News blog going on hiatus

Dear Neighbors,

In 2014, there was a clear need for better communication in the Esplanade. All HOA board meetings were held in private - only the yearly membership meetings were public. There were no means for contacting the board. There were no notices in the elevators. No mass emails sent out to residents. No Pilera. There was an occasional newsletter from the development company and a resident Facebook group, but in my view those efforts did not fill the need for clear communication to all residents.

At that time, I started this news blog. I have a background in journalism and I thought it would be useful to have a clearinghouse not just for HOA news and documents, but also resident polls, restaurant reviews, neighborhood photos, etc.

Five years and almost 450 blog posts later, it may be that this forum has run its course. There are other outlets for news and information now, and attendance at board meetings has become more robust than it was in past years.

I realize that many different residents have many different perspectives on the management of our building. Some residents believe that the board members and management personnel are working hard, and doing the best they can. Some residents are in a constant state of outrage about... well, everything. Many are somewhere in between those polar opposites. Some believe that our building is a great place to live, and recognize that it requires continued maintenance projects, not all of which go as smoothly and quickly as we all would like. Some residents can't wait to sell and get out.

In trying to serve all of those varied perspectives, I've tried to be accurate, fair, informative and occasionally fun. Many people have expressed their appreciation for these efforts, and some have been very clear in letting me know that they don't like me, or the blog.

My plan is to take a couple months off from this blog and see how it goes; I don't think the building will fall down in the meantime. I will leave the blog and the website as they are and not take them down, as there may be some useful information there still. 

I wish you all well,

-Dan

News and notes for this week

Several items of news and note for this week:

• The Esplanade Book Club is coming back!
  If you enjoy reading, talking, eating and a beverage or two, you're invited to join in re-creating the book club here at the Esplanade. If you are interested, please contact Sara Elward at selward@hevanet.com. Or, come to the first gathering in the Community Room on Tuesday, June 18, at 6:30 pm for an organizational meeting and selection of some initial books to read. 

• Two upcoming opportunities for cleaning up and de-cluttering:
• Esplanade litter patrol
  The "Esplanade Neighborhood Litter Patrol" will meet Saturday, June 15, to clean up the area directly across Dock Street from our building (between the railroad tracks and Hood Street), as well as the A Street sidewalk leading up to the locomotive sculpture. Meet on Hood Street at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Lynn at lynnrdutton@aol.com.
• Free trash disposal at the Tacoma Dome
  Here's a great opportunity to clean out those communal storage closets on your floor! A free community cleanup day will be offered on Saturday, June 22. Residents may bring unwanted items to the Tacoma Dome parking lot for free disposal, from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Almost all items will be accepted, including tires, old furniture, mattresses, doors, etc. A mobile paper shredder will also be on hand. Click HERE for more information.

• Ladies who lunch - Wednesday, June 26th
  Wednesday, June 26, is the next meeting of "Ladies Who Lunch," an event for residents who would like to socialize and share a mid-week lunch. Meet at the Olive Branch Cafe at 11:30 a.m., or in the Esplanade lobby at 11:00 a.m. to carpool. Hats are encouraged, and Sara Elward has offered to lend anyone interested a hat from her collection. Call her at 206-356-5025 for details. RSVP to Sallie Zimmer by 6/24, email sallienherb85@comcast.net.

• Emergency systems inspection is Wednesday, July 10
  On Wednesday, July 10, Smith Fire will perform their annual fire inspection between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The inspectors will need access to every unit. There will be bells and whistles sounded during this time. For residents who won't be in the building, management will need a key or access code for your unit. For those who have moved in after July 2018, please check with Karen DeGraw to see if she has a key to your unit. If a unit is inaccessible, re-inspection fees of $200 have been charged in the past.

• Summer concert series on the esplanade!
  
  Despite the cloudy weather, the first summer concert on May 19 was well-attended, and larger crowds are expected at upcoming events. In addition to music, there are dozens of vendors, activities for kids, etc. Click on the image below for more information regarding the summer concert series. Note that on June 16, the main act will be the Esplanade's own Tara Tinsley!

News and notes for this week

Sorry for the blog being so quiet the last several weeks! My day job has been keeping me very busy, and it seems as though many news items are being adequately communicated through emails to all residents (window washing, summer concerts on the esplanade, etc.).

A few items of news and note:

• Cruise ship on the Foss Waterway this summer and fall
  Alert Esplanade residents may have noticed a cruise ship docked at the Maritime Museum on the Foss Waterway in the last few weeks. This was one of five visits this season by the "American Constellation," as part of its 8 day / 7 night Puget Sound cruise itinerary. The ship provides accommodations for 175 passengers. The Foss Waterway Seaport Maritime Museum and the Museum of Glass are providing discounts to the passengers, while charter buses take the guests to these and other local destinations in Tacoma. The Constellation should make its next visit on Wednesday, June 5.

