02/26/04, 7:45 A.M.

Pursuant to the e-mail notification dated February 16, 2004, the February Heartland Apartment Association Board of Directors meeting was held at the above stated date and time at the offices of Oddo Development Co., 8460 Nieman Road, Overland Park, KS.

Board members present were: Doug Price, Rick Oddo, Lee Harris, Chris Erdley, Jerry Miller, Jim Adams, Dennis Watts, Bill Charcut, and Ralph Lewis. Also present were Joe Baker and Jim Fender of CEK Insurance, Jim Bowers, and Sam Alpert. (Ward Katz, Mike Cassin, Jim Beverlin, Ron Nolan, and Ken Riedemann were absent.)

Awaiting Doug Price's arrival, Sam Alpert convened the meeting by introducing new associate vendor members Joe Baker and Jim Fender of CEK Insurance. They were invited to make a brief presentation on their services. After completing their presentation, they departed the meeting.

The minutes of the last meeting on 01/29/04, which had been previously circulated, were reviewed and approved by those present.

Sam Alpert introduced Jim Bowers, who discussed the possibility of an engagement with HAA to provide broad legal representation regarding various issues that we have concluded may require a legal remedy. It was determined that Mr. Bowers would provide an engagement proposal including elements of negotiations with the Jackson County Courts system, and that it would be beneficial for him to attend the HAA meetings on a regular basis.

KCMO FIRE INSPECTION FEE SCHEDULE- Sam Alpert reported that he and Kathy Hauser continue to pursue the Fire Department's financial records to determine the specific expense allocation of fire prevention related activities. The matter will continue to be held in the City Council's Neighborhood Development and Housing Committee until we have adequate information to properly respond with our financial findings.

FHEO/ HUD- Sam Alpert reported that he had received a letter from Senator Bond's office confirming that their office had received a response to an earlier inquiry to HUD headquarters in Washington, D.C. The answer to Senator Bond's office from HUD yielded nothing new. It only acknowledged a number of meetings with the HAA, and went on to repeat the "party line" that the Department was merely enforcing a policy they believe to be in conflict with our request for more discretion when it comes to initiating "investigations" of all fair housing claims.

KS "Government Accountability Act of 2004"- Lee Harris reported that he was pleased to learn from KS State Rep. Dean Newton that a conceptual piece of legislation he had proposed (addressing many of our concerns regarding the onslaught of local "user fees" designed to reduce the pressure on general tax revenues) was being seriously considered and actively pursued by the chair of the KS House Local Government Committee. Rep. Newton will keep us apprised of the bill's progress through the session.

JOHNSON COUNTY WASTE WATER- Sam Alpert reported that no significant activity had occurred on the issue since the last HAA meeting.

JOCO ENVIRONMENTAL SWIMMING POOL INSPECTIONS- Doug Price and Sam Alpert reported that subsequent to the last HAA meeting they learned that apartments would be billed for increases in the yearly swimming pool inspection fee in two separate annual increments. Instead of increasing the fee from $126.50 to $250.00 in the spring of 2004, the JOCO Board of County Commissioners granted a small concession by voting to increase the fees in two steps. The fees will increase from $126.50 to $200.00 in the spring of 2004 and again from $200.00 to $250.00 in the spring of 2005.

VOTER REGISTRATION- It was reported that voter registration packets had been widely distributed to member properties. Sam Alpert indicated that he had forwarded the e-mail format created by Jim Beverlin to both HAA and AAKC members. Alpert and Doug Price were scheduled to meet with the AAKC Board later in the day to follow up on this and a number of other issues.

It was reported that MO Speaker of the House Rep. Katherine Hanaway was scheduled to visit with a group of our owners and managers on March 12th. The meeting, first initiated by Bob Wise, was to be coordinated by Doug Price and Sam Alpert for a luncheon event to be held at the offices of Cohen-Esrey Real Estate Services. Alpert recommended that the discussion focus on just two or three key issues now pending in the General Assembly. It was thought by those present that two priority topics should be preservation of Historic Tax Credits as a viable economic development tool and a significant attempt at Tort Reform, of which Rep. Hanaway is currently an ardent co-sponsor.

It was noted that a proposed Work Comp reform bill was in play in Kansas, and Lee Harris and Sam Alpert thanked those who responded quickly to a short notice support appeal received from the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce to move the measure through committee. It was not known for sure if the bill was in fact advanced.

The next meeting of the HAA Board of Directors is tentatively scheduled to be held on Thursday, March 25, 2004, 7:45 a.m. at the offices of Oddo Development Co., 8460 Nieman Road, Overland Park, KS.

There being no further business to come before the Board of Directors, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:35 a.m.