Nashua Housing and Redevelopment Authority

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE NASHUA HOUSING AUTHORITY HELD MARCH 15, 2013 The Commissioners of the Nashua Housing Authority (NHA) held its regular meeting at the office of the Nashua Housing Authority, 40 East Pearl Street, First Floor, Nashua, New Hampshire, at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 15, 2013. The Chairperson called the meeting to order, and the Recording Secretary called the roll at approximately 10:05 a.m. with the following responses: Present Absent Thomas Monahan Selma Pastor James Tollner Paul Deschenes Eric Wilson (arrived after roll call) The following persons were also present: Lynn Censabella, Executive Director; Scott Costa, Assistant Executive Director; Jim Floras, Property Manager; Joy Scotina, Property Manager; Lisa Cox, Section 8 Program Manager; Jude Forrester, Finance Manager; Cheryl Hobbs, Recording Secretary; Bob Keating, Granite State Organizing Project; Maryalice Gill, Nashua Telegraph; Eva DeLeon, Luz Albelo, Luis Santana, Angela Mercado, Damiana Santanta, Margarita Fabian, Amarilis Cabrera, and Sandra Garcia. MINUTES: The Chairperson entertained a motion to waive the reading of the Authority’s February 15, 2013 regular meeting minutes, to accept them and place them on file. Mr. Tollner made the motion, and Mr. Deschenes seconded the motion. The Chairperson asked if there were any comments, additions/deletions, corrections, or discussion. There being none, the motion carried unanimously. COMMUNICATIONS: The Chairperson entertained a motion to waive the reading of the Communications, accept them, and place them on file. Ms. Pastor made the motion and Mr. Deschenes seconded the motion. The Communications were as follows: Monthly Operational Reports – February 2013 – consisting of Public Housing and Section 8 Waiting List Report; Vacancy Report; Vacancy Report Compilation Sheet; Work Order Report; Rent Collections Report; Confidential Memorandum from Lynn M. Censabella dated March 8, 2013; and an additional Confidential Memorandum from Lynn M. Censabella dated March 8, 2013. The Chairperson asked if there was any discussion. Mr. Monahan stated that the confidential memorandum discussing Bronstein and sequestration, doesn’t need to remain confidential. Mr. Tollner suggested amending the motion to remove the word “Confidential” from the memorandum discussing Bronstein, and make it available to the public. There being no further discussion, the motion to waive the reading of the Communications, accept them as amended, and place them on file carried unanimously. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT: NHA underwent REAC inspections during the last week of February. Four days prior to the inspection I was notified that a HUD Collaborative Quality Assurance (CQA) Review would be conducted to review the assigned inspector’s performance. The purpose of a CQA is to ensure that the inspections are accurate, unbiased, and conducted in a courteous and professional manner. In a nutshell, the onsite HUD review offers training and assesses the inspector’s performance. I participated in a conference call with Senator Shaheen on February 28, 2013 to discuss the automatic spending cuts which took effect on March 1, 2013, also known as sequestration. We discussed the impact on housing in New Hampshire, and specifically Nashua. Impacts to NHA budgets are shown below, and are based on the two separate funding scenarios proposed by Congress. Operating Fund: Scenario One ($163,591) Scenario Two ($327,181) HCV Program: Scenario One ($436,478) Scenario Two ($543,542) HCV Administrative Fee: Scenario One ($142,819) Scenario Two ($213,301) ($742,888) ($1,084,024) The funding will provide devastating prorations to NHA programs, and will undermine the Authority’s ability to administer its programs and serve households in need. It will affect our maintenance and how we run maintenance, how our staff is able to work on a daily basis, and how we are able to address households in need. It will affect everything. The federal government continues to operate under a Continuing Resolution (CR) which expires March 27, 2013. Introduced March 7, 2013, is a proposed bill to extend the current CR for the entire FY2013. The extension of the CR will be damaging to housing authorities because it will only prolong the artificially low funding levels of FY2012 for the Operating Fund and the HCV Administrative Fee. These low funding levels will extend to the HCV Program and Capital Fund Program. I will continue to keep the Board informed as more information is provided to the NHA. We are receiving letters saying “contact your local field offices, contact your local Senators” because there is a large possibility that Housing Authorities are not going to be able to operate at these funding levels. Scott and I will be participating in a conference call with Senator Shaheen’s office along with Barbara Fields, Marilyn O’Sullivan and Greg Carson from HUD. I have coordinated for as many New Hampshire Housing Authorities as possible to be on this conference call. We will be discussing the impacts of funding, along with strategies moving forward such as, how this is going to affect current Housing Authorities ability to sustain the vouchers that we have out on the street, and how is that going to happen. Are we going to have to remove people who currently have S8 vouchers, and/or are we going to have to change how we run our business currently. We have provided HUD a long list of questions so that they are prepared to answer our questions and provide us with some guidance, right now we don’t have any.  