2nd Front Page

JASA’s Juneteenth Celebration

BY P.M. CAMPBELL

JASA held its 2023 Juneteenth Celebration and Parade, organized by Cynthia Dixon of the JASA Bartow Older

Seniors assembled holding signs and banners, and

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“The primary purpose has always been to give our shareholders [the opportunity for] attendance at meetings and to observe the decision-making process, except for executive session meetings,” Board President Feliciano said, adding that due to technical challenges, Wednesday night’s meeting could not be live streamed as originally planned. “We hope to have our next meeting ready for shareholders.”

The Board President called everyone’s attention to information that was recently slipped under shareholders’ doors explaining proper maintenance of con-

“Since Memorial Day, Riverbay received 1,800 calls for leaks through June 25,” said Board President Feliciano. “To ensure that we cover all concerns, our making it easier for the new shift coming in to take on new work and to not have for our community.”

She informed the community there is a video being worked on by the Management team on water sensors and, in the meantime, encouraged shareholders to read the literature put under their door. She also took the opportunity to thank shareholders who have submitted suggestions and comments through the Riverbay website, coopcity.com. She observed that whether positive or negative, shareholders’ feedback helps the corporation to identify strengths and weaknesses as work continues towards improvements in service delivery and shareholders’ quality of life.

“We are working on ways to get better and if we do it well, it will help build a feeling of community,” Board President Feliciano said.

Next, Riverbay Executive General Manager Marvin L. Walton presented a supplemental management report highlighting changes that have taken place since the June 7, 2023 Board meeting. Addressing the Board, he said that he has been expanding his understanding of Riverbay operations and the methods in which Management provides day-to-day services to Co-op City shareholders.

Mr. Walton reported: “To date, I have attended eight building association meetings and two townhouse association meetings having opportunity to dialogue directly with our shareholders. I met with the leadership of four of the six unions which Riverbay Corporation has collective bargaining agreements with, met with two of the four insurance brokers that broker on behalf of us to get the best rates that we can in the marketplace. Also met with PFK O’Connor Davies, statements. So, I am continuing to make my rounds to get an introductory meeting in with all of our key stakeholders that we work closely with to help make Riverbay Corporation the best corporation.”

Mr. Walton proceeded to give an update on Riverbay’s convectors since the last Board meeting when he described four initiatives currently in progress. Reporting on two updates since then, Mr. Walton told the Board that a new vendor would soon be meeting with the Management team for a presentation on what their company can offer to address Co-op City’s aging convectors. Management will then report back to the Board on the outcome and steps forward. Secondly, he updated the Board on testing of a fan coil unit received from a vendor. This said, “The unit is operating in our current environment without any issues observed thus far.”

He also said that there have been no leaks and the unit is pumping “good cool air.” Riverbay Maintenance department will continue to monitor the operation of the unit in the model apartment where it is being tested. This unit is a free, base sample that was only 8,000 btu, consistent with a regular air conditioner, provided by the vendor. In phase two of this test, Mr. Walton said a larger, 12,000 btu unit, will be ordered which also includes a dual shut-off valve, water leak sensors and a larger, deeper condensation tray. The unit will also be installed in the model apartment and tested by the Maintenance department to determine if it

“So, we’re taking it step-by-step and please be advised as we stated last time, the ultimate goal is to do a pilot and we will be selecting those apartments that have had the most frequent leaks from the convector system,” Mr. Walton said. “Not there yet, but we can continue to say things are working according to plan, it works within our system, no glitches thus far, so it’s been installed for over two weeks.”

Finally, Mr. Walton expanded on the “Shared Vision” framework he has been discussing with shareholders at building and townhouse association meetings. He said that shareholders have suggested that all three entities included in the vision framework, the Riverbay Board of Directors, Management and Shareholders, be holders, they have really good suggestions and we are taking heed to it with the Management team and making sure those things that really make sense and we all agree upon, we institute those changes,” he said.

Following the reports, questions and/or comments were taken from Board Directors.

