This highlights the specific contributions I’ve made to our building and our community. What you will see in this section is clear and substantial evidence that I have repeatedly and consistently protected you, your home, and your investment, that I have been extremely active, committed, and dedicated, that I have done a lot for our building, our community, and the individual units, and that I have been highly relied on by the owners and the residents here at Uptown Place. Not only did I focus on and participate in each of the board activities and such (like all the other board members do), but in addition to all of that, as an onsite Board member who actually lives in the building, I also focused on and actively worked towards resolving specific building and community issues. So, I was extremely busy, committed, and dedicated, and I honestly do not know how much more value you could have gotten out of an unpaid volunteer serving as an onsite Board member. We are certainly not getting that kind of support out of offsite Board members.

I was actively involved with working each of the major building issues and coordinating with the Police Department, the State Attorney’s Office, the Fire Department, the City of Orlando, Orange County, St. Johns River Water Management District, Internal Affairs, the after-hours maintenance, the onsite staff, and the residents and owners. I promptly addressed each of the building and community issues to resolve everything as expediently as possible, keep the repair costs as low as possible, and help hold the Board, the staff, contractors, and residents accountable. I have demonstrated repeatedly to the owners and residents here that I am someone who can be trusted, relied upon, and counted on. Some of the specific ways I have contributed include the following (and this is certainly not a complete list):

1. I coordinated with the City of Orlando’s Director of Public Works to come out and see what might be able to be done to help route stormwater (and the associated contaminants) away from Uptown Place. I provided the Harris Engineering Report from 8 years ago (the one where nothing was done) and provided several other details and supporting information. Well, they actually came out, did an inspection to see if everything complied with the recommendations in the Harris report, constructed a missing weir, and put into their future plans additional changes to help with the rainwater issues. And we got all of this for free! Here is the email string (https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2024-07-Email-String-with-City-of-Orlando-for-Stormwater-System-Help.pdf), the stormwater system description I wrote up in coordination with the City of Orlando (https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Stormwater-System-Description-July-2024-v6-Final.pdf), and the City of Orlando plans (https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/wp-admin/upload.php?item=18535), or you can contact me at: joe.brennan85@gmail.com. After spending time with the Director of Public Works, I gained a good understanding of how everything works and am now the resident expert on the Stormwater System. I got with Gabriel and the maintenance staff on ways we can better mitigate our risk. For example, some of our external pumps were re-configured in such a way that they help the stormwater system problem. So, these have been good fixes to make (among others). Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this. Gabriel and I have tried repeatedly to get the stormwater system issue resolved. See the following email string for one of the latest attempts: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/wp-admin/upload.php?item=18541.
2. I regularly walked the building to ensure everything was being maintained to the highest standard. Frequently, there have been issues with cleanliness, trash overflow, water and roof leaks, AC issues, Fire Suppression System Issues, flooding, and contractor quality and cleanup (AC contractors, general contractors, Stealth Security Cameras, etc.). Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
3. I was actively involved with addressing the repeated Unit 540 resident incidents in the building and dealing with those including the smashed front door, the wrecking of the garage gate, and the water leak: a) https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/1099070724722488/, b) https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/979151653381063/, c) https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/959782008651361/, and d) https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/960253005270928/. I was actively involved with coordinating with the residents, the staff, the Police Department, the mayor’s office, the Internal Affairs office, the Public Defender, and the State Attorney’s office in these regards and continue to do so. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this. Lastly, I was the sole party, without assistance from any of the Board members, who spent months actively pursuing action against the only, guilty party – the problem resident of unit 540.
4. I performed an initial assessment of the recent Fire Suppression System leak on the 1st floor near the garage and promptly got the after-hours staff onsite to address the problem. The staff was not able to stop the leak, so they took some temporary measures to slow down the leak and used a large container to capture the water. I took over inspecting the leak and emptying the large container every few hours for the entire weekend and regularly reported the status to the Property Manager (Gabriel) and the Maintenance Supervisor so that we wouldn’t have to pay a lot of money for overtime for the staff to remain on site or hire an after-hours plumber. https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/1017254792904082/ (see the post and the comments). Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
5. I have actively focused on getting our building back into shape by making sure everything was getting promptly taken care of such as the walls, the ceilings, the baseboards, taking measures to prevent water intrusion, maintaining community standards, and getting the maintenance staff laser-focused on the building issues. Prior to me becoming Board President there were holes throughout the building, baseboards missing, and such for an entire year: https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/941775453785350/ and https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/921724082457154/. I had to follow-up repeatedly with the Property Manager and maintenance staff to help get all of this done. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
6. I worked with the maintenance staff to get the water streams for the garage pumps rerouted so that water did not continue collecting in front of the Pasadena Street building entrance and operated more effectively in addressing our Stormwater System issues: https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/927417841887778/ and https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/941775453785350/. I had to follow-up with the maintenance staff repeatedly and had to walk them through how to route the piping so that we would have a good solution for addressing this problem. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
7. I performed an initial assessment and attempted to perform a temporary fix using the tools I had for the water spigot leak in the 4th floor garage and then promptly got the after-hours staff onsite to address the problem. I later inspected the work to confirm the issue was sufficiently addressed – at least temporarily. Leaving the issue unaddressed the entire weekend would have resulted in substantial increases in the water bill because water was just pouring out. The staff said they would perform the permanent fix during the next water shut-off event which happened on 26 Jan 2024. However, they did not do that even though I reminded Gabriel three days before and called the Maintenance Supervisor the day before to remind him to do that. As such, I had to continue following-up until the problem was finally taken care of – and it was finally taken care of during the water shut-off event on 4 February. However, it started leaking again. So, the staff does require oversight from time-to-time. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
8. I actively worked to get the roof issues addressed. The tarps started blowing off the roof on 29 April 2023 and the roof has had continual leaks since then that needed to be addressed: https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/921724082457154/. In addition, the scheduled roof repairs in September 2023 were at risk of being delayed for several weeks due to Gabriel not getting the permit documents and information promptly provided to the roofing contractor. Due to the ongoing roof litigation, a member of the legal team had to be present during the roof repairs and they tend to be very busy, and their availability is extremely limited requiring advance planning and notice – so, missing the coordinated dates for the roof repairs could have caused a huge delay between the roofers and the legal staff. I contacted the roofing company a few days prior to the start date to see if they were ready to start work and they said no because they had not heard from Gabriel regarding the permit documents and other information they had requested from him several days before. So, I immediately coordinated with the roofer to determine what information and documentation was specifically needed by when and then actively coordinated with the Don Asher leadership to ensure everything that needed to be done got done so that the work could begin on schedule. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
9. I inspected the repairs for the recent Fire Suppression System leak on the 1st floor near the garage and noted that only temporary repairs were performed (two clamps and a piece of rubber). So, I coordinated with the staff to ensure a permanent fix was being pursued. Offsite Board members cannot stay on top of things like this which could result in temporary repairs being covered up with plaster and drywall – resulting in repeated leaks in the future.
10. I reported garage gate problems whenever they occurred to get those promptly addressed. Frequently, the garage gate has gotten damaged or does not operate correctly. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
11. I coordinated activities to ensure the attic spaces and building areas were getting properly sealed to prevent water intrusion: https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/922753045687591/. I followed-up with the Property Manager and maintenance staff repeatedly to ensure this happened. When I inspected the attic spaces, there were several areas where daylight could be seen coming in from around the doors, walls, cables, and such. Many of the doors leading to the flat roof areas had gaps around them and below them as well. And due to the high winds experienced on the 5th floor, rain can be blown into the attic spaces and leak into the units below if everything is not sealed properly. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
12. I’ve repeatedly informed both the Property Manager (Gabriel) and the Maintenance Supervisor of the importance of keeping the flat roof areas (where the AC units reside) clear of debris and ensuring that AC contractors servicing units and common areas do not scar these areas. I also periodically go up and inspect these areas. We have a 12-year warranty on these flat roof areas, but the warranty becomes void if there is debris or scarring. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this and would have to rely on the word of the staff.
13. Regarding the loose plank issues with the new floors (https://www.facebook.com/groups/271140264182209/posts/1033397327956495/), I recently walked the building to inspect the new floors, solicited assistance from residents, and followed-up with the Property Manager and maintenance staff multiple times to ensure all of the flooring issues were addressed within the warranty period. Several of the problem flooring areas were not identified by the staff or addressed by the flooring contractor when they came to the building the first time – even after I walked the floors and identified several problem areas that had been overlooked by the staff prior to the arrival of the flooring contractor tasked with addressing the issues. The flooring contractor blamed Uptown Place for using our machine to clean the floors saying this caused water to get under the floor planks. However, I had previously retained documented evidence asking them for their cleaning instructions and confirming that it was okay to use our machine from the very beginning. So, the flooring contractor had to come out to address the issues and honor the flooring warranty. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
14. I have periodically inspected the building entrance areas near the garage during rain events due to repeated water intrusion issues associated with the 5th floor garage drain. The maintenance staff has worked this issue several times over the past few months but frequently when it rains, we still get water intrusion on the lower floors near the garage because of this problem. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
15. Regarding the frequent building water shutoffs, I went down to inspect the building areas and found there were 4 shutoff valves. So, I recommended that instead of turning off all 4 shut-off valves to the building every time, we just run a test and see if only one valve can be turned off for certain units and areas of the building (and label the valves) instead of the entire building. Having onsite Board members allow this kind of inspection and assessment to be readily performed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.
16. I have frequently helped owners with addressing their specific unit issues. Often when there are roof leaks or water intrusion problems, it is helpful having an onsite Board member go and inspect these units to ensure everything is being promptly taking care of such as ceiling repairs, walls, plumbing, mold, and such. Otherwise, the repair costs and such can become excessive, and units can remain unavailable to be lived in or rented out for many months. Here are a few examples of why it is essential to have onsite Board members to help address unit issues and such:

a.    The office informed the owner of a 5th floor unit experiencing roof leaks that the source of the leak was the flat roof area beneath the AC. When the owner contacted me, I informed her that her unit was located on the perimeter of the building and that there were no flat roof areas or AC units in those areas. So, was the unit even checked, did they check the wrong unit, or what exactly happened? Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.

b.    I inspected multiple units associated with the water leak events in the building to ensure the contractors and staff were taking care of Association matters inside of the units to include mold remediation, walls, ceilings, electrical issues, common areas just outside the units, and such. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.

c.     The office notified a unit owner after-hours that there was a bad plumbing leak in his rented-out unit and informed him that he needed to immediately hire an after-hours plumber to address the problem. Well, the owner lives across the country in a different state, uses Don Asher to manage his rental, and he could not reach anyone in the office to discuss the problem since everyone had gone home for the day. And this owner had no contact information for the renters of his unit because, of course, Don Asher takes care of all of that. So, this highly alarmed, stressed-out owner contacted me and, to help him out, I went down to his unit to find out what the specific problems were. And it turned out there were no problems at all. The Management Company had contacted the wrong owner. The water leak was in a different unit with a different owner. So, this owner nearly hired an expensive, after-hours plumber and disrupted the lives of his residents for nothing. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.

d.    Whenever I learn of roof leaks or water intrusion issues, I keep a list of all of the affected units and repeatedly follow-up with the staff to ensure everything is being promptly taken care of – otherwise, the repair costs and such could become excessive. Frequently, I inspect the units as well to ensure all of the issues are being adequately addressed. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.

e. One of the rental units had a plumbing leak and the unit started flooding on a weekend when nobody was reachable either in the office or via the emergency hours phone. So, I looked up the owner and called her so that she wouldn’t have to wait to address the problem which could have resulted in much more water damage to both her unit and surrounding units and common areas. Having onsite Board members is key for ensuring these kinds of issues get promptly addressed. Offsite Board members cannot do things like this.

So, each of the above are reasons why it is absolutely critical to have Onsite Board members who actually live in the building and who are active, committed, and dedicated. And between all of the board activities all of us board members are involved with PLUS the ongoing building/community issues on top of that, PLUS the ongoing individual unit issues, I was extremely busy and dedicated, and I honestly do not know how much more value you could have gotten out of an unpaid volunteer serving as an onsite Board member. You certainly won’t get that kind of support out of an offsite Board member.

Offsite Board members can only focus on board activities and have no ongoing awareness of any of the aforementioned building/community issues and cannot inspect, address, and confirm whether quality work was being performed or otherwise stay on top of things like these to ensure they are getting promptly resolved, at reasonable costs, and to the highest standard. Offsite Board members also cannot address specific unit issues and must rely on the word of the staff that everything in the building and community is being sufficiently taken care of – and that has not worked out very well, in my experience, because often (as indicated above), frequent inspection, evaluation, oversight, and confirmation is needed to ensure everything is being promptly and sufficiently addressed.