FIRST BOARD MEETING

The board met with Jodie Marion, our Axia property manager, on Dec. 10 for a preliminary discussion of the various concerns that affect us all. We looked at budgets and contracts for our various services, such as maintenance, snow clearance, garbage removal and so on. We heard about Jodie's ongoing discussions with Brigil about outstanding work (which, to us, sounded fairly one-sided to date — Jodie raising concerns and Brigil not responding).

We considered a number of things  that many of us are concerned about — things like parking spots obliterated by snow, front doors that don't latch securely, ongoing power outages in common areas of Building Four, painting not done as contracted — and are relying on our property manager to get the issues resolved.

We also talked a little about condo life, something many of us are just now learning about, having moved here from large single-family homes. Jodie reminded us that common areas are just that. They are not, in fact, our own private spaces, even if they are right outside our front doors. She not only reminded us, she showed us the condo regulations that we all agreed to when we purchased our units.

And so, we were told, there should be no furniture or other items on our landings or in the entranceway. We probably shouldn't even have mats outside our doors, although we're closing our eyes to this one for the time being. (Ditto Christmas decorations, apparently.) If you're kind enough to shovel around your front door before our snow guys have come, you can't leave the shovel out there. In fact, you can't leave anything of yours in the common areas. The rules have to do not only with property standards, but also with safety regulations and maintenance requirements.

We will be discussing all these things at a general meeting in the New Year — along with other concerns of a more seasonal nature, like balcony furnishings, bird feeders and barbecues. Once the specific new bylaws (that is, above and beyond the existing ones) have been voted upon and passed, they will be enforced.