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Home My WebLink About2017-11-06 Housing Authority MinutesOF R Town of Reading n a Meeting Minutes ,639 co Board - Committee - Commission Council: Housing Authority Date: 2017-11-06 Building: Reading Housing Authority Administration Address: 22 Frank Tanner Drive Purpose: Regular Business Meeting Attendees: Members - Present: WIN 53111W141110 lI_L I�Li.� TOWN CLERK READING, Mi SS: 1011 DEC -b P 3. 38-1 Location: Community; Room Session: Open Session Version: Final Diane L. Cohen, Chair Richard Robbins, Vice -Chair Timothy J. Kelley, Treasurer Madeline J. Hodgdon, Asst Treasurer Kevin F. Mulvey, Member Members - Not Present: None Others Present: Julie M. Johnston, Secretary/Executive Director Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Julie M. Johnston, Secretary/Executive Director Topics of Discussion: READING HO USING A UTHORITY MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING, NOVEMBER 6.2017 A regular business meeting of the Reading Housing Authority was held on Monday, November 6, 2017 at the office of the Reading Housing Authority, Reading, MA. Chairman, Diane Cohen, called the meeting to order at 5:30 p..m. Members Present: Diane Cohen, Richard Robbins, Timothy Kelley, Lynn Hodgdon Members Absent: Kevin Mulvey Others Present: Julie M. Johnston, Executive Director; Tom Fowler, Fenton, Ewald & Associates, P.C. Minutes Move Timothy Second Richard Vote 4-0 18-035 VOTED: To accept for the record the Minutes of the Regular Business Meeting of October 16, 2017,. as presented. Finances Move Timothy Second Lynn Vote 4-0 18-036 VOTED: To approve and sign the checkroll/billroll for the' period for Accounts Payable Check numbers 7067 through 7106; Payroll Summary as, presented for October 2017; and, Section 8 Voucher Program: Wire transfer of funds in the amount of $101,079.73 as presented. Page 1 1 Finances Move Timothy Second Richard Vote 4-0 18-037 VOTED: To certify receipt of monthly operating statements for all RHA programs .for the month end, September 30, 2017 for the current fiscal year. Finances Move Richard Second Lynn Vote 4-0 18-038 VOTED: To certify receipt of revisedfinancial statements for fiscal year end June J 30, 2017 for the 4001 RHA. Discussion: Tom Fowler, RHA Fee Accountant, explained that the financial statements that had previously been closed out for .FYE 2017 were done under the assumption we were receiving a grant of $54,600.00. Subsequent to our filing our annual 'reports, the grant was reduced; by DHCD, to $7,265.00 after we transferred costs of $28,808.42 from the 4001 program to. State MOD. After discussing this historical information with Julie (Julie M. Johnston), Executive director of Reading, we thought it best to have DHCD revert the 4001 program at 06-30-17, allowing us to bring back $21,183.42 of extraordinary costs which consist of $19,600.00 of our original DHCD Direct Exemptions. This will allow the accounting to absorb the subsidy we originally received back in January. Julie is concerned about starting the year with a $21,183.42 budget line item in her 4610 without any benefit. We are both concern about forfeiting the $19,600.00 as original budgeted and awarded in FY2017. We asked DHCD to revert the June statements in order to make the necessary adjustments. Other Business: Move Timothy Second Richard Vote 4-0 18-039 VOTED: To approve opting into the Regional Capital Assistance Team (RCAT) for services due to recent significant changes in staff and operations that might negatively affect RHA's ability to meet capital or maintenance program goals. Director's Report/Program Updates: - Vacancy Report- Emily LaMacchia, Housing Manager prepared October .monthly vacancy report. 667-2 unit 30-6 was leased on 10/1/2017; 705-1 unit 89 Waverly Rdleased on 09/01/2017; 667-1 unit 9-8 leased on 10/25/2017; 667-2 unit 32-4 vacant on 10/31/2017; 667-2 unit 37-7 vacant 10/31/2017. - Sec 8 Report for November 2017: 102 vouchers leased and 5 vouchers out looking. - RHA Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) FYE 06/30/2017 overall score is 100% thereby designating RHA as a High Performer. HUD congratulates RHA on its "excellent performance." - Monthly Work Order/Maintenance Report for October 2017: Total 54; Completed 46; Incomplete 8 -Monthly Reporting: October 2017 Board.Meeting Minutes to Town Clerk for posting; Board Attendance