Michelle Clifton gains seat on Westmoreland Condo Board

At tonight's Westmoreland Condo Board meeting, Michelle Clifton officially took over the Board seat of Valerie Corda, who has moved away.  Condo Board positions are unpaid positions.  Condo Board members strive to ensure that condo fees are spent well and that Westmoreland remains a nice place to live.   Show some appreciation for your Condo Board members' service by not pestering them with personal requests or calling them in the middle of the night.

The perennials approved at the August Condo Board meeting have not yet been planted.  They should be planted latter this week. 

The Board approved a three-year landscaping contract with Lancaster Landscaping at a cost of $27 thousand per year.  If landscaping performance is poor, the Board can terminate the contract at no cost with 30-days notice. 

The snow removal contract with Lancaster Landscaping for this winter was also renewed.  While there has been some confusion about the size of last winter's large snow removal bill, figures presented at this meeting show the total cost to have been $21 thousand.

An annual unit maintenance reminder notice will be sent soon to all owners and renters.

The Board and residents discussed the projected 10-year, 10% per year projected increase in condo fees. A special assessment to raise funds for roof and facade repairs was considered less desirable than a multi-year increase in condo fees.  Views differed on how this projected increase in condo fees would affect the level of Westmoreland condo fees relative to other similar condo buildings in the area.  Views also differed on the likelihood that some years subsequent to 10 years from now Westmoreland condo fees will be reduced.

Residents are reminded that they should not go on condo building roofs.  Doing so damages the roofing and increases the likelihood of leaks and expensive roof repairs.

Attending the meeting were Board members Jose Calvo, Jennifer Hastings, Joseph Ruland, and Emil Tabakov; residents Alicia, Douglas, Mark, and Meredith; and Property Manager Dennis Freeman.

Regularly scheduled Board meetings occur on the last Monday of the month at 7pm.  The posted announcement for this month's meeting incorrectly listed the meeting time as 7:30pm.  The next regularly scheduled Board meeting is Nov. 29, 7pm, in the onsite management office.

Emil Tabakov re-elected to Westmoreland Condo Board

At the Westmoreland Terrace Condominium's Annual Meeting today, Board member Emil Tabakov was re-elected with an overwhelming margin to another three-year term on the Condo Board.

Prior to the meeting, residents discussed a fire that occurred in our trash container near Ft. Myer Heights Park this past Sat. night about 2 or 3am. The Arlington Fire Department arrived at the scene and put out the fire. The fire melted two recycling bins. The cause of the fire isn't clear.

The Condo Board approved the upcoming year's budget and a 11.2% increase in condo fees. That increase amounts to about $28 per month per unit. The condo fee increase supports the ten-year program of facade work and roof replacements. It also allows for an increase in condo reserves, which currently stand at $373,000.

Extraordinary expenses this year including replacing a broken main electrical switch and meter panel outside building 1311. The switch failed to go back on after it was shut off for the roof replacement on 1311. The switches have not been replaced at least since the complex was converted in condos in 1982. Building 1303 also has an outside switch. The plan is to wait for use/failure occurs before replacement.

Another extraordinary expense this year was for snow removal. The budget lists snow removal costs of $19,544 through 2/28/2010. Apparently the $30,000 figure for snow removal given at the last condo board meeting was incorrect.

Other budget item discussions:

• The Westmoreland water and sewer budget is $41,000 for fiscal year 2011.  With our 148 units, that amounts to about $23 per month per unit.  That cost does not include the $22,000 gas budget to heat hot water.   The Property Manager said that these expenses are in the normal range.
• The telephone system entry cost of $6,840 includes costs for maintaining the system.  Having unlocked entry doors isn't desired.  Possibilities for a more cost-effective buzzer-entry system don't seem promising.
• The Property Manager said that the "Administrative Expense" of 2,484 under the Administrative expense section includes payroll processing charges, fees associated with collecting unpaid accounts (in addition to the itemized $100 budgeted for "collection letter fees") and county document filing fees (in addition to the itemized $2,400 for "legal").

Attending the meeting were Condo Board members Jose Calvo, Valerie Corda, Jennifer Feinleib, and Emil Tabakov, seven residents, and Property Manager Dennis Freeman of Zalco Realty.  The next regularly scheduled Condo Board meeting is May 24, 7pm, in the Condo Office.

notes from Oct. Westmoreland Condo Board meeting

Some notes from this past Monday's Condo Board meeting:

• We are still waiting for Verizon to start installing Fios.  No one knows when installation will begin.
  
• The roof repair on 1311 is nearly complete.  Most of the repair was done in 2-3 days.
• Pruning of tree branches, particularly dead branches over the parking lot of 1301, is underway.
• The Board approved re-engagement of auditor.  Cost is $2,500 for auditing of annual accounts, $350 for tax return, and $75 administrative fee
• A sewer backup in building 1309, along with one earlier this summer in 1307, makes clear the importance of seriously addressing this problem.  The Board has decided to hydrojet all the sewer lines.  Moreover, this will be done annually.  The cost is a few thousand dollars per year.  Arlington County has recently highlighted that pouring fats, oils, and grease (FOG) down drains clogs county sewer lines. Pour grease into a can, let it solidify, and then throw out the can.  This will decrease the probability of sewer disasters in Westmoreland and across Arlington County.
  
• Westmoreland is still waiting for repair of the parking lot resurfacing.  No money has yet been paid for the resurfacing, and no money will be paid until the problems with the resurfacing are fixed.
• A resident sought approval to install an exhaust vent.  Approval is regularly granting once necessary arrangements have been made with the contractor to make the modification in accordance with condo standards.

Condo Board members Jose Calvo, Emil Tabakov, Valerie Corda, Jennifer Hastings, and Joe Ruland, residents Gretchen S. and Douglas G., and Property Manager Dennis Freeman attended the meeting.  That's right, the number of Board members attending was more than twice as great the number of non-Board residents attending.  Residents should be grateful for the service of our busy, unpaid Condo Board members.  One way to show some appreciation would be to show up for some meetings.

The next regularly scheduled Condo Board meeting is Monday, Nov. 23, at 7pm.