Westport News

Westport Affordable Housing Trust (AHT) Meeting

March 30, 2010 at Town Hall Annex

Present:

Members:

Chair Dianne Baron (DB), Catherine Williams (CW), Elaine Ostroff (EO), Craig Dutra (CD)

Alternate: Elizabeth Collins (EC)

Absent: Member Brian Corey, Jr. (BC) and Alternate Warren Messier (WM)

Acting Secretary: Betty Slade (BS)

The Chair, DB, called the meeting to order at 10:10. She appointed EC as a working alternate with right to vote in place of Brian Corey, Jr. who was absent.

1. Minutes

The minutes of 2/25/2010 had been approved in an earlier meeting. The words "first draft" should be changed to "Approved at Meeting on 3/4/2010".

The minutes of 3/4/2010, with a motion by CW and seconded by EO, were approved unanimously.

The minutes of 3/8/2010, after corrections to typographical errors, with a motion by EC and seconded by EO, were approved unanimously. DB abstained because she was absent from that meeting.

The minutes of 3/11/2010, with a motion by CD and seconded by EO, were approved unanimously.

The minutes of 3/18/2010 were amended to delete the words "had been" in the fourth line of point 2, to add the words "Citizens for Housing and Planning Association" before the initials CHAPA in the last line of point 6. In point 7, Noquochoke Village was underlined and a sentence added at the end of that point "No action was taken on any of these suggestions." EO moved, CW seconded and the amended minutes were approved unanimously. EC and CD abstained because they were absent from that meeting.

2. Warrant Article re: Change in Number of Trustees and other added language by Town Counsel.

Town Counsel reviewed the warrant article to change the number of trustees and suggested language for definition of a quorum. EO moved and CW seconded a motion to approve language suggested by Town Counsel. (Attachment 1.) EO announced that the Planning Board will have a public hearing on all planning articles and that would include this warrant article. The Public Hearing will be April 14, 2010 at 6:00 pm at the Annex. CD will confirm the co-sponsorship by the BOS for this article at an upcoming BOS meeting.

3. Noquochoke Village RFP Questions. CD had attended the discussion by the Housing Partnership Committee (HPC) and emphasized that Warren Messier's (WM) opinion on the issue of sale of the land was crucial. Elizabeth Collins (EC) agreed and it was decided to invite WM to the April 15th meeting of the HPC, or if he could not come, to ask for his written opinion in response to the questions prepared by Town Counsel. Town counsel Mark Reich., along with one of their real estate lawyers, Shirin Everett, 2

has been invited. Town Counsel states that the decision to sell or rent must be in the RFP. If to be sold, Town Meeting would have to approve that sale. A big issue is the timing. Nothing can be presented to Town Meeting this year. BS was asked to post a meeting for the AHT at the same time as that of HPC, on April 15, 2010 at 12 noon at Town Hall to address Town Counsel questions for the RFP.

4. Composition of the HPC. HPC has been unable to obtain a quorum for over a year. Two members, John Montano and Sean Leach were nominated by their boards when BOS decided that there should be representation from the Planning Board and the Board of Health. Neither is able to obtain. Only three members show up: Craig Dutra, Elizabeth Collins and Brian Corey, Jr. These persons are also members of the AHT. It was moved by EO and seconded by CW that the Board of Selectmen be asked to approve two separate boards comprised of the same members for a period of time to evaluate the functions of the two boards. The motion was approved unanimously. Meetings would be posted for the same time. Sean Leach and John Montano would be asked if they wished to remain as members or serve as consultants. Once attendance records were seen by the Board of Selectmen it will be clear that these two gentlemen had not been able to attend meetings.

5. Filing of Trust Agreement. DB noted that the cost for filing the trust document would be $75. Kathleen O'Donnell (KO), lawyer, informed DB her fees would be no more than$500. KO had reviewed the Trust document.

KO addressed the members in a conference call from 10:54 - 11:14 am. In summary, (a) the words "city of" should be removed from the document. (b) There is a need to finalize and file trust, but the filing should wait until after Town Meeting approval of number of trustees and their selection by the Board of Selectmen. (c) The decision as to the quorum could be made in rules and regulations, but since the Town Counsel suggested wording and it was acceptable to the AHT members, it was decided to put that into the language of the amended bylaw.(d) Two steps should be made after the amended bylaw and appointments: declaration of the Trust and Record Certificate of Trust at the Registry of Deeds, so that changes could be made without having to reregister the trust document. (e) Names of trustees must be on the Trust document. When changes are made to the members of the AHT, those names must be recorded at the Registry. (f) When the changes to the inclusionary zoning provide for fees and the fees go to the AHT, then special arrangements need to be set up. For now the Town Treasurer can handle financial AHT matters. (g) An RFP for a Housing Consultant is necessary. (h) A quorum as stated by Town Counsel for the amended Trust bylaw states that a majority of appointed members serves as quorum. (i) KO will send an engagement letter to the AHT chair.

BS is asked to send the Warrant article, Draft Action Plan and AHT submission to CPC to KO.

EC departs from meeting at 11:13 am.

6. Sample RFP for Housing Consultant (Town of Medway ). See Attachment 2. DB notes that she thinks the sample RFP is very helpful. Discussion as to timing ensued. CD moved and CW seconded a motion to modify the time frame suggested at the March 18, 2010 meeting for consideration of applications. EO would bring in a proposal and timeline for the process of publicizing the RFP which would specify deliverables among other things. The motion passed unanimously.

7. CPC Public Hearing on 4/8/2010. It was agreed that DB will present a short summary of the proposal by the AHT for CPA funding at the Hearing. Members would be ready to answer questions which might arise. 3

8. BC composed a draft letter to the Conservation Commission. The members agreed to review the letter and wait until the next meeting to decide the next course of action. Attachment 3.

9. Habitat for Humanity. CW will meet with the Habitat officials in Fall River before next meeting. She will inform them of the existence of the AHT and the interest in possible collaboration. EO emphasized that the first pilot project should be kept simple, i.e., a single family house. This was agreeable to the members. CW was asked to learn more about what Habitat expected from the Town, particularly about how ownership of the property is determined.

10. Next meetings. Meetings were scheduled for Thursday, 4/29/2010 at 11:30 am at the Annex and for Thursday, 5/13/2010 at 11:30 am at the Annex. A meeting for 3/15/2010 at 12 noon at Town Hall will be posted along with that of the HPC. BS will post meetings.

11. CW moved, EO seconded a motion to adjourn at 11:45 am. The vote was unanimous.

Respectfully submitted,

Betty Slade, Acting Secretary

Attachment 1. Town Counsel recommended language for Warrant Article

Attachment 2. Sample RFP for Housing Consultant for Medway

Attachment 3. Draft Letter to Conservation Commission