Filming

Touchstone Television Production will be filming two scenes at our building on Tuesday, 14 November, for a television series, titled "Six Degrees." Filming will take place between the hours of 9am and 1pm, and 7pm and 10pm.

Touchstone is compensating the condominium. Nevertheless, every effort will be made by the crew not to impede on resident and staff's normal activities.

Please contact Jennifer Berg, Vice President, or Yvette Diaz, of Cooper Square, with questions.

A Belated Hello

We hope everyone has had a fine summer. Although not much was posted on this site during the last several months, subcommittees were hard at work on a number of projects. A newsletter will soon provide details.

Elevator in Service

The elevator has returned to service before expected. However, we continue to assess the conditions and will report our findings.

Elevator Out of Service

We understand that the freight elevator will be out of service for about a week. Yvette has posted notices in the lobby about the situation which we will post here shortly.

Last Night's Annual Owners Meeting

We are happy to report that we reconvened the 2006 Annual Owners Meeting as scheduled as there was a quorum.

Ann Slovin was elected as a new member of the board. Nancy Cherner and Barbara Marder were reelected for another term.

Change in Management Team

While we say good-bye to Stoney who served as interim property manager, we welcome back Yvette who was on maternity leave. Her contact information is as follows:

Office: 212 634 8945
Fax: 212 634 3946
email: yvette.diaz@coopersquare.com

Annual Owners Meeting Tonight

The annual meeting of unit owners, adjourned on May 15, 2006, will reconvene tonight at 7:00pm, at the Reebok Sports Club, located at 160 Columbus Avenue.

No Annual Owners Meeting

The annual meeting of unit owners could not take place because there was no quorum. In its place was an informal meeting during which a motion to reconvene was passed. The meeting is scheduled for June 19, 2006, at 7:00 pm at a place to be determined.

If Cooper Square has your proxy it remains valid and there is nothing more for you to do.

We ask that everyone else mail their proxy to the following address before June 12, 2006, or fax a copy before June 19, 2006, regardless whether you attend the meeting so that we obtain a quorum to hold the meeting:

45 West 67th Street Condominium
c/o Cooper Square
6 East 43rd Street, 12th Floor
New York, New York 10017
Fax: 212 634 3946

Annual Owners Meeting Update

The meeting time of the annual meeting of unit owners has moved from 6:45pm to 7:00pm. Official notices will be on their way soon.

Annual Owners Meeting Update

Flyers were posted in the lobby today announcing that the annual meeting of unit owners will take place on 15 May 2006, at 6:45pm, at the Reebok Sports Club, located at 160 Columbus Avenue. An offical notice along with attachments should be mailed shortly.

No Strike

NY1 reports today the good news:

"New Yorkers in 3,500 buildings will say a happy hello to their doorman this morning. After lengthy negotiations, Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union and representatives of the city's building owners reached a contract agreement shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, avoiding a strike that would have put the union's 28,000 workers on the picket line."

We thank everyone who had volunteered to work in the lobby.

Volunteers Needed

We remain hopeful that a citywide strike of building employees will not take place tomorrow. In any event, although we are prepared to deal with a strike and the emergency procedures are published, we still need your help.

There are sign-in sheets in the lobby for those who can work in the lobby in short shifts during late afternoon and evening hours. Those with experience in past strikes believe that it helps to have a friendly face at the door.

Annual Owners Meeting

We are planning on holding the annual owners meeting on 15 May 2006. Details will follow, but please mark your calenders as there is much to share with you.

Emergency Procedures in the Event of a Strike

Cooper Square distributed by hand yesterday emergency procedures in the event that the building staff, with the exception of the Resident Superintendent, joins a city-wide strike, called by the Building Service Employees Union, at 12:01 am on Friday, 21 April 2006.

Attached to the emergency plan is a form that is required by Cooper Square so it can provide building identification passes. The completed form should be returned to the Concierge Desk or by other means to Cooper Square as soon as possible.

The plan and form should be appearing on the community web site shortly.

New Resident Superintendent

After many months of interviews conducted by the Board of Managers, its Superintendent Committee, and by our managing agent, Cooper Square, the Board has voted to re-hire Mr. Albert Sultana as Resident Superintendent of our building. A letter was delivered by hand to each unit yesterday. The same should be appearing on the community web site shortly.

