WILLINGTON HOUSING AUTHORITY
40 OLD FARMS ROAD
WILLINGTON, CT 06279
SPECIAL MEETING
MINUTES OF MARCH 30, 2005
PRESENT: Chairman B. Campbell, C. D’Agata, W. Gangaway, C. Wilson, L. Worthington. ALSO PRESENT: First Selectman Mike Eldredge, Town Engineer Karl Acimovic, Housing Enterprises Consultant Dave Berto, Recording Secretary S. Nimerowski.
CALLED TO ORDER: by B. Campbell at 7:01 p.m.
DISCUSSION:
B. Campbell explained to Mike Eldredge that in order for someone to attend the ASHOW meetings, they would have to be a board member or be invited to attend. This is a HUD requirement. Also, Housing Authority items cannot be discussed at ASHOW meetings since it would be a freedom of information violation.
As a result of a motion passed at the March 24 Board of Selectmen meeting that bestowed responsibility of the public water system for the senior housing to the Willington Housing Authority, a great deal of discussion took place between Mike Eldredge and Chairman Campbell, with other Commission members also voicing their opinions and Dave Berto, when asked, giving his opinion as well.
Mike Eldredge said he didn’t feel the need for a “separate entity” such as another committee, but felt that the Housing Authority was the best place for public input since it is a public forum. He said it makes sense that they as the town report to you, although “we (the Board of Selectmen) would have still have total responsibility.” He said a selectman could be present at Housing Authority meetings.
Chairman Campbell made several points, including: 1. the Board of Selectmen meetings are as open to the public as the Housing Authority meetings, 2. the “technical interface can occur without the Housing Authority doing anything,” 3. the Commission consists of volunteers whereas the Board of Selectmen consists of elected officials, and 4. the Commission has no D&O liability. Therefore, responsibility should rest with the Board of Selectmen, not the Housing Authority. When asked by C. D’Agata, Dave Berto said he agreed with the Commission.
Karl Acimovic showed plans for the wells that will serve the senior housing and senior center. He said that access roads will be constructed before the wells are drilled. A yield test will be done. Several nearby wells will be tested for water quality purposes and reviewed by the Health District; then the wells will be capped for the next phase. The next phase will be setting up the pumps and the storage and piping systems. The third well will be for redundancy and future need. Sometimes the wells deteriorate over time. The three wells will be tested simultaneously. He explained why the wells are located where they are, and said the locations have been approved by the Health District.
Karl Acimovic explained the bid process. Bids will cover wells 2, 3, and 4. The contract documents are typical of town projects. There will be a pre-bid meeting on-site at the flagged wells. There will be an advertisement in the paper. All forms and drawings are in the contractor’s package. The site plan with the wells was approved by Land Use; Land Use will still have to approve the access roads and sedimentation and erosion controls before drilling begins.
Mike Eldredge said the test pits for the DEP for sewage will be done next Tuesday.
Karl Acimovic said the best place for the water system building is right around the 200’ setback line. The cottages can be shifted over. There was a brief discussion about the size of storage tank(s) required for all uses, and about pipe size as well. Mr. Acimovic said that the “30% stage” would be a good time to get together with the building designers for a cooperative effort in order to minimize expenses. There was agreement that the tank(s) shouldn’t be in the 32-unit building. Mr. Acimovic said that $250,000 is budgeted to design and construct the exterior water system to within 5 ft. of the building.
Dave Berto said that HUD did remove $50-60,000 from the pre-development costs in the grant before sending it on to Washington.
There was again lengthy and somewhat heated discussion about the recent Board of Selectmen’s motion concerning giving responsibility of the public water system for the senior housing to the Housing Authority. Mike Eldredge stated that he, Dave Berto, and Karl Acimovic should be the “lead people” for the project, actually doing the work, and the Housing Authority should be the “public forum.”
C. D’Agata made the following MOTION: The Willington Housing Authority respectfully declines the responsibility for the public water system for the senior housing that was “bestowed” on it by way of a motion made at the March 21, 2005 Board of Selectmen meeting. Seconded by L. Worthington. All in favor, thus the motion carries.
The consensus of the Commission was to have the recording secretary draft an appropriate letter for Commission to be presented by Chairman Campbell at the April 4, 2005 Board of Selectmen meeting. This will appear on the agenda for that meeting. The contents of the letter should state that the Housing Authority feels another layer of bureaucracy is not needed and that the Board of Selectmen should continue to be the public forum and that the water system responsibility stay with the First Selectmen and appropriate consultants.
ADJOURNMENT: C. Wilson made a MOTION to adjourn at 9:26 p.m. C. D’Agata seconded the motion. All in favor, thus the motion carries.
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan S. Nimerowski
Recording Secretary
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