factors that were determined by the builder or the law some time ago. These weighted numbers represent the proportional share of the total condo expenses. They all add up to 100% with the larger units paying more than the smaller units. The exact amount each unit pays is determined in September when the budget for the following year is considered and approved by the Board of Directors. Items reflected in the assessments include electrical, water and insurance costs for the common areas as well as a reserve fund to cover future repairs to the roofs, elevators, sidewalks, driveways and fire suppression systems. Unforeseen events can also cause budgets and assessments to rise. Currently, a study is being made of Buildings 1, 2 and 3 to discover if any major problems exist that must be fixed by the builders before they leave and cede responsibility to the community itself.