Willington Housing Authority
Regular Meeting May 13, 2013
following Public Information Session
Willington Senior Center
60 Old Farms Road, Willington CT 06279
(Also see separate minutes from May 13 WHA Public Information Session.)
Present: President Robert Campbell; Vice-President Wilbur Gangaway; Secretary Don Berg; Treasurer Claudia D’Agata; Member Laurel Millix; First Selectman Christina B. Mailhos; Financial Consultant David Berto; Recording Secretary Brenda Sullivan.
1. Call to Order –
The regular meeting was called to order at 7:24 p.m., following the Public Information Session on the Button Hill Senior Housing project.
2. Present to speak – No members of the public present to speak.
3. Old Business – Button Hill Senior Housing project
There was brief discussion of the good turnout for the Public Information Session and the fact that some attendees asked to be placed on a list to be contacted when tenant selection for the complex begins.
L. Millix noted that a member of the audience asked if the WHA could provide a handout that could be given or mailed to people interested in renting at Button Hill. R. Campbell said an informational handout with renderings of the apartments could be created and made available once the project is under construction, and could be created working with the management company as part of marketing efforts. R. Campbell asked L. Millix to get the name of the resident who asked about this, so that she receives the handout when it’s available.
Regarding working with a bank to submit the Federal Home Loan Bank application, R. Campbell said Eastern Bank is expected to have any answer from its Board of Directors as to whether it will take on the Button Hill project, by the end of this week. He also said he’d received an emailed survey from FHLB asking for suggestions for improvements of its services and that he would follow up.
D. Berto said he has been working on the CHAMP III funding application – including getting necessary information from the management company (ACCESS Agency), writing a required narrative about the project and compiling community support letters. However, he said he still needs from the town a signed copy of the lease and tax agreements, and the report on the archaeological study of the site.
He noted the Public Information Session requirement has been met – to be followed by Resident Participation meetings once there are tenants for Button Hill. R. Campbell noted he’s been told those meetings will require a Spanish interpreter present and that minutes will have to be translated into Spanish. D. Berto said this rule applies in particular to housing authorities.
D. Berto said he also is getting affirmative housing information from the management company necessary for the CHAMP III application.
D. Berto also said he is waiting for resolution of the questions about funds available for the project – the closed EDI funds that are now with the town (left over from the Willington Woods project and the water/septic/electric work), and the new EDI money.
C. Mailhos said Donna had sent an email answering all of consultant Larry Wagner’s questions – she said the answers were written into the original email in a highlighted color.
D. Berto and R. Campbell said they did not receive this email. C. Mailhos said she would forward it to them.
R. Campbell said that once the funding questions are resolved, then the project can move forward and the question of payment for Gardener & Peterson’s services can be resolved.
C. Mailhos asked if Gardener & Peterson’s services were initially bid. R. Campbell said this would have been a requirement, so the discussion is about continuing with the same already-approved company and because they would be paid from what is now no longer EDI funds, it isn’t necessary to follow EDI requirements.
C. Mailhos said they would still have to follow town requirements. She also said she wants to be clear about how the money is spent because apparently funds will be coming from many different sources.
R. Campbell said that’s why the WHA wants to divide the project into phases – to spend the closed-EDI money on appropriate infrastructure work, for example – but the WHA needs to know how much money that will be and specifically what the town’s requirements will be. He said that it also will help applications for additional funds if the WHA can show the project is moving forward with infrastructure work, so it is crucial that these questions are resolved ASAP – along with the town providing a signed lease and tax agreement.
D. Berto left the meeting.
4. New Business –
C. D’Agata read a list of the letters of support she had received to date and there was discussion about who else to contact.
5. Approval of Minutes –
The vote on minutes from the May 8 Special Meeting (discussion of RFQs) was tabled until the June 10 meeting in order to make corrections; the April 8 regular meeting minutes were approved with a correction to the spelling of Millix; the April 23 Special Meeting minutes were approved as corrected.
6. Treasurer’s Report –
C. D’Agata reported the only expenditures since the last meeting were payments for the “cottage” construction billing estimates and secretarial services and that the current balance is $2,845.91. W. Gangaway moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report, L. Millix seconded the motion – motion passed unanimously.
7. Correspondence – None.
8. Adjourn – The meeting adjourned at 8:18 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted by Recording Secretary Brenda Sullivan
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