Fitchburg Housing Authority

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK May 24 2023 10:16 am Fitchburg Housing Authority Minutes of FHA Regular Board Meeting, April 26, 2023 Daniels Heights Community Room, Fitchburg, MA A Regular Meeting of the Fitchburg Housing Authority was called to order by Chair, Linda Byrne at 8:30 AM on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in the Daniels Heights Community Room at 1 Daniels Heights Street in the City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Present: Absent: FHA Board Members: FHA Board Members: None Linda Byrne, Chair Adam Goodwin, Vice Chair David Rousseau, Treasurer David Basilio, Assistant Treasurer Thomas Hughes, Member (Arrived at 8:43am) FHA Staff: Douglas M. Bushman, Executive Director, FHA Board Secretary Andrew Skoog, Deputy Director Kim Hergert, Director of Finance/HR Yoko Ishii, Executive Assistant / Bookkeeper Genesis Ruiz, Director of Housing (Left at 9am) Norma Letamendi, Director of Elderly Housing (Left at 9am) Marc Cunningham, Elderly Maintenance Foreman (Left at 9am) Gary Geneau, Maintenance staff for Family Housing (left at 8:47am) Jacob Pierce, Maintenance staff for family Housing (left at 8:47am) FHA Tenants: Daniels Heights Tenants-Janice Spellane, Maria Carreiro, Michael Aiesi, Gillian Abbott Quorum: Yes (Quorum Requirement: Three FHA Board Members) 1. Motion to Open Meeting Chair, Linda Byrne opened the meeting at 8:30am Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor 2. Motion to Open Public Comments. Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor Janice Spellane commented and appreciated that the FHA maintenance staff did a great job. 3. Motion to Close Public Comments. Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Rousseau All in favor 4. Motion to Approve Minutes of Regular Session Meeting held on March 22, 2023 Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor 5. Motion to Approve Minutes of Executive Session Meeting held on March 22, 2023 Move: David Rousseau Second: Adam Goodwin All in favor 6. Motion to Approve FHA Payables for March-April FY 23 (Attachment A) Move: David Basilio Second: David Basilio All in favor . “Teamwork, Excellence and Ability for Your Home and Family”  7. Motion to Approve Financials for January-February FY 23 (Attachment B) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Rousseau All in favor Douglas Bushman, Executive Director, discussed about FY2023 Budget, the factors including inflation rate going up, DHCD requirements like OSHA eyewash stations, PMR expenses, need a lot of money. We hope DHCD will get back to us soon. Thomas Hughes, FHA Board member arrived at 8:43am 8. Review the FHA’s updated Reasonable Accommodation Policy The Executive Director stated that Marci Haneisen, FSS Coordinator would review the policy since she is a secretary to the Fitchburg Disability Commission. 9. Hiring of New Maintenance Staff The Executive Director introduced two mew maintenance staff. Gary Geneau & Jacob Pierce introduced themselves. Both staff are working at the Family Housing. 10. Audit & Management Reviews The Executive Director updated that DHCD’s Performance Management Review (PMR) would be held on April 27, 2023. The DHCD Facility Management specialist, Mr. Howard, and Housing Management Specialist, Ms. Muasya will be coming for PMR Audit. 11. Motion to Support Increased DHCD Public Housing Subsidies (Attachment D & E) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: Thomas Hughes All in favor The Executive Director spoke about the purpose of this motion, after the Board approval, he will submit it to MassNAHRO to advocate this request. 12. Motion to Approve File Destruction (Attachment F) Move: David Rousseau Second: David Basilio All in favor Andrew Skoog, Deputy Director stated that 536 boxes of files were removed to be destroyed pending approval of the application for record destruction and this motion will approve the submittal of the Massachusetts Universal Application for Destruction to the Massachusetts Records Conservation Board that will meet in May. 13. Evictions The Deputy Director updated that the eviction numbers were stable. Some eviction cases will be coming up soon and a few may proceed to Court. 14. Vacancy & HAFIS Report (Attachment G) The Deputy Director stated that 3 bedrooms had a big issue for leasing due to the CHAMP issue. The Chair noticed that the vacancies were going up. 15. Union Negotiation The Board will discuss this issue at the executive session. 16. Motion to Approve MA DOL Wage Rates (Attachment H) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor The Executive Director stated that on every March, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development Department of Labor Standards issues new prevailing wage rates that are effective every April 1 st, 2023. “Teamwork, Excellence and Ability for Your Home and Family” 17. Motion to Approve Wage Match for State Housing Program per DHCD PHN 2023-03 (Attachment I) Move: David Basilio Second: Adam Goodwin All in favor The Executive Director stated that per DHCD PHN 2023-03 issued on March 16, 2023, all LHA use Wage Match which must certify within 60 days. 18. Two Conventions in April (1) 2023 MassNAHRO Spring Conference on April 2 nd -April 4th – The Executive Director, Deputy Director and Norma Letamendi, Director of Elderly Housing attended. (2) PHA-Web User Conference 2023 on April 17-April 19th. -The Executive Director, the Deputy Director, Genesis Ruiz, Temp. Director of Housing, Yajaira Aldrich, Director of Customer Services & Applications, and Charline Spencer, Administrative Clerk for Finance Dept., attended this training. 19. Resident Service, Congregate & Supportive Housing (HUD & DHCD) Family Self-Sufficiency Program Coordinating Committee on April 24, 2023 Marci Haneisen, FSS Coordinator has organized the first meeting of the Program Coordinating Committee. (PCC) on April 24, 2023, at North Central Chambers & Commerce board room. The Executive Director and the Board discussed the FSS program. It is anticipated that sometime in May a public announcement of the FHA’s program will take place. 20. Construction Update (1) Motion to Approve Amendment #28 -$775,150.00 (Attachment J) FY2026 formula Fund Award $1,027,970.00 Compliance Reserve 689 mechanic Street $18,963.00 Compliance Reserve Award ModPhase III Wallace $90,000.00 Move: David Basilio Second: Adam Goodwin All in favor (2) Motion to Approve Contract for Financial Assistant (CFA) 5010-$671,547.00 (Attachment K) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: Thomas Hughes All in favor Contract for Financial Assistant (CFA) for FY 2024 Energy Conservation Sustainability Initiative. (3) Funding Award Letter for 76 Mechanic Street & 174 Milk Street (Attachment L) The Executive Director stated that DHCD approved applying the sales proceeds from Prospect and Plesant to the Mechanic Street project and the sale of Congress, Pearl, and Clinton to the Milk Street project. Kim Hergert, Director of Finance & HR did a pronominal job on getting this fund transfer approved. (4) FISH 097076 Green acres Basement Project The Executive Director updated that this FISH project would be closed and created as a new FISH project. (5) FISH 097127 AUI -Construction Phase The Executive Director updated that there was a problem with this project, Emergency Meeting would be held with DHCD, Architect as Building Drawings were wrong. David Rousseau, FHA Board Treasurer, claimed that no announcement was made for water shutting off for the project and bedroom door issue. The Board discussed the door issue at AUI project. 21. Motion to Approve FHA HUD Single-Family Housing Program Budget (Attachment M) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor HUD requires form 52574 for two HUD single-family homes to add to the FHA’s portfolio. “Teamwork, Excellence and Ability for Your Home and Family” 22. Motion to Enter to Executive Session (9:39am) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor 23. Motion to close Executive Session & Adjourn the Regular Board Meeting (10:12am) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Rousseau All in favor “Teamwork, Excellence and Ability for Your Home and Family”