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News/Events - Meeting Minutes

Call to Order: 5:02 PM

Present: Michael Collins
Maryanne Lewis
John Zigouras
Patricia Butler
Stephen Coulter

Absent:
Also Present: Kathy DeMarsh, Executive Director and Secretary to the Board;
Rob Garrett, Maintenance Supervisor; Colin McNiece, Scituate Economic Development Committee; Florence Choate, Director of the Scituate Council on Aging; Jennifer Sullivan, Director of the Scituate Board of Health; Mark Thompson, Scituate Police Department; Deputy Chief John Murphy, Scituate Fire Department

Bills and Communications

At last month’s meeting, Rich Conlon, Fee Accountant presented a Compilation Letter to the Board of Commissioners, stating the terms and objectives of services rendered under the accounting contract. Receipt and approval of the letter was tabled for further review to the December meeting.

On a motion by John Zigouras, seconded by Michael Collins, it was unanimously
Voted: To acknowledge receipt and accept the Compilation Letter from Fee Accountant, Rich Conlon
Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Abstained: 0

On a motion by Stephen Coulter, seconded by Michael Collins, it was unanimously
Voted: To approve the October 11, 2011 Meeting Minutes as written
Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstained: 0

On a motion by Stephen Coulter, seconded by Michael Collins, it was unanimously
Voted: To acknowledge receipt of the Maintenance Report of October-November 8, 2011
Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstained: 0

On a motion by John Zigouras, seconded by Stephen Coulter, it was unanimously
Voted: To acknowledge receipt of the Reconciliation Reports for
October 2011
Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstained: 0

The Monthly Financial Reports were tabled to the next meeting pending clarification on
questions referencing Compensated Absences and GASB 45.

On a motion by John Zigouras, seconded by Stephen Coulter, it was unanimously
Voted: To acknowledge receipt of the Director’s Report for
October-November 8, 2011
Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstained: 0

On a motion by John Zigouras, seconded by Stephen Coulter, it was
Voted: To set the time of meeting for the Scituate Housing Authority at 5:00PM from this date forward
Ayes: 4 Nays: 0 Abstained: 1

The Board was informed that the Executive Director had been contacted by
Kim Donovan of the Selectman’s Office to forward the name of a Board member to be
appointed to the CPC to represent the Scituate Housing Authority, as the current
representative’s term had expired. Discussion ensued and the Director was asked to
forward the correspondence to Maryanne Lewis for her review and she would contact
them directly.

The Executive Director provided the Board of Commissioners with a letter received from the Department of Housing and Community Development addressing the Chelsea Housing Authority and the misrepresentation to DHCD of the full salary of its Executive Director.
As a result, Housing Authority Boards have been asked to sign a Budget Certification for Program 400-1, executed by the Board and Executive Director for the current fiscal year Budget and a Salary Certification for the Executive Director’s contract.
A review of the letter and certification pages led to discussion by the Commissioners. There was concern voiced about the wording in the certifications and the liability to each member personally. After careful consideration and slight modification to the wording, a vote was taken.

On a motion by John Zigouras, seconded by Stephen Coulter, it was
Voted: To acknowledge receipt and approve the Budget Certification and Salary Certification pages as amended Ayes: 4 Nays: 1 Abstained: 0

Old Business
Driftway Property-
Susan Connelly, Director of Community Housing Initiatives for Massachusetts Housing Partnership was to have presented a plan to the Scituate Housing Authority by the November meeting. When contacted she indicated that she would have it ready in about a week and a half. Discussion was tabled until Ms. Connelly provides her plan.

New Business
Colin McNiece, Member of the Economic Development Commission for the Town of Scituate Planning Board had requested to attend the meeting to discuss the Driftway property. Mr. McNiece informed the members that there is a list of land parcels in the Town being looked at by the Economic Development Committee. One of the parcels being the 7 acre parcel on the Driftway that belongs to the Scituate Housing Authority and to date is not being used.
The main objective of Mr. McNiece attending this meeting was to reach out to the Board of Commissioners and to begin a dialogue on possibilities for the development of the land. Mr. McNiece provided a brief background of himself, including that he is a public financer, formerly the Chief Financial Officer for the city of Lowell. He suggested that he would like to coordinate and cooperate with the Scituate Housing Authority in sharing information about the Driftway property. Discussion pointed to the preference for clustered home ownership. The Chairperson indicated that the Scituate Housing Authority is working with MPH to develop a plan for 30 single family homes and that we are waiting for their recommendations to come back to the Housing Authority. Mr. McNiece requested that he receive a copy when it is presented.

Scituate Housing Authority Emergency Plan
The Executive Director was advised by the Board of Commissioners to organize at this meeting, several agencies of the community to discuss forming an Emergency Plan for the Scituate Housing Authority and to ask for their input on what they would like to see included in the Plan in order to provide assistance to those who need it in the event of an emergency.
Invited guests included State Representative Jim Cantwell; Scituate Chief of Police
Brian Stuart; Scituate Fire Deputy Chief John Murphy; Director of the Scituate Council on Aging, Florence Choate; and Director of the Scituate Board of Health, Jennifer Sullivan. Unable to attend were Representative Cantwell and Chief Stuart, however Mark Thompson was there representing the Scituate Police Department.
A productive discussion resulted in several important points summarized below:

Generators in Community Rooms at Lincoln Park, Wheeler Park I and Wheeler Park II
Evaluating a larger or newer generator at Central Park to increase the power load and to accommodate residents from Lincoln Park and Wheeler Parks if necessary
Emergency Form indicating specific needs of residents in the event of an emergency and developing from this a priority list of those needing assistance and share information with the Fire Department and the Council on Aging
Organizing other residents to help those needing assistance – (a list of floor managers for each section of the building at Central Park) and one from each building at other parks who would meet the Fire Dept. at the door to inform them of priority 1 residents
Resources in each Community Room (3-4 day supply of nonperishables; supply of LED flashlights) and volunteers to help in their respective parks’ shelter
Reverse 911, include cell phone numbers if residents have them, to communicate with residents during a power outage
Get residents involved in Emergency Preparedness by doing their part
(Emergency Numbers, check on each other, prepare emergency supply bag, flashlights or lightsticks)

Shelter in place for 2-3 days of power outage-if need occurs to move residents to Town Shelter (High School) the Council on Aging vans would provide transportation

In light of the concern voiced for the residents in the second floor units at Central Park, the Board of Commissioners established the following placement policy.

O a motion by Maryanne Lewis, seconded by Stephen Coulter, it was unanimously
Voted: Effective immediately, it is the policy of the Scituate Housing Authority that any applicant who is not ambulatory and able to access the second floor units by using the stairs will be eligible for placement in a first floor unit only.

On a motion by Maryanne Lewis, seconded by Stephen Coulter, it was unanimously
Voted: To adjourn the meeting, the time being 7:20PM
Ayes: 5 Nays: 0 Abstained: 0

(Seal) ___________________________________
Kathy J. DeMarsh, Secretary