Politics & Government

LumberYard Residents Go Public With Concerns

Several LumberYard Condominium residents attended Monday's commission meeting and spoke openly about various concerns.

In what became the longest public portion of any commission meeting in recent memory, LumberYard Condominium residents spent Monday voicing various concerns about the complex.

Harry J. Carman, a LumberYard resident, stated he'd come to the commission meeting to have his concerns recorded on public record.

"Last Thursday, I handed (the borough clerk) seven OPRA (Open Public Records Act) request forms for (LumberYard) documents, plans, and specifications that'll help us get a better handle on the major issues—safety issues and gross negligent issues related to the construction of the building," Carman said. "We want to make sure we get a response about what can't be done in seven days. And if (the borough) can't or won't (grant our requests), we wanted to get that on public record."

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Mayor James Maley said if the borough needed more time than the required seven-day period under OPRA, Carman would be notified.

William L. Quay, another LumberYard resident in attendance, raised other concerns Monday night. 

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"This all comes as a long history—about four years, which is long for a new building—of frustration, over and over and over again," said Quay. "There are calls that are never answered, problems that are never solved; we've gone through two or three management associations.

"If it's not fumes and a ventilation system throughout the entire building that's very inadequate, it's non-resolution of the leakage in (the LumberYard's) roof, which several residents have reported. Or it's having to repair a deck three or four times. One woman didn't have the use of her deck for an entire summer," said Quay.

"You pay (a significant amount of money for these amenities), and you can't use them. I happen to be a fortunate one—as I haven't had a problem in my unit. There are (residents) who are hiring a lawyer, but I don't want to go through that route," said Quay. "I think it all should be done through a condo association."

Quay said the issue lies in lack of response time.

"I spent 25 years living in the City of Philadelphia, and I have very good friends who live in condominiums over there. And I can tell you the response time in those condos is infinitely better than (here)," he said. "I love Collingswood. I think your (Maley's) leadership has been terrific. The rejuvenation of Collingswood; all that's great. But that's not going to play well with people who can't fix their roofs or have (faulty) decks."

Maley responded that the issues are out of his hands.

"I understand your frustration, but the residents of (the LumberYard Condominiums) selected their last management company. I can't make the builder be as responsive as you want him to be," said Maley. "Every time we've gone over this, I've seen what's been done to fix these issues. We're doing what we can. I still don't know why you're here telling us about it."

Quay asked Maley whether there was a holdback on the project builder, Castanza Builders.

"Has the builder been paid in full for the work that's already been done?" Quay asked, to which Maley replied that he had, through construction financing.

With no holdback, Quay asked. 

"No, I don't think so. We've not been directly involved in that," Maley responded.

Another LumberYard resident and complex board member asked Maley about a recent Courier-Post article that quoted the mayor saying the builder had walked off the LumberYard project.

"No. I never said that, to anyone, ever," said Maley.


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