Housing Authority Board of Commissioners

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA, HELD ON MONDAY, MAY 16, 2016 The Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Michigan City, Indiana held a regular board meeting on Monday, May 16, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. The meeting was held at the Michigan City Housing Authority, 621 East Michigan Boulevard, Michigan City, Indiana 46360. The regular board meeting began at approximately 4:30 p.m. Commissioners who attended the meeting included Chairperson Carla Mock, Vice Chairperson Yolanda Thomas-Davis, Commissioner William Fine, Commissioner Colleen Babb, Commissioner Virginia Keating, Commissioner David McCray, Commissioner Sean Fitzpatrick, and Housing Authority Attorney Nelson Pichardo. Public in attendance included Housing Authority Liaison, City Council – 5th Ward Sharon Carnes, ALCO Representative Andre Steele, HUD Representative Valarie Calhoun, and Lakeland Estates Resident Council President Dawn Williams. Housing Authority personnel attendees included Executive Director Norma Thomas and Finance HR Secretary Robin Fly. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: April 18, 2016 Chairperson Mock called for approval of the April 18, 2016 minutes. Commissioner Keating motioned approval of the minutes as presented to the Board. Commissioner Fitzpatrick seconded the motion. CARRIED INTRODUCTION OF MEETING ATTENDEE: Chairperson Mock asked Executive Director Thomas to introduce HUD Representative Valarie Calhoun to the Board. Executive Director Thomas informed Board that Ms. Calhoun is the Housing Authority’s field office HUD Representative visiting the Housing Authority for 3 days to assist the Housing Authority in becoming more efficient. APPROVAL OF MANAGEMENT REPORTS: Chairperson Mock called for approval of the management reports as presented to the Board. In regards to the Management Discussion and Analysis Report, Commissioner Keating inquired about a decrease in the Housing Authority’s rental income. Executive Director Thomas stated that she would pose this question to the Housing Authority’s fee accountant due to the extensive decrease in rental income. Commissioner Keating said that the decrease totals $55,180.00. In reference to the Boulevard Gardens and Lakeland Estates Monthly Occupancy Report regarding the resident council meeting, Vice Chairperson Davis asked if the resident council  2 represents Lakeland Estates or Boulevard Gardens. Executive Director Thomas said that a resident council exists only for Lakeland Estates. Chairperson Mock asked for status of rehab units at Lakeland Estates. In reply, Executive Director Thomas stated that there is a total of 7 vacancies and out of the 7, 2 are new vacancies, 2 units have been completed, and 2 units are in the process of being rehabbed. She said that she talked with Housing Manager Cheryl Webster regarding the vacancies and said that she has scheduled an orientation class this Thursday to fill the vacancies. With no further questions, Commissioner Davis motioned to approve the management reports. Commissioner Fine seconded the motion. CARRIED COMMITTEE REPORTS: Chairperson Mock informed the Board that the committee assignments for the Michigan City Housing Authority Board of Commissioners has been updated to include replacement of former Commissioner Lester Norvell with newly-appointed Commissioner Sean Fitzpatrick. She said that the updated committee assignment will remain effective until end of the fiscal year and that Commissioner Fitzpatrick is assigned to the Resident Initiatives/Security, the Ethics Review, and the Technology Committees. She informed Mr. Fitzpatrick that he would be contacted for any scheduled committee meeting(s). OLD BUSINESS: Lawn Care Quotes Chairperson Mock called for status of the lawn care quotes. Commissioner Keating, spokesperson for the Asset Committee, informed the Board that committee met on May 12, 2016 to review two lawn care quotes from Top Notch Lawn Service and Custom Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance. She said that Top Notch Lawn Service did not fulfill the Housing Authority requirements in reference to the insurance criteria such as elimination of workers compensation in the lawn care company’s quote. The Asset Committee recommends that the Board approve the lawn care quote from Custom Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance with a total cost of $6,400.00, and according to Commissioner Keating, there was a comparison analysis with in-house maintenance crew, and found that hiring Custom Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance is most efficient and cost effective. With no further discussion, Commissioner Keating motioned to accept quote from Custom Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance in the amount of $6,400.00 for properties involving Boulevard Gardens, Business Activity vacant lots, and MCHDI vacant lots. Commissioner McCray seconded the motion. RESOLUTION NUMBER 2016-15 RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA TO APPROVE THE LAWN CARE QUOTES PROVIDED BY CUSTOM LANDSCAPING & LAWN MAINTENANCE FOR MAINTENANCE OF BOULEVARD  3 GARDENS PROPERTY, FOR MAINTENANCE OF VACANT BUSINESS ACTIVITY AND MCHDI PROPERTIES FOR THE 2016 SUMMER SEASON FROM MAY 23, 