Useful Links for Unit Owners

Here are links to some web sites that Market Street at Town Center Condominium unit owners might find useful. I suggest you click on each of these links to get a better feel for what is available at each of the sites.


http://www.marketstreetattowncenter.com/
Official site for our Condominium Unit Owners Association (UOA). (Contains our bylaws and policy documents, Board of Directors meeting minutes, Association newsletters, etc.)


https://msa-towncenter.blogspot.com/
Bob’s leasing-bylaw-amendment blog. Check occasionally for new posts.


https://mstc-uoa.blogspot.com/
Paul’s Unit Owners Association (UOA) issues (other than the leasing issue) blog. (The site you are at now.)


https://mstcuoa.proboards.com/
Paul’s message board forum.  (You may find this forum helpful in navigating within the two blogs identified immediately above, because the forum is subdivided by topics.  In the forum, you can see one- or two-sentence summaries of the content of each blog post, along with the link to the blog post, so you can easily go to the blog post if it sounds interesting to you.)  (Although only unit owners who have registered for this forum can post on it, anyone can read the posts.  It would be good for back-and-forth dialog if other unit owners would post.)


Virginia Condominium Act
Law applicable to our Condominium.  See especially the 1949 and 1950 sections.


https://icare.fairfaxcounty.gov/ffxcare/main/Home.aspx
Fairfax County real estate tax records. (Provides information about each unit in our Condominium, including name(s) of owner(s), the size and model name, the assessed value, and the sales prices.  To view information about units recently sold in our Condominium, click on “address” and then enter “12001” in the “Number” box and “market” in the “Street” box.  To the right of “Options” sort by “Last Sale” in “Descending” order.)


When a building permit is required
Fairfax County building permits.  This link is useful if you are preparing to replace your gas water heater or your gas stove, because Fairfax County requires getting a building permit to replace gas appliances.


http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/LicenseLookup/
This link lets you check if a prospective contractor (perhaps for replacement of your water heater or air conditioner) is properly licensed.


On my own personal computer, I have the icons for all these links grouped together on my desktop, and, as a backup, I have these links in my favorites list as well. What worked well for me was to first add each site to my favorites list, then drag each site’s icon from my favorites list to my desktop, and, finally, add the sites to my favorites list again.

I believe the sites identified above are useful for informing our unit owners about UOA matters, and for facilitating communication among us unit owners regarding UOA matters.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this or any post on this blog, please post those questions or comments on my forum listed above or/and email me at rasmussen305@gmail.com

“Parking and storage” and “executive session”

[At the actual Board meeting discussed below, our President recommended, and the Board approved, that the "Parking and storage" topic be discussed in open session rather than in "executive session". I heartily approve of this decision. I am still going to leave this post up, because I believe it addresses an important issue regarding how our Board should conduct its deliberations.]

The agenda for the Board of Directors meeting this Thursday, 24 April 08, includes a topic entitled “Parking and storage” and, unfortunately in my view, shows that the Board is to discuss this topic in “executive session” (meaning that unit owners not on the Board aren’t allowed to be present during that discussion). I think that exclusion of us unit owners isn’t in our best interests. You might find the below emails between our Association president and me to be of interest. Some of this reminds me of related matters I discussed in recent posts on this blog.


Mike:

I appreciate your response.

That paragraph C of http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+55-79.75 allows a topic to be considered in executive session only if the topic can reasonably be construed to fall within one of the specific exemptions stated in the first sentence of paragraph C. From what Sue told me Friday and what you say in your below email, I don't see how this "parking and storage" topic could be reasonably so construed.

But even if you can get a legal opinion that supports your initial decision to put the topic in executive session, I still question how putting the topic in executive session is of net benefit to the unit owners. Why shouldn't our unit owners be allowed to know all the factors the Board considered in coming up with pricing, method of sale, accounting decisions, etc.? So, unless you have a topic that clearly MUST be considered only in executive session to comply with the law, I believe the Board best serves the unit owners by considering topics such as this in open session, NOT in executive session. To do otherwise, will, in my opinion, open up the Board to having its motives called into question.

Regards,
Paul


Paul:

I received your voice mail. I had agenda item Parking and Storage placed in Executive Session as I propose to discuss their value to the Association; a price, based on fair market value, that we would offer them to the owners for purchase; a fair method of sale so that each owner has equal opportunity for purchase; and, how to categorize the monies received. I interpret Section 55-79.75.C to include this. However, I’ve asked for an interpretation from Legal Counsel and will make a motion to amend the agenda to place Parking and Storage in General Session should Counsel’s interpretation indicate that this is not an Executive Session topic.

As I’ve stated to you before, my intention is to conduct business legal within the confines of the Condominium Act and our Bylaws.

Mike