Fitchburg Housing Authority

FITCHBURG CITY CLERK Fitchburg Housing Authority Oct 18 2024 9:51 am Minutes of FHA Regular Board Meeting, August 28, 2024 Canton Valley Community Room, 24 Valley Street, Fitchburg, MA A Regular Meeting of the Fitchburg Housing Authority was called to order by Chair, Linda Byrne at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, in the Canton Valley Community Room at 24 Valley Street in the City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Present: Absent: FHA Board Members: FHA Board Members: Linda Byrne, Chair Thomas Hughes, Member-State Appointee Adam Goodwin, Vice Chair David Basilio, Treasurer Janice Spellane, Assistant Treasurer-Tenant Representative Thomas Hughes, Member-State Appointee FHA Staff: FHA Staff: Douglas M. Bushman, Esq., Executive Director & CPO, FHA Board Secretary Andrew T. Skoog, Deputy Director Yoko Ishii, Executive Clerical Assistant Alicia Santucci, Executive Clerical Assistant Roberta Kozak, Director of Leased Housing FHA Tenants: N/A Quorum: Yes (Quorum Requirement: Three FHA Board Members) 1. Motion to Open Meeting Chair, Linda Byrne opened the meeting at 10:00 am Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor 2. Motion to Open Public Comment on Agenda Items, Maintenance, & Occupancy Issues Move: David Basilio Second: Adam Goodwin All in favor No Tenant & Public attendance, No Comments. 3. Motion to Approve Minutes of Regular Meeting held on July 17, 2024 Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor 4. Motion to Approve Minutes of Executive Meeting held on July 17, 2024 Move: Adam Goodwin Second: Janice Spellane All in favor David Basilio, Board Treasurer, requested to amend his first name in the July Executive Minutes. He also requested an itemized list of credit card expenditures, which will be provided by Alicia Santucci, Executive Assistant, Finance Dept. 5. Motion to Approve FHA Payables for June -July FY 24 (Attachment A) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: Thomas Basilio All in favor 6. EOHLC Budget Guidelines PHN 2024-13 FY2025 (Attachment B) Douglas Bushman, Executive Director, explained about the FY25 Budget Guideline. By the October Board meeting, he will prepare a draft budget to present to the Board. The new budget guideline will allow hiring more maintenance staff to address the vacancies issues. 7. Motion to Approve January – June 2024 Financial (Attachment C) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor Reserve is fantastic. “Teamwork, Excellence and Ability for Your Home and Family” 8. Motion to Approve January – July 2024 Financial (Attachment D) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor 9. FY 24 Budget Approval, 0972400-1 (Attachment E) The FHA submitted revision to include funding for the new ASHP and included various other items such a maintenance van &elevator repair. Unfortunately, the only matter approved was ASHP, but included was the pay increase for the staff. 10. Tenant Account Receivable (TAR) Updates (Attachment F) The Executive Director stated that the FHA adopted a new rent collection policy. Senior resident rent collection has no issue. Only family housing residents have a rent collection problem. Resident Service Coordinator assists the residents for RAFT program application. 11. October Board Meeting Schedule Motion to Approve October 16, 2024, as the date for the next Board Meeting Move: David Basilio Second: Adam Goodwin All in favor 12. Audit and Management Reviews (Attachment G) Motion to Accept the Agreed Upon Procedure Management Review Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor The Executive Director stated that the AUP for FY2023 was outstanding, there was only one noted issue concerning the signing of lease addendum. There were five (5) lease addendums not signed that were due to tenant non-compliance. Going forward we will move to file a NTQ thirty-day notice on such non-complying tenants. The Board discussed the 30- day notice procedure. 13. Cyber Security & LHA’s EOHLC PHN 2024-12 (Attachment H) Andrew Skoog, Deputy Director, explained the FHA has procured a third-party software provider , KnowBe-4 to increase cyber security awareness. Cam Davis, College Intern, is establishing the training for the FHA staff. A full cyber policy will be created after the data collection. The Board discussed cyber phishing cases. 14. Scatter Site Housing The Executive Director briefly spoke about the future renovation project planning of 7 Sheridan & 238 Ashburnham Street. 15. Eviction Andew Skoog, Deputy Director, updated that total has served 44 eviction notices. Shortly we will serve one more notice, the total will be 45 evictions notice this month. More 30-Day notice cases are served, smoking, parking, and guest issues. 16. Vacancy (Attachment I) The Deputy Director updated that the vacancy rate for August 1, 2024, decreased from 74 units to 70 units. The Board discussed about Green Acres vacancy issue. 17. Resident Services, Congregate & Supportive Housing The Executive Director stated that Marci Haneisen, RSC has resigned, no replacement will be made for her position. The FHA has two RSC staff.  Elderly Birthday party  Aging Service of North Central MA  City of Fitchburg Digital Equity Project -AgeSpan Survey presentation was held on August 27, Brianna Boulay and Ann Dumezil of RSC, did phenomenon job on the Survey. 18. Change to Public Housing Program EOHLC PHN2024-07 & 2024-08 (Attachment J) The Executive Director explained the change to Public Housing Program to the Board. The public housing staff has been briefed on the changes that were implemented. “Every Family Deserves a Home” 19. Wallace Tower Funding Announcement (Attachment K) The Executive Director stated that an Aging in Place Community announcement event was held at Wallace Tower on July 18, 2024, EOHLC approved the funds required to transform Wallace Tower into a modern, aging-in-place community. Construction Update The Chair requested to update the Construction project status table to the date. 20. Project# 097132 Project#197132 Wallace Tower Interior (Attachment L) Wallace Tower relocation plan was finalized and submitted to the EOHLC, prepared by Jordan Hughes and Cam Davis, College interns. They did a great job. 21. Project# 097188-Rooftop Ventilation Unit Repairs, Durkin Motion to Reject Bid 097188 -Performance Plumbing & Heating Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor The Deputy Director explained that the EOHLC requested that the FHA board reject the bid based on the poor reference & the FHA notify Performance Plumbing and Heating with the specific reasons for the rejection. 22. Motion to Accept Designer Selection Committee (DSC) Selection-Project 097200 Community Center and Admin Offices-Green Acres (Attachment M) Move: David Basilio Second: Janice Spellane All in favor Voucher Housing Report 23. Motion to Approve to Adopt Earned Income Disregards Statutory Elimination (EID) (Attachment N) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor 24. Motion to Approve to Enforce of the Housing Quality Standards (HQS) (Attachment N) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: David Basilio All in favor Roberta Kozak, Director of Leased Housing, explained Those motion to the Board. The adoption was already made by the HUD effective on June 6, 2024, The Board needs to approve to adopt the changes. 25. Motion to Approve HUD Voucher Payment Standards for 2024-2025 (Attachment O) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: Dave Basilio All in favor 26. Motion to Approve HUD FHA Section 8 Utility Allowance Schedule for 2024-2025 (Attachment P) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: Dave Basilio All in favor 27. Motion to Adjourn Regular Session (at 11:11 am) Move: Adam Goodwin Second: Dave Basilio All in favor “Every Family Deserves a Home”