Page 21 - CooperatorNews New Jersey Spring 2022

NJ.COOPERATORNEWS.COM COOPERATORNEWS NEW JERSEY —SPRING 2022 21 INSURANCE... ON THE GO! With our Mobile App & Client Portal you get 24/7 secure account access and paperless options in just a click! M ackoul R isk s olutions YOUR INSURANCE. ANYTIME, ANYWHERE! WEB: WWW.Mackoul.coM BLOG: Mackoul.coM/BloG PHONE: (866) Mackoul EMAIL: inFo@Mackoul.coM Visit our Client Portal • pay your bill • report a claim • mobile auto ID Card • policy change request • view policy information • online certificate request detector checks, looking for tripping hazards in and around units and in com- mon areas, proper egress from units and buildings, electrical panel function, and more depending on the size and type of the building or community. She cautions that requirements can vary in different municipalities and regions, and advises every manager and board to go to the DCA website to confirm their specific checklist. Warga-Murray says that the DCA re- quires 100% of unit owners to comply. This is not only a scheduling challenge, but can also increase the costs of the in- spections if the DCA inspectors have to make multiple return trips to the proper- ty to visit every unit, she warns. “People tell you, ‘I’m not available in the morn- ing; well, I’m not available in the after- noon, and I’m not available on Mondays; I’m not available on Tuesdays.’ And then you have to try and get the inspector so that they’re not coming back more than three days, or four days, or a week, be- cause then you’re talking about six or eight hours a day of paying for your man- ager to be there. And that’s going to be very expensive.” To mitigate these costs, Warga-Mur- ray has two strategies: put the time, pro- cedure, and expense of DCA inspections into the management contract up front; and establish a resolution to impose fines on unit owners or shareholders if they can’t be available for inspections or re- fuse or delay compliance, thus incurring fines and penalties for the community. Warga-Murray continues, “For the most part, preparing in advance is tech- nically one of the most important aspects of this \[type of inspection\]. It’s important for the manager to also conduct pre-in- spections in advance of the DCA visits so they know specifically what areas are going to be addressed. What I have found is that if we know \[what the potential vio- lations are\] in advance, and then obtain contracts \[to correct them\], when the DCA inspector comes, there is no pen- alty; they see that we’re involved in mak- ing the corrections.” Bringing it All Together Since building inspections are a fact of life for property owners, it pays to be aware, be prepared, and have a plan. At the end of the day, completing an inspec- tion and getting that sign-off—whether it comes with a sticker or not—means that the community is that much more pro- tected from both burdensome penalties and potential catastrophes. As the pros say: instead of looking at inspections in terms of their cost, look at them in terms of their value. n Darcey Gerstein is Associate Editor and a Staff Writer for CooperatorNews. landscape design and maintenance to co- ops, condos, HOAs, and other properties. Th e company has locations throughout the U.S., including New York, New Jersey, Mas- sachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, Dela- ware, Florida, Illinois, and Nevada. Of the Northeast region where he is located, Car- novale lists Kentucky bluegrass, perennial rye, and tall fescue as the most commonly grown turf grasses. Known as “cool season” species, these varieties are hardy enough for the tough winters and can go dormant in the hot summers, which Carnovale explains is a normal seasonal pattern for these grass- es if they are not irrigated. (Th ey’ll come back to life when the weather turns cooler; just don’t fertilize dormant grass, he warns.) “Each species is best used under certain conditions,” he continues. “You need to se- lect the right species and/or a mix of species for your location.” Matt Lindner, Lawn Care Program Di- rector of national landscape stewards Sa- vATree, agrees. “Diff erent varieties thrive under diff erent conditions,” he says. “You can’t just drive to your local Lowe’s and pick up a bag of mixed grass seed. You need to consider climate, precipitation, light, pests, maintenance, and the degree of wear your turf will undergo.” Given the size of many housing cooperatives and associations he works with in the Northeast, he continues, diff erent parts of the same complex might have diff erent growing conditions. For in- stance, if one area of the property gets full sun and has adequate irrigation, he might choose a bluegrass for that part of the land- scape; if another parcel on the same prop- erty is shadier and drier, he’d plant fi ne fescues, “which can survive on much less water, around 3 to 4 hours of sunlight, and go dormant during times of stress.” A professional lawn care company can also conduct a soil test. “Th is is the ‘blood test’ for the needs of the lawn—or, for that matter, the landscape,” says Lindner. “Th e results of the test will determine what inputs are required to keep your plants and lawn growing and healthy.” Clay soils, which the pros say are prevalent in New England, re- quire more frequent core aeration, for ex- ample. Th is process, necessary for all lawns at least once a year in early autumn, helps loosen up soil compaction to allow water, nutrients, and air to fl ow down to the roots. Carnovale contends that as long as the grass aligns with the conditions, “gener- ally, maintenance is easy: mow once a week, supply one inch of water per week, and fer- tilize as needed”—generally about four to eight times per year, depending on condi- tions and the lawn’s particular needs, as well as the specifi c fertlizer’s directions. Weed control also depends on a few diff erent fac- tors: “For small areas,” says Carnovale, “you BETTER GRASS... continued from page 1 continued on page 22