The Board met for the February regular meeting. First, the Board approved and tabled for thirty days a Policy with regard to the Second Occupant Fee. Final approval will be on the agenda for April 19. This Policy is a restatement of the CC&R's Article VII, which outlines the collection of monthly assessments. Article VII, Section 3 States in part: Carrying Charges shall be payable by each Owner whether or not he actually makes use of any part of the Project or receives any services provided by the Mutual. The Business Plan is calculated based on operating costs to the Towers. That amount is divided by the number of residents and that dividend is divided by 12. Article VII is the basis for the Second Occupant Fee.
The Policy regarding Open House directional signs was read and tabled for final approval on March 15.
The Caregiver Code of Conduct Policy was reviewed by the Board. The only notable change was to include all resident employees rather than singling out "Caregivers". This Policy is available in the library in its entirety and will be posted on the Resident Information Wall in Lounge I. This Policy outlines the dress code, sign in and sign out, and other rules for the resident employees. Rules are to be followed by all resident employees and failure to follow the rules may result in the resident being subject to a monetary penalty as the resident employees are not employed or monitored by Mutual Fifty or PCM Staff at the Towers.
Betty Parker, Finance Director spoke to the Board regarding Mutual Fifty investments. Mutual Fifty has $3.2 million in Reserves. The guidelines for Home Owner Association investments is safety first, then liquidity and then yield.
The Board approved a resolution appointing Ryna Rothberg to the GRF Community Activities Committee.
The Board discussed guests attending Towers events. Activities and events scheduled in the Village Clubhouses may be for everyone in the Village. The Emeritus classes also include guests from outside of the Towers. Tower residents may invite guests to dinner or to events and programs at the Towers. However, a problem arises when the number of guests precludes residents from attending a popular event in the Towers. Additionally, guests from outside of the Towers must be accompanied by a Towers' resident when attending an event at the Towers.
The Board declined a request for a variance from standard procedure for a credit for five months of Second Occupancy Charges.
The Board approved sealed Lithium ion smoke alarms from OCFA. OCFA will make 950 smoke alarms available to Mutual Fifty at no cost for the alarms. Staff at the Towers will install the smoke alarms into all units, bedrooms, some hallways, and some Common Areas in the Towers. The smoke alarms include ten-year batteries that will not have to be replaced every year. Additionally, installing these alarms will bring the units into compliance with the latest California Fire Codes regarding placement of smoke alarms.
The Board requested that Staff report on the position of previous Boards with regard to the issue of a dog park at the Towers. After investigating the costs involved in providing a dog park, the deciding factor was that there was no insurance available for a private entity to offer a dog park. Insurance is only available to municipalities (cities). Due to this complication, the Board elected not to proceed further with the possibility of a dog park at the Towers.
The Monday bus trips to the Rincon Casino will end on March 5 due to lack of interest from residents for this particular event.
The Board then discussed the 2012 Marketing plan. Mutual Fifty will be advertised in "Life After 50" magazine for six months and will be featured on the Life After 50 web site. This website receives 500,000 hits a month. Additionally, Mutual Fifty will have ad space in "The Senior Reporter" for six months. The Open Houses for 2012 will be May 4 featuring a Spring Fiesta and live band; and August 10 in conjunction with the resident art show.
Towers Parking - Residents and Resident Employees are not to park directly in front of the Towers. The Board requests your cooperation with this rule. This area is for guests and not for resident parking or resident employee parking. Resident employees who park in this area are subject to loss of their Access Key Card.
Reminder - When planning a Celebration of Life, the family must make arrangements with the Community Access Department to allow guests through the gate. This is a time for family and friends to come together and it is not a time for complications and hassles at the gate. Please make note that the Community Access Department must be notified whenever guests are invited into the Community.
Dogs on leashes - The Board once again reminds all dog owners that when a dog is in Common Area, the leash must be six feet or less. This includes the area near the mail boxes as well as the Hearth rooms. Some people enjoy visiting with your pet. However, pet owners must abide by the rules in Common Area. The pet is to travel through Common Area as the nearest route back to the unit. Pet visits should be conducted out of doors.
Partial Code of Conduct for Resident Employees: (Available in its entirety in the Library.)
1. Resident employees must fill out the Resident Employee Information form available at the Reception Desk for each employer.
2. A Resident employee is required to sign in at the Reception Desk at the beginning of his shift and must sign out at the end of his shift.
3. The thirteen (13) parking spaces in front of the Towers are for guests only.
4. Resident employees are required to dress in keeping with the formal environment of the Towers.
5. Mutual Fifty strives for high quality and prestigious independent senior living. Resident employees using Common Areas must comply with these standards at all times.
6. A resident employee must present the appropriate guest ticket when dining with his resident
employer.
7. The appropriate area for resident employees awaiting resident employers dining in the Crystal Dining Room is Lounge I. Lounge II is appropriate for resident employees awaiting resident employers dining in the California Dining Room. The area immediately adjacent to a dining room entrance is not to be used by anyone not waiting to dine. Resident employees must wait at least thirty (30) feet from the dining room entrance. The hostess will notify a resident employee when the resident employer is ready to leave.
8. A resident employee, when asked to do laundry, shall use the laundry facilities on the floor where his resident employer resides. The Board of Directors states their position that the resident employee refrain from using laundry facilities on other floors; or for using Mutual Fifty facilities for personal laundry.
The resident is responsible to ensure that these rules are enforced.
