February Minutes

 Board members present: Sarah Wise, president; Larry Sagstetter, vice president;
Margie St. Jacques, treasurer; Hank French, secretary; Ann McNattin, member at
large.

Also present: Mike Severson, building manager.

Eight homeowners present.
I. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 6:32 p.m.

II. Secretary’s Report: Moved, seconded, and voted to approve the minutes
for the January 2024 board meeting as written.

III. Treasurer’s Report: For January 2024, the opening balance was
$458,449.03 and the closing balance was $466,809.81. This represents an
increase from the opening balance of $8,360.78. As of the end of January,
we had $49,666.32 in our operating checking account, and $417,143.49
in reserve accounts. (Note: The reserve accounts are one operating CD
with North American Bank, a money market account with Premier Bank, a
Premier CD, an NAB CD, a savings account with Royal Credit Union, and
three CDs with Royal Credit Union.) Moved, seconded, and voted to
approve the Treasurer’s Report.

IV. Committee Reports:
a. Welcoming Committee: Since the last meeting, two new homeowners
have moved into the Atrium: Judith Julien in #113 and Nicholas
Varichak in #319. We warmly welcome them to the Atrium and trust
they will find this to be a great place to live.
b. Recreation Committee: No new events currently planned.

V. Management Report:
a. Mike reported that Keller has contracted with Michael P. Mullen,
CPA/PLLC to conduct a review of the Association’s financial statements
for tax year 2023 and a full audit of our financial statements for the tax
year 2024. As mentioned in the January minutes, for independent
financial reviews and audits, we have been on a three-year schedule
with independent financial reviews for two consecutive years and a
full independent audit in the third year.

b. Last month, two of the three HVAC units on the rooftop which provide
heat and air conditioning to the common areas stopped working. Via
email, the Board approved repair of the units and Mike arranged with
Wenzel Heating & Air Conditioning to repair the units at a cost of
$2,160, which the Board approved.

c. Mike reported that United Roofing has a tentative cost estimate for the
roofing and skylight replacement project based on measurements
taken from aerial photography of the rooftop. Due to the 60 rooftop air
conditioners that will need to be removed to lay the new roof, United
Roofing workers will need to get up on the roof for more precise
measurements. They expect to do the measuring towards the end of
March after which they will present us with a more accurate estimate
of costs.

VI. Old Business:
a. Mike reported that Blue Sky Electric, the company that replaced two
in-need-of repair sidewalk lamp poles last month, came out to look
into the issue with the arc light on the Victoria Street side of the
parking lot and an LED light in the garage, neither of which are
working. He reported that Blue Sky has an open work order to repair
the lights and expects to do the work this week.

b. Savatree has presented a proposal to treat our 15 spruce trees to
prevent tree diseases at a cost of $1374.80. Moved, seconded, and
voted to accept Savatree’s proposal. A proposal from Savatree for
removing failing ash trees from the property and grinding the stumps
was not approved as the Association has been working with another
vendor for tree removal at a lower cost than what Savatree charges.

VII. New Business:

a. Fire Alarm Procedures: During an incident last week, when the fire
alarms went off late at night due to smoke on the first floor, many
homeowners remained in their units and later said that they did not
hear the alarms. Mike will contact Nardini Fire Equipment, the
vendor who services our fire alarms and smoke detectors to
determine if the alarms can be made louder and/or undulating to
better get peoples’ attention. Mike also noted that, unlike most
congregate living buildings, there are no signs posted in the
Atrium showing fire escape routes. He will check with the Fire
Marshall concerning appropriate signs for the Atrium.

b. Water Management: Mike presented a proposed 2024 contract with
Water Management Services Corp. for the inspection and maintenance
of the Atrium lawn sprinkling system. The cost of this service is
$942.00 billed in 6 monthly installments beginning May 1 and ending
October 31. Moved, seconded, and voted to approve the contract.

c. Rain Garden Restoration. It was moved, seconded, and voted to
continue the restoration of the rain garden which was begun two years
ago. A budget of up to $750 was approved. Bobbi French will consult
with Xylem Designs, the vendor we worked last year, about their
continuing with the project this year.

d. Suggestion Box Note: A homeowners note in the Suggestion Box noted
that although Excel Energy had indicated that the installation of smart
meters, for homeowners who don’t opt out of the change, was
scheduled for January, it seems the work has not been done. In
checking with Excel Energy, we were told that, due to supply chain and
production issues, delivery of the meters has been delayed and that
installation of the smart meters has been pushed back to late spring or
early summer.

