PRESIDENT’S UPDATE By Phil Schrock, Board President On Monday September 6 we celebrate Labor Day, an official federal holiday that recognizes and honors the American labor movement and the many contributions and achievements of the U.S. workforce. It also marks the unofficial end of summer and the start of the back-to-school season. I hope you’ve had the opportunity to take advantage of Watergate’s outdoor pool and enjoyed all the other outdoor amenities here as well. If not, there’s still time: Weather permitting, we plan to keep the outdoor pool open two weekends beyond Labor Day: September 11-12 and September 18-19. Let’s thank all who have worked so hard to make the outdoor pool the great amenity it is: Management, the Recreation Committee, and our outstanding lifeguard crew!
Topics of Note
Recent editions of the Wheel have highlighted several topof-mind subjects, ranging from infrastructure to budget, roles and responsibilities of committees, the Board of Directors, volunteerism, and problems we encounter with Amazon (and other) package delivery services. This issue, Board member and Election Committee Chair Butch Hodges provides us with an update on electronic voting. Please read it.
The Outdoor Pool will be open a few weekends after Labor Day, so plan to enjoy it prior to it closing for the season!
You may recall that last month, General Manager Tom Curry wrote a timely Wheel article about Watergate’s Repair and Maintenance Strategy. In it he remarked that the Association aims to make sure we have done – and continue to do – everything we can to ensure our buildings are well maintained, safe and secure. In July the Board tasked our General Manager with the responsibility to research, identify and recommend qualified firms with industryleading structural engineering expertise to conduct building integrity/condition assessments of Watergate’s highrise buildings. A report to the Board of Directors is expected at its October meeting, with a recommendation on how to proceed on this front. Speaking of the General Manager, by now you have likely heard that Tom Curry has resigned to take a new job near his home in New Jersey. On behalf of the Association and Board of Directors I want to thank him for all the improvements he has made to Watergate over the past six years. Good luck in your new position, Tom!
New Business
Here are some other important announcements I’d like to highlight: FY2022 Budget. At its August 31 Board meeting the Board of Directors approved the FY2022 budget. The Board, along with members of the Budget Committee and Management, worked diligently to ensure daily operations and maintenance are sufficiently funded, infrastructure projects continue, and adequate monies are maintained in our reserve accounts. The FY2022 budget reflects a modest assessment increase – less than 1.4% – despite the recent inflation spikes we have seen in the general economy. Anticipate receiving notification of the new budget and your new unit assessment in the mail within the next few days.
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Wheel
September 2021