I met with Karin Leonard of Leonard and Lee Real Estate on Monday, March 11, 2013 to discuss listing the vacant office space at 40 East Pearl Street. I was informed by Ms. Leonard that NHA will need to be more flexible as a landlord to meet the market demands. She explained that small tenants are driving the market at this time, and large tenants are almost non-existent. I informed Ms. Leonard that NHA is not opposed to creating multiple suites within the space to draw tenants. An agreement is under review. The Board is being presented with a Resolution for Fire Sprinkler Testing. Proposals were opened on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 and prepared for Board approval. The Chairperson entertained a motion to accept the Executive Director’s Report. Ms. Pastor made the motion, and Mr. Deschenes seconded the motion. The Chairperson asked if there were any questions. Mr. Monahan stated that the Nashua Housing Authority has always been in the top ten percent, we have operated in a fine manner and he is proud of all the good the NHA does. There being no further discussion, the motion carried unanimously. NEW BUSINESS: RESOLUTION NO. 12-2208 BY THE NASHUA HOUSING AUTHORITY AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR ROOF REPLACEMENTS AT NH-22, VAGGE VILLAGE AND 101 MAJOR DRIVE, NH 2-10 AREL MANOR, LAKE STREET, ROCHETTE AVENUE AND FOSS AVENUE AND NH 2-15, ATWOOD COURT, WHITNEY STREET AND PINE STREET TO NORTHERN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN GROUP, 58 BEAVER POND ROAD, WAERE, NH 03281 AT A TOTAL CONTRACT COST OF $37,385 UNDER THE CAPITAL FUND 501-11 AND 501-12 BUDGETS The Chairperson entertained a motion to approve Resolution No. 12-2208. Mr. Tollner made the motion, and Mr. Wilson seconded the motion. The Chairperson asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion, the Recording Secretary called the roll with the following responses: AYES NAYS Eric Wilson Paul Deschenes James Tollner Selma Pastor Thomas Monahan Motion carried unanimously. RESOLUTION NO. 12-2209  BY THE NASHUA HOUSING AUTHORITY AWARDING A CONTRACT FOR BULKHEAD REPLACEMENT AT NH 2-20, FORGE AND FLAGSTONE DRIVE, TO MACKINNON CONSTRUCTION INC., 16 WOODLAND DRIVE, LONDONDERRY, NH 03053 AT A TOTAL CONTRACT COST OF $29,450 UNDER THE CAPITAL FUND 501-09 AND 501-12 BUDGETS The Chairperson entertained a motion to approve Resolution No. 12-2209. Mr. Tollner made a motion to place this resolution on hold until the April meeting. The Chairperson asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion, the motion to hold the resolution until the April meeting carried unanimously. RESOLUTION NO. 12-2210 BY THE NASHUA HOUSING AUTHORITY AWARDING A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2013 THROUGH MARCH 31, 2015 FOR THE FIRE SPRINKLER TESTING SERVICE TO TRI STATE FIRE PROTECTION, LLC, 84 LAKE STREET, NASHUA, NH 03060 AT A CONTRACT COST OF $1,360 PER YEAR $970 UNDER THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING BUDGET AND $390 UNDER THE PARK VIEW APARTMENTS BUDGET The Chairperson entertained a motion to approve Resolution No. 12-2210. Mr. Tollner made the motion, and Mr. Deschenes seconded the motion. The Chairperson asked if there was any discussion. There being no discussion, the Recording Secretary called the roll with the following responses: AYES NAYS Eric Wilson Paul Deschenes James Tollner Selma Pastor Thomas Monahan Motion carried unanimously. BILLS/INVESTMENTS: The Chairperson called for a motion to pay the bills as listed on the Cash Disbursement List – check numbers 50108 through 50192 and from the Supplemental Cash Disbursement List – check numbers 50193 through 50239 and from the Park View Apartments Cash Disbursement List – check numbers 4608 through 4616 and to approve the Investments as listed. Ms. Pastor made the motion, and Mr. Wilson seconded it. The Chairperson asked if there was any discussion. There being none, the motion carried unanimously. PUBLIC COMMENT:  Ms. DeLeon asked that because of the pending budget cuts will this affect the disposition of Bronstein. Mr. Monahan stated that it will certainly slow down the process. Mr. Tollner made a motion to distribute the memo discussing Bronstein and the affects of sequestration. Then allow the audience time to read it, and ask any questions they may have. It was asked if this process is now put on hold. Mr. Monahan stated it will slow the process. Based on sequestration, our hands are tied. We will have the disposition discussion with the hopes funding will return to normal, however, until the funding is resolved in Washington, we are not capable of moving forward. It was asked when the tenants will be notified? Mr. Monahan stated that the NHA will send out a monthly update as to the status, even if there is nothing to update. Mr. Wilson suggested sending out an email to residents to notify them of the status. Mr. Tollner stated that this information has just come to us as of last week and by distributing the memo, the public knows what we know. Mr. Keating from Granite State Organizing Project asked if there would be any movement in the next six to nine months, and if not, to let the residents know so that they aren’t wondering every month what is happening. COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS: None. ANY OTHER BUSINESS WHICH MAY COME BEFORE THE BOARD: Mr. Tollner said that the NHA does a nice job of communicating to the public as to what is going on. Mr. Tollner also stated the recommendation from Mr. Keating telling residents that there will not be any movement on Bronstein for at least six to nine months, to give them a level of comfort, is a great suggestion. ADJOURNMENT: The Chairperson entertained a motion to adjourn. Mr. Wilson moved to adjourn, and Mr. Deschenes seconded the motion. Motion carried. The meeting adjourned at approximately 10:35 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Cheryl Hobbs Recording Secretary