Board Director Lynette Wright, who was the maker of Resolution 23-11,

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pointed out that the resolution resolved that the Riverbay Board would meet in open session at least six times per calendar year and for each meeting to be preceded by a one-hour Gallery Session for shareholders to publicly express concerns and address questions to the Board. Resolution 23-11 received overwhelmingly support from 12 directors who were present for the meeting, with one director absent for the vote and two directors absent for the meeting.

Director Wright pointed out: “The six times that we are supposed to meet or allowed to speak at those meetings, but in accordance with Senate law that was in 2021 and 2022, all board meetings moving forward from that date – and what we should have been doing – are supposed to be in some manner, observational,

Director Wright asked Executive General Manager Walton about his update mandates on the state level regarding energy consumption. “Even though we haven’t continued to have that conversation and we should because we are running out of time with it, are these models that you are picking or choosing any

Mr. Walton responded: “The ultrathin hydraulic fan coil unit, one of the key Riverbay Director of Construction Rikardo Jakaj added: “One of the things which allows the motor to ramp up based on the need. And it has additional temperature sensors where if it reaches a certain temperature, it will shut off as opposed to staying on consistently. Right now, what you currently have is a

Director Wright then asked about the appearance of the convector’s interior which Mr. Walton said he will look into and have an answer at the Board’s July 12th meeting.

Director Anika Green-Watson asked Executive General Manager Walton about in kitchens and dining rooms, and the larger unit in living rooms.

“The plan would be, and this is hypothetical, but what we are doing in the test in the model unit, was to put the larger unit in the living room. Right now, we turned off the units in the bedroom and in the kitchen just to see how that one thin, smaller 8,000 btu unit is doing in the living room and if it would service the entire apartment which we kind of feel that it will not but the thought would be the larger unit in the living room. The condensation comes when there is humidity in the air, so the cooler the apartment, the less the condensation forms. So if we have a larger unit in the living room, you may not have to use the one in the kitchen and bedroom at full speed, you can reduce it down because you’re getting adequate amount of cool air coming out of the living room so it’s great that we have the 8,000 btu. Remember, that was a free unit, it was base, it doesn’t have the bells and whistles that we desire that will shut it off if there is a leak sensed in the convector. Now, we will move to the larger unit which will be 12,000 btu’s and it will have those bells and whistles in it; test it out and we are hoping that we get the same results because it’s been in for 2-plus weeks and we haven’t seen any issues. Everything is still working according to plan so it’s very positive but is that it actually extracts more of the condensation out of the air. If this hapremember is that these original fan coil units were sized 50 years ago when you had single paned glass windows and so we may be able to remove one of the contributing factors by oversizing the one in the living room areas and it will take off the heat load from the other rooms within the apartment itself so that’s Director Green-Watson said that going forward, it would be illuminating for the Board and shareholders to get an understanding of how installment would interact with the current convector units in apartments. “By that I mean, is this an overlay, is it something that’s just meant to go on top of the existing infrastructure or hardware or is this going to take a little bit more time and effort because my of man hours that it would take to install something like that, it’s less attractive so part of the calculus as we’re thinking about which of these units move on to stage 2 should be how does it interact with the existing infrastructure and what are the man hours going to be to get everyone up. It’s a great unit but if only 100 apartments can have it, then I don’t think it’s that great. If it’s maybe the second unit, it wasn’t our favorite, but everyone can get one, I think I’m more in favor the unit that you have and putting in an entirely new unit, and the great thing is putting it in the actual convector that’s in your apartment now. So again, I’m not going to say we’re putting the cart before the horse, but we’re feeling really good about the results thus far. And then when we get to that juncture, then we

Director Daryl Johnson asked if having a mix of 12,000 and 8,000 btu units on simultaneously in an apartment would affect the electrical load in the apartment?

Mr. Jakaj replied: “You will not have an additional load on your existing panels. These units pull their electricity from your existing 110 volts. You see the side on the convectors, that’s where we would be tying off into. You will not have additional load. You will not have a problem. What we are trying to do is put in a direct replacement within the area where you have all your water supply,

Board Director Bishop Angelo Rosario asked if the drainage on the unit is the

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