Housing Authority Minutes
MINUTES
Willington Housing Authority
Monday, March 13, 2017 – 6 p.m.
60 Old Farms Road – Senior Center
Willington, CT
Present: Chairman Robert Campbell, Vice Chairman Wilbur Gangaway, Secretary Don Berg, Treasurer Claudia D'Agata, Member Laurel Millix, Financial Consultant David Berto, Recording Secretary Brenda Sullivan, ACCESS management representatives David Innes and Alex Fuentes, residents Joe Rondeau and Ed D'Agata and Elizabeth Robertson.
1. Call to order – 6:04 p.m.
2. Present to speak – opportunity for members of the public to speak
Joe Rondeau addressed the Housing Authority with questions and concerns he has about placement of the veterans' memorial flagpole on the Button Hill site.
He said the goal had been to have the flagpole in place by Memorial Day, along with the memorial pavers but this doesn't seem possible because the pavers cannot be installed until the project's curbing is installed, which also cannot be done until the paving is completed.
He said the 35-foot, 350 lb. flagpole requires a 4-foot hole on a square of land 25 x 40 feet. He asked if he should consult with the project engineer to choose a location.
R. Campbell suggested J. Rondeau talk to Eric Peterson regarding the location. And he asked who would pay for the engineer's services. J. Rondeau said the project's coordinators would cover that cost. R. Campbell suggested they coordinate E. Peterson's visit regarding the flagpole with a time when he would be at the site on Button Hill business.
D. Berto noted that paving is scheduled to take until the end of May.
W. Gangaway said he wanted it noted that he doesn't approve of the Housing Authority spending any money on the flagpole project. He said Memorial services are held on the Town Green, and the flagpole would be better located there.
D. Berg said he's concerned that the lights illuminating the flagpole will be a nuisance to the residents. J. Rondeau said the lights are 250 lumens. R. Campbell said that's equivalent to a 40-watt lightbulb.
Ed and Claudia D'Agata joined the meeting (6:15 p.m.)
E. D'Agata said there will be two sets of lights: one set pointing down and one set pointing at a 45-degree angle.
The discussion regarding the Memorial Day deadline and the Button Hill paving schedule was repeated and E. D'Agata said the flagpole dedication would have to be rescheduled.
R. Campbell asked of access to the flagpole site would require one or two curb cuts. E. D'Agata said the plan is to leave the side facing the Senior Center open and curb the other side to divert water and erosion.
E. D'Agata said reporters asking about the flagpole dedication have also asked if and when there will be an open house at Button Hill. R. Campbell said there may not be one if residents have already moved in. (See later discussion with ACCESS about posting photo's of the units on a new Button Hill website.)
R. Campbell said there needs to be a dedicated handicapped accessible parking space on the curb cut side of the flagpole site. And there needs to be adequate space for a wheelchair ramp. He suggested E. D'Agata get guidance on this matter from E. Peterson.
R. Campbell asked where things stand with the Town Planner. E. D'Agata said they have spoken and everything appears to be acceptable.
E. D'Agata asked who would dig the hole for the flagpole. R. Campbell said he will speak with Greg of Zlotnick Construction. D. Berg noted that besides digging the hole, it will also require compaction and other measures to secure the pole. E. D'Agata said he has volunteers with equipment to help with that work.
J. Rondeau and E. D'Agata left the meeting.
3. New Business – ACCESS Management and Marketing
R. Campbell reviewed a list of questions emailed to him by ACCESS. Regarding a website address, he said he owns ButtonHill.org, and ButtonHill.com is available. He said ACCESS could take over ButtonHill.org .
Other questions concerned a logo for correspondence; ACCESS will create one. R. Campbell noted Button Hill is two words.
Regarding a budget, D. Berto will provide that document.
Concerning a sign, R. Campbell said the Housing Authority will be responsible for this task.
Regarding photos of the site, R. Campbell said he has some, but it's mostly construction photos. He suggested that photos can be taken inside the units once inspections are complete.
Concerning phone lines, R. Campbell said there will be a separate line for Button Hill Senior Housing, and there will be dedicated lines for the alarm system.
Future inquiries from potential tenants will be forwarded to ACCESS via a phone number created for that purpose. R. Campbell asked for the phone number to be emailed to him. C. D'Agata gave David Innes the list of interested residents that she has been keeping.
Regarding insurance, D. Berto will work with ACCESS on this task. R. Campbell noted the Housing Authority already carries its own D&O insurance but suggested that if it's possible to group this with the other insurances to save money, to pursue that option.
Regarding a choice of auditor, the ASHoW auditor suggested by ACCESS is acceptable.
R. Campbell said D. Berto/Housing Enterprises will provide ACCESS with the organizational documents they requested.
Regarding a physical address for the complex, R. Campbell said management will have its own mailbox, but D. Berg will contact the Post Office for the correct street address.
Regarding banking, R. Campbell said a new account will be created for management at Putnam Bank.
Answering a question from ACCESS, D. Berto said marketing costs will be drawn from the construction account.
R. Campbell said the management agreement has been reviewed by all parties' legal counsel, so once an approved copy is submitted, he will sign it. D. Innes said he will email R. Campbell a PDF version of the agreement, and that an electronic signature is acceptable.
Answering a question from D. Innes, D. Berto said the projected opening date is July 1, but if the project is ready for tenants sooner, that date would be moved accordingly. He added that the project cannot open until after it passes inspection.
D. Innes asked if it would be OK to show the first two units completed to potential tenants. D. Berto said showings would have to wait until the site is paved so that the units' floors are not damaged by foot traffic. He said he will bring this topic up at the net construction meeting.
