Meeting with Kim and Mike

[Amy Schottenfels]

So I had Zoom AI take notes and then I had AI shorten them. Basically, we were nice but informed them we didn’t feel managed. Here’s the overview of what happened. If you guys approve I’ll send this out to them tomorrow. They were old school and took notes.

Meeting Recap

Key Issues Addressed

Building Leak Investigation Discovered leak traced to faulty sprinkler head outside unit 104. System was spraying water onto lawn, wasting approximately 80 gallons per activation. Team relieved the issue wasn't as severe as initially feared.

Shannon's Management Performance Discussion revealed Shannon has reached capability plateau and tends to be reactive rather than proactive. While she excels at trustee interactions and events, she struggles with organization and complex spreadsheet tasks. Team agreed to provide structured support rather than expecting independent mastery.

Town Square Platform Challenges Low adoption among owners, especially absentee owners and those with management companies. Current system lacks full engagement needed for effectiveness. Team exploring enhanced features and monthly email reminders to improve participation.

Maintenance System Overhaul Current maintenance tracking insufficient. Need comprehensive system covering daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal tasks with vendor information and key dates (roof checks, HVAC inspections, etc.).

Action Items

Shannon:

• Follow up on G1 sprinkler system repair
• Transform weekly reports into live documents including upcoming maintenance schedules and key dates

Kim & Mike:

• Collaborate with Shannon on comprehensive preventative maintenance plan for building
• Continue coaching Shannon toward proactive (vs reactive) management approach
• Kim to lead budget training for Shannon and other direct reports

Mike:

• Create preventative maintenance tickler system/calendar with all scheduled tasks and vendor information
• Verify Town Square owner sign-up compliance (need 100%)
• Follow up on Town Square's collaborative document capabilities

Amy:

• Schedule appointment with Chase in two weeks to explore Town Square capabilities, particularly monthly email features

Kim:

• Research potential Town Square improvements if current features inadequate

Meeting Summary

Faulty Sprinkler Leak Investigation

Michael and Amy discussed the discovery of a building leak traced to a faulty sprinkler head outside unit 104. The sprinkler system was spraying water onto the lawn, wasting approximately 80 gallons each time it activated. Amy expressed relief that the leak wasn't as severe as initially feared, and they agreed to address the issue properly.

Exploring Town Square Capabilities

The meeting focused on discussing Town Square and other platforms for managing tasks and data. Amy expressed preference for Google Sheets over Microsoft Teams, highlighting real-time updates and ease of use. Kim suggested exploring Town Square further, noting that Gary might have insights on its capabilities. Amy planned to meet with Chase to better understand Town Square's features, particularly for monthly emails. Kim noted that Associate owns Town Square, and while improvements might take time, they can request new features if needed.

Enhancing Shannon's Proactive Management

Kim and Michael discussed Shannon's performance as a manager. Michael expressed that Shannon had reached her capability limit and was generally reactive rather than proactive. Kim acknowledged Shannon's challenges with difficult clients and efforts to improve organization skills. They agreed to continue working with Shannon to help her become more proactive in her role.

Enhanced Maintenance Tracking System

The team discussed need for an improved maintenance tickler system to better manage property maintenance tasks and keep building owners and trustees informed. Kim and Amy emphasized the importance of having a live, shared system (Excel or Google Sheets) to track maintenance schedules, vendor information, and key dates for tasks like roof checks and HVAC inspections. Mike agreed to work with Shannon to create a comprehensive calendar system including daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal tasks, ensuring the document remains accessible to all relevant parties.

Budget Training and Process Improvements

The team discussed budget preparation and Shannon's role in the process. Kim took the lead on teaching budgeting to direct reports, including Shannon, and will work with Mike to complete budgets. Amy suggested borrowing and adapting a system from Dartmouth for building management, as it could be more effective than teaching Shannon to create spreadsheets from scratch. The group agreed that while Shannon has strengths in trustee interactions and events, she needs more structured support for complex spreadsheet tasks.

Enhancing Town Square Software Engagement

Amy raised concerns about incomplete sign-up for Town Square software among owners, particularly absentee owners or those with management companies. He suggested implementing monthly email reminders for fee payments and important communications to improve engagement. Kim and Michael acknowledged communication challenges with non-responsive owners and discussed need for a more efficient system to track and contact these owners. They also discussed reducing payment options to streamline the process.