• Two opportunities for cleaning up and de-cluttering:
  
• Free trash disposal at the Tacoma Dome
  Here's a great opportunity to clean out those communal storage closets on your floor! A free community cleanup day will be offered on Saturday, June 22. Residents may bring unwanted items to the Tacoma Dome parking lot for free disposal, from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Almost all items will be accepted, including tires, old furniture, mattresses, doors, etc. A mobile paper shredder will also be on hand. Click HERE for more information.
  
  
• Esplanade litter patrol
  The "Esplanade Neighborhood Litter Patrol" will meet Saturday, June 15, to clean up the area directly across Dock Street from our building (between the railroad tracks and Hood Street), as well as the A Street sidewalk leading up to the locomotive sculpture. Meet on Hood Street at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Lynn at lynnrdutton@aol.com.

• Improvements to elevator on the Murray Morgan Bridge
  City officials have recently considered closing the elevator on the Murray Morgan Bridge during late-night and early-morning hours, in an effort to curtail illegal activity. However, in a recent communication to Esplanade resident Tom Ebenhoh, a city official noted that ADA regulations prohibit the elevator from being closed. The city is therefore looking into other improvements, namely:
• Installing new flooring that is easier to clean and virtually indestructible (i.e. diamond plate). Anticipate that the flooring to be installed within the next three months.
• Changing lighting to make it brighter.  If the elevator electrical wiring and lighting fixtures will support an increase in wattage, brighter lighting will be installed by the end of Fall.
• Adding signage that indicates the area may be under surveillance; expect the sign to be installed in the next month.
• Exploring the possibility of adding sound deterrents to the elevator such as classical music or overhead messaging to discourage encamping in the elevator.  Still determining whether the wiring in the elevator will support the installation but if so, expect to complete that by the end of Fall.  
• Working with Road Use Compliance and TPD to increase the presence of enforcement personnel in the area to address concerns.

• Summer concert series on the esplanade!
  
  Despite the cloudy weather, the first summer concert on May 19 was well-attended, and larger crowds are expected at upcoming events. Click on the image below for more information regarding the summer concert series. Note that on June 16, the main act will be the Esplanade's own Tara Tinsley!

Highlights from the 5/9/19 HOA board meeting

The official minutes from the HOA board meeting on 5/9/19 should be available HERE in the next couple weeks or so. In advance of the official minutes, below are a few highlights from the meeting, attended by all five board members, as well as Property Manager Matt Brown and Building Manager Karen DeGraw. Approximately 20 additional Esplanade residents were on hand.

Treasurer's report:

• Board Treasurer Denice Faust provided the most recently-available balances in the operating fund and the various reserve funds.
• Denice and Board President Margo Holm also addressed at length some changes regarding the HOA's investment strategies. After meeting with homeowner Larry Kennedy and Property Manager Kevin Ducotey, the board is interested in pursuing investments with local banks, which might provide higher interest rates than the HOA's current investments. Three motions were approved this evening:
• To immediately purchase an additional CDARS, using funds from an HOA bank account currently exceeding $250,000. (Amounts over $250,000 in such accounts are not FDIC insured.)
• To change periodic funding allocations into residential/commercial reserve accounts, so that the balance between residential and commercial accounts reverts back to the originally-intended proportions.
• To liquidate current CDARS (as they mature) and move the funds to a different institution offering higher interest rates.
• The board agreed that prudence and caution regarding HOA investments is very important. The existing HOA investment policy was referenced, as well as a caution about chasing after higher rates without considering all other important factors.

Committee reports:

• Safety Committee: No report at this time. The committee has not met in some months, and will be soliciting new members in the near future.

• Esplanade Outreach: This label will be used for the time being as an "umbrella" for various building efforts to improve and interact with the local neighborhood.
• The "Esplanade Neighborhood Litter Patrol" will meet Saturday, June 15, to clean up the area directly across Dock Street from our building (between the railroad tracks and Hood Street), as well as the A Street sidewalk leading up to the locomotive sculpture. Meet on Hood Street at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Lynn at lynnrdutton@aol.com.
• The "Friends of the Foss" neighborhood improvement group (not to be confused with the "Friends of the Foss" gardening group) is represented in our building by Tom Ebenhoh and a few others. Tom mentioned the free concert series on the esplanade this summer, beginning on May 19. Click HERE for more information!

Building Manager's report:

Below are a few of the projects on which Building Manager Karen DeGraw is currently working. This is not a comprehensive list of all Karen is doing - it is merely a glimpse of a few projects.

• Exterior window washing: Tie-downs used by the window washers for their ropes have undergone their 10-year inspection, and window washing will begin the week of 5/13. The white membrane roofs will be cleaned first, with the windows to follow. [For those who are new to the building, window washing typically lasts several days, and you should expect to see workers hanging from ropes outside you windows at any time, without notice. The workers will clean all of your exterior windows (including the ones on your deck) in addition to the deck's glass railing.]
• Construction on circular driveway: It was originally thought that the waterproof barrier underlying the concrete was intact. However, after the old concrete was pulled away it was found that the waterproof barrier was damaged. A new barrier had to be designed. While the engineering of that layer has now been completed, a contractor must now be found to manufacture it. Once the barrier has been installed, the concrete company should be ready to begin their work.
• Karen requests that whoever keeps removing the emergency contact information from the elevators, please stop.
• Birds: After a resident brought the issue to her attention, Karen discovered that at some time in years past, the "spikes" used to prevent birds from roosting on certain areas of the roof had been removed. The spikes have been located and will be reinstalled.
• Worn-out coverings on the weight benches in the gym have been replaced.
• The hall table for the 9th floor is being painted and will be returned.
• Freight Elevator: Contrary to popular belief, elevator #1 (the one on the far left) has not been completely disabled or restricted on weekends. Instead, the elevator is being put into "freight mode" on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This means:
• Any resident may use that elevator for moving freight, when it is not specifically reserved for a move-in or move-out. (Note that there is still a $500 fee for every move-in and move-out.)
• An elevator key is no longer required, but in "freight mode," the elevator will stay on one floor until it is intentionally moved to another floor. (Complete instructions for using the elevator in "freight mode" are taped to the inside of the elevator on weekends.) 
• It is important that the elevator be returned to the lobby after use, much the same as residents should return carts to P1 after use. If you do not return the freight elevator to the lobby, then other residents will have to go up and down the floors searching for it. If you happen to see the freight elevator "parked" on a residential floor on the weekend, please return it to the lobby. 
• The intent behind this new strategy is to free up the other two elevators on weekends, which are the busiest days for moving. It is believed that designating elevator #1 for freight on these days will improve the efficiency of the other two, although the board has agreed to try to monitor this efficiency.
• Some residents have requested that instead of the system described above, that the elevator only be put into freight mode "as needed" on weekends, and returned to regular operation at all other times. However, board members expressed doubt about the practicality of this plan, and also seemed disinclined to pay an employee for this purpose on weekends.

Correspondence to the board:
Board President Margo Holm summarized the following letters received by the board in recent weeks. Please note that the following section does not necessarily include all correspondence received by board members, only those noted at tonight's meeting.

• Letter from resident Roger Van Der Vliet regarding appropriateness/inappropriateness of proxy votes in the last HOA election. Board President Margo Holm summarized the letter, and stated that the board had sent an explanatory reply to Mr. Van Der Vliet.

• Letter from resident Bennie Baldwin regarding 15 minute limit on parking in the concrete circle, and the proposed "parking barnacle," which could be used to fine offenders. [Readers can see a video HERE about how the barnacle works.] Board President Margo Holm summarized the letter and the board's response, which was that the 15 minute limit is "directed by the city."

• Letter from residents Paul Francis and Jesse Richardson, thanking the board and Karen DeGraw for their kindness and helpfulness during their process of moving into the building.

• Letter from resident Scott Ahlsmith regrading the freight elevator. Scott's suggestion was to impose a small fee for the use of the freight elevator on weekends, thus raising money to pay an employee to take the elevator in and out of freight mode as needed. The board seemed understanding of the request, but questioned the practicality of the plan and did not seem inclined to approve.

New business:

• Building CC&Rs under review by city: Changes to the building's CC&Rs (new language governing the 16th Street easement, recently approved by a vote of HOA members) are under review by City of Tacoma lawyers. The board expressed uncertainty regarding this review.

• Misc. financial concerns: Board President Margo Holm, Property Manager Matt Brown, and Building Manager Karen DeGraw recently met with resident Ken McDonald regarding various financial matters. These included the inability to use the HOA's credit card at Costco, and financial irregularities dating back to the HOA's dealings with iStar some years ago.

• Cosmetic concrete work: The concrete company hired to pour concrete in the circular driveway suggested $5,000 worth of cosmetic work on the slope connecting the circle to Dock Street. The board voted against spending the money on this upgrade.

• Cracked concrete planter: The concrete company also noted a significant crack in a planter at the front of the building. The company offered to empty the planter and inspect for $900. The board voted to pay for the investigation and subsequent repair, if necessary.

• Lahar sirens: In October of 2017, the Esplanade's Safety Committee asked that Pierce County install a "lahar warning siren" somewhere closer to the Foss Waterway. Apparently existing sirens were installed before high-occupancy residences existed on the waterway, and while the Esplanade is in the danger zone for a lahar, residents cannot hear the nearest siren. Board President Margo Holm said that residents can call the county at 866-977-2362 to request the installation of lahar sirens.

• Other new business: The board thanked a resident for providing new, more aesthetic pads for the freight elevator. New sand will reportedly soon be poured in the sculpture garden on the esplanade (work being done by the FWDA). 

Old business:

• Chiller: Per a resident request, the rooftop chiller has now been set to activate at 49 degrees, so that residents can turn on their air conditioning when the outside temperature is at that point or higher. In conjunction with this adjustment, the HVAC contractor will make a presentation to the board in June, so that board members and other residents can learn more about the functions of the systems.

