Insurance and Obstructionists

Once again, a group who I have to assume is associated with the Anti’s is obstructing the work of the board and fighting anything that will benefit East Midtown Plaza.

I was not a fan of the board’s amendment to force cooperators to have property and liability insurance due to the additional costs to be borne by the cooperator. Upon gathering information, I realized that this action, although sure to be unpopular is beneficial to East Midtown Plaza and cooperators. The original Occupancy agreement states that the cooperator is responsible for water damage. This means that if there is a fire and the fire departments comes and sprays gallons of water in your apartment or an adjoining apartment, the water storage tank on the leaf breaches or one of our 40+ year old steel pipes springs a leak, the tenant may be responsible for tens of thousands of dollars in repairs. Without adequate property insurance, this will come out of the cooperators pocket! Forcing the cooperator to have insurance in place will also prevent the cooperator from coming after EMP for these repairs thus saving our co-op time and money to defend lawsuits.
Additionally, forcing the cooperators to have liability insurance will probably reduce EMP’s insurance premiums.

All good, right?

But once again the obstructionists have found a lawyer to comment on what they claim the board has improperly done and probably will file a suit against EMP. Every year at the EMP annual meeting, one or more of the anti’s gets up and complains about the high legal expenses. Don’t they get it that if the anti’s didn’t fight everything the Board does or the overwhelming majority of your neighbors want, EMP would not incur huge legal bills to defend the suits the obstructionists bring?

There will always be dissenting opinions on any decision. If a small minority fights every decision the majority-elected board decides on, the only result will be nothing getting accomplished.

2013 EMP Election Independent Analysis

Once again the ‘Pro’ Candidates win in a landslide. The ‘PRO’ candidates got 1,099 (74.4%) vs. 379 (25.6%) for ‘ANTI’ candidates (see following post for detailed results).

It would appear that this is a strong mandate for our newly minted Board to re-open the pursuit of privatization!

Jeanne Poindexter, the figurehead/spokesperson for the ANTI’s got 145 votes, lower than her average of 179 the last 6 times she has ran since 2006 and way below her high of 261 in 2006.

Great showing by newcomer Mala Mosher with 300 votes. Since 2005, the highest number of votes for any candidate was for Alan Rosof in 2008 with 373 followed closely by Jerry Fox, also in 2008 with 372.

2013 EMP Election Results (Unofficial)

Election of the Board of Directors (5):
Mala Mosher 300
Steven Goldstein 285
Janice Kabel 273
Mark Andermanis 270
Larry Weiner 271
Jeanne Poindexter 145
Aaron Olivo 125
Helen Krackow 135
Vincent DeMarco 109

First Sale Capital Assessment
For 273
Against 132

Total Proxies: 264
Machine Votes: 159
TOTAL VOTES: 423

HONESTBALLOTASSOCIATION-EMPRESULTS2013

EMPTCA Recommendations for December 2013 Vote

Email from EMP Tenant-Cooperator Association 12/1/2013

Dear EMP neighbor:

As we have every year, we will soon mail you a proxy . . . along with recommendations, instructions and an envelope for you to mail the proxy back to EMP. If you are away and would like us to email a proxy to you, please let us know.

Here’s a summary of the info you’ll receive:

————————————————-

 We have an exceptional Board of Directors:

  •  EMP is safe, secure and well-maintained.
  • We have new windows, new elevators and much, much more.
  • Roof replacement and plaza reconstruction programs are underway.
  • 10 of our 11 stores are rented — at very good rents.
  • If we attempt to go private again, these Board members will support it.

                  We urge you to re-elect ALL FIVE

  • Mark Andermanis
  • Steven Goldstein
  • Janice Kabel
  • Mala Mosher
  • Larry Weiner

One other issue: Vote FOR the resolution to increase the purchase price of our apartments. The increase will pay for major projects and help keep our maintenance low. This charge will only affect people buying new apartments.

Vote FOR the resolution. It’s really good for EMP.

 The 300+ members of the East Midtown Plaza Tenant-Cooperator Association

Questions or comments? Email emptca@aol.com