Willington Housing Authority
60 Old Farms Road
June 11, 2012 Meeting Minutes
Present: WHA Chair Robert Campbell; Vice Chair Wilbur Gangaway; Treasurer Claudia D’Agata; members Don Berg and Laurel Millix; Michael Weissbrod (with Crosskey Architects); financial consultant David Berto; WHA Recording Secretary Brenda Sullivan.
Call to Order – R. Campbell called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.
Present to Speak – No members of the public were present to speak.
Old Business – Senior Housing project:
M. Weissbrod reported that about drawings and specs are about 95 percent complete and should be done in three weeks. It’s now a matter between civil and mechanical engineers, and making sure the materials are OK with WHA.
There was discussion about the flooring for the kitchen and dining areas, and the walls.
M. Weissbrod said ceramic tile is planned for the kitchen/dining area (essentially the same space), bathroom, laundry closet, as well as small transition areas and strip by the entry. M. Weissbrod said there’s a CHFA requirement that all habitable spaces below grade/on the lower level cannot have vinyl flooring. So 50 percent of units would not have vinyl flooring.
D. Berto asked if there are alternatives that are acceptable (for the lower level) to CHFA. R. Campbell said he is concerned about the costs of so much ceramic tile, maybe it isn’t needed in kitchen and dining area. M. Weissbrod said he will research that question and what the costs are for alternatives, i.e. wood laminate, at least for the kitchen and dining area.
The bedrooms, living rooms and hallways will be carpeted, with wood trim along the base, cased opening from den to dining room (2 units on lower floor don’t have dens), same as doors and windows, Weissbrod said.
M. Weissbrod said interior walls are smooth finish drywall, and ceilings are smooth finish.
He asked what the WHA preference is concerning the patios. Currently, the plan is for 12x12 concrete pavers bordered by a PVC picket fence.
R. Campbell suggested an alternative could be concrete slab with a “broom finish,” which would be cheaper in the long run and better anchoring for fence railings. W. Gangaway said it would probably easier to maintain, as well. Weissbrod said that change could be made.
D. Berg recommended 4,000-lb concrete… (re walls) noted framing with TGI joists, one-inch rigid foam insulation (R-26)
There was discussion about hardy plank siding, clapboard style, works like wood (it holds paint, doesn’t blister). D. Berto asked what WHA told the town (Board of Selectmen?) about siding. R. Campbell said they asked it be clapboard-style siding. D. Berto suggested considering quality vinyl as an alternate – or at least compare costs.
D. Berto asked about trusses (for the roof) – M. Weissbrod said they are engineered. D. Berg said he wants to make sure they are adequate if solar panels are added later. D. Berg said they may have to do some re-engineering of trusses (and maybe cross-bracing, Weissbrod said) if they decide to install solar panels on the roof.
There was discussion about roof construction/water barriers to deal with ice, snow and water.
R. Campbell asked about the materials used for the drains. M. Weissbrod asked R. Campbell if he has a preference; Campbell said he prefers PVC but is fine with AOR(?)
D. Berg asked about the gas water heaters and how they are vented. M. Weissbrod said there is a 4-inch vent to the roof (4-inch intake and exhaust).
D. Berg asked about the hydro-air system. M. Weissbrod said there are two water heaters, each with fan coil above the bathroom ceiling, in the ceiling (the lower level units will have drop ceilings so it will all be concealed). He said the AC goes through the same system; it’s heating and cooling.
D. Berg asked about costs of a condensing unit with a reversing valve, which would be more efficient than propane, especially in 30- to 60-degree range. R. Campbell said it could be requested as an alternate.
L. Millix asked if there will be a light in the showers. (There will be an overhead light in the main bathroom, but not in the shower.)
R. Campbell said he would prefer a ceiling light in the living rooms for overall light. M. Weissbrod said there’s an overhead light in the den and an outlet that’s operated with a light switch.
M. Weissbrod said the outside lights will be fluorescent Energy Star lights above entry; interior lights will be semi-flush above dining room table and flush everywhere else. There will be lights in the laundry closet, over the dining room table area (semi-flush), a recessed down-light above the kitchen sink, and a standard light in the mechanical room. WHA members asked for more counter light.
R. Campbell asked M. Weissbrod to look at foot-candles across the surfaces from the kitchen lighting, and asked to add a light in the living room.
M. Weissbrod said there also will be a call-for-aid switch in the bathroom and by the bed in the bedroom. And there’s one light-switch-operated outlet in the bedrooms.
