Willington Housing Authority
MINUTES
April 13, 2015
60 Old Farms Road – Senior Center
Willington, CT
PRESENT – Chairman Robert Campbell, Secretary Don Berg, Treasurer Claudia D'Agata, Member Laura Millix, Housing Consultant David Berto.
1. Call to Order – The meeting was called to order at 6:11 p.m.
2. Present to speak – No member of the public present to speak.
3. Old Business – Button Hill senior housing project
D. Berto reported that the State Department of Housing (DOH) overlooked a requirement that they review the Button Hill project's federally-required environmental study and write its own report for HUD.
The environmental study had been done and forwarded to the DOH. The DOH did place the notice (the WHA was notified of this, in September 2014), but didn't write the report and submit it to HUD.
Before funding can be released, HUD needs this report, and needs to approve it. D. Berto said the DOH has indicated it is working on completing the report, which could take a few more weeks. R. Campbell said this means that instead of closing in May, it will likely be in June, which means Zlotnick will have to wait to get started.
D. Berto said another issue that has come up is that he was recently informed that the formula used to estimate the rents to be paid by tenants – information used in the Button Hill funding application – is different from the rent scale published by the federal government. The federal scale is lower by $100 to $200 a month.
As originally calculated, the rents would have covered all costs of operation. D. Berto said now the figures are too low; about $30,000 a year less rent. D. Berto said he calculates an additional $34,000 per year, adjusted for inflation, is needed over 20 years, for a total of slightly more than $860,000. If Button Hill receives this additional funding from the federal government, it will be banked and drawn down as needed over the next 20 years. D. Berto said he is now waiting for a response to this request. R. Campbell asked that D. Berto communicate with Putnam Bank and E. Peterson about this delay.
D. Berg reviewed his calculations of savings using solar power for some electrical usage, in addition to heat pumps, and potential locations for the solar panels. D. Berg also reviewed figures that factor in potential 50 percent grant support (approximately $300,000) that D. Berto will look for, and ZREC payments (which are paid for 15 years).
R. Campbell also asked D. Berg to research additional potential savings using mid-grade (i.e., LG brand) PV panels.
There was discussion about the outcome of the ZREC applications. D. Berg said he submitted 6 applications: ELEP and COMM 1 (common area 1 electric power) were disqualified (as intended); the ones approved were for Buildings C1, C2, C3 and C4 (50 kWh each; one in each building). Ideally, the systems should be up and running by April 1 of 2016, but the ZREC contracts don’t expire for another 18 months.
There was brief discussion of the agenda for the mechanical engineering meeting with the architect and engineering consultant, including the photo voltaic/conduit system and generators, scheduled for April 14.
R. Campbell reported he gave the town's building inspector two new sets of signed, sealed plans and books, that he hand-delivered with the special permit information. He asked that whatever the office doesn't need be returned to the WHA.
There was discussion about D. Berto submitting a required letter authorizing Zlotnick to be WHA's agent, related to the building permit. D. Berg said the town also needs a letter stating WHA's intention to pay for the permit once the project's funding is available.
D. Berto left the meeting at 7 p.m.
4. New Business – D. Berg said he spoke with the Coventry Housing Authority and the Mansfield Housing Authority about a recent Housing Authority conference. R. Campbell noted the Willington Housing Authority differs from most Housing Authorities in that it has a much more limited scope; it was formed to build senior housing, not to act as management for the completed housing.
5. Correspondence – C. D'Agata said she gave D. Berto some G&P bills and correspondence from Putnam Bank.
6. Approval of Minutes – Special meeting of March 31, 2015 (taken by D. Berg) and the regular meeting of March 9, 2015 (taken by B. Sullivan).
D. Berg moved to approve the March 31 minutes as submitted, L. Millix seconded the motion, no discussion, the motion passed unanimously. D. Berg moved to approve the March 9, 2015 minutes as written, the motion was seconded by L. Millix (C. D'Agata abstained because she was absent), no discussion, motion passed unanimously.
7. Treasurer's Report – C. D'Agata reported secretarial expenses for February and March, leaving a balance of $641.52
8. Adjourn – The meeting adjourned at 7:12 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Recording Secretary Brenda Sullivan. Please note that minutes are posted prior to being officially approved – changes/corrections are indicated in the subsequent month’s meeting minutes.
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