Emergency Procedures in Case of a Strike

The Board and Cooper Square are now finalizing plans in case a citywide strike is called and building employees walk out of the job on 21 April 2006, Friday at 12:01am. A notice outlining rules and procedures to take effect in our building once the strike begins will be arriving in your mailboxes shortly. We recommend you also check the community web site for further details.

Notices from Cooper Square about a Citywide Strike of Building Employees

Keith Werny, of Cooper Square, sent to owners, via mail, the following notice:

As many of you are aware, the current agreement with Local 32B-32J, SEIU, which covers handymen, doormen and porters servicing your building, will expire at midnight on Thursday, April 20, 2006. History has shown that a strike by building employees could take place upon the expiration of this agreement, and we want you to know in advance what this means to you.

In the event of a strike, normal building operations will be significantly curtailed;

• Access to the building will only be via the main entrance and residents will be required to present a special identification card, which we will issue prior to the strike deadline.
• The service entrance will be closed down/locked during the strike. As a result, there will be no moves in or out or large deliveries. In addition, contractors and/or vendors will not be admitted to the building.
• Residents may be required to accept deliveries (i.e. food, messengers, overnight parcels, etc.) in the lobby or at the building’s entrance.
• Compactor rooms will be closed and residents will be responsible for removing their own trash to designated areas during the strike.

We will be providing updates and further detailed information as the April 20th deadline approaches. If you have any questions or comments regarding this matter please do not hesitate to contact me at 212 634-8913.

Building Employees Contract

The current citywide agreement with Local 32B-32J, SEIU, which covers handymen, doormen and porters servicing our building, will expire at midnight on Thursday, April 20, 2006. A strike, if it occurs, will significantly curtail normal building operations, affecting access, deliveries, moving, construction, and trash removal. Cooper Square will be sending a notice to owners about this matter this week.

Newsletter on its Way

A newsletter was drafted on March 13 and mailed to owners. We can't post it here, but the newsletter will appear soon on the community web site.

Laundry Room

A refurbished laundry room will open for business tomorrow. Please do go down to the laundry room on opening day to meet representives from Hercules who will distribute $5.00 smart cards and Welcome Bags between 9:00am and 12:00pm and again between 5:00pm and 7:00pm.

Yvette Diaz on Leave

Yvette Diaz will be out on maternity leave effective today, March 1.

In the interim, Stoney Welsh will be helping Keith Werny in day-to-day operations of our building. Mr. Welsh can be reached at 212 634 8945. His email is stoney.welsh@coopersquare.com.

Water Meter Installation

As announced earlier, the water meter installation will take place today, February 23, 2006, at 10:30pm and last until 5:30am Friday morning. Water service will be shut down, but the water tank should serve the building until tomorrow morning. However, please ensure that all faucets are turned-off.

Water Meter Installation Postponed

In response to our neighbor ABC's request, the water meter installation will take place next Thursday, February 23, 2006, at 10:30pm and last until 5:30am Friday morning. Water service may not have to be shut down at that time; nevertheless, Cooper Square will update us next week.

No Water

A notice was delivered to all residents about the installation of a water meter in the basement requiring shutting down water service throughout the building tomorrow, February 16, 2006, between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm.

Upgrades in Laundry Room

We are happy to announce that Hercules, the new vendor selected to manage the laundry room, will open the laundry room for business on Thursday, March 2, 2006. But before it can do so, Hercules will refurbish the laundry room and its systems, and install new equipment. The work requires that the room closes on Monday, February 27, 2006 until the opening date.

Representatives from Hercules will be available in the Laundry Room on Thursday, March 2, 2006 between the hours of 9:00am and 12:00pm and again between 5:00pm and 7:00pm to demonstrate the use of the new Smart Card System and answer questions. They will also distribute Welcome Bags and complimentary $5.00 Smart Cards for each apartment.

Gracie Cleaners, with a counter located behind the lobby, has offered to residents of the building a 20% discount on their “Wash, Dry and Fold” service during the three days the laundry room will be closed.

We hope the interruption will cause little inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

Financial Matters

A newsletter about financial matters was mailed yesterday to all owners.

February 6, 2006

Dear Owners:

This letter is to apprise you of the Board’s decision to increase the Condominium’s monthly common charges and the possibility of assessments. The principal reasons for the increase and assessments include the deficit the current Board inherited from the previous Board, higher energy costs, and the need to maintain the building’s conditions and level of service in line with that of its neighborhood peers and its reputation.

