 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
| |
| • April 27, 2010 |
| • January 25, 2010 |
| • April 22, 2009 |
| • February 16, 2009 |
| • November 12, 2008 |
| • January 28, 2008 |
| • May 24, 2007 |
| • February 7, 2007 |
| • January 17, 2007 |
| • October 18, 2006 |
| • August 10, 2006 |
| • June 8, 2006 |
| • April 24, 2006 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
I am pleased to report our Building Committee feels the restoration contractor is making good progress in our concrete restoration project at this juncture. You will note that new railings have now been installed on all the West Building catwalks. Restoration work continues on Stack Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 8 in the West Building. The start date for Stack 8 in the West Building was accelerated to facilitate moving the scaffolding from Stack 1 in the East Building to Stack 8 in the West Building, rather than returning the rental scaffold and renting it again for Stack 8 in the future. The contactor has completed the stripping of the parking garage floors in both the East and West Building while cars are vacant. The garage floors will not receive final painting until the concrete restoration is completed. All new catwalk railings have been installed in the West Building. We have a project meeting scheduled tomorrow with the contractor and our engineers. One purpose for this meeting is to establish a revised project schedule for the future that will be posted on the web site next week.
Advanced Roofing is on site completing modifications to our temporary roofs to protect us from water in the event we experience another hurricane this season. The permanent roof contract has been executed with Advanced Roofing. However, the new roofs will not be installed until 2007, when the concrete restoration project is complete with the work on the roof decks.
I regret to report we have made no progress in settling our insurance claim with QBE Insurance Company. With no progress to date, the Association requested a mediation session, as provided by the State of Florida. The first session was held on August 10, 2006, in the offices of our attorneys St. John, Core and Lemme in West Palm Beach. Our public adjuster, our attorneys and I represented the Le Baron. I opened the session by stating that the insurance company was placing a very heavy financial burden on our owners by not responding timely to our damage claim. I stated that we submitted our final claim in March 2006, and to date, we had received no Statement of Loss from our insurance company. I also stated that our 3.1 Million-Dollar claim of March has escalated to 3.7 Million Dollars by price increases in my estimation. My statement caused the insurance company to present a Statement of Loss later in the day, dated 8-8-06. Their Statement of Loss totaled 1.3 Million Dollars of damage they agree occurred to our property. As I am signatory to a confidentiality agreement regarding this session, I can only report the above facts to the owners at this stage in the settlement process. Needless to say, after an eight-hour session, we reached an impasse in our mediation. The next step in the process, as I understand it, is to have independent appraisers representing each party to prepare and present estimates of our loss. If this process is not successful, then litigation is the next step. From the performance by our insurance company to date, I do not anticipate an early or easy settlement of our damage claim.
The Board fully understands the hardship this places on many of our owners, since our hurricane damage repair project must be funded with assessments instead of an insurance settlement. We are doing the best we know how to speed a settlement with the insurance company.
Tonight, a Building Committee representative, Don Moscone, will advise you via telephone that the new doors will be delivered to the site in early September. The Board approved the door replacement project on June 8, 2006. To maintain uniformity at the Le Baron, all entry and egress doors will be of the same material and design. To meet current code and hurricane standards, the doors' frame must also be changed. Therefore, the project is more detailed than just installing new doors. Don Moscone will advise the Board that they must establish a SCREEN DOOR policy for the future. All existing screen doors installed will be removed when the door frames are changed.
I wish to remind all owners that the door replacement project assessment has not been discussed or approved to date. I will recommend to the Board to complete this project with the bank line of credit and plan on an assessment for the doors due March 1, 2006. Proper notice for an assessment discussion will be given for a future Board Meeting to discuss the door assessment.
The Building Committee conducted a survey in June of each owner's unit. The survey was conducted by Don Moscone and our engineer to determine what type and style of windows and sliding glass doors are currently installed in each unit. Mr. Moscone will report tonight on decisions the Board must consider, relative to window replacement, in each unit. The Board needs to reaffirm the scope of the window replacement project.
Again tonight I will ask our Board of Directors to continue the discussion of perimeter mounted shutters installed on our balcony decks. As I reported to you in April and June, it is evident from inspection that we have major concrete balcony edge damage. The damage appears to be in the area where screen railings and perimeter shutter rails where installed, allowing ponding water and salts to penetrate our concrete slabs. I have heard many owners express their desire to maintain perimeter-mounted shutters. I have discussed this matter with our Board members and many of you who desire perimeter mounted shutters. I report to you there are many and varied ideas on this subject. It is anticipated you will hear again the various plans tonight in the Board discussion of this matter.
Respectfully submitted,
Le Baron Condominium
Sam Bowling, President
|
|
|