• Water meters for commercial units: The board voted to begin gathering information/bids for putting all four commercial units on their own water meters, rather than having those units using the common HOA water account.

• Pilera: It has come to the attention of the board that at first glance, it appears on Pilera as though the most recently-updated meeting minutes and financial statements are from many months ago. In fact, minutes and financial statements are uploaded much more frequently. Homeowners must go to the "Community" tab, and click on "Document library" to see these items. After contacting Condominium Management regarding this issue, board members were told the website "Can't be changed." Board members recommended that Condominium Management look into a different website contractor.

• Decorative rocks on lower rooftop: The board expressed regret that it could not in good conscience move forward with removing the unsightly rocks on the lower rooftop, until the concrete circle project is fully accounted for. The board did express appreciation to homeowners Dennis and Cindy Murray, who have done extensive research on the rooftop's issues, as well as homeowner Shoko Yoshikawa, who is a materials engineer and has provided some preliminary engineering work.

• Decorative dome/planter in circular driveway:  [This has been an ongoing discussion at board meetings for some time.] Board President Margo Holm stated that she has an appointment to speak with the President of a local technical college, to explore the possibility of students creating metalwork which might be attached to the silver dome, in order to discourage skateboarders. Margo also indicated that she would ask about the possible design of a height restrictor which might be bolted to the concrete and used to prohibit trucks from entering the circle. Another possible solution might be a width restrictor rather than a height restrictor. 

Resident comments and questions:

• A few clarifying questions were asked, and discussion followed, regarding items above. That information has been inserted into the notes above where appropriate.
• One resident was upset about parking limits in the circle, as well as a recent incident when Building Manager Karen DeGraw refused entry for a flower delivery. Karen replied that it is her practice not to buzz in friends, relatives, deliveries, etc. on behalf of residents. She tells these visitors who call her from the front door to contact the residents directly, and have the residents buzz the front door themselves. Karen stated this is for residents' protection - that she does not want to be liable for letting a potentially dangerous person into the building who might do harm to a resident.
• Another resident asked about re-starting the Esplanade Book Club, and using the community room for this purpose. The board indicated agreement, as long as the room was reserved in advance for this purpose. If non-residents will be regular attendees, then a deposit for the room's use is required.
• Three residents asked for further clarification regarding the use of the elevators (see Building Manager's report, above). Another resident asked about the resurfacing of the 9th floor hallway table, pointing out that it has been missing from the floor since January. These questions at times escalated into somewhat heated exchanges with Building Manager Karen DeGraw, and claims of disrespect/rudeness on both sides.

"Ladies who Lunch" meets this Thursday

The "Ladies who Lunch" are going to Anthony's Restaurant at Point Defiance!

This Thursday, April 25, is the next meeting of "Ladies Who Lunch," an event for residents who would like to socialize and share a mid-week lunch. Meet at Anthony's at Point Defiance at 11:30 a.m., or in the Esplanade lobby at 11:00 a.m. to carpool. 

For more information, contact Sallie at sallienherb85@comcast.net.

Here's a photo the group at the Hotel Murano, where they ate at their last gathering. New attendees are welcome!

Highlights from the 4/11/19 HOA board meeting

The official minutes from the HOA board meeting on 4/11/19 should be available HERE in the next couple weeks or so. In advance of the official minutes, below are a few highlights from the meeting, attended by four of the five board members, with Kelly DeLaat-Maher out for personal reasons. Approximately 25 additional Esplanade residents were on hand.

Treasurer's report:

• Board Treasurer Denice Faust provided the balances in the operating fund and the various reserve funds.
• Denice also addressed at length some recent homeowner concerns regarding the HOA's investment strategies. She pointed out that the board adopted an investment policy in 2016, which must be adhered to. The board discussed various pros and cons of changing its current investment strategies, and will consider resurrecting its finance committee to provide advice. Currently, the HOA's investments are administered by Condominium Management, which avoids some complications which might arise if board members themselves administered the investments. Also, changes to investments would need to be phased in, as the HOA's various CDARS come to maturation.

Committee reports:

• Safety Committee: No report at this time. The committee has not met in some months, and will be soliciting new members in the near future.

• Esplanade Outreach: This label will be used for the time being as an "umbrella" for various building efforts to improve and interact with the local neighborhood.
• The "Esplanade Neighborhood Litter Patrol" will meet this Saturday, 4/13, to clean up the area directly across Dock Street from our building (between the railroad tracks and Hood Street), as well as the A Street sidewalk leading up to the locomotive sculpture. Meet on Hood Street at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Lynn at lynnrdutton@aol.com.
• The "Friends of the Foss" neighborhood improvement group (not to be confused with the "Friends of the Foss" gardening group) is represented in our building by Tom Ebenhoh and a few others. Tom mentioned some activities this group is doing to improve the neighborhood, including free concerts on the esplanade this summer. The group requested a donation of $500 from our HOA. However, $700 of the HOA's $1,000 miscellaneous fund was recently spent to digitize the paper-only plans for our building. The board did, however, authorize the remaining $300 be donated to the FOF group.

