April 17th Town Hall Minutes

Slovak Village Board of Directors and City of Brantford staff held a town hall meeting for all residents in the Mary Klas room on Thursday, April 17^th, 2025. Several tenants, staff and Board were in attendance. During the meeting the following items were discussed:

1. Friendly Reminders

• Annual Unit inspections start May 16, 2025 and will be every Friday starting with the sixth floor.
• Playground is still closed due to required repairs. Notice will be issues once access to the playground can recommence when it is safe to use. 
• Bulk garbage bin is scheduled May 14, 2025
• If you need assistant with, or have questions about, your Annual Review please contact your PMA at 519-759-4150 ext. 6210 to schedule an appointment. 

2. Who to Contact When?

• Property Manager: Nicole Murray X 6335 or nmurray@brantford.ca – Questions, Complaints, Building Related Concerns
• Property Management Assistant: Jeanie Almeida X 6210 or JAlmeida@brantford.ca – 

Annual Review & AR Packages, Rent Related Matters, Ledger Questions and Information Related to Income or Household Composition Changes (Move Ins/Move Outs).

• Superintendents: 519-756-2444
  • Maintenance – Submit Work Orders & Call for Emergencies
  • Rent Payments
  • Building Related Concerns
• Hours of Operation for Superintendents and City Staff are from 8:30AM-4:30PM
• After Hours is for Emergency calls Only: Fire, Flood, First Responders

3. High Water Consumption

• We have received notice that the building is consuming a lot of water; more than its usual consumption. Housing Staff suspect there may be the following present:
  • Constant running toilets (after flush, the tank continues to fill)
  • Dripping shower heads
  • Dripping Taps (Kitchen & Bathroom)
  • Potential Leak in the unit (check under sinks)
• We require all tenants to check the above list in their units and place complete a work order sheet if any of these situations are happening in your unit so we can repair it immediately. 

4. Garbage Disposal

• All bags MUST be securely tied closed (double knotted) BEFORE being put down the chutes. DO NOT place loose items in the chutes.
• Do note leave bags in the garbage chute room or in the hallways.
• Bulk items MUST be placed in the dumpsters outside (ex. electronics, decor, cardboard, appliances, etc.)
• Do not leave items for disposal or donation in the lobby bench area. This can cause the spread of household pests. Abandoned items in common areas is also against Fire Code.
  • If you have items available for donation, you can use the board in the laundry room to post a notice.
• Failure to comply with any of the above requirements will result in a charge back to your unit.

5. Warmer Weather Reminders

• Balconies: Please remember not to throw anything from your balconies. Disposing of garbage, food  or pouring liquids over the edge of your balcony inconsiderate of your neighbours and damaging to the property. Do not dispose of cigarette butts off your balcony, as it is a fire and safety concern. This is your home and the condition of the grounds reflects on you. Please do not litter!

• Pet Owners: Be sure that your pet does not make a lot of noise; run free or off leash in common areas, including the inside and outside of the building. It is your responsibility to clean up after your pet – poop and scoop and throw away the bag in a garbage container. Various pet waste stations have been installed around the premises and bags are provided. Brantford Bylaw: Chapter 206.2.5. 
• Windows and Air Conditioners: Please note that only portable air conditioning units are permitted at Slovak Village and must be installed as per the instructions provided by staff. If you are unsure if the A/C is installed correctly, please contact staff. Friendly reminder that A/C units are $10 per month, or $100 per year (per air conditioner).

6. Complaint process
   Complaints must be in writing, staff cannot accept verbal complaints. You can contact the Superintendents for a complaint form during business hours; write the complaint on a piece of paper; or email it to the Property Manager, nmurray@brantford.ca. 

Written complaints are very important if cameras need to be checked.
Important-if the complaint is regarding illegal activity such as suspected drugs, theft or threats, please call Brantford Police at 519-756-7050 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Staff cannot determine if an action is illegal.
All complaints must include the date and time of incident, details of the incident, how it impacted you, and if police were called we need the incident # and officer name.
If staff determines the incident is in violation of the lease, we will follow-up with the tenant to cease and desist. If the behaviour continues the PM may Issue a Form N5 and file an application with the LTB. Staff cannot share what is being done as this is confidential. 

7. Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) Process
   Below are some of the LTB forms the landlord may use

N4 – nonpayment of rent

N5 – interfering with the reasonable enjoyment of other tenants and staff

N6 – illegal activity such as drug dealing, stealing, human trafficking – Police must be involved, the landlord cannot determine if an act is illegal 

N7 – causing serious problems: Seriously impairing the safety of another person in the complex; or willfully damaging the residential unit or complex
Reminder: tenants are responsible for their children, pets and guests, and can receive an LTB form should we receive a complaint about something they did.

All acts must happen on the property, if there is an incident off site, the landlord has no authority to issue a legal notice (e.g. bullying at school).

It is important to note that it takes 6-8 months to get a hearing date from the LTB, then 1-3 months for an order (decision).
NOTE:  We as a landlord do not evict, this is a decision made by the LTB and a Sheriff is the only body that can enforce an eviction

8. Pest Control
   Removing access to food and water is the easiest way to avoid pest problems in your unit. If you think you have ants or any other pests, please fill out a work order. We will send a pest control company to inspect your unit. Should it be determined that treatment is necessary we ask that you cooperate and prepare your unit for the treatment plan.  Proper prep work is needed to ensure successful results.  It is important to put in a maintenance request form if you have, or think you have pests in your unit. Poor sanitation can cause ant infestations. Leaving dirty dishes in the sink, food residue on countertops, crumbs on the floor, and garbage provide food sources for ants. Ants leave an invisible chemical trail which attracts other ants to follow once they locate the food source, so an infestation can develop quickly.

If you have concerns, please enter submit a maintenance request found outside the Slovak Office.

9. Upcoming Projects
     

Retaining Wall

Retaining wall repairs are to be completed in 2025. 

Playground Repairs 

Playground repairs are being completed in 2025.

10. Tenant Questions and/or Concerns:

Back to School Carnival: Currently there is no volunteer base or capacity of staff to have this event. If an organization volunteers to do this in the future Slovak Village would be happy to work with them. 

Parking in Fire Route: Using the fire route to load in and load out is allowable however parking in this designated area is prohibited and any vehicle parked in this area is subject to being fined and/or towed.

TV for Mary Klaus Room – Move Nights: This could be done if a community provider approaches Slovak Village to run events in the Mary Klaus room however staff do not have capacity to monitor moving nights and they must be monitored for liability reasons. If a tenant wishes to book the Mary Klaus room for a personal family viewing night please reach out to Kris or Judy. 

Guest and Safety of the Building: Please remember not to let anyone follow you into the building but don’t put yourself at risk by engaging the individual. Depending on the severity of the incident, and a supporting submitted complaint from tenant(s), we may have the ability to check the cameras. If a package is stolen by someone it is mostly a police matter however if it is a frequent occurrence we can look into the matter if a complaint is submitted. 

Noise in the Building at Night – What to do?”: Report noise complaints to By-Law if the incident occurs between the hours of 11:00pm to 7:00am. Report to staff if it is a consistent issue. 

Rules for Painting Units: If you choose to paint your unit yourself we ask you to seek approval on paint colors or you could be charged back upon move out. A paint voucher can be supplied to tenants who have lived in the building for at least 5 years. 

Upgrades to Bathroom and Kitchens: No capital project is currently planned but repairs can be done based on the need in the unit. If the entire building was to be upgraded it would be a capital project based on a building assessment inspection. Nothing foreseeable in the next 5 years. 

Dogs Peeing Right Outside Building Doors: Not something that can be policed at this time; however, if it is getting excessive or causing damage to building we can engage based on complaints filed by other tenants and assess the situation at that time. We will look into the area that is of most concern to see what can be done. 

Any New Rules?: None at this time.

11. Additional Questions/Comments

Q) Balconies that are screened in – is this still an issue and do they need to be removed?

A) They can stay but are removed when a unit is turned over. 

Q) How to get rid of squirrels or wildlife on balconies?

A) Put a work order in as we have a pest control company that can assess and provide a solution 

Q) Damage or issue with AC units. 

A) If the AC unit was supplied by Slovak Village we will repair or replace it. If Slovak Village did not supply the AC unit, we will not repair or replace it. 

Q) How often will Town Halls be held?

A) The board is trying for 2 per year.

Q) Are canopies allowed?

A) As long as they comply with the outdoor policy. 

Q) Will there be any security hired for long weekends this year?

A) There was no activity last July when we hired security therefore Slovak is not currently planning on hiring security for this July long weekend.