D. Berto asked that ACCESS provide a marketing schedule, ideally with a start date no later than April 1. D. Innes said ACCESS will provide the schedule next week.
W. Gangaway asked if the management book will be the same as the one for Willington Woods. R. Campbell said it will not, because Button Hill is a Department of Housing project with different requirements.
W. Gangaway noted that the Housing Authority is not providing washers and dryers for the units. He asked if ACCESS could talk to its vendors about providing them, possibly on a lease basis. He said he would like to be confident that the appliances are efficient and properly functioning. Leasing the machines also would mean the tenants would have someone to call for repairs. Also, when the tenant moves out, the appliances could remain for the next occupant.
C. D'Agata said the lease cost would have to be included in the rent, or a tenant may not want to lease the machines.
R. Campbell noted that some tenants may be moving in with their own newer appliances and not want to lease machines.
ACCESS explained the range of rent amounts and how they are tied to the tenant's income and state and federal guidelines.
D. Innes and A. Fuentes left the meeting.
4. Old Business – Senior Housing “Button Hill”
D. Berto reported that with electricity installed and heat provided, contractors have been working on the site daily. He said the buildings will be complete before the site work is finished. Site work may continue through the end of May into early June.
D. Berto said there have been a large number of change orders; all were discussed and approved; and the project is still within the change order budget. He said all contractors are being paid. Now he is waiting for a marketing scheduled from ACCESS. He said the marketing start date is when applications can be submitted.
R. Campbell presented a request from the architects to extend their contract by 12 weeks (for a total of 64 weeks).
W. Gangaway asked about the status of the project budget. D. Berto said some aspects of the project have cost more than anticipated – such as engineering, architect services, some legal costs – but other costs are expected to be lower, such as interest charges. Once all of the pieces are in place, the project will likely come in right about at budget. He also noted that at the end, there will be some funds for the developer's fee, and a rebate from Eversource. So all these pieces are still in play.
R. Campbell said everyone still needs to be frugal because bituminous (paving) costs can vary.
R. Campbell reported on research into using Frontier vs. Charter for the phone lines required for the fire alarm system. He noted that Frontier lines remain on when there's a power outage; Charter's lines go down in a power outage. He also has heard from the Town that they're having problems with the Frontier network. He said he will ask for proposals from both companies. He noted they will also have to provide a phone line for management (ACCESS).
R. Campbell reported on problems with the units' doors and, which will be corrected.
There was discussion about what approach to take for installing solar panels. D. Berg said the best approach seems to be a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). So, for example, a company such as EarthLight would install and maintain the panels and other equipment, and the Housing Authority would pay EarthLight 10 cents a Kwh for electricity, versus 17 cents per Kwh charged by Eversource. D. Berg said if the Housing Authority chose to buy and install the equipment, it could take as long as 20 years before the PV system saved enough to be equivalent to paying 10 cents per Kwh during that same period.
R. Campbell asked if the 10 cents per Kwh would be for the life of the contract. He asked if the company would maintain the equipment and said he wants assurance that there are no other hidden costs, such as any zoning permit or legal costs.
There was discussion about how many solar panels would be installed on the roof and how many would be on ground mounts. W. Gangaway asked where the ground mounts would be located. D. Berg said probably in the area where the dumpsters will be. He said they require a location about 50 x 100 feet.
R. Campbell said he'd like to wait until after paving to make sure there are funds for a PPA contract.
Asked how many panels would be installed on the roofs and how many on the mounts, D. Berg said it depends on the type of solar panel they choose. He described different sizes and how they would be installed.
R. Campbell said he would prefer that this work not begin until after the contract with Zlotnick construction is finished.
D. Berto said the Housing Authority needs to decide whether electric power will be included in the rent.
C. D'Agata asked who gets paid the 10 cents per Kwh. And who gets paid the 17 centers per Kwh, since the solar panels probably wouldn't generate all the electricity used by the tenants. R. Campbell said tenants probably would receive two bills, one from the PPA and one from Eversource.
D. Berg said he will request proposals for a PPA from the companies he originally contacted for estimates about a year and a half ago.
D. Berto asked who will receive the ZRECs (Zero Emission Renewal Credits). D. Berg said the PPA would, as part of its contract.
D. Berg said 3 ZREC contracts need to renewed by April l.
He said that if the Housing Authority doesn't renew the 3 existing small tariff ZREC contracts (that will be applied to the address of 3 of the apartments), the PPA would not receive payments for those ZRECs that the PV installation will create. This would have a negative impact on obtaining a future contract for those 3 addresses.
He said the solar panels would need to be installed by September 30, 2017.
D.Berg said he believes the cost to renew for six months is $947.34, paid by certified check by the end of March.
C. D'Agata made the following motion, seconded by L. Millex:
The Willlington Housing Authority authorizes payment to extend the ZREC contracts.
The motion passed unanimously.
5. Correspondence – A letter from someone looking for employment, an offer of renter escrow account services from TD Bank.
6. Approval of minutes – W. Gangaway moved, and C. D'Agata seconded the motion, to accept the Jan. 9, 2017 minutes as presented. The motion passed unanimously. (Note, the February meeting was canceled).
7. Treasurer’s report – C. D'Agata reported a balance of $1,880.15. She also gave R. Campbell Putnam Bank tax documents, which he will hold until a project auditor is hired. D. Berg gave R. Campbell Housing Authority requisition documents.
8. Adjourn – The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Brenda Sullivan, Recording Secretary.