MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE
BROOKRIDGE CONDOMINIUM AND HOMEOWNERS' ASSOCIATION
https://sites.google.com/site/brookridgehoa/Home
The annual meeting of the Brookridge Condominium and Homeowners' Board of /Managers/Directors was held on June 10, 2025 at the JCMW. Present at the meeting were: Paul Spindel (Unit 1), President; Monica Teuscher (Unit 43), Vice President; Leslie Molinoff (Unit 45), Secretary; Paul Roberts (Unit 40), Treasurer, and Ann Gittelman (Unit 31), Member at Large - all of whom are Managers/Directors constituting a quorum.
Also present were Tom Pallman, Gramatan Management Property Manager, Luisa Ravitch, Assistant Property Manager and owner representatives from units 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 23, 25, 29, 37, 39, 41, 42, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, and 54. In addition, the following units were represented by proxy: 5, 8, 11, 47 and 55.
Paul Spindel acted as Chair of the meeting and Leslie Molinoff took the minutes.
CALL TO ORDER AT 7:15 PM.
The President introduced the Board and our Property Manager who each stood and gave a brief explanation of their responsibilities.
Two new owners were asked to introduce themselves: Jackie Pawloff (Chuck Crowley) - Unit #25 and Anna (Schiel) Daniels Unit #23. They were welcomed by all to Brookridge.
President’s Report – Paul Spindel:
Paul explained that our community, unlike some other condominium complexes, is run on a budget and the Board makes every effort to stay on budget. He explained that we have a large capital fund which we use for major projects like the painting of the exteriors and the paving of the road. We also use some interest which accrues to the capital fund to supplement operations.
We were originally a “PUD,” a Planned Unit Development of single-family homes. We converted to condominium status, retroactive to 2019, which was done strictly to reduce our property taxes. All other elements of the PUD remain the same, i.e. homeowners own their units up to and including the exterior wood and the 5 feet of land around the perimeter. Everything else is considered common property.
Unit owners are responsible for maintaining their units and the 5 feet of land previously mentioned, and the HOA is responsible for maintaining the common property. As an example, if a homeowner has a leaky basement, that is the owner’s problem to solve and pay for, but if the cause of the leaky basement has to do with the water table behind the unit on common property and affects drainage for the whole pod, the HOA might get involved to try to mitigate that problem by installing outside drainage pipes to reduce the water table. This action was taken by the HOA this fiscal year behind a number of the pods.
If there is a repair issue involving two contiguous units, those owners should resolve that issue between them. If there is an issue involving ALL FOUR UNITS IN A POD, the management company should be notified and the matter will be brought to the Board to see what cost, if any, should be borne by the HOA.
Ron Vitti is employed by the HOA to maintain the lawns and common area landscaping. Unit owners periodically ask Vitti to do work around their units. The cost of that work is the homeowner’s, not the HOA’s responsibility. Unit owners should enter into a contract with Vitti for that work before proceeding. In the past, some homeowners have inaccurately assumed that the HOA would pay for that work so please be clear that if you want Vitti to work for you, then you are hiring him and the cost is yours.
The same is true with respect to work done for a unit owner by Nancy, our landscape architect. Nancy is also employed by the HOA to select and maintain plantings in our common areas, i.e. the area in front of the pool, the circles, the entrance gate and the rose garden on the side of the pool. If you hire Nancy to do work for you individually, you bear that cost.
Paul went on to thank the many volunteers who help around the community, specifically the “Friends of the Pool,” who monitor the chlorine 3 times a day and Ned Greenberg, our resident horticulturalist, who helped to create and continues to maintain our Natural Meadow, which he designed. Paul encouraged others to get involved and participate in projects going forward.
Paul made a big announcement that Unit #6 is now owned by Wells Fargo Bank who foreclosed on the property in April of this year. He and Tom Pallman are feverishly trying to find, in Wells Fargo’s vast network of companies and employees, the person/entity responsible for paying the unit common charges….it seems like Wells Fargo has done a good job so far in obfuscating that info!!!...However, as of the date of this writing, it seems that the right person has been found and is being sent a bill!! Thank you, Tom and Paul S.
Paul concluded his report by noting that the involvement of so many of our residents makes Brookridge a cohesive and special community, and for that, the Board is thankful.
Treasurer’s Report – Paul Roberts
The Board makes an effort to keep common charges from increasing. They have remained stable for a number of years now and we have been able to finance all our major projects with funds from the capital fund.
Our total cash as of 05/31/25 was $700,162
Our Cash balances as of 5/31/2025 were:
Webster Bank Checking Account - $49,667
Flagstar Bank MM Account (1893) - $13,450
Flagstar Securities Brokerage MM Account (6703) - $88,925
Schwab Brokerage Account (9018) - $164
Flagstar Securities Brokerage Account (6703) - $210,000 (Note: $210,000 CD matures Aug 2025)
Schwab Brokerage Account (9018) - $337,956 (Note: $345,000 T-Bill matures Jul 2025)
We are currently forecasting a year end surplus of 5.4K
We have been investing our capital reserves in Treasury Bills and CDs.
Landscaping Report – Monica
All of our common area plantings are lush and beautiful, in part, because of all the recent rain. Our Rose Garden is in full bloom and a striking visual at the pool area. If you haven’t seen it, please go take a look. We have expanded our Natural Meadow which is designed to have all the flowers bloom at different times. The arborvitae around the pool and tennis area were trimmed recently which provides more and longer hours of sun in those areas.
