Clarifying Park Reservoir story

(The following is an open letter to the shareholders of Park Reservoir Housing Corp.)

The article “Park Reservoir cooperators lose chance to oust board” by Gary Larkin, published in the Feb. 15, 2024 issue of The Riverdale Press left us all a little confused.

Colleen Hanly and I, Jeannette Nieves, had one telephone conversation with Mr. Larkin in hopes to shed some light on our situation because our efforts were being ignored. I also summarized this conversation via email. On Feb. 13, Natalya Girshman and I reached out to ask if any clarification was needed as a few correspondences with information went out after the initial conversation.

Unfortunately, a second conversation was never had.  It seems that the facts were misunderstood. 

The inception of the Shareholders Association: On Oct. 5, 2022, current Board member John Ludwig and former board member Norma Llanos were talking in the lobby of Building 2. John was greeting his neighbors as he was a candidate for the coming election. I stopped to talk, and among other things simply said “for years we have been complaining, we have to get together....” and so we did.

The election at the October 2022 Annual Stockholders Meeting had given John Ludwig a position on the board. Long time board President Andrew Kimerling, was voted off. The Board “found a way to get him back on.”(details included in the board minutes) 

Our Association’s goal was to ask questions and find resolutions. Our troubles are many as outlined in the Annual Financial Report and the IPNA (integrated physical needs assessment)!

The Association’s first letter to DHCR (Division of Housing Community and Renewal), listed as complaint No. 4056, in October of 2022 was ignored.

In January of 2023 we petitioned to remove the Board of Directors, and did indeed reach quorum with just over 150 signatures. Without having legal counsel, this process was long and tedious. After reading through by-laws and other necessary documents we came up with a plan.

We, the Park Reservoir Shareholders Association Inc., sent the board the Oct 11, 2023 email to request a special meeting scheduled for 10 days, Oct. 21, 2023. The Board of Directors completely ignored it! The scheduled meeting took place without the “acknowledgment” of the board. Several board members did attend.

The election for the Board of Directors at the Annual Stockholders Meeting on Oct. 22, 2023 never reached quorum.

In a Nov. 28, 2023 letter to the shareholders, Dean Roberts explained “...the present Board of Directors shall maintain their office as no replacements were elected at the annual meeting.” Not a surprise to the shareholders as we did reach quorum in our January petition to remove the board. 

The shareholders did not “lose” their chance to “oust” the Board and the DHCR declining to intervene is not thwarting our efforts. We are currently following the instructions outlined in the DHCR’s Feb. 2, 2024 response. 

Jeannette Nieves