HomeMy WebLinkAboutAffordable Housing Trust Fund Minutes - November 15, 2010_201402060923415641Draft Minutes
Affordable Housing Trust Fund – AHTF
___________________________________
Regular Meeting
Monday November 15, 2010
3:00 P.M.
Conference Room
2 Fairgrounds Road
Trustees Present: Charles Hughes, Whitey Willauer, Rick Atherton (departed at 4:20),
Fernando Esteban, Michael Kopko, Matt MacEachern, Linda Williams
Trustees Absent: Brian Chadwick, Patty Roggeveen
Staff present: Andrew Vorce (departed 4:23), Susan B. Witte
Public present: Chip Webster, Carol Dutton
I. Call to Order meeting called to order at 3:05 pm
II. Establish Quorum Mr. MacEachern declared a quorum
III. Approval of Agenda Unanimous approval of agenda
IV. Approval of Minutes Motion made by Mr. Atherton and seconded by Mr. Kopko to
defer the approval of the September 20, 2010 meeting until the
next meeting, the vote carried 7-0
V. Public Comment
VI. Action/Discussion
1. New Business:
a. Potential house move from 12 Greenleaf- donation and associated
expenses in discussion with owner/attorney Motion made by Mr.
Kopko and seconded by Linda Williams to take no action at this time
the vote carried 7-0
b. Housing Planner/Specialist employment anniversary salary
adjustment – Motion made by Ms. Williams and seconded by Mr.
Esteban to authorize and approve the standard step increase of Ms.
Witte’s salary retro active to her anniversary date of September 26, 2010
2. Old Business:
a. CPC FY 2012 application update
Ms Witte reported that at the 10-26-10 CPC meeting the CPC
decided by 4-4 tie not to recommend the AHTF request for funding for
FY 2012. General discussion ensued. Mr.Estenban inquired “can we ask
the CPC why the AHTF was not funded this year”; Mr. Kopko said the
FY12 application provided as much detail regarding projects as is
possible considering the AHTF is to be responsive and flexible in its
affordable housing initiatives, the CPC seems not to understand the
nature of the AHTF. Mr. MacEachern requested to see a copy of the
other housing applications for FY 12, he will read through them and
report back to the AHTF. Mr Kopko, who also is a CPC member
offered to allow Mr. MacEachern his copies to read. Ms. Williams, also
on the CPC stated” there is limited funding”” not everyone who applies
can be chosen”,” no one applicant is entitled”. Ms. Williams stated the
major objection to awarding the AHTF money this year seemed to be
the general feeling by the four who voted against the AHTF is that the
salary of the Housing Specialist is an expense of the AHTF, further
explaining CPC who voted against the Housing Planner/Specialist
position over the past three years and their attitude remains unchanged
that administrative salary position should not be funded, despite the
reality there is a need for a staff person to work singularly on
affordable housing issues, “you have to have a paid staff”. Mr.
MacEachern asked the question “is the AHTF viable with out paid
staff”. Mr. Kopko said the Board of selectmen doesn’t wish to see the
AHTF not have staff. He believes with out staff, programs will be
slower getting off the ground and take much longer to complete. Mr.
MacEachern stated we need to move forward with alternatives beside
the CPC for funding. Mr. Vorce states there are other albeit highly
speculative sources of funds for AHTF programs for FY12. Ms.
Williams reminded that Ms. Witte was instrumental in securing a large
donation to the AHTF from an anonymous donor in the six figure
range.
Mr. Kopko suggests that the AHTF write a letter to the Chairman of
CPC indicating our “disappointment we were not selected for funding
indicating they gave us money last year we got part way through a
project and were choked off this year, all of today’s comments and
arguments for funding the AHTF should be made”. Mr. MacEachern
agreed to draft such a letter; yet cautioned that the 9/10/10 letter he
wrote by direction of the AHTF as both an apology and a thank you –
the feed back from CPC staff was that the letter was a slap in the face.
Mr. Kopko stated we cannot be responsible for the “hot house
flowers” on the CPC- but I do think we should make our opinion
perfectly clear. Ms. Williams concluded the CPC does not fully
understand the AHTF’s role.
b. CPC –AHTF Grant Agreement- progress report by Chairman
Mr. MacEachern reported that he contacted Mr. Beaugrand by
email and by phone to request a meeting, although Mr. Beaugrand has
not returned the inquiry to meet. Ms. Witte stated in early November
the AHTF was assigned Maria Zodda as a project representative from
CPC, this person is our contact on the CPC. Mr. Kopko called to the
attention fellow members of the AHTF that Ms. Zodda (sitting as the
Park and Recreation member of the CPC) voted against funding the
AHTF initiatives for FY 2012 and feels our project representative is not
supportive of the AHTF.
Mr. Hughes stated he sympathizes with our representative and that we
shouldn’t be coming to the CPC every year on bended knee asking for
money and that the Housing Planner position should be funded by the
Town.
c. ATM 2011 potential warrant articles relative to affordable housing-
discuss and decide.
Ms Witte stated that at prior meetings the suggestion to amend
the Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the AHTF to allow for more
flexibility in programmatic funding (e.g. accessory unit development,
Universal Deed Riders) to strike the word(s) in perpetuity from Section 2.
