CLOSED 2008

UNIT 1110- $122,500
UNIT 1911- $119,000


RENTED

UNIT 2103-  $1300
UNIT   802-  $1800
UNIT 1008-  $1275
UNIT 1304 - $1000

ON THE MARKET TODAY

UNIT 1404- $199,500        UNIT 1610- $149,000    UNIT  611-  $159,000
UNIT   404- $188,000        UNIT  901-  $164,000    UNIT 2201-  $164,000       
UNIT   604- $209,000        UNIT  306-  $175,000 
UNIT 2005- $173,000        UNIT  503-  $227,000
UNIT 2305- $195,000        UNIT  708-  $265,000
UNIT 2505- $185,000        UNIT 2309-  $299,000
UNIT 1405- $180,000
       

Metropolitan News Chicago
This website/Blog is for all residents.  You can post messages anonymously ; speak your mind without repercussions.  Our goal is to voice the residents concerns and ideas then incorperate them into the agenda for the next Board meeting.  Michael Franz is our Secretary please asks him to post the minutes of each meeting.  If you have any ideas, comments, or concerns or have witnessed anything; we would like to give the opportunity to speak your mind.  We are looking forward to hear from you!

Financial Audit Committee -  We are in need of a financial audit Committee to meet at least once per quarter to review the condo association's financials. Is the condo association spending too much money? Is there enough reserve? Are the condo fees covering the true costs of maintaining the property? A Financial Audit Committee should review the condo budget and make recommendations to the condo trustees or board. This should be done regardless if there is a property management firm in place or not and we have never had one. 

The role of the board - Boards are obligated to make an informed decision, and having done its due diligence on a particular issue, now sets policy. That's the board's job policy making. It becomes the responsibility of management to carry out that policy by establishing accountable processes and procedures and implementing the policies adopted by a majority decision of the board. Although the board may wish to review and comment, the board should not detail exactly how management will accomplish the directive that is the job of management execution. In a nutshell, the board sets policy, and management carries it out. Our Board to date has no policys in place for management execution therefore our employees are free agents.   



Keeping it clean on the inside starts on the outside.





 

Please send your articles, and comments to be publish in April's newsletter. 

 

 
Board member - Kathleen Krueger - Vice-President 
Member since Oct 2007

 Proposed the following 18 points of interest to the Board;

 
1-Spreadsheet to produce a needed schedule to track Annual, Seasonal, Monthly, weekly and daily maintenance schedules to coincide with the Metropolitans budget. I have found software to be purchased.

2-Establish employee protocol and minimum work standards.

3- Establish Vanguards responsibilities.

4- Tracking work orders and building invoices collected from residents to be shown as income on budget.

5-Late fee 2-notice’s prior to Attorney letters to get our attorney fees down. 

6- Suggested to install fob lock at Lobby entrance at door to mezzanine level garage to prevent non- owners direct entrance to our units if doorman is not at station.  No fobs shall be given to garage space tenants for resident’s privacy and safety.

7- Installed signage in all trash rooms.  Interested in recycle bins.

8- Installed Doggy bags in rear entry

9- Suggested clean path and to fence in our doggy walking area for safety and security.

10- Suggest posting monthly maintenance schedule to be posted for all residents to see.

11- Suggested posting of a move in and outs and locked elevator times on monthly schedule along with reserving meeting room etc..

12- Suggest the posting of display for new carpet and hallway color scheme.

13- Optional proposal for self-contained bike lockers to be rented to owners

14- Brighten up our halls to give us a new look similar to new construction; Suggested and getting prices for fire code solid core hardwood Ash varnished doors with Mortise prevents lock outs, and flare locks, which are handicap accessible.

15- Provide residents with a list of licensed contractors, tradesmen and installers that resident have used. 

16- Provide residents with a protocol for installation of flooring, new plumbing fixtures etc.  As well as notifying surrounding resident that work is being done in a unit and times construction starts and ceases.

17- Board reviews and approves all Leases for garage and units.

18- No fobs shall be given to garage space tenants for residents privacy and safety.  Garage tenants shall exit 1-Main entrance 2- Garage rear staircase to the alley.

Attorney fees
Our Association’s budgets and financial statements for the past few years are spending an inordinate amount on attorney's fees.   It may be the time to take a look and consider why.

Unacceptable duality; Board member/Metropolitans legal consul, let's talk. 
The Metropolitan's legal consul no longer resides at the Metropolitan but still owns in the building and now rents is out.  He is a respected Board member and our legal consul at the Metropolitans with a dual role as a non-profit Board member.     Yes, it is great to have an attorney on the Board however, if the same attorney represents the Metropolitan association and is paid by the Metropolitan that is an obvious conflict.  When a resident or Board member has a question or concern regarding our accounting, budget and expenses.    Step-one call Vanguard  "we would like to comply with your request, other buildings do allow us to do so however, for your building everything must go through your attorney".  Dead end.  Who is running our association?  

Residents and Board members can be rendered powerless.
Year after year the same Board members win even though the majority dislikes them.  How is this accomplished?  Collecting proxies during business hours, our building’s janitor/engineer employee of the Metropolitan, and Vanguard management, another duality.  A large majority of proxy votes are collected our building’s janitor/engineer employee of the Metropolitan, and Vanguard management and he is controling our Board.   The only way we can have a fair election is by setting new rules and regulations to verify the results of our elections and for all residents to cast there own votes do not give blank proxys to our building’s janitor/engineer employee of the Metropolitan, and Vanguard management. to cast your votes as he sees fit.  

Unethical behavior
Put a stop to unfair practices any resident employed by the Metropolitan shall not hold a management or non-profit Board members position, this duality that will not be tolerated.    

Late Fees
The Metropolitan is not a bank or lending institution however the association and management should give notice prior to receipt of a demand of payment or eviction notice.  We would like to keep our attorney fees down and request that the Board members be proactive on this matter.  If you did not receive a late notice from Vanguard or you paid before the 16th and you received a letter from our attorney or for any other reason let's talk? 

 

We have a new doggy bag dispensor has anyone used it?

What do you think if we installed an enclosed and locked dog run?  If we cleaned up the joint a bit.....

Before installation

• How about sprucing up the interior to compliment the new carpet by painting our walls and doors before installation;  to prevent paint spills and allow easy touch ups after the installation.
• Install larger mats at all direct entryways and for all residents to use them and have them cleaned on a regular basis.
• Install fobs at all direct entryways to keep non-residents out of our common areas.
• Post a cleaning schedule or routine maintenance being for each floor se we know when to expect the vaccum etc on your floor for all residnets to see?
• Clean all outside aspalt and concrete areas leading up to entrances including all  gragage entrances main entrance and rear of building to pet walking area.
• Repair tears to wall paper and replace common area lightbulbs routinely with new efficent brands.

TAKE A PEAK AT HOW WE LOOK ...are we ready for new carpet or what?

 

This will spruce up our entire building altogether.  Otherwise its like we got a new haircut without coloring your hair and gray roots are showing. 

 Garage space owners express your concerns and comments.  


Please explain how parking space rentals are an income for the Metropolitan association.

I do not see it on our Budget as an income?

Background checks and additional security should be covered to protect our residents. 

Who is supervising our staff when our engineer/ head janitor is not in the building or away on weekends?  Who is supervising our engineer/ head janitor?   Full time benefits from the Met while our manager/janitor manages other buildings, no problem we pay for housing etc it does matter.  Ask to see our employees union contracts to see base pay and benefits.  

Lets talk....