NEW: Board Meeting Summary, September 2013

New Plaza Condominium Owners and Residents:

In an effort to increase our communication with New Plaza residents and keep you informed of Association ongoings, the Board is going to begin posting a blog entry after each monthly Board meeting that highlights important Board decisions. The most recent monthly meeting summary will also be available on the "Updates" tab of the condo blog (www.newplaza1115.com).

September 30, 2013 Board Meeting Summary (In Brief)

September & October Condo Fees

As you should be aware by now, Thos. D. Walsh, Inc. (TDW) took over property management responsibilities for the Association on September 1, 2013. The transition period over the last month has gone relatively smoothly. TDW has been quick to respond to the tasks the Board has assigned and has been instrumental in procuring various potential vendors for the Association. 

In the last month, however, we received owner feedback that the transition for paying condo fees was not as clear as we had hoped. In order to accommodate any resulting difficulties arising from this transition, the Board voted and approved the waiving of late fees for condo fees not paid on time for September and October 2013. Please be advised, however, that late fees will be effective starting November 16. Furthermore, as of November 16, there will be an increase in the amount of the late fee AND the Association will begin collecting interests on all outstanding owner balances. A memo with greater detail will be sent next week. 

Going forward, you will receive a reminder email to pay your monthly condo dues from this blog on the 2nd of every month. The amount due, as well as your total outstanding balance, is always available through TDW's online portal (www.thosdwalsh.com/tenants.aspx). Please contact Blake Barber at (202) 237-8488 if you have any difficulties establishing regular condo fee payments.

Janitorial service

After consideration of owner and resident feedback, the Association renegotiated our current contract with Derrick James, owner of Yours 2 Kleen, to include a monthly carpet clean of the lobby; monthly cleaning of the grill; and a more detailed to-do list for interior and exterior cleaning tasks that incorporates resident feedback about problem/overlooked areas for building cleaning.

Landscaping

After receiving your comments, which consisted of unanimous support, the Board voted and approved removal of the Tree of Heaven in an effort to mitigate future damages caused by the tree and in hopes that replacement landscaping will thrive. The Board is working diligently to secure a contract to remove the tree in the next few weeks. Green Loft will also be removing the dead and dying plants within the next week.

Depending on how soon we can have the tree of heaven removed, Green LOFT will plant new arborvitae and cherry laurels either this fall or next spring. We will notify you promptly of the dates on which the removal and replanting work will take place. The Board has not determined when or what type of tree will replace the Tree of Heaven, though that is our intention. We first need to ensure that the old tree's roots are completely dead before planting anything new.

Things to come

In the coming months, the Board and TDW will be addressing the following items: 

• Replacement of all fire extinguishers in the common areas (in the next month); 
• Development of an on-site access system for the keys to all building maintenance rooms (i.e. utility room, roof, etc.), so that contractors hired by individual owners can more easily access these rooms (next 1-2 months);
• Exterior building repointing (likely spring 2014) and fire escape painting;
• Stripping, sanding, and re-painting of all interior doors, and touch up painting of the lobby, basement, and stairwells (likely early 2014)

As always, feel free to send your questions, comments, praise, or random thoughts to board@thenewplaza.com.