Project Coordination and Challenges

The group discussed challenges with off-hours maintenance and communication, with Kim emphasizing difficulty of drafting communications in the middle of the night. Michael expressed concern about lack of progress on capital projects, noting four different people had been involved since 2018, highlighting need for Ken Riley's increased involvement. Amy shared experience managing the roof project, emphasizing importance of physical presence and direct involvement in project management.

Amy expressed concerns about ongoing projects and coordination issues, noting Matt's unclear involvement and oversight as he prepares for vacation. Kim suggested coordinating with Shannon and Jamie Copeland for project continuity, while Amy emphasized maintaining progress with winter approaching. Michael raised questions about financial guidance, particularly regarding a loan, and Kim acknowledged need to clarify roles and responsibilities in the upcoming senior Ops meeting.

Timeline and Travel Plans

Amy informed the team about travel plans, returning September 29th, just before the trustees meeting on September 30th. The group discussed ongoing projects and need for proactive communication, with Amy emphasizing importance of engaging with Town Square and other systems. Kim mentioned she would send emails to gather inquiries on various topics, while Amy expressed frustration about late project starts and tax implications due to delayed spending.

Streamlining Organizational Processes

The team discussed need to improve organizational processes, with Kim emphasizing that managers should include specific line items in reserves and ensure funds are allocated correctly between operating and reserve budgets. Amy expressed desire to return to a less hands-on role, trusting the team to handle operations effectively. The group agreed to continue working with Shannon to maintain and update a live document tracking important dates, project timelines, vendor schedules, and preventative maintenance, with Mike taking the lead. Kim clarified that while Ken is currently managing projects, Matt should still be involved in financial modeling, though exact roles and responsibilities remain to be determined.

Amy Schottenfels  •  aschot...@gmail.com  •  617.308.5074

[Joe Wolke]

These look good, but action is more important than words. Was anything discussed regarding billing, past due accounts and collections?

Sent from my iPad

On Sep 11, 2025, at 4:56 PM, Amy Schottenfels <aschot...@gmail.com> wrote:

So I had Zoom AI take notes and then I had AI shorten them. Basically, we were nice but informed them we didn’t feel managed. Here’s the overview of what happened. If you guys approve I’ll send this out to them tomorrow. They were old school and took notes.

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[Amy Schottenfels]

Yes a bit but it seems to be a Town Square issue. We pushed back and said that their payment methods were too many and confusing. Michael thinks we missed the roll of Mike and his ineffectiveness. It was hard for to do with him there. When Kim is present she owns the meeting. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 12, 2025, at 7:45 AM, Joe Wolke <joe....@gmail.com> wrote:

These look good, but action is more important than words. Was anything discussed regarding billing, past due accounts and collections?

[Baum, Michael]

Joe,   As is stated in Amy’s edited AI notes, Kim promised to look further into the capacity of Town Square to generate emailed alerts to specific owners whose accounts are overdue, in addition to snail mail notifications.  It was distressing to discover that Kim was still under the impression that Matt Page is managing our capital projects whereas Amy and I thought that this task had been passed on to Ken Reilly.  Kim promised to sort out this issue at some high level meeting being held today.  AMY: you might want to edit the AI text a bit more to emphasize our expectation that we will receive an explicit clarification about which Dartmouth group person(s) will be managing the execution of our remaining capital projects as well as use of our loan to pay for them.  

Thanks, Michael

 

 

 

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[Amy Schottenfels]

Will do. In doc appointment hell today but will get it out tomorrow 

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 12, 2025, at 8:02 AM, Baum, Michael <ba...@bu.edu> wrote:



[Joe Wolke]

Michael - I did see that in the notes, but I think the issue is bigger than just determining what Town Sq can and cannot do. When we signed on with DTG we explicitly talked about managing past due accounts and collecting from residents who were in arrears. Bottomline, I think we should expect them to manage this process in a professional and effective manner whether or not it comes through town Sq.

All that being said, I really appreciate how much you were able to cover with Kim and Mike, and I hope it is a sign of a more effective relationship between DTG and SPA.

Joe Wolke    #🟦

joe....@gmail.com 

312-805-2642

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From: Baum, Michael <ba...@bu.edu>
Sent: Friday, September 12, 2025 8:02 AM
To: Joe Wolke <joe....@gmail.com>; Amy Schottenfels <aschot...@gmail.com>

[Amy Schottenfels]

I’ll try to add that into the notes. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 12, 2025, at 9:46 AM, Joe Wolke <joe....@gmail.com> wrote: