November 10, 2022 Meeting Minutes
Minutes of Meeting
A Public Hearing and Meeting of the Norwalk Housing Authority Board of Commissioners was held at 5:30PM November 10, 2022.
LOCATION: Zoom Video Conference
PRESENT: Jeffery A. Ingraham, Chair
Brenda Penn-Williams, Vice Chair
Liza Bermúdez-Montgomery, Treasurer
Rahoul Dupervil, Commissioner
ABSENT: John Church, Commissioner
STAFF ATTENDING: Adam Bovilsky, Executive Director
Kras Carlucci, Deputy Director
Joe Cardone, Director of Finance
Anna Keegan, Director of Housing Operations
Wendy Gerbier, Director of Learning Centers
Greg Lickwola, Director of Modernization
Nicole Ruffin, Director of Human Resources
Lisa Endo, Director of Development Project Manager
Leroy Fender, Director of Maintenance
Linda Rolle, Director of Grants and Development
Donna Lattarulo, General Counsel
Teri Robertson, Consultant, Nan McKay
Attorney Tony Corleto, Gordon & Rees
Chairman Ingraham opened the meeting via Zoom and recognized Vice Chair Brenda Penn-Williams and Commissioner Rahoul Dupervil as present. Chairman Ingraham acknowledged the existence of a quorum and noted Treasurer Liza Bermúdez-Montgomery would be arriving shortly. He then turned the meeting over to Adam Bovilsky who noted that a Public Hearing will be held during this meeting.
Report of the Secretary:
• Mr. Bovilsky shared a presentation featuring:
- Learning Center celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, a Halloween "Trunk of Treat" event, the Norwalk Housing Authority new initiatives around recycling and composting at Leroy Down and Irving Freese, and photos of recently renovated Seaview kitchen and bathrooms.
• Mr. Bovilsky referenced dates of upcoming meetings -December 8, 2022 @5:30pm and January 12, 2023 @5:30pm.
At 5:43 Commissioner Liza Bermúdez-Montgomery joined the meeting.
Mr. Bovilsky requested that Commissioners make a motion to adjourn into Executive Session to discuss pending litigation.
Chairman Ingraham moved to go into Executive Session to discuss pending litigation. Commissioner Liza Bermúdez-Montgomery seconded the motion.
AYES
Commissioner Ingraham
Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery
Commissioner Brenda Penn-Williams
Motion passed.
Commissioner Dupervil refrained from voting. He requested recording of the Executive Session.
At 5:54 Commissioners adjourned to the Executive Session.
At 6:23 Commissioner Penn-Williams moved to exit the Executive Session.
Commissioner Liza Bermúdez-Montgomery seconded the motion.
Vote was unanimous.
No action was taken in Executive Session.
Attorney Tony Corleto left the meeting.
At 6:26 Chairman Ingraham opened the Public Hearing for Public Comment regarding the Norwalk Housing Authority (NHA) 2023 Annual Plan. This Annual Plan includes both ACOP and Administrative changes.
At 6:27 As there were no public comments Chairman Ingraham moved to close the Public Comment portion of the meeting. All Commissioners were in favor.
New Business:
18-79 Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery moved to accept:
a. 2023 Norwalk Housing PHA Plan to include Admissions and Continued Occupancy Plan (ACOP) and Administrative Plan Changes.
Commissioner Brenda Penn-Williams seconded the motion.
Teri Robertson stated that one of the changes presented in the 2023 Annual Plan was to streamline the income reporting process thus reducing paperwork required by both the resident and the agency (NHA) staff.
AYES
Commissioner Ingraham
Commissioner Brenda Penn-Williams
Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery
Commissioner Dupervil
Motion was carried.
At 6:49 Terri Robertson left the meeting.
Mr. Bovilsky turned the meeting over to Lisa Endo. Ms. Endo requested that the Commissioners approve a loan of up to $3,000,000 by Norwalk Housing to Colonial Village Phase II. After all sources of funding are considered, this loan would close any financing shortfall for the construction of this new development.