Privacy, Tennis/Pickleball Court - Ann Gittelman
Privacy - In this increasingly complex digital world we live in, everyone is becoming more and more concerned about privacy issues, which includes concerns we have about our open web site. Anyone can view the information there, including our names, telephone numbers and e-mails. Please review your contact information in the Brookridge Homeowner’s Directory and If you would like to change, correct or take down any of your personal information, please use the Brookridge email to notify the Board.
Tennis/Pickleball Court - The court continues to get more and more use, which is great since it is one of our primary amenities. Our sign-up sheet system for reserving time seems to be working well. If you can’t use your time, please remove your reservation in a timely fashion to allow for others to book that hour. You may sign up for two hours a week, as long as they are not consecutive.
Tom Pallman announced that the parking lines in the upper circle guest parking area will be done on Thursday, 6/12 and 3 speed bumps will be installed the week of 6/16, half of each speed bump to be installed the first day (so that one lane will remain open for driving) and the other half to be installed the second day. Sealing of individual driveways contracted for with Hacela will be done after the paving project is completed.
Results of Election of 3 Board Members: Three Board members were up for re-election: Paul Spindel, President, Leslie Molinoff, Secretary and Paul Roberts, Treasurer. Since there were no other unit owners who stood for election, the two Paul’s and Leslie were re-elected by acclamation. Congratulations!!!
Questions and Concerns from the Community and Responses from Board Members and Tom Pallman:
A new homeowner reported that she had a serious bat issue which is now solved, but wanted to alert the community to any possible future infestations they may experience. She also is concerned that a neighbor’s unit may be presenting a safety/fire hazard for the units around it.
Units 16, 14, 12, and 10 are experiencing serious mosquito, termite and flying termite infestations which seem to be coming from a swamp-like area behind those units that is created when it rains. In addition, there are exposed tree roots which make it impossible to walk and landscape back there. Since this is affecting the entire pod, Tom Pallman suggested those unit owners come together and get a proposal for grading the area which he will then present to the Board for review and a potential action plan.
Mark Solow indicated he would like to help with projects for which he can offer expertise. It was suggested he call Tom to see where his help could be used.
It was asked when we will paint the exterior of the units again. We usually paint every 5-7 years with two to three touch-up jobs included in the contract. The current contract provides for two touch-ups, the first of which was done this past Spring. It was asked if caulking could be done when we paint next and Paul S. said we may or may not be able to get that included in the next proposal.
It was asked when the pool would be painted. This year the HOA replaced the tiles that were cracked and will entertain the possibility of putting a full repainting of the pool into the next budget.
It was asked when our gutters are usually cleaned and how many times a year. The gutters are cleaned once a year in the Fall, after the leaves are down, but homeowners may hire someone to clean them at other times. It was mentioned that our handyman, Mark, has been hired by many of us for that purpose.
Paul S. made a general comment that the Board tries to maintain a balance between a) approving the projects that new and generally younger owners would like to have the HOA pay for and b) considering the perhaps more conservative approach to projects held by some older residents who may be living on fixed incomes, all in an attempt to keep our common charge fees stable while making sure that the complex is well maintained. Brookridge’s low common charges and the fact that we were able to lower our property taxes have contributed greatly to the desirability of our community and to the increase in home values. The major projects the HOA has undertaken also has added to the value of our homes.
Rental Policy Amendment to By-Laws - Leslie
Leslie gave a summary of why a rental policy seems warranted, who drafted the amendment and the key points it covers. Briefly stated, without an amendment, anyone can rent their unit for any length of time and without any restrictions placed on the owner or renter. Feedback from the community prior to the meeting was that homeowners want some protections against short term rentals…the worst-case scenario being that an owner might attempt to run a B&B out of their home. The amendment calls for any rental to be at least 6 months in duration and that a “lease package of documents,” i.e. basic requirements imposed on the Owner and Renter, be submitted to the management company and the Board for review prior to any lease being signed. It was clear at the meeting that most everyone had reviewed the amendment and came prepared to discuss it. The Board asks that if you have not already done so, you should also review it.
Several very pertinent issues were raised and discussed that the community thought should be included in the amendment, a list of which will be enumerated here, but a show of hands revealed that most homeowners in attendance would be in favor of passing a revised amendment. Accordingly, the Board will ask our attorney to cover those issues, submit a revised amendment which will be circulated and reviewed by the community. More discussion will be encouraged and steps will be taken thereafter to conduct a vote…...Details on all of this to follow.
Here are the issues that were raised:
Including a reasonable waiting period after purchase of a unit before it can be rented. Timeframe to be determined.
Restricting rentals to once in every 3-year period, an exception to which would not be reasonably withheld.
Including a mechanism to prevent a corporation from purchasing a unit for the sole purposes of renting to employees.
Lastly, the amendment, as drafted, gives the Board the ability to decline approval of any lease.
That should be modified to state that said approval will not be unreasonably withheld.
However, there was further concern that in spite of that additional language, if there was a disgruntled rejected potential renter (rejected for good cause, such as a poor credit rating), that renter could nonetheless commence a lawsuit against Brookridge, claiming discrimination and opening the community up to an expensive defense and exposing it to negative publicity damaging our reputation. We will need to have our attorney give an opinion specifically about this concern
There being no further business before the Board, upon motion made and duly seconded, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:30 P.M. Paul thanked everyone for coming.
After the meeting, the Board selected July 15th for the next Board meeting (to be held at Paul Spindel’s house).
Respectfully submitted,
Leslie Molinoff, Secretary