Purpose of said Declaration of Trust and Bylaws had been discussed as a
task to accomplish at upcoming ATM April 2011. Motion by Mr. Esteban
to table to next meeting, seconded by Mr. Kopko, vote carried 7-0.
d. House move from 30 Easton- progress report
Chairman MacEachern reported that we were successful in
getting the house sections moved off the property within the timeframe
before 10/5/10 necessary to secure a One hundred and twenty
thousand dollar ($120,000) donation from the owner. Then there was a
hustle to obtain the move-on permit. At the 11th hour we were told that
there were site permitting issues within the parcel- there were issues
with Natural Heritage permits for the public safety facility that are
outstanding, and that the site could not be used by the AHTF. Mr.
Kopko asked: “who gave you the opinion the site could not be
utilized”? Mr. Vorce clarified the BOS granted the authority to use the
property with the condition there Natural Heritage permit was resolved
and it is not yet resolved and its looking like it wont be resolved in a
time frame necessary to use the property- A private person has stepped
forward and could take the structure off our hands rather that the
alternative which is to take it to the land fill.
Chairman MacEachern stated Ms. Witte did a lot of work to get it to
moved to the site’ the AHTF did not drop the ball but there were
forces due to larger issues beyond our control and the site is not
available to the AHTF.
Mr. Webster spoke and said for timing sake he did apply and he has
received HDC approval to move the structure to his lot at 144 Surfside
Rd.
Mr. Kopko asked whose job is it to comply with the Natural Heritage
permit. The reply by Mr. Vorce was Town Administration and the
construction manager of the Public Safety Facility (PSF).
Mr. Hughes raised the issue that as an abutter to the PSF he has never
been noticed regarding any building permits of any kind and neither
have the abutter to the housing portion of Ticcoma ever been noticed
concerning the Town’s intentions with those properties. Ms Witte
explained the “catch 22” that the regulation is specific and the official
abutter list is derived from the Assessors Office records and the entire 2
FGR parcel remains described as the same map and parcel lots as
existed when it was owned by the electric Company prior to 7/30/2004
when the Town purchased the acreage which results in the Town being
its own abutter. Mr. Hughes stated he thinks this is”wrong not to
expand the requirement and notify neighbors who will be directly
affected regardless of what the official policies and regulations are.” Ms.
Williams said in all fairness the regulations are wrong and in future a
perimeter should be drawn around any parcel and all neigh ors get
notified.
(Mr. Atherton departed the meeting for a prior appointment)
Chairman MacEachern and Mr. Vorce then reminded that the staff is
not prepared to move forward with the 30 Easton project as there is no
land to place it on as we envisioned it- the issue right now is whether or
not to release the house structures from the AHTF and offer it to Mr.
Webster at this point and we are happy he has stepped forward.
Mr. Willauer asked “if we release the house to Mr. Webster how much
of the $120,000. remains? Ms. Witte responded that of the $120,000.
only $60,000. was specified by the donor to be used for expenses of the
30 Easton Street house move project.
Motion made by Mr. Kopko and duly seconded by Ms. Williams
to authorize staff to release 30 Easton Street to Mr. Chip Webster for
his use and for staff to negotiate financial terms and conditions and for
the Chairman to sign said release. The vote was unanimous 6-0.
(Mr. Vorce also departed the meeting for a prior appointment).
e. 7 Surfside Rd –
Ms Witte reported a building permit has been issued to demo the
superfluous kennel pad/exiting slab and the shed (shed sits in the set
back) proposal to perform the tasks have been solicited and the work
will commence shortly for a price of around $2,000. Chairman
MacEachern recommends we push forward to develop at least two
more properties on the site and think about how excellent it would be
for single occupant teacher housing. Ms. Williams disagrees teacher
housing should be a focus; Mr. Hughes wants to add healthcare
workers to the priority list. Mr. Kopko says his opinion is we shouldn’t
limit ourselves to who occupies the property (s) at 7 Surfside, teachers,
healthcare workers, single people, bartenders, everybody, etc. All agree
that it will beneficial to work with other housing providers on island to
develop ideas for the property.
f. Calendar for 2011 meetings-
Motion by Ms Williams and seconded by Mr. Kopko to defer to next
meeting vote 6-0 in favor - motion carried.
VII. Other Business
Chairman MacEachern reported that over the past many weeks he met
twice with the Chairman and other board members of the 501-c3 NHA
Properties, Inc dba Housing Nantucket (HoNan) regarding a prior charge
from the AHTF on a unanimous motion suggested by Mr. Atherton to
discuss with HoNan the idea of a merger with the AHTF. Initially their
Chairman was open to the idea as they were at a crossroads
organizationally and there was some sentiment both organizations were
doing the same thing. “I have since been told they are not interested in a
merger- specifically they don’t want to have to deal with Town, State, and
Federal requirements regarding procurement and job bidding”. Chairman
MacEachern believes that procurement requirement is not necessarily an
onerous requirement and it’s important to send expense expenditures out
to bid and choose the best from several bids. The issue of a merger is now
concluded HoNan was not interested.
VIII. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn made by Ms Williams and seconded by Mr. Esteban
vote 6-0 in favor at 4:35
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________
The Mission of the Trust is to provide for the creation and presentation of affordable housing in the
Town of Nantucket for the benefit of year-round low and moderate income households who would
otherwise have difficulty, financial or otherwise, locating housing on Nantucket. These are posted as Open
Meetings held at 3 o’clock pm in the 2 Fairgrounds Road Conference Room on the following dates:
February 8, 2010; March 25, 2010; June 14, 2010; September 20, 2010; November 15, 2010;
December 13, 2010