D. Berg said a ceiling light in the bedroom makes sense.
C. D’Agata asked if it could be a ceiling-fan-light. W. Gangaway said if only table lamps are used in the bedroom this means having to have more furniture in a small bedroom, so he also prefers a ceiling light.
R. Campbell suggested installing ceiling lights in fan boxes, which would allow them to add a ceiling fan later, if there’s enough funds. (Could operate fans with pull chains or remote control.)
W. Gangaway asked if it’s possible to have a light in the shower area. M. Weissbrod said there’s an approx. four-foot gap between the top of the shower and the ceiling, so that there would be enough light in the shower from the main light.
M. Weissbrod indicated locations of the cable jacks. W. Gangaway asked about the location of the phone jacks. There will be phone jacks in the kitchen, living room and den.
M. Weissbrod described the bathroom fixtures. Noted they already discussed roll-in Aquarian showers. He said the toilets will be accessible Koehler Pennington. Sinks have single, lever-handle (handicap accessible) faucets. The kitchen sink will be a stainless steel, single basin type. He asked if the WHA wants a spray hose on the kitchen sink. D. Berg said, yes, if it’s a good hose. R. Campbell suggested a combination at the faucet head, tends to be better quality.
M. Weissbrod said the kitchen counters are high-pressure plastic laminate. D. Berg said to make sure it’s good grade laminate.
W. Gangaway asked about the kitchen cabinets. M. Weissbrod said they are Armstrong brand, wood (front is a solid wood, raised panel; the sides and ends are plywood), and that the WHA has choice of couple shades of maple – he can get information about options.
There was discussion about sound-resistant construction, location of bat insulation, and rigid foam on outside of building.
M. Weissbrod said he will get the STC rating for walls. D. Berto said CHFA and funders also will want that information.
D. Berto asked if there will be rigid foam insulation under the full-length of the slab on the ground level; M. Weissbrod said, yes, 2 inches.
There was discussion about insulation, and tape on the seams; Weissbrod said it is 2-inch polyethylene tape and it is self-adhering, mesh reinforced.
M. Weissbrod said the foundation details are not complete; he is still waiting for geotechnical reports.
D. Berg asked if there is a moisture barrier between the footing and the concrete wall. (couldn’t hear response)
M. Weissbrod said the windows are Anderson 200 series, Energy Star rated and there will be shutters on some but not all rooms – in some cases there isn’t enough room. They are prefinished windows.
There was discussion about solid-core doors for the bedrooms and bathrooms, hollow-core for the closets.
M. Weissbrod said he would put the plans M. Weissbrod brought on an FTP site (for access by WHA members).
R. Campbell signed a check for Crosskey (architects) and gave to M. Weissbrod, another for Housing Enterprises, and a third for Eric Peterson.
There was discussion about a tax agreement with the town. R. Campbell said that at the recent Board of Selectmen’s meeting they said they are waiting for a response from the town attorney and that a town meeting will be scheduled.
D. Berto asked about contact with Rockville Bank. D. Berg said he left a voicemail message for Mr. Prevatelli today (June 11).
D. Berto said he made a call to Larry Wagner about procurement requirements, to get ready for bids and how much can be done with the town funding.
R. Campbell asked if secretarial costs can be recouped. D. Berto said the WHA would have to determine which source of funding – that the WHA has a fixed budget with DECD – but when WHA gets to project funding, they will get a sponsor fee and that could be used for anything, including operating costs.
There was discussion about picking a name for the project which has been temporarily referred to on plans as Willington Cottages. D. Berto noted that the official name will be on all the documents. W. Gangaway suggested Button Mill Cottages Complex because of the town’s historic button mill. D. Berg suggested Willington Hill Cottages, Hillside Villages, Hillside Cottages and Hillside Retirement Living. It was agreed that C. D’Agata would ask the town to send a request via town-alerts email asking residents for suggestions, with a deadline of June 30. D. Berto asked that WHA members also have suggestions for the next meeting.
New Business
W. Gangaway reported that he had trouble logging into the WHA bank account to check the balance, that he was locked out because of a security procedure – he said that if you don’t use the password for a while, it expires.
Approval of Minutes – Minutes of the May 14, 2012 meeting as written approved unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report
C. D’Agata reported the only expenditure to date was for secretarial services, and there was a balance of $5,414.03
Adjournment – Meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Sullivan, WHA Recording Secretary
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