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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024_01_08 Housing Authority Minutes MINUTES Housing Authority Meeting Monday, January 8, 2024 Conference Room C, Ground Floor of Town Center 7:30 PM PRESENT: Joseph Mileto, Board Member,via Zoom Dolores Battalia, Board Member Meg Deshpande, Board Member Christie Philbrick-Wheaton, Board Member Lawrence Thaul, Board Member,via Zoom Robin Nichinsky, Councilwoman OTHERS PRESENT: Margaret C. Delohery, Secretary to the Housing Authority Johnathan Di Bari, Dibbini &Assoc. Stephen V.Altieri, Housing Authority Consultant,via Zoom Michael Padernacht, Midas Management 7:30 PM The Housing Authority Regular Meeting 1. Call to order Chair Mileto called to order the Regular Meeting of the Housing Authority at 7:31pm Carried Approval of Minutes 1. Report of Minutes from the December 4,2023 Housing Authority Meeting Moved by Board Member Philbrick-Wheaton, seconded by Board Member Battalia Resolved, that the Mamaroneck Housing Authority does hereby approve the report of minutes from the December 4, 2023 Housing Authority meeting. Carried Business Agenda 1. Report of Midas Property Management Mr. Padernacht review the monthly report with the Housing Authority. He said nothing alarming came up at year end. Some items were changed in the budget, but nothing major. There was loss of rent but the Housing Authority is still in good financial standing. Midas has been handling complaints from tenants. Mr. Padernacht said a big thing for the Housing Authority was communication between the management company and the tenants. No major arrears were reported. The 2024 budget is going in a good direction with smaller cosmetic projects coming up in 2024. Chair Mileto and Mr. Padernacht talked about the year end. Ms. Battalia and Ms. Philbrick-Wheaton agreed that everything is running smoothly. Ms. Philbrick-Wheaton asked about the fourteen Section 8 tenants. She wanted to know about the applications and units. Mr. Padernacht said three are ready and two are being updated. Ms. Battalia and Mr. Altieri talked the prospective candidates. He said he and Maria had two candidates who did not respond and were given a deadline to submit documents. He also discussed reaching out to another organization to market the apartments. Page 1 of 3 Housing Authority January 8, 2024 Mr. Thaul asked about the priority of candidates, a regular vs. Section 8 tenant. Mr. Altieri said the market rate units would be given priority, if all Section 8 spots were filled. 2. Report of Proposals - Landscape Design Consultant Ms. Deshpande reviewed the proposals for the landscape project with the Housing Authority. She reached out to Aspect 120 and David McConnell at Habitat. Ms. Deshpande said Mr. McConnell worked for NYC and she met with him at the job site, where he addressed the maintenance of existing trees. She wants plants and grass that are low maintenance. Proposals were similar in price. Ms. Deshpande said that Mr. McConnell provided an actual guide and Aspect 120 said they would take 8 hours to review the maintenance of the plantings. Ms. Battalia liked that Aspect 120 provided more specifics. Mr. Altieri said there was a difference in how each contractor would give construction support. He also said Mr. McConnell is familiar with municipal bidding. Ms. Deshpande said she is leaning toward Mr. McConnell because he worked in both the private and public sector. Mr. Thaul asked about the maintenance of the project. Ms. Deshpande said that she asked both for a guide for future maintenance of the plantings. Mr. Altieri then discussed securing a 1 year warranty on the plantings. Ms. Deshpande and Mr. Thaul talked about the backgrounds of each contractor. Ms. Battalia and Mr. Altieri discussed the amount of money the board would spend. Councilwoman Nichinsky suggested reaching out to the Town about getting some trees from a recently award donation. The Housing Authority agreed that it would be a good idea and discussed how to proceed. Ms. Deshpande and Mr. Thaul discussed the size of the project. Moved by Board Member Battalia, seconded by Board Member Mileto Resolved that The Mamaroneck Housing Authority does hereby agree to proceed in the engagement of Habitat in accordance with their proposal, Be it further... Resolved that the Mamaroneck Housing Authority does hereby authorize the Chairman to sign and execute the agreement. Carried 3. Dangerous Tree Ms. Battalia and Mr. Padernacht talked about an incident where a tree fell on a resident's car. Mr. Padernacht is having an arborist come to inspect trees at the complex. Councilwoman Nichinsky reviewed the tree law with the Housing Authority. She said trees deemed hazardous can be taken down. Mr. Padernacht said they are also going to prune, and the incident was reported to the insurance company. Ms. Battalia said that Chris tried to follow up with the owner of the IHop, who owns the tree but it is in the wheel house of Mr. Di Bari. Mr. Di Bari and Mr. Padernacht discussed whose insurance was used to cover the claim. 4. Authorization - Retainer Agreement- Financial Auditors Mr. Altieri discussed the retainer agreement. He said it is a standard agreement, but there were two items of note. One was that the Housing Authority could not fully release financial documents in a FOIL, it was changed, but the Housing Authority would have to get permission to include their name in a document. Mr. Altieri said the other issue was being locked into the contract for 5 years. He was able to get that number down to a three years contract with two optional years. Mr. Altieri recommended adopting the agreement for 2023, 2024, 2025, and two optional years. Page 2 of 3 Housing Authority January 8, 2024 Ms. Philbrick-Wheaton asked about having a qualified opinion on the audit. She said that the audit should have picked up on the discrepancies from the old management company. Ms. Battalia said they did a small audit when the Housing Authority transferred management company. The Housing Authority discussed whose responsibility is was to oversee the financials. Ms. Philbrick-Wheaton stated her concern that they did not find issues that have arisen from the management company transfer. Ms. Battalia and Mr. Padernacht discussed the financial discrepancies. He said the biggest discrepancy was that tenants were not properly charged for a security deposit. Mr. Padernacht said the auditors were fine when they audited last year and did a thorough job. The asset manager is responsible for the management of funds. Moved by Board Member Battalia, seconded by Board Member Thaul Resolved that the Mamaroneck Housing Authority does hereby approve the agreement with PFK O'Connor Davies. Be it further... Resolved that the Mamaroneck Housing Authority does hereby authorize the Chairman to sign and execute the agreement. Carried 5. Update on Window/Deck Construction Project Mr. Altieri updated the Housing Authority on the window/deck project. He said the project is substantially complete. All windows except two units have been completed. Mr. Altieri said there is a punch list to complete; window lifts are going to be installed, as per a change order. The project should be closed out by the end of the month. Mr. Altieri said three units experienced leaking, one needed the stripping replaced and the other two needed new caulking. Ms. Deshpande asked about the 10k left over in the budget for grass. Mr. Altieri said he is going to suggest relinquishing Vinco from that portion of the contract and move the money to the landscaping project. Mr. Thaul, Mr. Altieri, and Mr. Padernacht discussed the final payment to Vinco. Ms. Battalia and Mr. Altieri talked about permits with the Building Department. He said the permits will be closed. 6. Consideration of Executive Session Moved by Board Member Battalia, seconded by Board Member Philbrick-Wheaton Resolved that the Mamaroneck Housing Authority does hereby agree to enter into Executive Session to discuss pending and potential litigation. Carried Moved by Board Member Battalia, seconded by Board Member Philbrick-Wheaton Resolved that the Mamaroneck Housing Authority does hereby agree to exit Executive Session. Carried 7. Adjournment The meeting was adjourned at 9:44pm. Next Regularly Scheduled Meeting - February 5, 2024 Page 3 of 3