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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-03-12-LHA-min LEXINGTON HOUSING AUTHORITY REGULAR MEETING—MARCH 12, 2019 MINUTES 1. ROLL CALL The meeting was called to order by Chairman Melinda Walker at 7:35 A.M. MEMBERS PRESENT MEMBERS ABSENT OTHERS PRESENT Melinda Walker NONE Caileen Foley Nicholas Santosuosso Robert D. Peters Richard F. Perry Weidong Wang 2. PUBLIC COMMENT There was no public comment offered at this meeting. 3. MINUTES Approval of Minutes of Regular Meeting of February 12, 2019 Upon motion by Weidong Wang and seconded by Richard F. Perry, the Board voted to approve the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 12, 2019, all members having received copies. The roll call vote was as follows: YEAS NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT Melinda Walker NONE NONE NONE Nicholas Santosuosso Robert D. Peters Richard F. Perry Weidong Wang 4. BILLS & CHECKS Approval of Bills and Checks paid in February 2019 February 2019 REVOLVING FUND Check Numbers 16436 through 16513 689-C MANAGEMENT Check Number 2254 PARKER MANOR Check Number 2049 BEDFORD STREET Check Number 1240 MRVP VOUCHER Check Numbers 4099 through 4101 SECTION 8 Check Numbers 18412 through 18433 Upon a motion by Robert D. Peters and seconded by Nicholas Santosuosso, the Board voted to accept the Bills and Checks as presented for February 2019. The roll call vote was as follows: YEAS NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT Melinda Walker NONE NONE NONE Nicholas Santosuosso Robert D. Peters Richard F. Perry Weidong Wang 5. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT A. LHA Financials We continue to be in good financial condition. We have completed some extraordinary maintenance work in the last few weeks. In 2015, FEMA declared a disaster due to the snow storm of January 26-28, 2015. This allowed housing authorities to apply for money to compensate snow removal costs. LHA completed the Project Worksheet in the amount of$27,173.72. MEMA paid the LHA 75% of the Worksheet amount, for a total of$20,380.44. At that same time, on 3/2/15 DHCD paid housing authorities $35.00 per unit to help with snow removal costs. LHA received $5,215.00. When we got the insurance payment from MEMA, we returned the $5,215.00 to DHCD in the form of a subsidy reduction. On 5/20/15, DHCD sent a notice saying PHA's could apply for a snow removal exemption. The total for GV and VV was $14,500.00. In December 2018, FEMA conducted an audit and discovered the LHA was paid twice for the $14,500: once from MEMA and once from DHCD. They requested we pay back 75% of the overpayment, a total of$10,125.00. Now that we must pay back MEMA, DHCD has agreed to give us back the $5,215.00 from FYI 6. The final total we are paying is $4,910.00. Next month we will do a budget revision to take this into account. B. FY 18 Audit Guyder Hurley was on site to conduct our independent audit. This was our second engagement with the firm. Financially, we are on good condition. We have no long-term debt and our assets have increased over the past year. We have an OPEB liability if$1.1 million. Last year there was finding in the Federal Section 8 internal controls related to Eligibility: Rent Calculation. Due to changes in compliance procedures and staff efforts to correct files, the auditors did not find enough evidence to warrant another finding this year. 2 They provided a management letter suggesting we use procurement and rent recertification checklists to ensure compliance. We have instated these into our current procedures. The AUP (Agreed Upon Procedures) had a minor finding. The contract register is to be used to all contracts, not just modernization projects. C. Project Updates a. Greeley Village Emergency Generator The revised construction costs have increased approximately $10,000.00- $15,000.00 due to upgrading the load amount, taking into consideration the change in fuel type from natural gas to propane and installing a fence around the generator. Caileen has met with the electrician on site to look at the main panel. b. Greeley Village Step and Post Project The pre-construction meeting was held last week. The Notice to Proceed was executed. Work will begin in the spring. c. Pine Grove Village modernization project Caileen has hired an architect for this interior project. The scope of work is in line with the budget. Once the drawings are done, the project will go out for bid in the