Our Forest Hills Home & Community
As some of my neighbors at Ascan Avenue are aware, I am a candidate to the board of AAOC.
Allow me to provide some thoughts on the subject.
Some thoughts on where we have come, and the future:
I have been a resident shareholder
and owner at AAOC since the end of 1988. Since then, for around 25% of my time here, I have served on the Board of Directors.
It's an added responsibility that I take seriously. In 2022 I have served as Secretary (again).
Each meeting has a set of minutes that are reviewed in draft and then final versions are approved by the whole board.
There is an art to it, saying not too much and not too little.
Providing the facts, on official acts and AAOC business. It's been time consuming but overall I think I did a decent job.
Beyond that voluntary duty to which I have been elected by my fellow board members - a position of trust, I have been willing to engage and participated in all meetings and deliberations.
Beyond considerations that focus on financial matters - the upcoming refinancing of our buildings mortgage, income and expenses (which we can discuss)
- what I want most is for a secure environment where shareholders can rest at ease regarding what may be their most important investment.
On the whole I think that the board has acted in a prudent manner, even where there may have been less than uniform agreement.
On the interpersonal side, I do have a "wish list".
We live in a high density environment, people living in close proximity.
I would like to see relations with our neighbors to be as harmonious as possible. Like writing minutes, it's an art.
In this season, I would be most pleased to see a spirit of forgiveness for any possible slights and a renewed commitment to treating all residents of our building with dignity and respect.
The period that our city and country have just gone through have effected people in various ways, and stress levels for some may have been high.
As in much of life, kindness is key.
There is continued concern for health issues; for that reason, even if not mandatory, I would hope everyone who lives in our building will be mindful of
risks and sensitivities. Wearing of masks is a choice and may be a very good one, particularly in shared places. Not everyones immune systems work the same.
Over this past year I have tinkered on a project, to create a website for
the building. I volunteered to do it, free of charge to our corporation. This has been done at my own time and expense. I know how to write basic HTML code so this was not so difficult.
After a long period of time gathering input from members of the board, I finished with a "final product". It provides basic information for our
building and corporation. It can certainly be refined and improved over time. By design it's not so interactive, so it can be more of a depository for useful information.
In the coming years it would be great to see it improved upon, and all thoughts are welcome.
1ascan.com
Just as an example of what can be done to create a more welcoming and thankful environment -
when one of our longer term renters left the building, I created a "thank you" parting gift -
as a gesture, for Eve. She created the artwork in our backyard picnic area. It cost AAOC nothing. But it set a good tone.
Have a look: "Thanks Eve"
This was nicely framed and presented. It just provides an indication of my intent to set a good tone for where we live.
A bit about me.
There's a link at the top of this page with some of my background information.
When I bought my apartment on the
7th floor of the building, I was only 28. I am now 63. It's been a long road.
Before I came here to Forest Hills - returning back to NYC where I was born (Lenox Hill) -
I had worked for several years in Washington DC. Did some interesting things, including initiating and organizing international exchanges.
That work, won commendations from both sides of the aisle including from Congressmen, Senators.
For a while I was a researcher in the US Department of State.
And an advanceman for democracy promotion activities in a part of the world where there was much strife.
Years later, after returning to NYC, I learned hands-on about the export/import business - working for others and then going on my own.
In that field, I have been self-employed since 1994. My main corporation (one of two that I founded)
is regulated by the Federal Government and I hold a difficult to obtain FMC ocean forwarders OTI license.
That's been maintained for many years. Due to my ex/im work I have cooperated and often liaised with DHS/USCBP US Customs.
It's a position of trust for which I have been carefully vetted.
Beyond my Export/Import business,
I have work directly for the Federal Government including a position that handled sensitive information,
for which I have taken a lifetime confidentiality oath. Further, when there are elections in NYC, I continue to serve as a NYC BOE Board of Elections official.
This entails running a NYC election poll site from A to Z, at times overseeing @ 50 people from various backgrounds and orientations.
Again, that work has been a position of trust. Like serving on the AAOC board.
My family has a long history in the area, and my paternal roots go particularly deep in NYC.
My father was born not far from here; 1917 in Elmhurst, where he met my mother - an immigrant from Scotland.
My namesake grandfather was a top NYPD Detective, appointed to the Department in 1895 by Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt.
My three elder siblings are all well accomplished. My sister with her NYU doctorate, my brother Kevin - a retired government attorney,
and brother Laurence who had been several times elected as a Trustee of Garden City Village. And more.
I think my family has a good reputation. I try to live up to it, to honor their memory.
There are thoughts I have on serious subjects related to the operation of our corporation,
the composition of the board, the role of shareholders and non-shareholders.
I want to keep a welcoming attitude toward helpful input from all; non-shareholders, residents, shareholders and management alike.
Some ideas I have are geared to the long term health of AAOC. It will not be encapsulated in todays brief blog entry.
But I would like to open the door to direct discussion by my fellow shareholders and others. My contact details are included on this blog.
Feel free to message me or give a call. At times a face to face discussion can go a long way to improved harmony. If there are reasonable disagreements,
let's conduct ourselves to the highest standards.
This blog will be updated with thoughts, photos, suggestions in the coming months.
It is not connected to our AAOC website, which is more an informational tool and not a vehicle to express personal preferences.
That's where the blog comes into play. Here is where opinion may be expressed.
It's my hope that our next board can continue a cautious approach to our finances.
It's also my earnest wish that each future board member can grow in the position and contribute in a helpful and compassionate way to our life in this high-density and beautiful home that we have made our own.
If you entrust me with your vote and/or proxy, I will do my best to do a goob job and protect our common interests.
