Page 17 - NJ Cooperator Winter 2020

NJCOOPERATOR.COM THE NEW JERSEY COOPERATOR — WINTER 2020 17 With locations in Northern and Central NJ Visit us on the web at www.WilkinGrp.com | 201.560.0900 Wilkin Management Group, Inc. 30 Years of History Wilkin Management Group, Inc.ilkin Management Group, Inc. Visit us on the web at www.WilkinGrp.com | 201.560.0900 W For over 30 years, Wilkin Management Group has held to an unshakeable corporate philosophy of Creating Value for Our Clients. Our People, Process and Performance demonstrates an un-wavering commitment to do so. down implications for residential security and accessibility. In addition to all that, staff . Donning PPE, asking visitors and piles of unattended packages are a beacon contractors health questions, monitor- ing capacity and distancing in common only become worse as the holidays ap- areas—these were not usually part of a proach. residential security unit’s duties prior to March 2020, but now they are daily rou- tines. And not an interview goes by with a ing, both single-family and multifam- multifamily building professional that the ily alike. Associations where homes are issue of deliveries doesn’t come up. Ferdi- nando explains that residents who choose or Chicago have proposed or initiated (or are required, in the case of those quar- antining) to stay home are not only re- ceiving meals, groceries, and orders from an international resource for all kinds of online retailers, but are also receiving doc- uments, medical supplies, and other items tives. According to a CAI media release related to their jobs or schools as they con- tinue to work and learn remotely. Th e “tremendous amount of deliveries” mented programs of this nature, explain- makes the day extremely busy for security ing that for reasons of liability and to avoid and other front-of-house personnel, says wading into legally murky waters, an as- Ferdinando—especially during business sociation itself should not “create, manage, hours, when there is increased activity in or formally endorse a neighborhood watch general. It also creates safety and security program.” hazards when packages pile up in lobbies, hallways, and other common areas. In dent of communications for CAI, “most high-rises, delivering to apartment doors association experts believe watch pro- or even just to each fl oor takes up eleva- tor capacity—already limited by COVID by residents independent of the associa- requirements in most cases—and increas- es potential exposure points for workers. to support a watch program; it’s quite an- Package “staging” in lobbies, vestibules, other for the board to assume responsibil- and other areas can create logjams that ity for the activity.” potentially compromise emergency egress for thieves and vandals—an issue that will There Goes the Neighborhood Indeed, package theft has become a nation-wide problem for all kinds of hous- more spaced-out than in, say, New York neighborhood watch programs, says the Community Associations Institute (CAI), homeowners associations and coopera- on the matter, however, the organization cautions against board-initiated or -imple- “In fact,” writes Amy Repke, vice presi- grams should be organized and managed tion. It’s one thing for an association board continued on page 18