Our Twentieth Anniversary of the fall condo meeting

 Last night the residents of our condo association had its fall business meeting.  It was our 20th anniversary of our first business meeting with our new neighbors (complex of 30 units was built in mid- to late 70s). That first meeting was in the Fishinger Road school and was a potluck.  Some of the people I remember meeting that night who are no longer with us or have moved to a retirement community are Tom Fitzpatrick (and wife), Ohmer and Pat Crowell, Barbara Stradley, Mary and Dan Dunbar, Tom and Judy Wessel, Mac and Marilyn Campbell, Dick Smith, Herb and Ruth Abrams, Kate Haddox, Bill and Jean Baskwell, the Herrolds, Al Gallucci, Dee Cole and her parents.  On September 11, 2001, we all remember what happened, so the bottom also fell out of the real estate market, and our home on Abington was not moving.  We were about to put the condo up for sale, and take our chances.  Fortunately, at Christmas, the daughter and son-in-law of one of the realtors who had shown our home, made and offer, and in January 2002 we were able to move.

This past year, 2021, there were significant changes and repairs--the roofs were replaced with a black shingle (also replaced the first year we were here, so apparently something wasn't done right), the shutters were removed, cleaned, painted and replaced (at about half the cost of buying new), downspouts were replaced, new solar attic fans were installed to replace the old ones, and that all went with the color scheme of the new garage doors that were replaced in 2020. Other years we had all the driveways and the street replaced, or the stone wall along the creek replaced (needs another repair--perhaps next year).  Trees are a huge asset, but a huge cost to maintain to keep them healthy. The refurbishing and new roofs cost about $350,000, and each owner was assessed a share based on their percentage figure.  Some condo associations use an annual upkeep fund where each owner pays in to cover repairs, but ours uses an assessment system. Both systems are legal in Ohio and each year we have to vote to continue our choice.  Most of our neighbors would rather keep their money in investments rather than lose it if they move after 5 years of contributing to the fund if they move out. With our new roofs, clean and painted shutters, new garage doors, and some very close attention by our landscape committee, the place is looking very good.