HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-1-2008 CHA MINUTESCaldwell Housing Authority
Minutes of "Regular" Meeting
July 1, 2008
Board Members Present:
Estella Zamora, Patricia Benedict, Dana Schuck, Sid Freeman, Andy Rodriguez
Staff Present: Mike Dittenber, Ayde Cortina
Members Absent: Jim Blacker
Guests: Leslie Carlisle
Locations: Acapulco Mexican Restaurant
In order of business:
Roll call and call to order
Estella called the meeting to order at
Review of May minutes
Estella asked if everyone had an opportunity to review the minutes.
Estella asked if there was a motion to approve the minutes: Motion made by Dana,
seconded by Patricia, and minutes were approved.
Financial Report
Ayde reported on the end of May financials. Ayde and Mike explained the process of
how CHA applies late fees to the tenant accounts that are behind on their rent payments.
Mike explained the two reports on the Housing Authority General Statement of Financial
Situation and the Housing Authority Budget Status. Mike informed the board that the
numbers on the sheets will not coincide because Mike tries to capture a point and time
where Ayde is subtracting everything out. Mike picks a date and try's to capture the
information at that particular date where her records show subtracting the checks that
haven't cleared. Estella asked about the maintenance on the lawn care and how that
compares to what it was a couple of years ago. Mike explained that we do all the lawn
care internally now and he figured it would be easier to pay everyone 2 hours of overtime
a day during the week to catch up with the lawn mowing rather than to hire a full time
person to do it with benefits. When the contract came in for doing the lawn services it
came in between $35,000.00- $50,000.00 a year and right now we're probably spending
$18,000.00 a year in overtime. Mike stated that he thought we were killing two birds
with one stone since CHA was saving money and giving the employees the additional
hours for over -time. Estella commented that the report was really helpful and
understandable.
Estella asked if there were any questions on the financials. Estella asked if there was a
motion to approve the financials. Motion made by Sid, seconded by Dana, and financials
were unanimously approved by the board.
4. Directors Report
Mike turned the time over to Leslie Carlisle who is interning for CHA and collecting
information for the market study to ask IHFA & HUD to give CHA a waiver on the HUD
funded masonry units and have Rural Development to do something more permanent
about addressing the designation of the Housing Authority as low income multi - family
rather than farm labor. Leslie is working on the first component of the market study
which is the farming trend. Leslie reported on the data she had collected that was mostly
from agriculture and was collected about every 5 years so the latest data was from 2002
because the 2007 data won't be available until the beginning of next year. Leslie was
reporting on data from 1997- 2002 and even though significant are still b years old so the
percentages are probably a lot higher now.
Mike reported that CHA had a yard sale with the abandoned property the last weekend of
June and it was a great success with over $400.00 collected. CHA did everything legally
that was required by law to identify the owners of the items that were abandoned and
even put notice in the Press Tribune. The left over items were disposed in our
construction dumpster. Mike informed the board that one incident happened with a
tenant's items being sold by mistake because our record system was very poor and we are
working on making it better. Mike wants to offer her compensation in trade for rent or if
she wants cash we will ask her to itemize the items sold.
Mike let the board know that Delta Dental is coming to CHA July 2 and P and because
of the great response from the tenants we have them coming August 18 Eh thru the 20th.
Mike informed the board that CHA is not lacking applications and probably has as many
as three people per day that come in and say the masonry units are too small for them.
We have them take a key and go look at it first before we start the paper work.
Bailey and Company has all the information to complete CHA audit. Jared is on
vacations and he will complete it when he returns. The federal project that is funded with
federal funds has a 180 days from the date of the close of the budget to have there audit
information completed.
The law enforcement sheriff inmate detail will be at the CHA July 2n 8` and 9 th painting
the masonry units. CHA has not had any graffiti in two months, so we feel we are making
progress. We are slowly getting more tenants even though the masonry units still tend to
be an obstacle. Mike noticed there are a lot of illegal fireworks so Mike asked them to
light them in the street instead of near the housing units. Estella suggests having more
officers' patrol in the evenings.
Mike told the board the garden areas are amazing and almost every available garden spot
has been planted. CHA receives kind comments about the garden areas. Mike estimated
there is probably 3 -5 acres in gardens and when the fall comes there is some more areas
to make into garden area. Sid offered to haul in a load of fertilizer if needed.
Mike informed the board that a couple of windows were broken at the Head Start and
getting repaired. One of the evening classes using the Community Center is making a
mess in the bathrooms. Mike would like to ask the different organizations for a deposit to
use the Center that would be refunded when they are done using the Center. If someone
wants to rent the Center for a party we have to charge them for the maintenance to go
open and lock it up. If they open it during working hours we charge them $15.00 and if it
is after working hours we charge $30.00.
The store has sub - contracted with a taco vendor and he as been assigned as an agent to
the store. He brings a bright yellow taco wagon that is open from 11:00 in the morning
until 11:00 in the evening. The arrangements they have made with the store is they'll sale
food, but no drinks, ice cream or candy so all the drinks, ice cream and candy is sold out
of the store. CHA made sure everything was in place as far as the agreement and the
store will assume liability from the vendor as its agents so if anything happens we can go
back on the store. The store is behind approximately $2,600.00 in rent and Mike has
asked them to start catching up on the rent. Mike told the store he wanted the full
payment by July 3` or he will give them a 3 -day pay or quit. Mike's delir lea is that it's a
community amenity and the tenants need the convenience of having a store instead of
driving all the way into town with such high gas prices. Mike's inclination is that he can't
have people moving out because they don't have the convenience of the store.
Mike's waste water & drinking water classes are July 15` and 16 Then August 4` and
5th are pumps and motors classes and that is Mike's last required classes to take. The fire
hydrant at CHA was replaced and Mike would like to get a big decorate stone for that
corner to protect the hydrant from being hit again. Mike explained there is a small set
back in his quest for his water certification because the board of occupational licensing
said there are a lot of people who are good test takers that can read the manual and take
the test and they just felt that Mike hasn't had enough time on the job to receive his
certification. Mike will take his test July 23` for his license and if he passes then they
will give Mike his license next March, The drinking water chlorination is out of order for
a few days because of a clogged injector. Lawn mowing & maintenance is a priority and
roofs that need to be replaced. Mike met with IHFA regarding the de- obligation of the
remaining masonry units and we have been working with RD to close out the next budget
year.
Mike read the letter to the board that he wrote to HUD addressed to Doug Carlson &
Julie Williams in advance to the market study that is being performed for the board's
approval. Patricia moved to authorize the letter, seconded by Andy. Moved and
seconded. Estella asked if the board were all in favor to send the letter and allow Estella
to sign the letter. The board unanimously approved the letter.
Mike informed the board that Middleton's activity that is held on the 4 th of July was
kicking off and they wanted to ask if CHA would be willing to fund some of there prizes.
Mike told them he would ask the board if CHA could donate between $100.00 - $200.00
worth of prizes if they announce that the prize was funded by the CHA and attach a
business card for recognition to get CHA name out there.
Mike informed the board of the tenant Nadia Garcia that was evicted and she has
involved Graciela Fonseca from Health & Welfare to help her and they have made some
harsh complaints against the CHA. The judge did rule in CHA favor and when Mike was
out in the hallway he told Graciela he was disappointed that she had made those
accusations. Nadia was given every opportunity to come talk to us and she never
responded.
The children are using the soccer fields and while waiting to play they have been sitting
on the fence which is breaking down the fence, so Mike would like to put some benches
on the soccer field for the children to sit on.
Executive Session
Meeting adjourned