Building Manager's report:

Below are a few of the projects on which Building Manager Karen DeGraw is currently working. This is not a comprehensive list of all Karen is doing - it is merely a glimpse of a few projects. (Report provided by Board President Margo Holm, in Karen's absence.)

• A Goodwill drop-off box is now located in our lower garage, on a trial basis. Residents are strongly advised to adhere to the guidelines for donations, if they wish the box to remain.
• Construction on circular driveway: Construction is currently suspended due to rainy weather, as well as the need for bids to install drains and waterproof covering. All attempts are being made to get to the concrete-pouring phase as soon as possible, however it is important that the underlying layers are installed properly and cost-efficiently.
• Parking in concrete circle: Eventually, cars will once again be allowed in the circle. At that time, enforcement of the parking/loading zone rules will be necessary. Karen has researched a device called a "parking barnacle," which may be used to fine offenders. You can see a video about how the barnacle works HERE.
• The water storage tank located under the entrance ramp to the upper garage has been cleaned, after a delay caused by overfill spillage.
• Exterior window washing: Normally we would be approaching the time for exterior window washing. However, it was found that the tie-downs used by the window washers for their ropes must be inspected every 10 years. Once the inspection is done, window washing can be scheduled.
• Once again, residents are reminded to please familiarize themselves with trash procedures in this building. For a comprehensive review of garbage and recycling at The Esplanade, click HERE.
• Also in the Building Manager's report: The recycling bin in the mail room was removed after a resident tripped on it, and it was determined to be a potential hazard. The padded elevator will be keyed to the first floor almost every weekend for move-ins and move-outs. A newspaper rack is now located in the lobby, to avoid the previous newspaper clutter.

Correspondence to the board:

• Letter from resident Tammi Jordan requesting the rooftop air conditioning unit be run during cooler weather. Currently the building's air conditioning is only on when the outside temperature is warmer. Tammi explained that it is difficult to cool their condo below the low 70's, which is not comfortable to them, and opening windows allows too much moisture and grit to enter. A discussion ensued regarding building-wide temperature settings; the expense and wear/tear of running the air conditioner for only a few units during the winter; etc. A few suggestions were made back and forth, although the matter was not resolved.

• Letter from resident Dennis Murray regarding the decorative rocks and other issues with the lower rooftop. Dennis had been commissioned by the previous HOA Board President to research solutions to the deteriorating, unsightly rocks. However, after contacting the board more recently, Dennis' services were apparently unneeded. At tonight's meeting, the board initially indicated that improvements to that roof in the near future would be too costly, particularly in light of all the money being spent on the concrete circle. Dennis made a few points in reply, including:
  
  > His research found that the board's preference for an epoxy coating would be ill-advised. It would be more costly than some better alternatives, and would cast heat and glare into residents' windows.
  
  > The delays in improvements to that roof have now spanned four board presidents, and keep getting pushed to the future in favor of other projects. Dennis warned that further delays could result in escalating repairs to that roof.
  
  After hearing Dennis out, the board reconsidered. Board President Margo Holm apologized for the misunderstanding; it seems that some on the board had thought that Dennis was seeking only aesthetic improvements, and had not understood the whole scope of his research on this project. The board agreed to meet to hear more about his research and proposals, and consider accelerating funds from reserves to address these issues.

New business:

• New HOA Board email address: [New business item brought up a meeting's end.] After several requests that homeowners have a more direct route of contact, an email address has been created specifically for the Board of Directors. Esplanadebod@gmail.com can now be used to contact the board. [See additional esplanade contact information HERE.]

• Recycling: Board member Pat Pound noted that in many cities nationwide, recycling programs are being scaled back, due to the lack of a market for selling recyclables. He raised the notion that our HOA may need to start considering alternatives, should the City of Tacoma follow suit. For example, will we need an additional compactor bin to handle more garbage, should recycling be scaled back by the city?

• Water meters for commercial units: The board would like to begin putting all four commercial units on their own water meters, rather than having those units using the common HOA water account.

• Pilera: It came to the attention of the board that at first glance, it appears on Pilera as though the most recently-updated meeting minutes and financial statements are from many months ago. In fact, minutes and financial statements are uploaded much more frequently. Homeowners must go to the "Community" tab, and click on "Document library" to see these items. The board is working with the Pilera webmaster to make the site more navigable.

Old business:

• Fines for garbage/recycling violations: The resident who was dumping trash in the P1 elevator foyer was recorded on video and has been fined. The board would like to discuss raising fines for garbage/recycling violations to $50 on first offense, $100 on second offense, and $200 and $300 on third and fourth offense.

• Holiday decorations: The board approved a previous request regarding changing, for next year, the date on which holiday decorations can be displayed - from "December 1" to "the day after Thanksgiving."

