Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 10:57 am Post subject: Re: the documents/video speak for themselves AGAIN!
Anonymous wrote:
buckalews due diligence report is a masterpiece of bullsh##t
he was in the same room when she explained the lawsuit dismissal
how does he get away with this?
stevenbraitman responds:
because when one director (i.e., me) at the meeting demonstrated the significant shortcomings of the "due diligence" report, there was no unit owner willing to do anything substantive to help. And now your refusal to identify yourself, which is a prerequisite for getting your point of view to be taken seriously, speaks more eloquently than I ever could about your unwillingness to contribute to the solution.
"Who is the wise person?"
"The one who perceives the consequences of his actions."
(from "Ethics of our Fathers") _________________ steven braitman
member, galaxy board of directors
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:34 pm Post subject: Re: the documents/video speak for themselves AGAIN!
Steven you are almost as good as Buckalew when it comes to not responding to direct questions. Buckalew answers charge 4 when he says the manager did not lie when she responded to Director Eeisenberg’s questions re: the status of the lawsuits. You write “because when one director <me> demonstrates the significant shortcomings of the due diligence report there was no unit owner wiling to do anything substantive to help”. How did you not notice Director Eisenberg who at that time was trying to show that Susan in fact did lie to use Buckalews own words in the report? Did you forget Martha Norgat threatened to stop the meeting when Eisenberg attempted to reveal the absurdity of Susan’s statements and the due diligence report? They could not take the embarrassment any longer. Eisenburg is approx.6' - 200 lbs. He was not the quiet type. Were you asleep again?
Your choice of words “significant shortcomings” is another deflection from the truth. You are a master of this. Short clear answers escape you. Answer this Steven, Do you think Susan lied or not with a one word answer yes or no and try not to lie to yourself. You keep writing that anonymous postings show a person is not serious and that his/her point should not be taken seriously .Did you forget all the signatures including your own as a member of CUOG and the points of the law suit? So you knew all the names. What did you do? You jumped ship as a traitor coward when elected as a director. Every time when Fini and Slava try to do something positive you interrupt, block, argue change the direction, cool the moment and impede progress as the spoiler which you are. Now you have 318 names on a Recall Petition. What are you going to do to help these people and I suspect many more who will vote to remove the named directors? Will you argue debate, waver and switch sides? Ellinger, Buckalew and most of the others love this. You did this to Director Eisenberg many times, no wonder he resigned.
Steven; answer the following: Are your monthly maintenance payments current? Or did you forget that you were behind and bounced checks several times to the GTCA?
Are you current with your mortgage payments or did you forget that you were recently in foreclosure? Have you paid off the $140,000 IRS tax lien or have you forgotten about that?
How dare you have anything to do with any board of directors when you can not even meet your own personal obligations. How dare you vote on financial matters of the Galaxy. You talk about rules, regulations, procedures and standards as if you are an expert. Maybe you are an expert at violating these since the IRS, GTCA and the lender who holds the mortgage on your apartment all know that you have failed to play by established terms which you agreed to.
How your name was left off the petition to remove directors I find amazing. Keep up your hallucinogenic, delusional, and academic theories elsewhere .Do the right thing and add your name to the recall list or just resign. Perhaps the others are in awe of your vocabulary but I see right through you.
Da...........
Half A Name
stevenbraitman wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
buckalews due diligence report is a masterpiece of bullsh##t
he was in the same room when she explained the lawsuit dismissal
how does he get away with this?
stevenbraitman responds:
because when one director (i.e., me) at the meeting demonstrated the significant shortcomings of the "due diligence" report, there was no unit owner willing to do anything substantive to help. And now your refusal to identify yourself, which is a prerequisite for getting your point of view to be taken seriously, speaks more eloquently than I ever could about your unwillingness to contribute to the solution.
"Who is the wise person?"
"The one who perceives the consequences of his actions."
(from "Ethics of our Fathers")
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:10 pm Post subject: Re: the documents/video speak for themselves AGAIN!
Anonymous wrote:
buckalews due diligence report is a masterpiece of bullsh##t
he was in the same room when she explained the lawsuit dismissal
how does he get away with this?
She's not even responding to a question by Eisenberg so how could she have misinterpreted the question as Buckalew says in his report? She is responding to the lawsuit sent in the mail? She sounds like she knew exactly what she was talking about to me and she repeated the litigants' names more than once.