18-80 Commissioner Dupervil moved to:
b. Allow Norwalk Housing Authority to loan up to $3,000,000 to Colonial Village Phase II
Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery seconded the motion.
Lisa Endo stated the precise loan amount will depend upon the Department of Housing funding awarded to this project. This funding should be announced in February or March of 2023. Groundbreaking should begin sometime in June 2023. Commissioners discussed the structure, and repayment of this loan.
AYES
Commissioner Ingraham
Commissioner Penn-Williams
Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery
Commissioner Dupervil
All in favor by show of hands. Motion was carried.
18-81 Commissioner Dupervil moved to approve:
c. Irvin Clemons, Director of Information Technology, to enroll in MIT's 24-week Cybersecurity Certification at a cost of $6,630.
Commissioner Brenda Penn-Williams seconded the motion.
Mr. Bovilsky stated that as cyber-security threats are increasing in number and Norwalk Housing recently experienced what was thought to be a cyber threat, this training will benefit the agency.
AYES
Commissioner Ingraham
Commissioner Penn-Williams
Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery
Commissioner Dupervil
All in favor by show of hands. Motion was carried.
18-82 Commissioner Penn-Williams move to approve:
d. Minutes of the Meeting of October 13, 2022
Commissioner Dupervil seconded the motion.
AYES
Commissioner Ingraham
Commissioner Penn-Williams
Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery
Commissioner Dupervil
All in favor by show of hands. Motion was carried.
Mr. Bovilsky called for of approval of Department Report items i.-vi.
Mr. Bovilsky stated item vii. - HUD Final Choice Neighborhoods (CNI) Report - October 2022 was for informational purposes only. This is one of the final steps required by HUD to close the CNI grant. The final step will be an audit.
18-83 Commissioner Brenda Penn-Williams moved to approve:
e. Department Reports items i.-vi.
Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery seconded the motion.
AYES
Commissioner Ingraham
Commissioner Penn-Williams
Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery
Commissioner Dupervil
All in favor by show of hands. Motion was carried.
Anna Keegan, Leroy Fender, Nicole Ruffin, Greg Lickwola and Wendy Gerbier left the Meeting.
Adam Bovilsky requested that Commissioners add an Executive session item regarding real estate acquisition to the agenda
At 7:04pm
18-84 Commissioner Brenda Penn-Williams moved to go into Executive Session to discuss real estate acquisition. Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery seconded the motion. All in favor. The Commissioners moved into Executive Session.
At 7:34pm
Commissioner Brenda Penn-Williams made a motion to return to the Regular Session. Commissioner Dupervil seconded the motion. All in favor. The Commissioners returned to the Regular Session
18-85 Commissioner Brenda Penn-Williams made a motion to authorize the NHA to make a purchase option offer for a real estate a purchase including a set price limit for this purchase as stated in Executive Session. Commissioner Liza Bermúdez-Montgomery seconded the motion. All in favor. The motion carried.
Lisa Endo left the meeting. Linda Rolle moved into a breakout session.
Adam Bovilsky turned the meeting over to Donna Lattarulo. Donna Lattarulo stated the next portion of the meeting would be an Executive Session to discuss the Executive Directors contract.
18-86 Commissioner Dupervil made a motion to move into Executive Session to discuss the Executive Directors contract. Commissioner Liza Bermúdez- Montgomery seconded the motion. All in Favor. The motion carried.
At 8:05pm
Commissioner Dupervil moved to move out of the Executive Session. Commissioner Liza Bermúdez- Montgomery seconded the motion. All in favor.
Commissioners moved into Regular Session
At 8:07pm
18-87 Commissioner Brenda Penn-Williams moved to:
Increase the annual salary of Adam Bovilsky, Executive Director, by 6% retroactive to July 1, 2022.
Commissioner Dupervil seconded the motion.
AYES
Commissioner Ingraham
Commissioner Penn-Williams
Commissioner Bermúdez-Montgomery
Commissioner Dupervil
All in favor by show of hands. Motion was carried.
At 8:10pm
The meeting adjourned.
Respectfully Submitted,
___________________________
Adam Bovilsky
Executive Director