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READING HOUSING AUTHORITY <br />' MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL BOARD MEETING, May 3. 201 1 <br />A special business meeting of the Reading Housing Authority was held on Tuesday May 3, 2011 at 8:00 <br />P.M at the Selectmen's Meeting Room 16 Lowell Street, the town of Reading, Mass. The meeting was <br />called to order at 8:10 P.M. with the Chair, Diane Cohen, presiding for the Housing Authority. Those <br />members present and forming a quorum were Karen L. Flammia, Kevin Mulvey and Mary Connors, as <br />well as the Secretary/Executive Director, Lyn Whyte. Timothy Kelley excused himself from this meeting. <br />Also present, Board of Selectmen members; James Bonazoli, Camille Anthony, Richard Schubert, <br />Stephen Goldy and Ben Tafoya, Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner, as well as members of the <br />Oaktree Development LLC management team. <br />Acceptance of Revised Allocation Plan Move Mary Connors Second Kevin Mulvey Vote 4 -0 <br />11 -67 VOTED: To approve recommendation of revised Affordable Housing Trust Fund Allocation <br />Plan as presented. <br />New Business: <br />- The purpose of this special meeting was to meet in joint session with the Board of Selectmen to discuss <br />the Warrant Article prepared for Reading Town Meeting regarding the Affordable Housing Trust Fund <br />Allocation Plan as well as to meet with the developers of the proposed Oaktree Development project <br />' who are requesting an allocation of funds from the AHTF. <br />The Reading Housing Authority voiced its concerns over the lack of communication in regard to the <br />process involved in establishing an initial Allocation Plan. In respect to the Allocation Plan, the RHA <br />requested clarity. Upon discussion, all members were informed that both the RHA Board and the Board <br />of Selectmen could vote to make changes to the allocation plan on a yearly basis if necessary. Once <br />approved by joint boards, the plan would then go before Town Meeting for their approval. Anytime a <br />change occurs in regard to the allocation plan; it must go before Town Meeting. Once approved by <br />Town Meeting, the RHA Board along with the Board of Selectmen would then be in the position to <br />approve any requests for potential use of these funds. <br />With that knowledge, Executive Director Lyn Whyte suggested that the Boards revisit the proposed <br />allocation plan and change the % of use to provide more flexibility to members to disburse those funds <br />if a sound request was made at anytime in the future. Selectmen Goldy recommended language that <br />would make 99% of the funds could be made available for either construction of affordable housing or <br />for maintaining or approving the affordability of existing housing stock. The RHA Board Chair, Diane <br />Cohen presented a motion to accept the revised allocation plan as presented with a move to accept by <br />Mary Connors and a second by Kevin Mulvey. Motion passed 4 -0. The Board of Selectmen then voted <br />to accept the revised Affordable Housing Allocation Plan as presented with a motion passing 5 -0. The <br />revised plan will now be presented to Town Meeting for their approval. <br />At this point, Oaktree made a presentation to the joint boards regarding their proposed project. It <br />' appeared that there was an underlying consensus that Oaktree has been unable to provide supporting <br />documentation to warrant their alleged need for a $400,000 grant from the AHTF. On more than one <br />occasion, various members of both boards suggested the possibility of a `loan" from the AHTF to <br />support their project. Oaktree appeared reluctant to take on any additional debt. Oaktree contends that <br />Housing Partners, Inc who prepared an analysis for use of the proposed grant did not have updated <br />information to make a more informed decision and if more time had prevailed, felt confident that <br />