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Town of Mamaroneck Housing Authority ("Authority")
Minutes of September 21, 2006 Board of Directors' Meeting
Present: Also present:
Richard Cherry Bram Fierstein,
Susan Sldel Gramatan Management
Salvatore Iaconno
Mary Carlson Stephen V. Altieri,
Robert Cammer Administrator, Town of Mamaroneck
Paul Winick,
Town Council member and
Liaison to the Town Board
After Mr. Cherry, presiding, called the meeting to order at approximately 8 p.m.:
Minutes of prior meeting:
The proposed minutes of the Authority's May 2, 2006 meeting were unanimously
approved on condition they be deemed amended to correctly to refer to Ms. 5; del.
County (Claimed) Filing Requirements:
Mr. Altieri reported that Ms. Lucy Ortiz, Coordinator of the Westchester County
Housing Program, had communicated with him re. whether there has been and how in
the future there shall be what she contends on behalf of the County are detailed
reporting requirements for the Authority's operations.
Discussion among those present included whether there has been such compliance,
de facto, whether compliance with the letter of what Ms. Ortiz requested may not be
needed as a condition of the County's past grants re. the Authority's operations; and
whether, even if otherwise apparently required in light of the conditions of the
Authority's establishment and of such County grants, full compliance would be unduly
burdensome yet, if considered de novo as a practical matter, unnecessary and
therefore counterproductive in cost-effective terms bearing in mind the compara-
tively small -in -size nature of the Authority's residential rental project compared with
the other predominantly large housing authority projects in the county for which such
terms/provisions might be otherwise understandable.
It was thereupon unanimously resolved that, with his consent, Mr. Altieri would
undertake to verify from the Authority's archival records what the requirements for
the Authority appear actually to be in this connection and, in any event, and with or
without Mr. Fierstein's participation as the two and Mr. Cherry deem appropriate
based on Mr. Altieri's said review and communications with Mr. Ortiz, arrange a
meeting with Ms. Ortiz to review whether and how the Authority shall proceed
further with respect to her said requests.
Management Report:
Mr. Fierstein said that occupancy is solid and that there is a waiting list for
apartments.
Mr. Cherry and Mr. Fierstein reported that the previously targeted boiler
replacement schedule had unexpectedly encountered delay by reason, on the one
hand, of the Board's earlier indicated preference that local plumbing and heating
contractors be retained insofar as practicable and yet, on the other hand, that finding
willing apparently capable such contractors had been frustrated (perhaps in material
part influenced by what appears to be a substnatial local construction projects) by
apparent lack of interest despite inquiry and quite apart from issue of pricing. It
nevertheless was agreed that there shall be renewed effort to see whether
arrangements can be made on a "targeted" if not fixed number basis to install at least
ten additional units this year.
Mr. Fierstein raised the question whether in light of uncertainties associated with
possible future storms, which, like a recent one, may result in days of electrical power
unavailability, the Authority ought consider on preservaton of health and safety
gounds the purchase of its own generator so that, desipte such an eventuality, the
project's sewage pumps will at all forseeable times be operable to discharge waste
into the municipality's main sewage lines; and the Board thereupon voted unanimously
to ask him to investigate further including what the purchase and, if needed, con-
struction/installation requirements probably would be and contiungently to recommend
a bid proposal.
Town of Mamaroneck Housing Authority ("Authority")
Minutes of September 21, 2005 Board of Directors' Meeting
p. 2 of 3
Potential Building Insulation Upgrade:
Mr. Cherry raised the question in light, among other things, of limitations in the
project's design in this respect confirmed as the result of earlier inspections and
experience and of apparently likely to continue to increase fuel costs, whether
the Authority should consider upgrading the building's insulation for all tenants'
apartments
Mr. Iaconno and Mr. Cherry suggested that in determining whether to undertake
such expense and investment the Board might consider adopting if only as an informal
"rule of thumb" a standard more or less comparable with what the reasonably prudent
homeowner in like circumstances probably would do (although with some dissent by Mr.
Winick re. what, even if arguendo using such a guideline, the substantive decision
whether to upgrade ought be); and, in voting unanimously to authorize Mr. Cherry and
Mr. Fierstein to solicit competitive bids to enable a final determination in this respect,
Board members discussed their sense that, whether or not rationalized in terms of
such a suggested standard, it would be preemptively beneficial to the Authority's
property and to present and future tenants to take steps that would ameliorate the
project's initial and hence long-standing design deficiencies in heat retention.
Other Business:
Mr. Winick suggested that the Board consider, and in the ensuing discussion it
appeared to be the Board members' sense that the Board in the not too distant
future take into further consideration especially in consultation with Mr. Fierstein and
Mr. Iaconno about resaonably estimatable financial operation and maintenance re-
qurements whether some portion of the Authority's reserve fund ought be paid over
as a one-time payment or as a proposed targeted schedule of payments to reduce the
Authority's bonding indebtedness to the Town.
Mr. Cammer was asked to draft a proposed letter in consultation with Mr. Cherry and
Mr. Iacono formally to respond to the O'Connor Davies Munns & Dobbins, Ilp., re. what
the Authority believes to be prudent cost control and related accounting procedures.
Whereupon, there not then being further business, on motion made, seconded, and
unanimously voted the meeting was adjourned.
Town of Mamaroneck Housing Authority ("Authority")
Minutes of September 21, 2005 Board of Directors' Meeting
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