A Response to Letter Mailed by TAJ BOD

The following letter is being posted here at the request of unit owners that received it via email on 5 Aug, and with the permission of the author Bryan Sklar. It is in response to a correspondence that was apparently mailed by the TAJ BOD.

**************

Mr. Lovell - I would appreciate if you are going to share my letter with the community that you do so in full, and without edits or changes. I don't like being plagiarized or misquoted.  While I am happy that you found some of the information in here useful, you changed the tone of the message to one that supports your activities.

Let me be clear - I think you should resign. I think you are immoral, that you behave in an unethical manner, that you are self-serving.

The Board acted - in my opinion - in an unethical and immoral manner when they allowed Wendi to remain on the board after she transferred title of her property. Basically John, you decided it was better to keep Wendi on the Board by giving her half of one of your units, then for the 6 remaining board members to step up and take responsibility.

You hired Wendi as the Property Manager, creating a potential conflict by having a unit owner and Board Member receiving compensation. The Board had a resolution many years ago that prohibited unit owners from working in the office - I believe you voted on this as well (it was when E [unit owner] worked in the office and was sharing information about JN [the property manager at the time] ).

Perception becomes reality - and the community perceives what you all did as underhanded, manipulative and deceitful.

John, you made a comment recently that you were concerned about why people were trying so hard to get on the board and their motivations - after 10 years on the Board that could be said about you as well. Isn't it time you resign, take care of your health, and let others be on the board? How many times has Building 1 been repaired in the past 12 years when you were on the Board?

If you cannot fix your own building right, where you owned 5 units at one time, how can the Association expect you to work in their best interests to fix their buildings? It's obvious from looking at Building 1 how bad a job you have done selecting contractors and fixing the problem.

Special Assessment Meeting, Well Done

I happened to stop in and listen to a portion of the Special Assessment (SA) meeting that was held on January 4th.  I was able to see the paperwork that the BOD had prepared for the owners, and to listen to the dialogue that they were having.  

Because I have attended many SA meetings I know how they often transpire.  It seems that unit owners are typically on edge and suspicious (and who can blame them) and that the BOD members are frequently under-prepared and defensive.

Pictured, left to right: John Lovell, Mark Morgenstern, Carol Hazan, and Paulette Watson.

I was very pleased to see that the BOD was very well prepared with paperwork that appeared professionally done (thanks to the management office).  They BOD members, themselves, were relaxed, respectful, and not overly defensive.  As a result, in spite of palpable tension, unit owners were also respectful.  A genuine dialogue took place between the two groups, and difficult decisions were made with both parties appropriately represented.  

My hats off to the BOD and the management staff for their hard work and dedication in this matter.  If this is a sample of how they conduct themselves in all matters, then we have a fine BOD (and management office), indeed.  I also congratulate the unit owners of building 34 for their respectful conduct in such a difficult situation. 

2009-2010 Board of Director Members

[Wendi Hill, picture removed upon request]

W2ndy H1ll and John Lovell

Carol Hazen and Paulette Watson


Phyllis Fabara and Ben Odebralski


Mark Morgenstern

BOD Election Results

124... Phyllis Fabara
124... Paulette Watson
093... Ben Odebralski
080... John Lovell
054... Esther Leacock
050... Elliot Schertzer

• 147 votes were cast,
  
• 10 ballots were disqualified,
  
• the ballots were inspected by several unit owners and all appeared to have been individually filled out -- there were no photocopied votes

Participating in the vote count:

• Beth Lindie (the TAJ general purpose attorney)
• Beth G (office manager)
• Sue Cozia (building 44)
• Jill Mann (building 43)

The meeting was adjourned at 11:09pm.

[Haga clic aquí para la Traducción al español]

Submitted By a Unit Owner Re Recent Events

Una traducción española está disponible en Web site: www.TAJWatchSpanish.blogspot.com

All:

I don’t know about you but I am incensed over the actions of our new BOD!

First, they didn’t pass an assessment for Building 1 that has been lingering for months, so all of us have paid for Building 1’s Wilma repairs. Even if they were overcharged, BY LAW, they still must repay the money to our operating account and dispute the charges afterward. The Association, YOU & ME, have already paid this bill! Further, they want Jim Miles to give a credit back, but this would have to be reported to our insurance company and COULD jeopardize a million dollar claim. Their answer??? “Let the chips fall where they may!”…all for the sake of one building (where 3 BOD members reside) and to the detriment of the entire community.

IS THIS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU???

