Shareholders need more opportunities to contribute ideas and feedback to our board of directors and management. One way to engage cooperators in thinking about the quality of life at East River would be a simple survey, distributed by mail and online. We could indicate our interest in certain new amenities, such as a more accessible common room, lobby seating areas, or more bike storage. We could rate our satisfaction with the cleanliness of our hallways, the professionalism of our security, and the responsiveness of management. And if the survey were asked every year with similar questions, our board would be able to track over time satisfaction with the quality of life at East River.
Coops do this sort of thing all the time; I know Hillman sent out a survey in 2012 — including one just for kids! Anyone who has been to our annual meeting knows that the Q&A session is not sufficient for creating a positive, productive dialogue between shareholders and directors. An annual survey would be an important step to improving communication and engaging more cooperators in the betterment of East River.