MINUTES OF THE LAUREN ANNUAL MEETING
MAY 11, 2011

CALL TO ORDER
The 32nd annual meeting of the Lauren Condominium was called to order at 7:35 p.m. by Roger Hirschland, President, Board of Directors. The meeting was held at the Washington Marriott Hotel, 1221 22nd Street NW.

PROOF OF NOTICE OF MEETING
The president reminded owners that they had received a mailed notification of the annual meeting.

READING (OR WAIVER OF READING) OF THE MINUTES OF PRECEDING MEETING
The reading of the minutes from the 2010 annual meeting was waived and those minutes were accepted by unanimous consent of the attendees.

QUORUM
There were 86 residential units and accompanying 25 parking spaces representing 50.98% of the ownership in attendance (either in person or by proxy) to constitute a quorum

REPORTS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President's Report
Roger Hirschland introduced the other members of the board of directors: Treasurer John Filice, Secretary Amy Bertha, First Vice President Elizabeth VanderPutten , and Second Vice President Dwight Clark. Also present at the meeting were Property Manager Walter Krolman; and legal counselors Joe Douglass and Kiran Brar, both of the law firm Whiteford, Taylor & Preston. Mr. Hirschland reported that the building in general was in good shape. Earlier this year bricks did loosen on the facade of the N Street side of the building, however prompt action was taken to remedy the situation and necessary repairs were made. Three new water heaters were installed this past year. After monitoring the water temperature during hours of heavy use, the board decided that a fourth heater would need to be installed. In terms of the redecorating project that was mostly completed in 2009, the new décor appears to be holding up well, except for some scuffs around the elevator entrances and some peeling of paint in certain places. Both issues the board is aware of and addressing. Mr. Hirschland noted that the makeover of the front office is almost complete. He also highlighted some of the improvements from the past year, namely, the acquisition of a new grill and trash receptacles for the roof, installation of flashing safety lights at the top of the driveway, notice boards in the elevator, purchase of new elevator pads, planting of new bushes along 20th Street, and completion of a bike cleanup project. There have been some water leaks this past year; the board and staff are determined to treat any future leak as an emergency and address it as quickly as possible. There are plans to modernize and improve security of the front entryway by replacing the front doors with telescoping sliding doors and installing an electronic entry system. Mr. Hirschland assured owners that every request addressed to the board receives attention and consideration. He thanked the staff for their commitment and efforts, and expressed gratitude to owners for the opportunity to serve on the board.

[For the full text of the president's address see President's Address www.lauren.org/presrpt11.htm]

Treasurer's Report
John Filice highlighted a few items from the written report for the annual meeting that he made available-namely that the HVAC dedicated replacement reserve fund is growing as planned, the board continues to be pleased with the performance of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Investment firm, and a new reserve study is currently under way. An owner asked if the new heaters have resulted in any savings. Mr. Krolman responded that while there have been savings, they are not what was originally hoped for. A question was also asked regarding the projected cost of the new HVAC system and a timeline for when that installation would begin. As of today, the board is projecting the HVAC replacement costs to be around 2 million dollars and installation is projected to begin in 2013, or later if the current system holds up.

[For the copy of the Annual Meeting Treasurer's Report see Treasurer's Report 
www.lauren.org/am11b.htm]

First Vice President's Comments
Elizabeth VanderPutten thanked everyone present for coming to the meeting and for their continued support of the Board and the Lauren. She also thanked Mr. Hirschland, the President from the past year, for his incredible commitment to the Lauren. She pointed out that the post of president-like all other board positions-is unpaid and consumes many hours a week. While there is a high percentage of renters, many of them young, it is good that the Lauren is a place where young professionals are comfortable. It has been the case with two of our current board members - Dwight and Amy - that they first lived in and then decided to buy property in the Lauren. While there have been some potentially serious water problems, there have also been some great improvements in the infrastructure of the building. The Lauren needs to balance frugal budget policies with the need to keep the building vibrant. However, sometimes there is a large impact without costing much. For example, Dr.VanderPutten pointed out, the beautiful tulips in our front flower bed were especially pretty. It was noted that attention needs to be paid to the roof garden. Dr. VanderPutten was pleased that there are plans to modernize the door and install an electronic entry system. These improvements cost money, but will help modernize the building. She noted that the extraordinary participation in the voluntary holiday bonus contributions this year was a good indication that things were going well in the building. The staff continue to do a remarkable job.