Next, they fired Bette Ann today…but that isn’t so much the issue but how it was handled! First, upon Lue’s call, John, Wendi and Yvonne came racing to the office (I was almost run over) with the police and demanded that Charlotte and Bette Ann leave. No transition, no new property manager in place, outstanding assessments that need to be billed…What’s more, someone accused Charlotte of having an affair with a BOD member…and now I’ve learned that they are accusing Charlotte of receiving kickbacks from Jim Miles! What other vicious lies and rumors are they spreading? Where’s the proof? They are opening us up to an unbelievable lawsuit.

IS THIS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU???

And now, certain BOD members (John, Yvonne, and Augusta) asked Manny to resign. An individual who has served this association selflessly and who was elected by the unit owners. An individual who could provide stability and ease the transition for a new property manager.

IS THIS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU???

Our new BOD, some of whom ran on a platform of inclusion of homeowners, has told unit owners that they “are not allowed in the office”, cannot voice an opinion, cannot speak at BOD meetings.

IS THIS ACCEPTABLE TO YOU??? IS THIS WHAT WE VOTED FOR???

We must rally the homeowners to attend meetings, to participate, and to be vigilant with this new board. Who is willing to step up to let this BOD know that their actions are UNACCEPTABLE!

Submitted by Valerie DeRoy, posted without changes.

A Spanish translation is available on website: www.TAJWatchSpanish.blogspot.com
Una traducción española está disponible en Web site: www.TAJWatchSpanish.blogspot.com

New TAJ BOD Officers

I was unable to attend the Monday evening BOD meeting, but a reliable TAJ unit owner has reported the following results in the election of officers:

President is Manny Solomon, who defeated John Lovell 4-3.
Vice President is W. Hill, who defeated John Lovell 4-3.
Treasurer is John Lovell, who was unopposed for the position.
Secretary is Ben Odebralski, who was unopposed for the position.

It was reportedly a rare event in which all seven BOD members were in attendance for a meeting. But shortly after the election of officers*, Teresa Levy (who has attended less than a handful of BOD meetings over the past year) departed and left the work to the remaining BOD members.

It was told to this author that two of the newly elected BOD members, Yvonne and Augusta, both declined the suggestion that they serve as officers.

Also, the BOD has apparently decided to not take on the burden of taking and typing the meeting minutes. They have decided to continue to delegate that task to the already busy Property Manager, as they have for the past several years without much success. What a great disappointment that the BOD is missing this opportunity to improve communications with the community.**

*In a previous version of this post I had reported that Levy had voted for Lovell. I have become aware, now, that the voting was held by secret ballot and therefore it is not possible to determine who voted for which officers.
**Correction: I have been corrected by a unit owner who attended the meeting that the BOD has at least expressed an interest in hiring an outside company to handle the taking of minutes.

No podía assistir a la reunión del TÍO de la tarde de lunes, pero un dueño confiable de la unidad de TAJ ha divulgado los resultados siguientes en la elección de oficiales:

El presidente es Manny Solomon, que derrotó a Juan Lovell 4-3.
El vice presidente es W. Hill, que derrotó a Juan Lovell 4-3.
El tesorero es Juan Lovell, que era sin oposición para la posición.
La secretaria es Ben Odebralski, que era sin oposición para la posición.

Era según se informa un acontecimiento raro en el cual los siete miembros del TÍO estaban allí para una reunión. Pero poco después de la elección del officers*, la recaudación de Teresa (quién ha atendido menos que un puñado de reuniones del TÍO durante el último año) salió y dejó el trabajo a los miembros restantes del TÍO.

Fue dicho a este autor que dos de los miembros, de la Yvonne y de la Augusta nuevamente elegidos del TÍO, ambos disminuyeron la sugerencia que sirven como oficiales.

También, el TÍO ha decidido al parecer a no adquirir la carga de tardar y de mecanografiar los minutos de reunión. Han decidido continuar delegando esa tarea al encargado de característica ya ocupado, como tienen por los últimos años sin mucho éxito. Una qué gran decepción que el TÍO está perdiendo esta oportunidad de mejorar comunicaciones con la comunidad.

*In una versión previa de este poste había divulgado que la recaudación había votado por Lovell. He sido enterado, ahora, que la votación fue celebrada mediante voto secreto y por lo tanto no es posible determinar quién votó por qué oficiales.
** Corrección: A un dueño de la unidad me he corregido que assistió a la reunión que el TÍO por lo menos ha expresado un interés en contratar a una compañía exterior para manejar tomar de minutos.