“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision, the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” – Andrew Carnegie
Each year at this time, I reflect on events of the past year, in both my personal and professional life. To my good fortune, I have been blessed in each and for that I am most thankful. Soon after I began my career as General Manager of North Shore Towers in December of 2001, it became obvious that I was working with an extraordinary group of men and women who approached their job not as individuals, but as members of a team working towards a common goal. That belief has only been fostered throughout the years by their continued efforts towards the overall success of providing our residents with an unparalleled level of service and amenities.
As in each year of my tenure as General Manager, 2008 was a year of achievement for the North Shore Towers community;
After much planning by our Chief Engineer Sal Castro and the Capital Improvements Committee, chaired by Board member Herb Cooper, we received approval to move forward with our fire safety projects, which include installation of smoke detectors on every floor that will give early warning by an alert to a monitored control panel indicating specific floors in the event of a fire. Work on this project will be finalized in 2009. In addition, unprotected public areas in the arcade that did not have fire sprinklers had them added in 2008.
Another project from the Capital Improvements Committee for additional safety was the installation of additional emergency lighting in building stairwells.
New roofing was installed over the Country Club’s VIP Room and indoor swimming pool.
Board Member Phyllis Goldstein and members of last year’s Publicity Committee launched our updated website, www.northshoretowers.com, which was greatly improved. The website now includes the ability to host video of Open Board Meetings and other events which can be viewed from anywhere there is internet access by residents who are unable to attend in person or do not have access to the in-house channel.
Murray Lewinter and the Political Action Committee hosted many notable politicians this year at North Shore Towers, including Councilman David Weprin, State Assemblywoman Ann Margaret Carrozza, Congressman Gary Ackerman, State Senator Frank Padavan, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, and NYC Comptroller William Thompson Jr. Also, Mayor Michael Bloomberg once again addressed our community in public forums.
We continued our environmental and energy saving efforts towards “going green” by conducting an educational seminar for residents, which was sponsored by Linda Rappaport of Greenthal Property Sales in coordination with Board member Claire Levitan and her House and Grounds Committee Going Green Subcommittee. As in the past, we continue to explore innovative ways to conserve energy and help improve the environment.
Board member Phyllis Goldstein successfully spearheaded the efforts to extend the Proprietary Lease, which was successfully extended by receiving more than two-thirds approval of all outstanding shares. This effort was yet another example of individuals working together towards a common goal, and could not have been achieved without the many residents who volunteered their time for the benefit of the cooperative, notably Flip Tax veterans, Bob Bader and his wife Helen. A collective “thank you” to all who participated in the effort.
The teamwork our community relies upon to be successful is not restricted to the efforts of our employees; it extends to your elected Board of Directors and the other residents who volunteer their time as part of the many committees that serve the community as a whole. Your Management Team, employee staff of professionals, Board of Directors and neighbors alike are, in the words of Andrew Carnegie, “working together toward a common vision” as the “fuel to attain uncommon results”..
On behalf of everyone at North Shore Towers, I would like to wish everyone and their families a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year in 2009.
General Manager
Glen Kotowski
