Newtown Estates Community Associate Board of Directors Meeting

Newtown Estates Community Associate
Board of Directors Meeting
Tuesday, September 2,2008
MINUTES
Member Concerns (open forum)
a) Ten part-time front office employees submitted one letter of resignation signed by all ten to be effective
immediately. The Board allowed each resigning employee an opportunity to share their reason(s) for
leaving. Most repeated the same reason: "the hostile environmenr caused by the members/supporters of
the Newtown Outreach Group for the past year. President Devaney asked for two weeks before the
resignation; they replied no. President Devaney asked for 72 hours; they replied no. The resignation letter
is attached.
b) Some homeowners demanded the Board seek mediation while others wanted to have their issues
examined. The Personnel Committee will meet to find out why this was not made known to the previous
Board and what the supervisors of the staff did not report this to the Committee or the previous Board.
c) The Executive Director, Shamayn Bolosan-Ogawa, read a letter to the Board. Her letter was circulated in
the audience by Deanne Asato, a former member of the previous Board of Directors. This letter is
attached.
d) Directors Manny Neves and Kevin Chong resigned from the Board stating a difference in values.
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by President Donald Devaney at 8:20 pm.
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2. RollCall
Present: President Don Devaney, VP Amy Dela Cruz, Secretary Diane Kazama, Treasurer Shizuko Hanaumi,
Directors Dennis Hiu and Dennis Yuen
Absent: Director Chris McDonald
3. Approval of July 1, 2008 minutes-motion to accept by Amy; motion is passed
4. Committee Reports
4.1 Architectural (July 16)-report is accepted
Architectural (August 20)-report is accepted
4.2 Budget and Finance (July 24)-report is accepted
Budget and Finance (August 26)-report is accepted with correction in New Business (5) from "money fund" to
"money market fund."
4.3 Building and Grounds-no meeting
4.4 Program-no meeting
4.5 Covenant Enforcement-no meeting
4.6 Membership Policy-no meeting
4.7 Personnel (July 17)-report is accepted
4.8 NNSW (August 14)-no report submitted
4.9 Greenbelt-no meeting
5. President's Report
6. Executive Director's Report-none
7. Unfinished Business-none
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8. New Business
8.1 Oral resignation earlier this meeting by Directors Manny Neves and Kevin Chong-motion to accept by Amy;
motion is passed.
8.2 Resignation letter by NECA's front office managerlbookkeeper-accepted; no further action as Kim Munar has
accepted another position elsewhere
8.3 Approvalof 2008 Annual Meeting Minutes-accepted with these corrections:
1. Call to Order: Others present-VP Randall King, Directors Deanne Asato and Chris McDonald,
Parliamentarian Steve Glanstein, Attorneys Lance Fujisaki and Phil Lahne of Neely and Anderson.
Absent-Directors Kevin Chong and Manny Neves.
2. Approval of minutes: At the request of the Parliamentarian, the previous year's minutes were printed
and distributed to members.
3. Election Results-corrections to name spellings
Shizuko Hanaumi
893.8
3-year term
Amy K. Dela Cruz
890.8
3-year term
Diane Kazama
888.8
3-year term
Dennis Hiu
870
2-year term
Randall King
367
Susan Pcola-Davis
352.2
Deanne Asato
336.2
David Matsumoto
314.4
1 illegal ballot (5 votes)
8.4 Approval of August 12, 2008 Board of Directors' Annual meeting minutes-accepted with these corrections:
(1)Call to Order: Also present were Directors Donald Devaney and Chris McDonald and newly-elected
Directors Amy Dela Cruz, Shizuko Hanaumi, Dennis Hiu, and Diane Kazama.
Absent: Directors Chris McDonald and Manny Neves
(2) Delete "Diane Kazama was the Recording Secretary for the meeting."
(3) Replace name of Recording Secretary to "Steve Glanstein, Parliamentarian."
8.5 Ratification of emergency approval to purchase and install a new swimming pool chlorinator to replace
broken pool chlorine pump (conducted by phone poll)-8hizuko moved to accept; passed with clarification
added: Phone polls are to be conducted only in emergencies. Cost of new pump was around $1100.
8.6 Appointment of Richard Yamasaki to the Budget and Finance Committee-motion to accept by Shizuko;
motion is passed.
