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Board roundup: officer elections, financials approved, UMass partnership, SGAR committee and tenant MOUs discussed
Summary
At its March 16 meeting the NHA re-elected Patricia Healey as chair, approved second-quarter financials, authorized exploration with UMass Isenberg for resident needs data, established an ad hoc SGAR review committee, approved an electrical change order and advanced work on standard tenant-association MOUs.
The Northampton Housing Authority board covered a range of routine and substantive items on March 16, including officer elections, financial approvals, capital change orders and several policy-direction motions.
Elections and annual business: At the annual meeting Patricia (Patty) Healey was confirmed to continue as chair; Joella Tarbutton Springfield was elected vice chair and Jim Nash was elected treasurer. The annual meeting then adjourned and the regular meeting convened.
Financials: The board reviewed consolidated second-quarter financials prepared by fee accountant Michael Cain. Cain said the state-funded 400-1 program’s operating reserve is estimated around 80% (the minimum reserve is 35%). The federal program (26-1/26-2) showed roughly $116,000 under budget at December. After commissioner questions about formatting and requests for percentage columns, the board voted to accept the December financials by roll call.
Capital and projects: The board approved a change order for electrical-panel replacement at McDonald House to remove unsafe Federal Pacific panels. Staff warned the work is phased and may take time; the project covers about 60 units and was described as a capital fund expense.
Research partnership and pest committee: Commissioners authorized staff to pursue assistance from UMass Isenberg School (not the School of Public Health) to organize resident needs data to support future grant writing and environmental projects, with confidentiality protections for any resident-level information. The board also established an ad hoc committee to research second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide (SGAR) use and alternatives, with plans to invite Mass Audubon and other experts for community education and technical guidance.
Tenant organizations and MOUs: Staff reported on multiple tenant LTO memorandums of understanding submitted last year and described a plan to prepare uniform state and federal MOU templates consistent with 760 CMR 6.093. Staff will meet with LTO leaders and return a consolidated, edited draft to the board for approval next month.
Public concerns: Forestdale residents passed a resolution urging explanation and reversal of a claimed suspension of intra-authority transfers; Acting ED Sharon Kimball disputed the claim and said transfers now require executive director approval and reasonable accommodations continue to be honored. Cahill LTO representatives raised concerns about building cleanliness and pesticide use and asked staff to address maintenance and sanitation issues.
What’s next: The board set its next meeting for Monday, April 27 to avoid holiday conflicts and will continue the executive director search process while receiving regular updates on the peer-to-peer support MOU’s implementation.