The three areas upon which the Board has focused its attention are: 1) operational accounts, 2) accounts payable; and 3) capital projects.

1) Operational Accounts: Our primary goal is to bring expenses in line with revenue by the end of 2006. In accordance with condominium by-laws, the Board, Cooper Square, and the building’s accountant have prepared an annual budget while seeking both expense control and income generation. Some of the steps we are taking to generate income are:

• Increase Laundry Room Income: Through a competitive bid process, we selected a new vendor to operate the laundry room. The vendor will renovate the laundry room at its expense and install new equipment. Under the new contract, laundry room revenue will more than double with no increase in the cost of laundry passed on to owners or residents.
• Lease of Valet Space: We have agreed to lease this space to a reputable commercial dry-cleaning service. The service has also agreed to accept responsibility for cleaning of staff uniforms, which will eliminate an expense item. The rates to be charged by the service are commensurate with those of local dry-cleaners.
• Collection of Arrears: We have retained an attorney to send collection notices to owners in arrears. Cooper Square is working with the attorney to collect any outstanding arrears due. Currently, the condominium is owed approximately $50,000 in common charges by owners in arrears. The Condominium’s attorney has instructions to pursue liens against those units in arrears when appropriate.
• Initiation of Moving Fees: A $350 move in/out fee will be charged as of February 1st, 2006. This fee is designed to fairly compensate the building for the burden placed on staff as well as wear and tear on the building’s common areas.

Some of the steps we are taking to control expenses are:

• Limiting Use of Staff Overtime Pay: Salaries are a substantial portion of monthly expenses, and open communications and better management should prevent unreasonable over-time costs.
• Installation of a Water Meter: This will substantially reduce the city water bill.
• General Reduction of Equipment Repair, Maintenance, and Supplies: For example, after receiving competitive bids, the Board selected a new elevator maintenance contract which alone, has reduced monthly elevator maintenance costs by 60%. In addition, Cooper Square secured a discount on Hess heating oil whereby the condominium pays the lowest available price in New York City. Nevertheless, oil prices are fluctuating at historic highs. As a result, we have budgeted a significant increase in the cost of oil to accommodate market realities and for higher electricity costs.

Considering the foregoing, the Board has approved a 14.5% increase in common charges, effective March of 2006, to bring income and expenses in line. This increase is calculated to bring the building to a break-even status on its expected operating expenses only, not to pay off previous unpaid bills, undertake needed repairs, or build a reserve fund. The last time an increase in common charges was implemented by the old Board was in December 2003 (by 12%).

2) Accounts Payable: As we have previously advised you, we had discovered unpaid bills, dating back to 2003, amounting to about $407,000 that we inherited from the old Board. Our accountant and the current Board have reviewed and verified these numbers along with Cooper Square.

Together with Cooper Square we have assessed the “legitimacy” of these bills, prioritized them, and have arranged payment plans or discounts to mitigate the burden. However, payments against these back bills are limited by the condominium’s monthly cash flow and the building, therefore, still runs the risk of liens and lawsuits from unpaid vendors. The Board feels it is prudent to pay verifiable bills related to the building’s operations as soon as possible. We are currently looking at alternatives to help spread the financial impact over time to the owners. We are seriously considering an assessment to cover these bills.

3) Capital Projects: Our building is over 20 years old and many of its systems and structures require repair or replacement. We have already conducted a water leak survey and hired an engineer to perform a structural analysis of the work required to ensure compliance with the new City Law #11.

The engineer will also evaluate the general state of the building and advise us of any necessary repairs. The Board will do its best to carefully prioritize repairs and match capital expenses to any assessments needed to fund them (rather than building a general reserve fund). Thus any assessment for capital projects will likely be spread over time as repairs are undertaken.

As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions on these matters. If you wish to reach us, leave a note for us at the front desk or visit the condo’s web site at www.45west67condo.blog.com.

With Best Regards,

The Residential Condominium Committee

New Web Site Now On-line

Arriving in your mailboxes this week are cards announcing how to register to use a new web site, managed by Cooper Square, to help you access building information. It is a beta site so please let us and Yvette Diaz know what you think. You can log on to register by going to http://www.coopersquareconnect.com/register.
The web site itself is at http://www.coopersquareconnect.com/45w67thst/