to DHCD; Updates to HUD/DHCD/Town of Reading with new Executive Director information. including HUD Secure Systems/REAC access password assignment. - Current Tannerville Newsletter provided, authored by Emily LaMacchia; Spooky Tea attended by 22 residents. New Business: -- Executive. Director discussed possibility of RHA working with the Regional Capital Assistance Team (RCAT). RHA had previously opted out of involvement with RCAT. Director Johnston reported that she had a very good experience working with RCAT while she was ED at Hudson .HA, particularly with RCAT Rep, Jeffrey Baxter. RCAT provides specialized capital assistance and support to LHAs at no cost to the agency. - RHA is working with Simply -PC, Tracy Barber, to establish new email addresses. Tracy highly recommends setting us up with domain email, purchasing an email package from Go Daddy, an email hosting company. Go Daddy offers a three-year contract at 53% discount Page 1 2 which includes an updated version of Microsoft Office for five users. Full price is $14.99 per address per month $899.40/year x 3 .years = $2,698.20. First purchase discount x 3 years = $1,258.20, which results in a savings of $1,440. - RHA worked with David Eastman/Eastman Web to get the RHA website.back'online. The former web hosting site, WebHostingBuzz, was moved to a new hosting service provider without prior notification to RHA. During their transition the RHA data was never migrated to the new server and there were no backups done to retrieve our information. David Eastman launched a new site with pages and new content all done at RHA cost and significant interruption of the website. David negotiated a one-time fee of $300 to take control of the website hosting on behalf of RHA and create a new website at G1owHost which David will manage going forward. He is not charging additional costs for the remainder of the calendar year for hosting and website updates. David proposes an ongoing annual hosting fee beginning January 1, 2018 at $250 and optional maintenance support plan at $50/month. If we chose this plan he will reduce annual hosting fee from $250 to $200. Real Estate Matter: - Sanborn Units: Director Johnston attended the Owner's Meeting on October 19, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. The Board of Trustees and Brigs LLC provided owners with an update of the progress to date. Brigs LLC congratulated the Board of Trustees for all their hard work in this endeavor. Items reviewed included: Review of Financials to date; Working with Insurance Company — no idea of cost or fees; No idea of the cause — not arson, maybe electrical but cause search is over; Roof Replacement — entire roof, not just section destroyed by fire (out to bid with bid opening 11/17); Demolition — all insulation is gone, all floors cleaned out from debris, fully cleaned out by 10/27; HVAC being removed; (hope to have scope of work ready by mid-February); Studs are intact; Mold in basement from standing water used to extinguish fire; units further up not damaged by mold; Bricks intact, need to be cleaned; Common hallway windows to be replaced as part of the claim; Would like,to get occupancy permits by end of 2018; however, building inspector won't issue unless all 40 units can be re -occupied. They will continue to keep property owners up-to-date going forward. - 75 Pearl Street property update: In connection with a proposed sale, Treasurer Kelley prepared a letter as presented in response to request for status update of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). An MOU dated 05/23/1995 currently exists by and between the Town of Reading, the RHA, and Reading Senior Living Associated LP. The current status of the MOU requires verification in connection with the proposed sale, which was addressed in the letter. Other Business: - RHA has received inquiries into affordable housing restriction status of 411 Gazebo Circle, - Unit 13. Discussion took place regarding history of the property and its affordable housing component. Director Johnston will contact Brad Latham, Esq., to obtain further information on current status. Board Schedule NEXT BOARD MEETING: Monday, December, 4, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. 18-040 VOTE TO ADJOURN: 6:29 P.M. Move Richard Second Timothy Vote 4-0 Respectfully submitted,' Xpfim t Julie M. Johnston, Secretary/Executive Director Page 1 3