Page 22 - CooperatorNews NJ Expo 2022

20 COOPERATORNEWS NEW JERSEY —EXPO 2022 NJ.COOPERATORNEWS.COM courage residents to please continue to wear were trying times—to the point that some their mask, and continue to practice social board members called it quits. distancing, like limiting to two people at most in elevators, unless they’re members of eas were closed, a lot of residents challenged the same household—things of this nature.” Slowly Bringing People Back Together On the Gold Coast of New Jersey, Taylor sure the board would have with insurance Management’s regional vice president Larry regulations.” He adds that some of the back- Rada says the company also follows guid- ance from the CDC, the World Health Or- ganization, and state mandates. But he notes want to hear it anymore, and just resigned.” that as regulations wane, residents are slowly returning to in-person activities. “With pools, last year was a test, because ly with management, instead of the usual you had to have a pool ambassador who took monthly check-in. That was a stressful and notice of who was coming in, in case some- one was infected with COVID and you had to be getting back to “normal” in the sum- to track it back and let people know that they mer and fall of 2021, he notes that by that might need to get tested,” says Rada. “This winter, people—including Middleton him- year we are not doing that. We are asking res- idents to be smart—if you feel a symptom, COVID variant. This development caused stay away. And this year a lot of people are some board members and residents to recoil vaccinated, so more people are comfortable.” in fear of yet another lockdown, but Middle- During the height of the pandemic, Rada ton says thankfully, that didn’t happen. explains that his company worked closely with the boards of client communities to of our buildings \[since the pandemic\], but offer ways for residents to stay connected, I’m sure there were some boards that were including virtual Disney programming for brought to the brink with internal strife. No kids and remote yoga classes for adults. As one dropped off, and while there were a few he looks to spring and summer 2022, he new board members elected, it wasn’t due to says computer screens will be nixed as many any type of coup,” says Middleton. “There boards and committees return to in-person was a lot of cheering for boards—and for meetings. Additionally, community activi- ties are being planned. “We have an Easter egg hunt coming up, taking care of them, and that feeling kept the which we haven’t had since COVID,” he says. boards going.” “Kids and parents will have some fun, which is a return to some kind of normalcy. So we teacher who has lived for many years at Tap- are opening up more than we did last year, pan Court, a co-op located in Tarrytown, but is it a return to 100 percent normalcy? New York, 2021 was the year he decided to This is in effect a new normal, and I think run for a seat on the board. The decision, he this is how we will be from now on.” For the properties Middleton manages in New York City, there isn’t a great deal of dog, so we formed a \[virtual\] committee common space, which makes it difficult— and potentially risky—for neighbors to con- gregate. Nevertheless, he notes that change is that the co-op only allowed cats as pets. “The slowly occurring. “One of my co-ops down in SoHo would work, and we discussed having someone traditionally do their annual meeting at a from our committee run for a board seat. church or synagogue, and they are hoping Since I was retired, I thought I would do it.” to do that again,” he says. “In fact, they sent out flyers last week polling to see how many and state regulators, the couple was ap- people felt comfortable \[with that\], and the proved to acquire a dog, and now has a mini reaction has been good. I think people are goldendoodle. “There hasn’t been an issue ready to see their neighbors again on a more with the board,” says Fernandez, adding joyous occasion, rather than being told what that the stress and isolation of the pandemic they can and can’t do.” At a building he manages uptown, he companion. To date, he says no other resi- says the community has “floated the idea” dent has approached the board about getting of holding some type of community event a dog, and there have been no complaints in one of the small common areas. “They about their pet. will also be holding the annual meeting in person as a way of bringing the community that Tappan Court encouraged community back together.” Board Member Perspectives Both Middleton and Rada praised board opportunity to grow vegetables and other members, many of whom spent the last two years keeping fellow residents safe while trying to strike a peaceful balance between caution and community cohesion. But these “The first year when all the common ar- the decisions the boards were making,” says Rada, “but they didn’t understand the expo- lash was political, with residents taking sides on the issue. “Some board members didn’t For most of 2020 and some of 2021, Mid- dleton explains that many boards met week- uncertain time period, and while life seemed self—began getting sick with the omicron “Luckily we had no board turnover in any management, too, believe it or not—because I think residents recognized someone was For Teddy Fernandez, a recently retired said, was loosely connected to the pandemic. “My wife wanted an emotional support among residents to talk to the board about two years ago,” says Fernandez, who notes board rejected our proposal after a year of After appealing the decision to county underscored the couple’s need for a canine During the pandemic, Fernandez says spirit by offering a shared garden plot on the property, with many residents taking the RESIDENT... continued from page 1 See us at Booth 509 NEW JERSEY See us at Booth 427 NEW JERSEY