VIII. Homeowners’ comments:
a. A homeowner raised the possibility of installing solar panels on the
roof when replacing the roof and skylights. It was suggested that there
might be state and/or county money to help pay for them. Mike will
check on the possibility of state or county money, but noted that,
with 60 individual air conditioners on the roof, as well as the common
area HVAC units and skylights, there may not be enough room for solar
panels to be installed. We will need to explore the possibility with a
solar panel contractor.

b. A question was asked about whether or not during spring air
conditioner inspections/cleaning—and servicing if needed—freon is
regularly checked. Following the meeting, I checked with our HVAC
vendor and asked about freon checks as part of the spring AC
inspections. He replied that, with most HVAC venders, a freon check is
normally not included in the inspection/cleaning because (1) freon is
rarely an issue; (2) if freon was routinely checked it would raise the
cost of the inspection/cleaning service; and (3) an experienced HVAC
technician can tell during the inspection of the air conditioner whether
or not there may be issues with the freon. If there were, the technician
would consult with the owner, explain the situation, and if the owner
wanted a freon check and potential repair services, he would do it for
an additional charge. This information will be shared with
homeowners again in March when the signup sheet for air conditioner
inspections is posted on the front entrance bulletin board.

c. A homeowner asked if, when the air conditioners on the roof were
temporarily removed when the roof is replaced, pads could be placed
under the air conditioners that don’t presently have them to dampen
the noise they create when running. It was agreed that installing such
pads was a good idea and should be followed up at the appropriate
time.

d. Margie noted that the pothos plants hanging on the third floor are not
doing well and she wondered if there would be any interest in
replacing the pothos with English Ivy 8” pots. No particular interest
was expressed by the homeowners present. Anyone with thoughts
about this should place a signed note in the Suggestion Box.

e. A homeowner expressed concern over the fact that last year plants
were removed from the second and third floors as a result of the Board
appointed Plant Committee’s decision. The homeowner was not happy
with the decision and shared that there were others on the second and
third floors who were also not happy with the decision. The chair of
the Plant Committee explained that the two main reasons for removing
the plants were (1) cost reduction in light of the impending roof and
skylight replacements and the consequent need to increase our reserve
funds, and (2) given that the skylight glass is seriously clouded, little
light is let into the atrium and the plants that were removed were not
flourishing. After the skylights have been replaced—assuming our
reserve funds are sufficient—the Board will discuss replacing the
plants that were removed or finding other ways to enhance the
Atrium’s “green environment on the second and third floors. The
homeowner also raised the question as to why the committee stayed
with our current vender instead of seeking other potentially less costly
ways of securing and caring for plants in the Atrium. The committee
chair responded that committee negotiations with Lyndale had
resulted in an annual cost reduction of $4937.43 for plant rental and
plant care and that the committee determined that staying with our
current vender was the best choice.

f. It was noted that not everyone in the building follows recycling rules
with the result that there is occasionally glass, cans and plastic placed
in the paper and cardboard bins and paper and cardboard in the glass,
cans and plastic bins. It was suggested that it is likely that the reasons
for separating recycling into separate bins for food container items and
paper and cardboard have not been communicated well enough to
homeowners. It was explained that the food container recycling bins
have to be periodically washed out because they start to smell. By
placing food containers in the paper and cardboard bins, those bins
also will start to smell in time and will also have to be periodically
washed out. This would make additional work that we either would
have to pay our handyman/custodian to do or which a volunteer
homeowner would have to do. The secretary will post a sign by the
recycling bins explaining the need to not put glass, cans and plastic
containers in the paper and cardboard bins.

IX. The meeting was adjourned at 7:36 p.m.

X. The next Board meeting will be on March 11th at 6:30 p.m. It will be a
Board members only meeting.

Respectfully Submitted
Hank French, Board Secretary