This was just another board misrepresentation to discredit the facts that were mailed to the residents, if you ask me. After watching this tape I think it’s safe to say in my opinion that this was an outrageous willful, deliberate and reckless distortion of the truth spoken by the manager, defended by the attorney and supported by most of the Board members. If you were at that meeting, playing DUMB is not an option and cannot be used as an excuse for this blatant lie. And I believe Buckalew, Ellinger and Norget knew it then as much as they know it now.
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:06 pm Post subject: cooper square
[/b]
We elected a new Board because we wanted change and to end the lies and mismanagement of funds. I found out that this new Management Company, Cooper Square, has lied to the Board. Although the Board knows they have lied, they are still set on hiring them. It seems that Cooper Square first told the Board that they had never done Business in NJ, a lie. Not only a lie but they were hiding a nasty little secret. Cooper Square was employed by the Colony, right here in NJ, and were fired because of the MISMANAGEMENT of funds.
For all our sake, please send a message to the Board that this kind of recklessness will not be tolerated! If we need to go back to the drawing board, then so be it. This is far too important to just let slide. Stop the insanity and let's get back to finding the best way to make the Galaxy what it used to be. Don't allow yourselves to be blinded or coherse into something that is going to eventually be our demise.
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:49 pm Post subject: Re: cooper square
concern owner wrote:
[/b]
We elected a new Board because we wanted change and to end the lies and mismanagement of funds. I found out that this new Management Company, Cooper Square, has lied to the Board. Although the Board knows they have lied, they are still set on hiring them. It seems that Cooper Square first told the Board that they had never done Business in NJ, a lie. Not only a lie but they were hiding a nasty little secret. Cooper Square was employed by the Colony, right here in NJ, and were fired because of the MISMANAGEMENT of funds.
For all our sake, please send a message to the Board that this kind of recklessness will not be tolerated! If we need to go back to the drawing board, then so be it. This is far too important to just let slide. Stop the insanity and let's get back to finding the best way to make the Galaxy what it used to be. Don't allow yourselves to be blinded or coherse into something that is going to eventually be our demise.
Cooper Sq. to manage Colony - Brief Article
Real Estate Weekly, Feb 19, 2003
Cooper Square Realty has been awarded the management contract for the Colony, a luxury cooperative overlooking the Hudson River in Fort Lee, N.J. Cooper Square was selected as the winner after the board of directors conducted a highly competitive search involving top real estate management firms from New York and New Jersey.
While Cooper Square is a dominant presence in Manhattan property management, the Colony is their first property in New Jersey. Commented David Kuperberg, CPM[R], and president of Cooper Square, "We are extremely excited to add a prestigious building such as the Colony to our portfolio. The fact that the building is in New Jersey is an added bonus for us."
Perched on the cliffs of the Palisades overlooking the Hudson River, The Colony was designed by Ferris-Heck Associates and built in 1972 as a rental property. In 1985 it was converted to a cooperative. Two 32-story mirror-image towers rise above the Hudson River on a property that spans for over 4.5 acres. Each of the 484 apartments has a terrace, many with spectacular views of New York City.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Hagedorn Publication
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
Joined: 16 May 2007 Posts: 85 Location: Guttenberg, NJ
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:12 pm Post subject:
Cooper Square Realty
Cooper Square Realty is a New York City real estate company specializing in property management. FirstService purchased a majority interest in Cooper Square in 2003.
New York condos and coops considering Cooper Square as their property manager should know the following about FirstService:
:arrow: Residents at communities managed by various FirstService companies have expressed dissatisfaction with their property manager. Here’s why.
Client Dissatisfaction with FirstService Companies
The best people to ask about FirstService property management companies are their clients.
We’ve done just that, and some of the concerns raised by homeowners and board members we’ve talked to are worth considering if you’re in the market for a property manager.
But given FirstService subsidiary Continental Group’s aggressive approach to critics (see the page entitled “Lawsuits” for more information), various clients asked that we not print this information here. Instead, we invite you to contact us at info@firstservicemismanagement.com, or at (202) 326-0840. Provide your name, location, and contact information, and we will forward on information we’ve collected.
In the meantime, we ask you to bear in mind the following when your local FirstService company mentions customer satisfaction. On its website, FirstService subsidiary Wentworth Management – like other FirstService companies such as Prime Management and Rossmar & Graham – offers a variety of client testimonials. But of the communities listed as a client reference, at least one – Claridge House II in Verona, NJ – no longer uses Wentworth.
Did this community drop Wentworth due to concerns over the way its property was being managed? Efforts to contact board members at the community were unsuccessful, so we can’t say for sure. But it’s certainly hard to imagine why a community satisfied with its manager’s performance would need a new one. At the very least, the inclusion of a former client on Wentworth’s customer satisfaction page casts doubt on the value of the testimonials offered.
