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Condo board candidates challenge ‘disregard of owners’
March 28, 2013 – Fed up with what they say has been “a decline in the culture and relations and attitude” between unit owners and the condominium association at Marina City, seven unit owners have announced they are candidates for the association’s board of directors. The group calls itself “the clean slate” and has created a website to detail their complaints with Marina Towers Condominium Association. They say there has been “no communication, no newsletters, no current website, no owner question and answer period during board meetings” and a controversial lobby renovation project is “the ultimate crescendo in this disregard of owners.” A ten-week project to renovate the main lobby of Marina City’s west tower resulted in mixed reviews, at best, from residents. Many are not happy with how the lobby looks or with being told they cannot bring wheeled carriers, such as luggage and dollies, through the lobby because it could damage the new floor.
Two candidates on the slate are already on the condo board. Ellen Chessick (above left) was first elected in 2005 and has been the board’s secretary since 2007. Dr. Michel Louvain (above right), a retired psychiatrist, has been on the board since 2001 and is the current treasurer.
Also running for seats this year are (top, left to right) Nicol Chervenak, a project manager at Cannon Design, Laura Holman, a technical director at SmithGroupJJR, Nik Rokop, managing director of the Knapp Entrepreneurship Center at Illinois Institute of Technology, (above) Pranav Seth, a project architect at Gensler, and Brett Young, a member service advisor for American Dental Association. Running against them will be incumbents Peter Desch, Phyllis Hartford, Gautier Laude, and current MTCA president Donna Leonard, along with James Abraham, Jackie Berry, and Valerie Wenzel. The recent resignation of Marina City’s residential property manager, claims the group, was at the sole request of MTCA president Leonard. David Gantt, who resigned on March 4, is accused of spending considerably more on renovation projects than what the condo board had approved, including a model floor that was budgeted at $16,127 but allegedly cost $85,900. According to the group’s website, “the board president told Mr. Gantt that the board had asked for [his resignation] but Ms. Leonard never consulted the board.” The condo board election will be held at the association’s annual meeting on April 29.
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