• New house rule regarding estate sales: A new house rule has been added prohibiting estate sales in the building. Individual items may still be sold by posting notices on the community bulletin board, but full estate sales must be moved to an off-site location. [Note that the "house rules" differ from the CC&Rs. The house rules are the board's interpretations of the CC&Rs, and can be changed by a simple board vote. Alteration of the CC&Rs requires a vote of all homeowners.] 

• Decorative dome/planter in circular driveway: [This has been an ongoing discussion at board meetings for some time.] Many residents have advocated for and against the silver dome's permanent removal. Some appear to believe the dome is aesthetic and classy, while others dislike its look, and have seen it attract skateboarders and bikers. It was noted that the dome could be judged an "attractive nuisance," which would make the HOA liable in the case of an injury sustained by a skateboarder.
  
  A previous suggestion which held some promise was that a concrete planter be constructed some feet off the ground, and the dome could be placed in the middle of the dirt, with plantings around. This might deter skateboarders, as well as satisfy those who want a planter as well as those who want to keep the dome. However, it is now believed that such a planter might need to be over four feet high to truly deter skateboarders - a height that seems both impractical and unaesthetic.
  
  Other recent suggestions have been made to put a flag pole in the center of the circle, or decorative metal art.

• Height restrictor for concrete circle: Consultations with the City of Tacoma have determined that in order to anchor a typical height restrictor, footings would have to be dug into the ground. However, no such footings are possible, since the area sits above the parking garage. One solution might be to consult with the metalworking departments of local technical colleges, to design a height restrictor which might be bolted to the concrete. Another possible solution might be a width restrictor rather than a height restrictor. 

Resident comments and questions:

• A few clarifying questions were asked, and discussion followed, regarding items above. That information has been inserted into the notes above where appropriate.
• One resident noted that the commercial unit(s) have been guilty of putting inappropriate items in the large recycle bins (even producing a box full of bubble wrap as evidence).
• Another resident informed the group that the city was considering disabling the elevator on the Murray Morgan Bridge during the late night/early morning hours, to discourage misuse.
• A resident informed the board that there seemed to be an inordinate number of birds roosting on the south side of the building, and inquired about plastic "spiky things" to discourage birds.

News and notes for this week

A couple items of news and note for this week:

• HOA board meeting this Thursday
  
  The next Esplanade HOA board meeting will take place on Thursday, 4/11 at 6:00 p.m. in the community room. There will be committee reports, budget updates, and more.
  
  
  Residents are reminded that while they are welcome to attend, this is not a general HOA member meeting. The board conducts their business during these monthly meetings, sometimes asking for input from committee members and others present. A Q&A session for residents is usually included at the end of the meeting.

• Entrance to upper garage partially blocked this week
  Work that was supposed to be done last week was postponed due to a water spill, so residents are reminded to be careful entering and exiting the upper garage this week. Cars will be able to go in and out of the garage, but there will only be one lane, so cars will have to take turns going in and out. The water storage tank located under the entrance ramp to the upper garage is in need of service (this is not the building's main hot water tank, it is a tank used as part of the fire-suppression system). There is sediment in the tank, and it needs to be drained, coated, and re-filled.

• Two opportunities to help out the neighborhood this Saturday, 4/13
  
  Apparently by sheer coincidence, two local beautification groups will be working this Saturday morning to clean up areas directly adjacent to The Esplanade building. Plenty of opportunity this Saturday to get involved in cleaning up the neighborhood! Both groups will provide gloves, tools, etc., so you just need to show up.

  
  

  The "Esplanade Neighborhood Litter Patrol" will meet again to clean up the area directly across Dock Street from our building (between the railroad tracks and Hood Street), as well as the A Street sidewalk leading up to the locomotive sculpture. Meet on Hood Street at 9 a.m. For more information, contact Lynn at lynnrdutton@aol.com.

  
  
  UPDATE: "Friends of the Foss Gardening Group" not meeting this week due to inclement weather. Litter Patrol is still meeting.
  
  Also, the "Friends of the Foss Gardening Group" will meet at 9:30 a.m. this Saturday to clean up weeds and invasive ivy around the trees that are directly on the waterfront, between Pacific Seafood and The Esplanade building (next to the public boat dock). Click on the image below for more information, or contact group leader Jori Adkins at joriadkins@mac.com.

Click on this image to enlarge.

• Daffodil Marine Parade this Sunday, 4/14
  Sometime between noon and 1 p.m. on Sunday, 4/14, expect to see a flotilla of decorated boats on the Foss Waterway. The Tacoma Yacht Club parade hosts the Daffodil Royalty, plus dozens of other yachts and marine vessels.

Does it spark joy?

Years ago, I wrote a blog post giving extensive details about garbage, recycling, and "hard-to-get-rid-of" items at The Esplanade. I tried to give an exhaustive list of good, mostly local resources. Over the years, I have periodically updated the information, as procedures have changed and new resources have become available.

Given the changes to building recycling in the last few months, I have once again updated the information, which readers may view HERE.

Happy spring decluttering!

Highlights from the 3/14/19 HOA board meeting

The official minutes from the HOA board meeting on 3/14/19 should be available HERE in the next couple weeks or so. In advance of the official minutes, below are a few highlights from the meeting, attended by four of the five board members, with Pat Pound out for personal reasons. Building Manager Karen DeGraw was also present and approximately 25 additional Esplanade residents were on hand.

Treasurer's report:

• None

Committee reports:

• Safety Committee: No report at this time

• Rooftop Rocks Committee: Dennis Murray reported that he is waiting for a work session with board members to discuss budget; board agreed to schedule soon.
  

Building Manager's report:

Below are a few of the projects on which Building Manager Karen DeGraw is currently working. This is not a comprehensive list of all Karen is doing - it is merely a glimpse of a few projects.

• Construction on circular driveway: Construction is currently suspended until the weather warms up. One week of temperatures above 40 degrees is needed for the next phase. Karen is working with the city on permitting for a height-restrictor. See more under "New Business" regarding the decorative silver dome.
• Karen is working with Goodwill Industries on getting a drop-off box located in our garage, on a trial basis. Goodwill Industries will set their own criteria for acceptable items.
• The 4:00 a.m. fire alarm last month was the result of a failed compressor; that compressor has now been replaced. 
• The water storage tank located under the entrance ramp to the upper garage is in need of service (this is not the building's main hot water tank, it is a tank used as part of the fire-suppression system). There is sediment in the tank, and it needs to be drained, coated, and re-filled. This will be done in the next several weeks, and will necessitate a one-week closure of one side of the ramp. Cars will be able to go in and out of the garage, but there will only be one lane, so cars will have to take turns going in and out.
• The first carpet cleaning in the residential halls will be done in late April. The building has contracted with a maintenance company for four carpet cleanings per year; three will be "dry" cleanings and the fourth is a "wet" cleaning.
• The water pipes in the stairwells are due for testing; however, there are no drains in the stairwells. Thus, hoses may need to be attached to the pipes and run down the stairs and outdoors, in order to drain and test the pipes. More information on this project will be forthcoming. 
• Once again this week, one of the building's large recycling bins was rejected for pickup because of inappropriate material in the bin (styrofoam, glass, and a concrete block). Residents, please familiarize yourself with trash procedures in this building. For a comprehensive review of garbage and recycling at The Esplanade, click HERE.

Correspondence to the board:

• Letter from resident Alex Tennent regarding replacement of decorative silver dome in the circular driveway. Advocated for keeping the dome.
• Letter from resident Cheryl Barsness regarding decorative silver dome in the circular driveway. Claims the dome is a liability, and attracts skateboarders and bikers to perform stunts on it. Advocated for the dome's removal.
• Letter from resident Bennie Baldwin regarding replacement of decorative silver dome in the circular driveway. Advocated for keeping the dome.
  
  [See "New Business" for the board's responses regarding the silver dome]
  
  
• Letter from resident Bennie Baldwin regarding proxy votes in the last HOA board election. Contends that the current proxy system allows a few individuals to hoard proxy votes, resulting in undue influence on election results.
  
  Board President Margo Holm responded by noting that proxy votes are needed for those homeowners who may be ill, or traveling, or who do not live in the building. Homeowners who cannot attend the yearly general meeting still deserve to vote by proxy, and can give their proxies to whomever they wish. If many homeowners decide to give their proxy votes to the same person, there is little the board can do about it. However, Margo did concede that the most recent election might have been conducted better, and there were some irregularities. She stated that next year, a proper ballot will be printed with names on it, and more control will be exercised over proxies to prevent confusion and voting impropriety.
  
  
• Letter from the "Friends of the Foss" group, asking for a donation to help fund summer concerts on the esplanade. The board tabled any decision on the matter for the time being.

New business:

• Prevention of "hostile work environment" for building employees: Board President Margo Holm gave a brief rundown of poor behavior by some residents toward the building manager, which could be considered a hostile work environment. These behaviors include: threats to take legal action against her for merely performing her job duties; using the word "bitch," and other pejoratives to her face; dumping trash in her parking spot; yelling and cursing; using threatening body language; etc. Margo explained that such behaviors by residents absolutely will not be tolerated, not only for Karen's protection, but for the protection of the HOA as a whole. Residents who take issue with actions by the building manager should not engage in hurtful or threatening retaliation, instead they should talk with a board member, or contact the board via the property manager.

• "Ad Hoc HOA Boards": Board President Margo Holm raised the issue of individual HOA members acting as representatives of the HOA Board, without authorization. She cautioned individuals to be careful not to misrepresent themselves when dealing with local government agencies. She also questioned what would happen if, for example, the City of Tacoma decided to issue a permit, or levy a fine based on such an individual's actions.

