The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2006-06-05 Reading Housing Authority MinutesREADING HOUSING AUTHORITY MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING. June 5. 2006 A regular business meeting of the Reading Housing Authority was held on Monday, April 03, 2006 a 7:00 P.M at the office of the Reading Housing Authority the town of Reading, Mass. The meeting was called to order at 7:05 P.M. with the Chair, Karen L. Flammia, presiding. Those members present and forming a quorum were Tim Kelley, Mary Connors, John Coote and Diane Cohen as well as the Secretary/Executive Director, Lyn Whyte. Minutes Move Tim Second Mary Vote 5 -0 02 -295 VOTED: To accept for the record the Minutes of the Regular Business Meeting of May 15, 200, as presented. Finances Move Tim Second Mary Vote 5 -0 02 -296 VOTED: To approve and sign the checkroll/billroll for the period for Accounts Payable Check #270-2)4 Payroll Summary as presented for May, 2006. Section 8 Voucher Program, #379 -470 as presented. Finances Move Tim Second Diane Vote 5 -0 02 -297 VOTED: To certify receipt of monthly operating statements for all RHA programs for the month end April, 2006 of the current fiscal year. Pet Waiver- 667 Development Move Tim Second Mary Vote 4 -0 1- Abstain 02 -298 VOTED: To approve and authorize the tenant at #29 -8 to have a cat in accordance with the rules for Pet Ownership promulgated by DHCD and the Reading Housing Authority Pet Policy after i assurance that all conditions for pet ownership are in place Fire Alarm Contract Move Tim Second Mary Vote 5-0 02 -299 VOTED: To approve new contract for fire alarm services per Request for Services recently bid. Said contract for the period August 1, 2006 through July 31, 2011 has been awarded to low -bi dej Atlas Alarm Corporation of Weymouth, MA at a base rate of $2878.00 for 667 development and base rate of $268.00 for 689/Bancroft development with a 4.6% annual rate increase effective second through fourth year and renewable by mutual agreement. Demolition Permit Move Tim Second Mary Vote 5-0 02 -300 VOTED: To authorize the Executive Director to submit demolition application to the Town of Reading for 75 Pleasant Street after notifying Town Manager and Selectmen Liaison, ck Shubert. Personnel Matters: - Former Student Intern/Seasonal Employee, Jonathan Gregorowicz was awarded a MNA"RO scholarship of $3000. Executive Director, Jonathan and his family attended the award luncheon held on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 on the Cape and as part of annual Seacrest Housing Conference. - Board Member, Diane Cohen is seeking her state re- appointment to the Board of the Housing Authority. Her request has been submitted to the Governor's Office for reconsideration. Senator Tisei and Representative Brad Jones have also acknowledged support of this appointment. We look forward to her continued involvement with the Housing Authority. i Report of Programs: - Vacancy Report- All units in all programs fully leased as stated in reports presented. - Sec 8 Report- No report provided until Qtr. End 03/06. - FSS Report — No report provided until Qtr. End 03/06 - Resident Service Coordinator- Current Tannerville Newsletter provided. New Business: - Request was presented by the Executive Director to approve a Pet Waiver for new resident, Peter Richey. All administrative paperwork as it pertains to a pet and as required by the Housing Authority policy, has been completed by the resident and submitted for approval. Motion 02 -298 was made and approved. - Request was presented by the Executive Director to approve and authorize RHA to enter into a new four year Fire Alarm Contract with Atlas Alarm Corporation of Weymouth, MA. Said contract would take effect on August 1, 2006 and expire July 31, 2010. Board Member, John Coote suggest -,d that Executive Director follow up on those companies who did not respond and inquire as to there reason and make note for future bids. Motion 02 -299 was presented and approved. - A kitchen renovation will be underway the week of June 26th at our 74 Bancroft site. Licensed contractors who will be volunteering their time through their church, Greenwood Union Church of Wakefield, MA, will do the work. This church annually reaches out to the community to p rform charitable work and approached the Housing Authority in April 2006 to take on a needed project that would assist other of need. The home at Bancroft that houses special needs residents was indeed in need of a new kitchen, countertops and ceilings. Budget restraints on our part have made renovat ons to that property difficult but a joint effort with the Department of Mental Health and the Union Church will provide us with the opportunity to upgrade the house at less of an expense than initially pl inned. The Department of Mental Health has agreed to release their $2000 budget line expense for F June 06 to apply towards any costs associated with the renovation. 7 Real Estate Matter: - Update 75 Pleasant Street: The letter to the Historical Commission that was drafted at our May meeting was signed by the Chair and sent to the Historical Commission the first week of May. A response was received on May 301h indicating that their Board would indeed invoke a demol tion delay on our property. Erin Blateas, DHCD Lip Program was out at our site on June 1, 20 (6 to review our plans for development. It is my understanding that she will issue a site plan apprDval letter and forward it to the Housing Authority. This letter of approval is required with our submittal of application to the local ZBA. A ZBA application and building application, a ong with a demolition application have been picked up from Town Hall. In regard to the building application, Executive Director had a conversation with Town Manager asking his assistance'in order to move the process along. He informed me that he would sign the initial application for submittal to the Building Inspector. The application would initially be denied because the plan doesn't meet present zoning guidelines, which is a point we were already aware of. The Housing Authority will then prepare the ZBA application for submittal. At some future time and if we proceed with the project, the land swap would take place and the Housing Authority would eventually sign the building permits prior to issuance transferring full responsibility for the project to us. - Discussion continued as to the latest cost analysis, materials costs, projected increase in interest rates, changes in market, etc. Financial feasibility of this project is questionable at this time; however, the consensus is that we should not abandon the project at this point. - Executive Director had a conversation on June 5 with DHCD engineer Jackie McBride regar ing their status. She informed me that the specs are in draft form and close to being finished. I�we choose to proceed, she told me that she would give our architect the "front end" to modify specifically for our project. Technical specs need to be addressed but could be done quickly with a meeting between DHCD, architect and Housing Authority. If the bid is modular, Ms. McBride said that bid could be ready in four weeks pending architects present schedule. Board Member, John Coote said he spoke directly with the architect and felt that DHCD was linot being truthful as to their status on project. He felt that they had not fulfilled the RFS schedule as listed. All members were in agreement on that point. It has been suggested and agreed upon by all that we apply pressure to DHCD to fulfill their obligations to this project. Calls will be placed to DHCD engineer, project managers, DI!'CD director Marc Sloknick, Representative Brad Jones and Senator Tisei with the hope that we ''can move this affordable project forward. A demolition application will be submitted to the Town but not before Executive Director informs Town Manager of our plans to do so. Board member, im Kelley would contact Selectmen Liason, Rick Schubert to also inform him of our plans and extend and invitation to him to join us at our July 10t` meeting in order for him to ftilly understand the scope and current status of the project. All efforts will be made to move alon so that we will be better able to make a final and informed decision as to the advancement or clo lure of this development endeavor. Board Schedule July, 2006 BOARD MEETING: 07/10/2006 @ 7 PM 02 -301 TO ADJOURN: 8:40 PM. M RespeAlly submitted) -- A Tim Mary Vote 5 -0