500 Sherbourne Condos (Times Group Corporation) - Real Estate -

The front steps on Sherbourne bothered me from day 1. Obviously, the concrete used for those steps, was of poor quality. Water getting into those cracks will further damage the steps, especially when the water freezes and breaks the concrete more. A problem that will certainly have to be addressed after the turnover. We have to make sure that the developer with his majority of votes won't create a board that dances to his tunes.
 
Today I received the Turnover Meeting information package in my mailbox.

Included in this package are 10 resumes/applications for the position of Board of Directors.

Klaus is in there, so I have one vote organized.

In terms of other candiates, there is one obvious Times Group affiliate (Hessam Ghadaki). He is listed as an owner,occupant. He certainly will not get my vote.
Sofie T. from the sales office has also applied. I am not sure about that one - she was quite pleasant and helpful to me, but I don't know independent of Times Group she is.
 
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Thanks, Displeased! Sofie is very much affiliated with Times Group, she, through the real estate company she works for, does all Times Groups condo sales and rentals. She is not an occupant. Also, Hessam Gahdaki is Hashem Ghadaki's son. To my knowledge, he does not live in the building (yet).
I didn't mention in my application that I took all CCI (Canadian Condominium Institute) courses and that I was a condo board member in the 80s in a small condo building in Cabbagetown.
Manfred (Klaus)
 
Hello All:

A couple of things in regards to the turnover meeting and proxies.


1. Quorum has to be reached. It is determined by the number of owners present and voting and the number of proxies that are held.
2. Proxies usually swing the vote at any condo meeting as most people can not be bothered to attend or do not live in the building and thereby don't send in the proxy or attend.
3. If the proxies do not explicitly say so, the candidates are chosen by default in the order that they applied to the position.

If the candidates are in order of the application in the package that we have received, the proxies will elect (if they do not otherwise name someone else):

1. Raymond (Owner Occupied position)
2. Mathew
3. John
4. Manfred
5. Hessam

It would a good idea for someone to get as many proxies as possible if you want to control the way the votes are cast. I am happy to print up letters and provide envelopes to assist. I will be attending the meeting.

Thanks.
 
Regarding the board dancing to the developer's tunes - saw that Sofie Taaskas applied to be a board member)
 
GAH! This sucks, meeting wayyyy too early...I don't close and move in until May 2nd =(. Any way I can still have some say in all of this with my 5% deposit? LOL

B-Chan
 
Hi BChan:

Unfortunately, the builder would be on record as the owner of your suite until it has been transferred to you on May 2nd. I dunno how the rules will be enforced for attendees - typically a spouse or a life-partner would be allowed to attend as an interested party. You might be able to tag along with one of us that way if you were to pretend for the evening. Just a thought. :)
 
KLAUS said:
The front steps on Sherbourne bothered me from day 1. Obviously, the concrete used for those steps, was of poor quality. Water getting into those cracks will further damage the steps, especially when the water freezes and breaks the concrete more. A problem that will certainly have to be addressed after the turnover. We have to make sure that the developer with his majority of votes won't create a board that dances to his tunes.
Click to expand...

I currently sit on the board of my condo, which was just registered last year. So, myself and the others on the board make up the first-year BoD. Anyway, we do not have any representation of the developer on our board.. We're all owners.

It's great that you are passionate about your condo and that you have many residents wanting only the best. Word of advice though, as much as you want things to get done having an ineffective Property Manager can severely weaken anything you want to see improved. It's frustrating since the first-year is when a lot of things have to be hammered out, deficiencies fixed, contracts chosen, etc. etc. If the PM that's already working for the building lacks experience, bends over backwards for the developer, or cannot communicate with the board, consider replacing them or find a new PM company. There's too much at stake during the first year to NOT get things done properly. I think this is the reason why some boards end up letting their developer-chosen property management company go in favor of choosing a new one. This is because it can often feel like the PM is also working for the interest of the developer... Which makes sense since they were chosen by them.
 
I would like to see Roseanne out - she has been extraordinarily unpleasant and unprofessional. She is owned by the builder 100%.
 
sweetsuite said:
Hello All:

A couple of things in regards to the turnover meeting and proxies.


1. Quorum has to be reached. It is determined by the number of owners present and voting and the number of proxies that are held.
2. Proxies usually swing the vote at any condo meeting as most people can not be bothered to attend or do not live in the building and thereby don't send in the proxy or attend.
3. If the proxies do not explicitly say so, the candidates are chosen by default in the order that they applied to the position.

If the candidates are in order of the application in the package that we have received, the proxies will elect (if they do not otherwise name someone else):

1. Raymond (Owner Occupied position)
2. Mathew
3. John
4. Manfred
5. Hessam

It would a good idea for someone to get as many proxies as possible if you want to control the way the votes are cast. I am happy to print up letters and provide envelopes to assist. I will be attending the meeting.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Have I missed something?
I was under the impression that we would receive invitations to be on the Board but it seems that some people have already had there applications accepted. I don't even know how many Board members are to be on our Board.
 
ray_vic said:
Have I missed something?
I was under the impression that we would receive invitations to be on the Board but it seems that some people have already had there applications accepted. I don't even know how many Board members are to be on our Board.
Click to expand...

It's been poorly organized. At first, they asked for 50-70 word nominations, but accepted multiple-page entries without telling everyone that the 50-70 word constraint will not apply. This was a wee-bit unfair, as KLAUS randomly found out 20 min before applications were due.

Also sweetsuite's default-proxy voting explanation has never been explained and is news to me. We have seen situations where voters vote 5 to the board, and then board resolves the positions within itself, but now it looks like voters will be voting for the specific positions on the board?
 
Roy G Biv said:
It's been poorly organized. At first, they asked for 50-70 word nominations, but accepted multiple-page entries without telling everyone that the 50-70 word constraint will not apply. This was a wee-bit unfair, as KLAUS randomly found out 20 min before applications were due.

Also sweetsuite's default-proxy voting explanation has never been explained and is news to me. We have seen situations where voters vote 5 to the board, and then board resolves the positions within itself, but now it looks like voters will be voting for the specific positions on the board?
Click to expand...

In my building's process we had the Property Management company conduct an evening information session for those that were interested in running for a position. At the info session we received a package outlining what was needed to run. This package was also provided at the concierge desk for other owners to pick up. A few weeks later a board candidate package was mailed out to all owners for them to review who was running and to make an educated decision (either by attending or proxy). Then, at the actual GA we had to go up and give a 2-5 minute speech as to why we feel we are suitable to be on the board.

Anyway, we did not have to run for any specific position but the number of votes you received determined how long you would sit on the board. For example, we have two 3 year positions, two 2 year positions, and one 1 year owner-occupant position. The more votes you get the longer you are part of the board. Once the board was formed we decided amongst ourselves that we create positions (1 President, 1 Director/Secretary, 2 VP's, 1 Treasurer).
 
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I unfortunately will not be in Toronto next week as I am at a conference in Vegas, Klaus aka Manfred, can I give you my proxy? If you send me your email address I will scan it and send it over to you so that you have my vote as well as whomever you also choose to vote for :)

Thanks
Heidi
 
Hello all:

I am surmising that the owner-occupied position would be filled that way with the first owner who stands for it. Typically the way it happens.

In so far as the proxies are concerned - yes - they do swing the vote. It's been that way in the last two condos I have owned and I have heard the same from many others as well.

I hope they don't get pissy about a scanned proxy form. If you want someone to hold it for you, I am home most evenings. Just write down who you want to be elected and sign it. I am happy to pick it up if Manfred can not.

I'm trying to chase down other owners live and don't live here to get their proxies as well.
 
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