2016 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 FOR TOTAL COST OF $6,400.00. AYES NAYS Carla Mock Yolanda Thomas Davis William Fine Colleen Babb Virginia Keating Dave McCray Sean Fitzpatrick CARRIED NEW BUSINESS: Local Union 135 Teamsters “Monetary Items Only” Chairperson Mock called for discussion of the Local Union 135 Teamsters “Monetary Items Only.” She informed the Board that this business item would be assigned to the personnel committee and that monetary items involving the union contract will terminate on September 30, 2016. Check Write Off Section 8 Chairperson Mock called for check write offs for Section 8. Executive Director Thomas explained to the Board that every year the Housing Authority writes off uncashed checks. She said that the Housing Authority has implemented policy stating that check holder has 90 days to cash the check and after 90 days the check becomes a stale check. The checks are small and have accumulated to $1,504.06 for years 2014 and 2015 according to Executive Director Thomas. With no questions, Commissioner Babb motioned to write off Section 8 stale checks as presented to the Board. Vice Chairperson Davis seconded the motion. RESOLUTION NUMBER 2016-16 RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA TO WRITE OFF UNCASHED SECTION 8 CHECKS FOR YEAR 2014 AND YEAR 2015 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,504.06. AYES NAYS Carla Mock Yolanda Thomas Davis William Fine Colleen Babb Virginia Keating Dave McCray  4 Sean Fitzpatrick CARRIED APPROVAL OF BILLS: PUBLIC COMMENTS: Chairperson Mock called for comments from the public. Dawn Williams, a resident of Lakeland Estates, introduced herself as the Lakeland Estates Resident Council President. ADJOURNMENT: Chairperson Mock called for motion to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Keating motioned to adjourn the meeting. The meeting adjourned at approximately 4:45 p.m. ______________________________________ Carla Mock, Chairperson ___________________________________ Norma Thomas, Executive Director ATTEST:  RESOLUTION NUMBER 2016-15 RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA TO APPROVE THE LAWN CARE QUOTES PROVIDED BY CUSTOM LANDSCAPING & LAWN MAINTENANCE FOR MAINTENANCE OF BOULEVARD GARDENS PROPERTY, FOR MAINTENANCE OF VACANT BUSINESS ACTIVITY AND MCHDI PROPERTIES FOR THE 2016 SUMMER SEASON FROM MAY 23, 2016 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2016 FOR TOTAL COST OF $6,400.00. WHEREAS, when possible the Housing Authority of the City of Michigan City hires a landscaping company for lawn care of its Boulevard Gardens property development, vacant lots (6th and Cedar, 1710 Coolspring Avenue, 220 Providence, 1017 W 9th Street) under Business Activity account, and vacant lots (Ford & Chicago, Congress & Chicago, Woodland & Walker, Lot Block 43 6th Street) under MCHDI account on an annual basis, and WHEREAS, the Housing Authority sent out request for quotes for lawn care services to Eastport Lawn Maintenance, Doug’s Newbank Landscaping, Custom Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance, Do It Right, and Top Notch Lawn Service, and WHEREAS, the Housing Authority received two response quotes from Top Notch Lawn Service, and Custom Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance, and WHEREAS, Top Notch Lawn Service submitted an inadequate quote with insufficient amount of workers compensation insurance, and WHEREAS, the Asset Management/Procurement/Construction Committee based its recommendation for acceptance of the quote from Custom Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance on a comparison analysis on contracting cost for lawn care service versus Housing Authority maintenance employees with cost effective results on hiring an outside lawn care company. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of Michigan City, Indiana approved the lawn care quote from Custom Landscaping & Lawn Maintenance for lawn care services for 2016 season beginning in May 23, 2016 and ending in September 30, 2016 at a total cost of $6,400.00. Adopted this 16th day of May 2016. Resolution moved by: Commissioner Virginia Keating Resolution seconded by: Commissioner David McCray _____________________________________ Carla Mock, MCHA Chairperson ATTEST:  RESOLUTION NUMBER 2016-16 RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA TO WRITE OFF UNCASHED SECTION 8 CHECKS FOR YEAR 2014 AND YEAR 2015 FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,504.06. WHEREAS, the Housing Authority of the City of Michigan City, Indiana annually writes off the attached past due stale checks pending cash submission from tenants, and WHEREAS, uncashed checks for year 2014 totaled $977.00, and WHEREAS, uncashed checks for year 2015 totaled $527.06, and WHEREAS, uncashed checks are written off to prevent negative effects revealed on the Housing Authority operating budget in order to obtain full amount of subsidy monies from HUD. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Board of Commissioners authorized the write-off of uncashed Section 8 Checks totaling $1,504.06. Adopted this 16th day of May 2016. Resolution moved by: Commissioner Colleen Babb Resolution seconded by: Vice Chairperson Yolanda Davis __________________________________________ Carla Mock, MCHA Chairperson ATTEST: