Condo Seminars: 3/9 and 4/5

Educational Seminars for Condo Associations

The Village will be hosting a 2-part series of educational seminars for condominium associations with expert presentations from an attorney specializing in condominium law.  In addition to the topics identified below, Village staff will also be on hand to discuss local requirements and support available to associations.  Registration is not necessary, but interested parties may do so by following the links below.

Part One: Rules and Regulations What to know when drafting rules March 9; 6-8pm Village Hall Room 201 RSVP: http://conta.cc/1PRmf6b

Part Two:  Enforcing Rules How to conduct a hearing April 5; 6-8pm Village Hall Room 201 RSVP: http://conta.cc/1Qwulxh

Learn and Lead, Wednesday, May 14, 2014

The last seminar in the Learn and Lead series will occur at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, May 14. This week’s topic will be the Administration of an Association, presented by Marcia Caruso of Caruso Management Group.

Learn and Lead, Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Our next Learn and Lead session will occur at 7:00 pm on Wednesday. This week’s topic will be the Physical Aspects of an Association, presented by Kami Farahmandpour of Building Technology Consultants, PC.

Changes to Municipal Aggregation May Affect Your Condo Building

VOP-aggregation-commercial-flyer

A change to the state law means that commercial accounts with more than 15,000 kWh annual usage are no longer eligible to participate in municipal aggregation. Click the link for more information.

Learn & Lead, Wednesday, April 23, 2014

The Learn and Lead Series will continue on Wednesday, April 23 at 7:00 pm. This week’s session will cover the Financial Aspects of an Association, presented by Mark Cantey of Mark Cantey & Associates.

Reminder – Learn and Lead Wednesday Evening

The third Learn and Lead seminar will be Wednesday, April 9 at 7:00 pm in the Council Chamber at Oak Park Village Hall. This week’s topic will be Meetings/Elections of an Association, presented by Dave Bendoff of Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit. Registration is not necessary.

Learn and Lead series starts next week

The Village has partnered with the Association of Condominium, Townhouse and Homeowners Associations (ACTHA) to sponsor a training program to help associations increase their knowledge of proven practices of successful associations. The curriculum is designed for individuals who currently are on an association board, thinking of joining a board or want to understand how an association should operate. All sessions start at 7 p.m., at Village Hall, 123 Madison St. No advance registration or fee is required unless an attendee is interested in pursuing certification. The curriculum details will be posted on http://www.oakparkcondocorner.wordpress.com and consists of the following course modules:

7:00-9:30 p.m.
Wed., March 12: Governance of an Association
Wed., April 9: Meetings/Elections of an Association
Wed., April 23: Financial Aspects of an Association
Wed., April 30: Physical Aspects of an Association
Wed., May 14: Administration of an Association

7:00-10:00 p.m.
Wed., March 26: Insurance/Risk Management of an Association

For more information, call 708.358.5410 or e-mail housing@oak-park.us. Individuals interested in certification should call 312.987.1906 or e-mail gael@actha.org

Please feel forward this information to others who may be interested.

Everything Your Association Needs to Know About Tax Appeals

Cook County’s Triennial Re-assessment is taking place in

your area in 2014…so what do you need to know?

Attend an educational seminar for board members and managers to better

understand how property tax appeals benefit associations in Cook County.

This program will provide information on the following topics:

• How do group tax appeals work?
• Should tax appeal costs be paid by the association or billed back?
• How does the Senior Freeze exemption impact the appeal?
• Why is NOW the best time to appeal?
• Can unit owners opt out of the appeal?

Call 630.369.2700 x214 or visit http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=gyjn4vdab&oeidk=a07e8z4xfwa2b2805d4 to register.

Presented by the law firm of Keough & Moody, P.C. at the Carleton Hotel, 1110 Pleasant Street, Oak Park. Tuesday, March 11, 2014, 6:00 pm.

Following the presentation on tax appeals, there will be a Q&A period with the attorneys which will allow general questions related to associations.

Nicor Gas and ComEd can help you Save Money and Add Value to your Condo Building

The Multi-Family Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Program’s FREE direct installation service is a great way to start lowering operating costs and increasing your property’s value. If your property is served by both Nicor Gas and ComEd and has five or more units, you can receive an energy assessment and the following energy-saving products – installed in each unit – for FREE

Water saving massage shower heads
Bathroom and Kitchen Faucet Aerators
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulgs
Programmable Thermostats
Hot Water Pipe Insulation

Your building is also eligible to receive FREE

Steam Pipe Insulation
Boiler Tune-ups

Steam pipe insulation must be completed by December 31, 2013
Boiler tune-ups must be completed by November 30, 2013

Valuable rebates are also available for energy-saving upgrades.

Call 855.846.1148 to schedule your building’s installation, or for more information.

Capital Improvement Seminar

If you missed the presentation on October 8, 2013 of how one association tackled financing a major capital improvement project, information is available. View the video Capital Improvement Seminar Video . Download the Capital Improvement Seminar Handouts.