Secretary's Comments
Amy Bertha remarked that she was appointed to the Board to replace a departing member approximately four months ago. She noted that it has been a positive experience working alongside the other board members who are very professional, committed, and a pleasure to work with.

Second Vice President's Comments
Dwight Clark commented that the current Board has a good "balance" and although there is rarely a subject that begins with the Board having a unanimous opinion, they are always able to work through issues to come to a consensus.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
None

ELECTION OF INSPECTORS OF ELECTION
Owners Nathalie Peter, Adriane Fugh-Berman, and Marilee Aronson agreed to serve as inspectors of elections.

NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The following candidates were nominated:

•  Amy Bertha
•  Dwight Clark
•  John Filice
•  Roger Hirschland
•  Elizabeth VanderPutten
•  Thomas Zawalich

As soon as nominations were closed, the president invited the candidates to introduce themselves and provide brief statements. Thomas Zawalich announced that he had to leave right away for another obligation. The board president offered to alter the alphabetical order of presentations and invited Mr. Zawalich to speak first, but he insisted that he had to leave immediately. Because the other candidates had declared their candidacies and provided biographies and statements in writing to owners in the notice of the annual meeting, it was decided to skip the presentation stage and move to the balloting.

The inspectors of elections tallied the votes as discussion about other issues ensued, as reported below. The following five people were elected: Amy Bertha, Dwight Clark, John Filice, Roger Hirschland, and Elizabeth VanderPutten.

NEW BUSINESS

Operation of a Business in the Lauren
Owner Jeff Wertkin brought up the issue of conducting a business in the residential condominium and questioned the effect that doing so has on the infrastructure and environment of the condominium. The president reminded owners that conducting a business out of a home in a condominium in the District requires adherence to rules governing the issuance of a Home Occupation Permit. Another owner asked whether the business operating on the first floor was in compliance with the condominium rules and city law. Mr. Douglass, legal counsel, responded that the owner of the unit in question has a Home Occupation Permit, and the board has been in contact with the District to confirm that the type of use was in compliance with the law. Mr. Douglass reported that the District to date has decided not to do anything about the way the unit is being used.

Smoking in the Lauren
Owner Ethan Stier, addressing the annoyance and health hazards of second-hand smoke, requested that owners try to seek out nonsmoking tenants when they rent their units and include a nonsmoking clause in their leases. Brian Larkin echoed that remark and added that it is real plus to live in a smoke-free building. John Filice also encouraged owners to put a nonsmoking clause in their leases. Mr. Wertkin asked if including a nonsmoking clause could be included in the Lauren addendum (this addendum, which prohibits water beds, must accompany every lease). The president asked for a nonbinding indication of opinion from owners present. Attendees unanimously agreed that a nonsmoking clause in the lease addendum would be a good idea. The new board will consider this idea.

Dogs in the Lauren
An owner asked what the current exemptions for dog ownership are. The president reported that there are currently three exemptions for dog ownership due to these owners having a doctor's prescription to own a dog. There have been a few recent requests to make an exception to the policy that prohibits dog ownership, but these requests were turned down in the spirit of fairness to the other owners and tenants-some of whom do not want dogs in the building, and some of whom would like to have dogs but are not permitted to have them.

The Lauren Roof Deck
Owner Dave Lilling commented that the roof deck chairs appear to be weathering and asked if there wasn't something that could be done to extend their life. Dwight Clark commented that the chairs are made of teak and that when they age they turn grey, but it doesn't mean they are wearing out. Elizabeth VanderPutten said that paying attention to preserving the furniture was a good suggestion and added that more attention in general should be placed in the upkeep of the roof garden. That sentiment was also echoed by Brian Larkin.

ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Amy Bertha, Secretary