next few weeks. There is a meeting scheduled to review the HOME application. A Citizens Article is on the Town Warrant requesting to reduce the CPA surcharge from 3% to 1%. It was suggested by the chair of the CPA Committee for the LHA to write a letter against this. D. NAHRO-Advertisement A full-page ad in the conference booklet is $125.00. Upon motion by Robert D. Peters and seconded by Weidong Wang, the Board voted to place a full-page ad in the NAHRO conference booklet in the amount of$125.00. The roll call vote was as follows: YEAS NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT Melinda Walker NONE NONE NONE Nicholas Santosuosso Robert D. Peters Richard F. Perry Weidong Wang E. State Public Housing Income Guidelines-Adopt undated limits On 3/1/19, DHCD sent out a PHN updating income limits for the state aided public housing programs. They are reflective of the AMI limits set by HUD. DHCD sets these limits every 2 years. 3 Upon motion by Richard Perry and seconded by Robert D. Peters,the Board voted to adopt the area limits of the Boston, Cambridge, Quincy, MA AMI which Lexington falls under. The roll call vote was as follows: YEAS NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT Melinda Walker NONE NONE NONE Nicholas Santosuosso Robert D. Peters Richard F. Perry Weidong Wang F. Personnel Policy-Sick Leave Benefit update The current policy is vague on what the ED has the right to request from an employee regarding ensuring they are healthy enough to come back to work. The current policy also does not protect against abuses of sick leave. It does not define what sick leave can be used for, what a habitual illness or absence is, and when the ED can request certification form a heal care provider from an employee. This does not change the amount of benefits received by employees. Upon motion by Robert D. Peters and seconded by Richard F. Perry, the Board voted to approve the revised sick leave benefit as presented. The roll call vote was as follows: YEAS NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT Melinda Walker NONE NONE NONE Nicholas Santosuosso Robert D. Peters Richard F. Perry Weidong Wang G. MassNAHRO/DHCD Executive Director Contract dispute update A meeting was held 2/27/19 with ED's to discuss next steps with Attorney Michelle Ranazzo and MassNAHRO. They are at a point now where they must gather plaintiffs to put a case together from any housing authorities that have received harm from DHCD's actions regarding the contract. H. Repositioning Federal Public Housing Assets update This has been tabled for April. L TD Bank Signature cards The Board signed signature cards for new State Investment Account. J. Trash Contract At the time of the audit, it was realized there is not a current contract with JRM. Per 30B procurement guidelines, a scope of services needs to be put together and 4 quotes from 3 trash companies. The scope was for a 3-year term with two I-year extensions. Caileen reached out to EL Harvey, JRM and Waste Management. JRM was the lowest. Because we have been operating at an at-will basis with JRM, our current rates had not been raised to current market rates since 2012. The new rates provided in the proposal are within the market rates but higher then what we are currently paying. Upon motion by Robert D. Peters and seconded by Weidong Wang, the Board voted to approve a 3-year contract, effective 7/1/18, with JRM for trash removal. The roll call vote was as follows: YEAS NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT Melinda Walker NONE NONE NONE Nicholas Santosuosso Robert D. Peters Richard F. Perry Weidong Wang K. RCAT (Regional Capital Assistance Team) waiver We had originally applied for a waiver in March 2016 for a 3-year period. It is time to renew that application again. We have done well planning and implementing our own procurements over the past 3 years and believe we have the capacity to continue. DHCD provides a lot of technical support to LHA's that waive out. The application is due 4/12/19. Caileen also needs the LTO support. Upon motion by Nicholas Santosuosso and seconded by Robert D. Peters,the Board voted to approve the application for an RCAT waiver. The roll call vote was as follows: YEAS NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT Melinda Walker NONE NONE NONE Nicholas Santosuosso Robert D. Peters Richard F. Perry Weidong Wang 6. ADJOURNMENT 8:20 A.M. A true copy attest........................... Caileen Foley, Executive Director 5