:arrow: FirstService executives, the people who ultimately control Cooper Square, have a lot to worry about besides your community. Can a multinational, publicly-traded conglomerate based in Toronto really be responsive to your community’s needs? Read on and decide.
FirstService: Out of Touch?
It’s important that your property management company understand your community, your neighborhood, and your local real estate market. It’s also important that key supervisors and decision makers at this company be accessible, in the event your community has concerns your on-site manager can’t address.
Can FirstService residential property management companies meet these criteria? Consider that these companies all report to a few South Florida executives, who oversee the operations of property management subsidiaries as far a field as New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Florida. And they in turn report to FirstService’s top management in Toronto, whose ultimate responsibility – since FirstService stock is publicly traded on the Toronto and Nasdaq stock exchanges – is to maximize value for shareholders.
It’s also worth noting that residential property management is only one of FirstService’s myriad business lines, which range from operating call centers to organizing closets to installing security systems. Indeed, managing communities like yours accounts for less than 35% of the company’s revenue, according to recent filings with regulatory authorities.
Wouldn’t you feel more comfortable entrusting your home to a company that does nothing else but manage property in your area?
:arrow: FirstService wants as much of your community’s budget as it can access. FirstService has bragged that it boosts profits by “cross-selling” to its clients – which could mean higher costs for your association, and higher association fees for you. Details.
FirstService and Cross-selling
A major FirstService business strategy is cross-selling: marketing ancillary products and services provided by other FirstService companies to existing property management clients. This raises some interesting questions for clients of FirstService property management companies:
When your pool needs repair or replacement or if your community is hiring a lifeguard, will your FirstService property manager suggest that you use American Pool Enterprises Inc., another FirstService subsidiary?
If your building requires a security upgrade, will FirstService present one of its two security companies, Intercon or Security Services & Technologies, as the only logical option?
If your lobby and hallways need repainting, will CertaPro Painters, yet another FirstService subsidiary, be called on to perform the work?
If your property is damaged by flooding, fire, or a hurricane, will your property manager bring in FirstService’s Paul Davis Restoration for the clean-up?
When you are buying or selling your property, will you be steered to Pillar To Post, a FirstService-owned home inspection franchise?
If you’re one of FirstService's Canadian executives, you hope the answer to all of these questions is “yes.” As FirstService CEO Jay Hennick has told investors and analysts, the “more we surround our clients with additional services…the higher our revenue and profit potential.”
But for your community, cross-selling may mean paying too much for needed services. That’s because cross-selling may stifle legitimate vendor competition for your community’s business. And less competition means higher prices.
Inevitably, won’t higher costs for your community association get passed on to you through higher association fees?
Below is a list of FirstService and FirstService-related companies whose services your property manager may try to cross-sell to your community:
American Pool Enterprises
CertaPro Painters
City Wide Mechanical
CollegePro Painters
Intercon Security
Luke's Landscaping
Paul Davis Restoration
Pillar to Post Home Inspection
Silver Plumbing
:arrow: FirstServicesubsidiary and Cooper Square sister company Continental Group has sued residents who publicly complain about the company’s services. The company has filed six suits against condo owners in South Florida. Find out why this could happen to your community, too.
Lawsuits
When your community hires a property management company, it’s paid for by your hard-earned dollars. You have a right to express concern if you feel your community is not getting its money’s worth.
But if you live in a community managed by FirstService subsidiary Continental Management, speaking your mind could land you in court.
Since March 2000, Continental has filed six different suits against condo boards and unit owners who have spoken out against the company. FirstService claims that Continental took these actions to “defend its reputation.”
It’s hard to imagine, however, how Sandra Rotter, a 66-year-old widow on Social Security, posed a threat to Continental. Rotter, concerned about how an increase in association fees would impact elderly residents of her condominium, spoke at an association meeting. As she wrote in her response to Continental’s complaint, Rotter and others wanted to “know where our monies are going,” for “even the owners that could afford all of this have been complaining for at least 2 years about Continental…”
Claiming damage to its business reputation as a result of certain “false and defamatory” statements, Continental sued Rotter for compensatory damages and attorneys’ fees.
Later, Continental sought a default judgement from the court, arguing that the hand-written letter Rotter submitted in response to the complaint did not comply with Florida law.
Continental eventually agreed to dismiss its suit against Rotter. But the fact that the suit was even initiated is evidence enough of the company’s aggressive approach to critics.
