***Special Meeting***
Willington Housing Authority
6 p.m. – Wednesday – May 8, 2013
Willington Senior Center
60 Old Farms Road, Willington CT 06279
Present: Chairman Robert Campbell, Vice-Chair Wilbur Gangaway, Treasurer Claudia D’Agata, Secretary Don Berg, member Laurel Millix, financial consultant David Berto.
1. Call to Order – 6:17 p.m.
2. GC RFQ review and selection –
The WHA reviewed applicants for general contractor for the Button Hill Senior Housing project. The selected applications were evaluated in a uniform way, using bullet points that match the items on the notice of Request for Qualifications.
Financial consultant D. Berto and Lynne Skeet from his office rated the applications and summarized their evaluations, as did Michael Weissbrod from the project’s architectural consultants (Crosskey), and each of the WHA members.
D. Berto said the purpose is to choose a firm or firms that will be invited to bid – and eliminate any firm the WHA feels isn’t qualified for the project. Qualification includes ability to do the job, as well as reputation with funders.
R. Campbell said the WHA would then take the lowest bid of those invited to bid.
D. Berto began with his evaluations and L. Skeet’s, and then interpreted input from Crosskey Architects.
D. Berto said both he and Skeet ranked the applicants from highest to lowest. Discussion of the ranking followed. D. Berto then shared input from M. Weissbrod. And WHA members discussed their evaluation of the applications.
C. D’Agata then made a motion that the WHA invite four contractors to provide pricing: Zlotnick Construction Inc., NAEK Construction Inc., PAC Group LLC and Newfield Construction Inc.
L. Millix seconded the motion. Discussion followed.
D. Berto said that when the pricing comes in, the WHA would then hire the lowest qualified bidder. “Qualified” means that their package is complete.
D. Berto pointed out that regarding applications for funding/points, most are in the developer’s team and the architect and a few are for the contractor. And even if the funders are not familiar with a firm, they will still be able to see (from the paperwork) what kind of experience the firm has.
The motion passed unanimously.
3. Champ 3 Application discussion and action items –
D. Berto said the Champ 3 application for $1.5 million is due May 30, 2013 at 4 p.m. to receive funding this year. This year, it has to be submitted electronically.
Where the application might not be as competitive is in the areas of funding and contractor pricing – since FHLB is still pending and the WHA is in the process now of choosing a contractor.
D. Berto also gave the WHA a list of items that still require action and noted the impending deadlines:
- Letters of support (i.e. civic organizations, legislators, and from the First Selectman – that Button Hill is part of a three-part integrated community);
- the town-signed tax agreement and town-signed lease, which were drafted by WHA’s Atty. Scaramossa, with the 7 lines of changes “red lined” – R. Campbell said these documents are still in the hands of the town’s attorney;
- audited financial reports – C. D’Agata said she would locate the relevant documents;
- resident participation plan/resident participation… Based on state law passed in 2001 for housing authorities, which includes a public information meeting… The WHA decided to hold an informational session at the beginning of the next regular meeting, on May 13.
4. FHLB (Federal Home Loan Bank) Application and action items –
R. Campbell said Associate Vice President, Business Development from Eastern Savings Bank (Norwich, CT) Robert Miller and President & CEO Gerald D. Coia have signed off on the project, and are expected to make a presentation the week of May 13 to the bank’s Board of Directors.
D. Berto said he’s asked for a conditional letter of commitment from the bank by or before the end of the month of May.
5. Infrastructure Development Project review and updates –
Regarding L. Wagner consultants, D. Berto said he’s been getting responses from them and First Selectman C. Mailhos regarding the EDI 2008 funds not spent yet, and what was formerly EDI 2006 funds for a water and septic project, but there is still lack of agreement.
The 2008 funds require following all procurement procedures.
As for the 2006 funds, which are now considered town money, D. Berto said he is being told the WHA would still need to follow EDI requirements and this means the WHA could not simply continue working with Gardener & Peterson (engineers) but would have to go through a procurement process.
D. Berto said he has questions about this because, for example, Willington Woods contributed $250,000 and there were no requirements placed on those funds. And, Gardener & Peterson was already selected by the town when they put in the water and sewer system, so why would the WHA have to justify the selection?
There’s also been discussion about what the budget is – so WHA knows what it can use for construction/bidding.
D. Berto also said Phase One of Button Hill Senior Housing received a positive environmental report (Fuss & O’Neill).
6. Button Hill Senior Housing Project review and updates –
L. Millix asked how long it will take for pricing requests from the contractor applicants to come back to the WHA. D. Berto said four weeks is the norm. As to when the firms will be asked to submit pricing, this is pending getting a clear answer about the infrastructure funding, he said.
R. Campbell said ACCESS is working on its contract document re: managing Button Hill. R. Campbell said ACCESS also should send a letter of support for the funding application.
7. Adjourn – At 7:40 p.m.
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