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Board Meeting Highlights

This is my simplified and very unofficial summary of the Saturday Morning meeting.
All opinions are not necessarily those of the board, its individual members or anybody else for that matter.
Meeting minutes are available through the Board's secretary.
Comments: send to marshycove900blog@comcast.net

The new meeting place was satisfactory for the size of the group attending. Many thanks to the Chad Malkus for making it available.

Some of the issues discussed:
Old business:

• Beazer has paid past condo fees to Comanco.
• The board will invest $25,000 of reserve capital in a CD. The bank will be selected shortly based on interest rate, early withdrawal terms, and other financial concerns.
• a "Transition Study" to review the building for deficiencies revealed few flaws. One concern was the loss of stone on the exterior. Freezing of water behind the mortar can dislodge the stones. Annual maintenance may be the only remedy. The open design permits water entry in the mortar cracks between the stones. To Beazer's credit, it was stated that many of the mistakes made in the original building design were not repeated at 900 Marshy Cove.
• Proposed Pet policy: The Pet Policy committee produced a 6 page draft composed of three parts: Pet Policy Provisions, Enforcement, and Registration. The board will review its content and provide comments. One of the issues will be the fees associated with pet registrations and fines. A fee of $75 per pet appears to be the median among Condo organizations. Adoption of the plan will follow condo association protocol which includes disclosure to condo owners. (details to follow in a future article.)
• Gate vandalism: The gate has been repaired and is operational. Security measures have been taken to detect and deter future incidents.
• Thermostats: Energy Star rated thermostats will be placed in selected common areas. These thermostats include daily set-back to reduce heating and cooling when spaces are unoccupied mainly at night. Two electrical contractor bids are under consideration for the work.
• Energy audit: still looking for a firm that will conduct an energy survey. Delmarva power among others do not provide this service. Do you know someone that can provide this service? please forward the information here.

New business:

• A site walk was conducted to identify possible rodent entry points. Door sweeps and other sealing measures will be proposed.
• Recycling: provision for recycling was discussed.
• Bicycle storage: All agreed that exterior storage of bicycles was not desirable. Storing bicycles in the garage requires discussions with the local Fire Marshal also known as the "Authority Having Jurisdiction" or AHJ. The garage is a sensitive area given the potential hazard due to presence of gasoline.
• Master Board: Swimming Pool hours: A request to extend hours of the pool to 7 days is under consideration. The cost impact was estimated at $5000. (to be determined.)
• Master Board financials: A request that the condo board receive Master Board financials.
• Access to 900 Marshy Cove: A request to limit access of the public for viewing Beazer's sample units. Residents would prefer to have the front doors locked. A "buzzer" entry system or limited escort practice verses the current "open" practice will be discussed with Beazer. (tbd)

Please send your comments to marshycove900blog@comcast.net

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Air Filters for Heating and Cooling Ducts

by George,

Have you changed your air filter in the past year? or ever?
This is one of those items that many of us just plain forget or don't know about.
Filters should be changed once every six months or more.

First, where is it?
The Dorchester model has its filter in the living room on the wall shared with the master bedroom. It is located below the thermostat. Yes, it's that big vent. The vent is the return air vent into which all of the room air recirculates. If it is dirty, very little air will flow.

Changing or checking the filter:
Turn off your heater or air conditioner to stop the fan and air flow before opening. There are two latches that secure the louvered vent. You may need to use a small screw driver to lever them open. Check the filter for dirt. It's probably more disgusting than you expected.
Please note, do not run your system without a filter. The filter prevents dust build-up on your coils which heat and cool your condo. They are not easily cleaned.

OK, Here's the catch. The size of the filter is not an off-the-shelf size: 16 x 24 inches. I went to two Lowes and two Home Depots. Neither had the size. The nearest standard size is 16 x 25. Let Uncle George save you some time. It won't fit! Luckily, I found a 16 x 24 at ACE hardware in Cambridge. I guess that someone else asked that they special order the size.

I paid $17.00 for the filter because it is a 3M Ultra Allergen filter. Nice for your health, but, not required to protect your equipment. I also found a few places on the web that sell them in six packs, but at the same price: no bargains.

I recommend going to the ACE hardware store. If we all buy them there, ACE will keep them in stock. They are located a block away from the WAWA.
ACE Hardware
802A Woods Road
Cambridge, MD 21613
(410) 228-9391

Also, it's a good idea to buy two, change one in the spring and one in the fall, when you change your clocks.

Have any other handyman tips? We anxiously await your comments.
Send to: marshycove900blog@comcast.net

Bulletin Board in Garage

Things are beginning to shape-up here at 900 Marshy Cove.

Thanks to some involved residents, the bulletin board in the garage now displays current information for condo residents as well as what's happening in Cambridge.

Got something that we should know about? Send it to marshycove900blog@comcast.net

We'll see that it is placed on the bulletin board.