Might you or your community also be at risk of being sued for voicing complaints about your property manager? Possibly, if your board chooses a FirstService property management firm. That’s because Continental executives Gene Gomberg and Richard Strunin now lead FirstService’s entire residential property management division.
:arrow: This same FirstService company, Continenal Group, has been charged with breaking federal labor laws, contributing to labor unrest that may impact the value and marketability of homes in affected communities. More.
Labor Strife
A peaceful and well-cared for community is essential for your sense of comfort and to secure your home’s value into the future.
But FirstService company Continental Group may be placing this at risk at certain communities in South Florida.
The U.S. National Labor Relations Board, an arm of the federal government, has charged that Continental broke federal labor law in more than a dozen different ways, including firing a worker for exercising his legal right to support the formation of a union. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has also cited Continental and its affiliates numerous times for workplace safety violations.
Continental’s apparent failure to respect the rights of its employees has led to recurrent demonstrations outside some South Florida condominiums protesting Continental’s practices.
Whether other FirstService Companies will adopt the same labor practices, causing unrest, is uncertain. But is worth noting that these conflicts have occurred under the watch of Continental executives Gene Gomberg and Richard Strunin, who oversee the operations of all other FirstService residential property management subsidiaries, including all the companies referred to on this site.
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 8:43 pm Post subject: Re: cooper square
concern owner wrote:
[/b]
We elected a new Board because we wanted change and to end the lies and mismanagement of funds. I found out that this new Management Company, Cooper Square, has lied to the Board. Although the Board knows they have lied, they are still set on hiring them. It seems that Cooper Square first told the Board that they had never done Business in NJ, a lie. Not only a lie but they were hiding a nasty little secret. Cooper Square was employed by the Colony, right here in NJ, and were fired because of the MISMANAGEMENT of funds.
For all our sake, please send a message to the Board that this kind of recklessness will not be tolerated! If we need to go back to the drawing board, then so be it. This is far too important to just let slide. Stop the insanity and let's get back to finding the best way to make the Galaxy what it used to be. Don't allow yourselves to be blinded or coherse into something that is going to eventually be our demise.
How long has the Board been aware of this and why was it not disclosed to the residents?
Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:28 pm Post subject: Re: cooper square
concern owner wrote:
[/b]
We elected a new Board because we wanted change and to end the lies and mismanagement of funds. I found out that this new Management Company, Cooper Square, has lied to the Board. Although the Board knows they have lied, they are still set on hiring them. It seems that Cooper Square first told the Board that they had never done Business in NJ, a lie. Not only a lie but they were hiding a nasty little secret. Cooper Square was employed by the Colony, right here in NJ, and were fired because of the MISMANAGEMENT of funds.
For all our sake, please send a message to the Board that this kind of recklessness will not be tolerated! If we need to go back to the drawing board, then so be it. This is far too important to just let slide. Stop the insanity and let's get back to finding the best way to make the Galaxy what it used to be. Don't allow yourselves to be blinded or coherse into something that is going to eventually be our demise.
What facts do you have to support this allegation? If you say something like this and don't have the proof to back it up it would be as irresponsible as some of the things the Board, the attorney and the manager have done. If you have proof then please show it or send it to me. admin@galaxyfacts.com
Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:19 am Post subject: SLAVA'S TAKE ON COOPER SQUARE
As a Director and member of the Search Committee for a new Management Company and/or individual General Manager, I would like to weigh in on the Cooper Square discussion, and I would like to respond to "Concern Owner's" post.
"Concern Owner" states, "this new Management Company, Cooper Square, has lied to the Board. Although the Board knows they have lied, they are still set on hiring them. It seems that Cooper Square first told the Board that they had never done Business in NJ, a lie."
This is a fallacy. From the very first meeting with Cooper Square, the Search Commitee Members were made aware that Cooper Square had managed property in New Jersey. At a later date, we learned this property was The Colony in Fort Lee. I am also aware of the reasons Cooper Square no longer manages that property.
"Concern Owner" continues:
"Cooper Square was employed by the Colony, right here in NJ, and were fired because of the MISMANAGEMENT of funds."
Although I am not at liberty to disclose certain information, I can tell "Concern Owner" that due diligence has been performed, and, in my subjective opinion, after careful evaluation, I believe that Cooper Square is one of the finest management companies available on the market today.
Slava Lerner, Board Member of the GTCA.
concern owner wrote:
[/b]
We elected a new Board because we wanted change and to end the lies and mismanagement of funds. I found out that this new Management Company, Cooper Square, has lied to the Board. Although the Board knows they have lied, they are still set on hiring them. It seems that Cooper Square first told the Board that they had never done Business in NJ, a lie. Not only a lie but they were hiding a nasty little secret. Cooper Square was employed by the Colony, right here in NJ, and were fired because of the MISMANAGEMENT of funds.