• Decorative silver dome in circular driveway: [This item came up for discussion at several points in tonight's meeting.] Many residents have advocated for and against the dome's permanent removal. Some appear to believe the dome is aesthetic and classy, while others dislike its look, and have seen it attract skateboarders and bikers. It was noted that the dome could be judged an "attractive nuisance," which would make the HOA liable in the case of an injury sustained by a skateboarder. Several ideas were brainstormed, including:
• Karen looked into the possibility of attaching sculpted metal fish to the dome, which would hopefully deter young people from climbing on it. However, the cost seemed exorbitant to her.
• One resident suggested that a concrete planter be constructed some feet off the ground, and the dome could be placed in the middle of the dirt, with plantings around. This might deter skateboarders and bikers, as well as satisfy those who want a planter as well as those who want to keep the dome.
• A suggestion was floated to look into the cost of replacing the dome with a tall metal sculpture which would not be conducive for skateboarding tricks.

• Esplanade Litter Patrol seeking official committee status: The Esplanade Litter Patrol, which has been picking up litter in the neighborhood for over a year, requested to have official recognition as a board committee. The board voted on and granted this request. Committee Chair Lynn Dutton said that the group is planning to work about every six weeks. Residents who would like to be on the committee's mailing list should contact Lynn at  lynnrdutton@aol.com.

• New house rule regarding estate sales: A situation arose last month which does not seem to be dealt with in the building's current house rules. [Note that the "house rules" differ from the CC&Rs. The house rules are the board's interpretations of the CC&Rs, and can be changed by a simple board vote. Alteration of the CC&Rs requires a vote of all homeowners.] As a result of the unforeseen situation, a new house rule will be added prohibiting estate sales in the building. Individual items may still be sold by posting notices on the community bulletin board, but full estate sales must be moved to an off-site location.

Old business:

• Garbage can in P1 elevator foyer: Board President Margo Holm explained that the board had considered the request for returning the garbage can, but decided against it. The maintenance person hired by the HOA works only 12 hours per week, and it was estimated that the previous garbage can sometimes took as much of an hour of his time each week to empty, dispose of inappropriate items, and clean up messes. It was felt that this time was taking away from his time spent vacuuming, cleaning glass, cleaning the bathroom, etc.

Resident comments and questions:

• A few clarifying questions were asked regarding items above, and that information has been inserted into the notes above where appropriate.

• A homeowner asked about a previous request to the board regarding changing, for next year, the date on which holiday decorations can be displayed - from "December 1" to "the day after Thanksgiving." The board agreed to consider this request and report back.

• A suggestion was made to use the cameras in the upper garage to see who is putting inappropriate materials in the recycling bins. Building Manager Karen Degraw said this was a good idea, and she has tried, although the position of the cameras makes it difficult to tell what someone is putting in the bins, and scrolling through hours of video is not always an effective use of her time. She noted that it is possible that some inappropriate items might be put in the bins at night, after they have been wheeled out to the sidewalk, but she did not think this was likely. Karen also stated that residents could help by "self-policing," in other words, looking in the bins, and taking out inappropriate materials if you see them.
  
  Board President Margo Holm added that it is a problem that requires everyone's help. She shared that when she recently found a neighbor putting large, unflattened boxes in the cardboard bin, and inquired about flattening them, the neighbor replied that "the staff should do that." This perspective unfortunately drives up maintenance costs, and subsequently HOA dues.

HOA board meeting Thursday

The next Esplanade HOA board meeting will take place on Thursday, 3/14 at 6:00 p.m. in the community room. There will be committee reports, budget updates, and more. To see a tentative agenda for this week's meeting, click HERE.

Residents are reminded that while they are welcome to attend, this is not a general HOA member meeting. The board conducts their business during these monthly meetings, sometimes asking for input from committee members and others present. A Q&A session for residents is usually included at the end of the meeting.

News and notes for this week

A couple items of news and note for this week:

• Help out the neighborhood this Saturday, 3/9
  
  The "Friends of the Foss" group will meet at 9:30 a.m. this Saturday, 3/9 for a work party. The "Friends of the Foss" group periodically works on general beautification of the Foss Waterway Esplanade. Click HERE for more information about this week's project. Contact group leader Jori Adkins at joriadkins@mac.com.

• HOA board meeting next Thursday
  
  The next Esplanade HOA board meeting will take place on Thursday, 3/14 at 6:00 p.m. in the community room. There will be committee reports, budget updates, and more.
  
  Residents are reminded that while they are welcome to attend, this is not a general HOA member meeting. The board conducts their business during these monthly meetings, sometimes asking for input from committee members and others present. A Q&A session for residents is usually included at the end of the meeting.

• Thanks to the "Esplanade Litter Patrol"
  Last Saturday the "Esplanade Litter Patrol" filled about a dozen bags with litter from the area between the railroad tracks and Hood Street. The group has approximately two dozen members on their mailing list, and their work parties in the last year have been a big success; the neighborhood is much improved by their efforts. For more information, contact Lynn at lynnrdutton@aol.com.

• City recycling may change, and you can vote on it
  In the past several months, the large recycling containers in our upper garage have been rejected for pickup several times, due to inappropriate items being deposited in them. Now, the City of Tacoma is considering changes to its recycling pickup. Read more information HERE, and take the survey HERE.