8.7 Appointment of Raymond Fong to the Architectural Committee-deferred to Committee for a recommendation
8.8 Budget and Finance Committee recommendations
(a)Financial Statement, Interest Income & Delinquent Assessment Account reports for June and July
2008-motion to accept by Shizuko, passed.
(b) Investment Recommendation by Smith Barney-CD due August 22 will be placed in money market fund;
accepted
9. Board Discussion/Announcements
9.1 Resignation of ten part-time office staff effective immediately. Any attempt to discuss how the Board can
assist in the resolution of their concerns was dismissed by their refusal to stay on for two weeks or even 72
hours. There will be no mediation as they were given an opportunity to stay. They are no longer employed by
NECA by their choice. Motion to accept resignation without mediation by Amy; motion is passed.
9.2 Motion to create an Ad Hoc Committee, "Operations Review Committee," asking Richard Yamasaki, a former
property manager, to chair this Committee and authorizing him to have the full authority to review all of NECA's
financial documents regarding income and expenditures and documents relating to the reserve fund and RMP;
and make recommendations for improvement in procedures, quality of service, standards, and all those things
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that are generally accepted in "best practices" of a community association. And the members of this Ad Hoc
Committee be given authority to request and receive information from the Staff and Management of NECA in a
reasonable amount of time. (by Shizuko; Dennis Y. opposes; motion is passed)
9.3 Motion to suspend all renovation proposalslbids for renovating the Fitness Center's bathrooms, shower
stalls, men's steam room, and women's sauna, until the Operations Review Committee's study is completed.
(by Shizuko; Dennis Y. opposes; motion is passed)
9.4 Motion to create an Ad Hoc Recreation Center Improvement and Maintenance Committee to address
immediate health and sanitation concerns in the Fitness Center, and have Mr. Gordon Matsuoka to chair this
Committee. He can work with Mr. Terry Fisher, the Maintenance Supervisor for NECA, to address these
concerns and other maintenance concerns of the Recreation Center. (by Shizuko; Dennis Y. opposes; motion
is passed)
9.5 Motion to request that the law firm of Neely and Anderson submit copies of bills and correspondence to all
NECA Board of Directors (mailed to them) re cost from 2007 and 2008, and mailed directly to the Board of
Directors to evaluate cost due to the dire fiscal condition of NECA. (by Shizuko, opposed by Dennis Y., motion
is passed)
9.6 Motion to have NECA auditor, Greg Ushijima, send the 2006-2007 Audit of NECA's books directly to the Board
of DirectorslTreasurer of the Board. Hereafter, all NECA audits will be forwarded to the Board of
DirectorslTreasurer of the Board, rather than to the Executive Director of NECA. The Budget and Finance
Committee will include procedures that an audit committee normally provides. This Budget and Finance
Committee will also vote on the selection of the auditor for NECA (if not already done). (by Shizuko; Dennis Y.
opposes; motion is passed)
9.7 Motion to have any volunteer who serves on any of the Ad Hoc Committees be afforded an indemnification and
insurance as afforded by the NECA Board of Directors. (by Shizuko; motion is not passed)
9.8 Motion that any discussions with professionals (attorney, certified public accountants, auditors, etc.) be first
authorized by the Chairperson, Richard Yamasaki, of the Ad Hoc (Operations) Committee. (by Shizuko,
motion is not passed)
9.9 Motion to suspend bids for phone system for NECA (by Shizuko; motion is not passed)
9.10 Motion to suspend billing of $5 charge to homeowners who did not voluntarily submit deed documents (that
have been acquired by NECA) until further discussion. (by Diane; Dennis Y. opposes; motion is passed)
9.11 Motion to change the BOD meeting date to the first Wednesday effective next month. (by Dennis H.,
motion is passed)
9.11 Motion to create an ad hoc Communications Committee with Bill Coste as Chairperson to investigate ways
to improve communication between NECA and homeowners. (by Diane; Dennis Y. opposes; motion is passed)
10. Executive Session for personnel reasons (Dennis Y. requests to be excused.)
11. Adjournment at 9:30 pm
Next meeting: Wednesday, October 1, 2008, 7:00 pm, Recreation Center's Upstairs Lounge.
Submitted by,
~{-;~~'--Diane Kazama, NECA..Secretary
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