For all our sake, please send a message to the Board that this kind of recklessness will not be tolerated! If we need to go back to the drawing board, then so be it. This is far too important to just let slide. Stop the insanity and let's get back to finding the best way to make the Galaxy what it used to be. Don't allow yourselves to be blinded or coherse into something that is going to eventually be our demise.
Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:22 am Post subject: "Although I am not at liberty to disclose..." hmmm
"Although I am not at liberty to disclose certain information" I wonder what that is. I bet when we find out it will be too late. Cooper Square will be here and we will be in worse shape. I read the articles posted and this company seems to be trouble!!
Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:25 am Post subject: Re: "Although I am not at liberty to disclose..."
Anonymous wrote:
"Although I am not at liberty to disclose certain information" I wonder what that is. I bet when we find out it will be too late. Cooper Square will be here and we will be in worse shape. I read the articles posted and this company seems to be trouble!!
Anonymous wrote:
"Although I am not at liberty to disclose certain information" I wonder what that is. I bet when we find out it will be too late. Cooper Square will be here and we will be in worse shape. I read the articles posted and this company seems to be trouble!!
Why don't you call (202) 326-0840 and get details
Back to top
Anonymous: Did you call this number - and if you did tell us what is all about. The search comittee went out of their way to make sure that the company that we would higher will be the best and If you have proof please be so kind and let us know or give us copies. Stop making innuendos. Give the proof.
Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:56 pm Post subject: Re: SLAVA'S TAKE ON COOPER SQUARE
What kind of due diligence "can't be disclosed" to the people who have to pay for it?
Doesn't this sound like the same run-around we all got with Quality Building Contractors before they were hired?
Mr. Lerner spends most of the board meetings criticizing other directors for not being open and honest in their dealings with owners
Well, Mr. Lerner?
Tell us the facts and let us make up our own minds about Cooper Square.
Tell us how much it's going to cost to have that stupid "Frontdesk.net" type computer system installed? Tell us why this system is going to work when front desk.net was a big flop.
And tell us how many managers Cooper Square will supply and who they are? Where are the cost savings?
And tell us how many services we will have to buy from Cooper Square? California Closets? Windows? Pool services? Home repair?
FirstService, Cooper Square's parent company, pays its top managers (the guys who own Cooper Square for example) based on whether they beat the budget numbers.
That means Cooper Square has to sell us "extras" to beat the targets--their bonuses depend on that.
How is this going to be good for us?
Looking forward to hearing some facts.
SL wrote:
As a Director and member of the Search Committee for a new Management Company and/or individual General Manager, I would like to weigh in on the Cooper Square discussion, and I would like to respond to "Concern Owner's" post.
"Concern Owner" states, "this new Management Company, Cooper Square, has lied to the Board. Although the Board knows they have lied, they are still set on hiring them. It seems that Cooper Square first told the Board that they had never done Business in NJ, a lie."
This is a fallacy. From the very first meeting with Cooper Square, the Search Commitee Members were made aware that Cooper Square had managed property in New Jersey. At a later date, we learned this property was The Colony in Fort Lee. I am also aware of the reasons Cooper Square no longer manages that property.
"Concern Owner" continues:
"Cooper Square was employed by the Colony, right here in NJ, and were fired because of the MISMANAGEMENT of funds."
Although I am not at liberty to disclose certain information, I can tell "Concern Owner" that due diligence has been performed, and, in my subjective opinion, after careful evaluation, I believe that Cooper Square is one of the finest management companies available on the market today.
Slava Lerner, Board Member of the GTCA.
concern owner wrote:
[/b]
We elected a new Board because we wanted change and to end the lies and mismanagement of funds. I found out that this new Management Company, Cooper Square, has lied to the Board. Although the Board knows they have lied, they are still set on hiring them. It seems that Cooper Square first told the Board that they had never done Business in NJ, a lie. Not only a lie but they were hiding a nasty little secret. Cooper Square was employed by the Colony, right here in NJ, and were fired because of the MISMANAGEMENT of funds.
For all our sake, please send a message to the Board that this kind of recklessness will not be tolerated! If we need to go back to the drawing board, then so be it. This is far too important to just let slide. Stop the insanity and let's get back to finding the best way to make the Galaxy what it used to be. Don't allow yourselves to be blinded or coherse into something that is going to eventually be our demise.
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