East Windsor Housing Authority
Regular Meeting - March 20, 2006
Minutes
CALL TO ORDER AND ATTENDANCE
The meeting was called to order at 7:08 p.m. by Chairman Karen Boutin. Commissioners LaMay, Percoski and Mezzetti were in attendance, along with Gil Hayes our liaison to the Board of Selectman. Commissioner Legassie was not present.
ADDED AGENDA ITEMS
There were no added agenda items.
MEETING MINUTES OF:
Regular Meeting - February 21, 2006
The minutes of the regular meeting of February 21, 2006 were reviewed by all commissioners present. An error was noted in the minutes and it is corrected to read as follows:
Under New Business:
B) Support letter to Speaker of the House - James A. Amman
Resolution
A letter to Speaker of the House James A. Amman supporting his efforts to separate housing for the elderly and the younger disabled was reviewed by all Commissioners present and accepted. All Commissioners signed off on the letter and it will be forwarded to the Speaker of the House.
The resolution supporting Mr. Amman’s efforts on behalf of separate housing for the elderly and younger disabled individuals was reviewed by all commissioners present.
A motion was made by Commissioner LaMay, seconded by Commissioner LaMay to accept the East Windsor Housing Authority resolution regarding separate housing for the elderly and younger disabled individuals.
LaMay/Mezzetti Unanimous
Change the last paragraph to read:
A motion was made by Commissioner LaMay, seconded by Commissioner Mezzetti to accept the East Windsor Housing Authority resolution regarding separate housing for the elderly and younger disabled individuals.
LaMay/Mezzetti Unanimous
A motion was made by Commissioner Percoski, seconded by Commissioner Mezzetti to accept the minutes of the regular meeting of February 21, 2006 as amended.
Percoski/Mezzetti Unanimous
PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments.
BILLS AND COMMUNICATIONS
Check Register - February 22 - March 15, 2006
The check register for February 22 - March 15, 2006 was reviewed by all commissioners present and all questions answered. A motion was made by Commissioner LaMay, seconded by Commissioner Percoski to accept the check register of February 22 - March 15, 2006 as presented.
LaMay/Percoski Unanimous
Bank Reconciliation February, 2006
The Bank Reconciliation of February, 2006 was reviewed by all Commissioners present. No action necessary as this is informational only.
REPORTS OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Apartments
We have two apartments vacant, one on the third level and one on the first level. The third level apartment is in the process of being reconditioned, and the other has not been cleaned out yet but the family is still paying rent. A third apartment may become vacant next month as the tenant is moving south to live with her children. Of course, Apartment #4 is still being used as temporary offices.
Community Hall Expansion
Construction is on schedule. Barring any unforeseen circumstances completion should be around the end of April.
Our reserves are critically low because of architectural costs which doubled due to the need to redesign the expansion in order to accommodate the grant monies. I estimate that it should take about two years to get the reserves back to where they should be.
We have contracted with Landry Communications out of Windsor Locks for a phone system that will accommodate us for at least the next ten years.
We have also contracted with Propane Gas Service out of South Windsor for our propane. It appears that we will be installing a 500 gallon tank. After additional discussion with Propane Gas Service and our contractor, it has been decided instead of installing one 500 gallon tank (which has to be placed 10 feet away from any type of habitation), four (4) 100 gallon tanks will be installed in the little alley formed between the new and old parts of the Community Hall.
Rising Utility Costs
I am currently looking into what, if anything, can be done regarding the cost of electricity to tenants. Most bills have doubled. I have been in touch with our State Representative Graziani regarding this matter. I am told the State is looking into the matter.
2006-2007 Operating Budget
We will be finished with recertification shortly. As soon as it is completed, I will be able to deliver to the Board a preliminary budget for review at our April meeting.
Water Testing
We have been notified by the State of Connecticut, Department of Health that we no longer have to test for radiologicals in our water. This is a savings of approximately $700 - $800 per test, per quarter.
Apt. 32
A letter has been sent to Ruth Medeiros regarding the “mess” in the back of her apartment. There is an inspection of her apartment scheduled for this Wednesday and if the grounds around her apartment are not cleaned up and if there is a strong cat odor in the apartment, we will be contacting our attorney to continue with the eviction.
Trees in back of Apt. #76
We received a letter with photographs attached from the tenant in Apt. 76 regarding the trees behind the fence line behind the apartment. She is quite concerned that in a stiff wind these trees will fall down and damage her apartment. I sent Gary up to inspect the trees behind the fence line and although some of them are damaged due to weather; if they do come down it will be back and not towards the apartment. Some of the taller trees could reach the apartment but the chances of them falling down are slim to none. We will contact the Town Engineer, Len Norton, to look into this situation and notify the tenant of his findings.
E-mail from tenant in Apt. #18
Copies of e-mails received from the tenant in Apt. 18 have been forwarded to all the commissioners.
After a very short discussion regarding the nature of the e-mails and the harassment by this tenant, a motion was made by Commissioner LaMay, seconded by Commissioner Mezzetti to begin eviction procedures against this tenant for harassment and threatening tenants as well as the administration of Park Hill, and failure to follow rules and regulations as set forth in her lease regarding the feeding of stray and wild animals at Park Hill.
LaMay/Mezzetti Unanimous
East Windsor Housing LLC
East Windsor Housing LLC is a concern which is in the process of building a retirement community on Depot Street. We have gotten numerous phone calls regarding this as it is being confused with the East Windsor Housing Authority.
The First Selectman has been apprised of this confusion and a letter will be forwarded shortly to all Town Agencies and to the newspapers explaining that the East Windsor Housing Authority is in no way involved with this company.
It was a suggestion of the commissioners present that perhaps we should write a letter to this concern asking them nicely to change their name so as to prevent any additional confusion.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
There were no Reports of Committees
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
A) Community Hall/Office Expansion
This was covered in the Executive Director’s report.
NEW BUSINESS
A) Community Hall Rental
There was a general discussion among the commissioners present regarding the possibility of renting out the community hall (once completed) to other town agencies for their meetings for a nominal fee.
It was a consensus of all commissioners present that the hall could be rented out to other town agencies for a nominal fee once a lease agreement has been signed absolving the Housing Authority of any responsibility. The Executive Director will contact our attorney and have an agreement drawn up to be presented to the Commissioners at our next scheduled meeting.
B) Telephone System
This was covered in the Report of the Executive Director.
POLICY AND PROCEDURES
There were no new Policies and/or Procedures.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
There was no Executive Session.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion was made by Commissioner LaMay , seconded by Commissioner Mezzetti to adjourn the regular meeting of the East Windsor Housing Authority at 8:00 p.m.
LaMay/Mezzetti Unanimous
Respectfully submitted,
Steven D. Knibloe
Executive Director
Darlene H. Kelly
Recording Secretary
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