Westport News

Westport Affordable Housing Trust

Westport Housing Partnership Committee

Final Minutes                     approved June 23, 2011

June 8, 2011

Present:  Catherine Williams, Acting Chair (CW), Warren Messier (WM), Elizabeth Collins (EC), Elaine Ostroff (EO),  Brian Corey, Jr. (BC) arrived at 1:20 pm.

Absent:  Dianne Baron, resigned; Craig Dutra

Others present:  Leonardi Aray (LA), Housing Specialist, Betty Slade (BS), acting clerk

CW called the meeting to order at 12:19 pm.

EO moved, WM seconded a motion to approve the minutes of May 18, 2011 as amended.  It was carried unanimously.

EC moved, EO seconded a motion to approve the minutes of May 26, 2011.  It was carried unanimously with one abstention due to absence at the meeting by WM.

CW asked if the attendance records had been given to the Selectmen.  BS stated she had sent all the minutes and the attendance records to the selectmen.  It was noted that the members had just become aware that there was no report for the Trust/Partnership Committee in the Annual Report which had been due in February.  The Chair had family issues and did not complete this nor ask anyone else to do so.  CW stated that she will prepare the 2010 report as soon as possible and submit to the members for comments.  She would then send the annual report to the Selectmen.  It was noted that letters requesting reappointment should be in the Selectmen Secretary's hand by noon on Thursday, the next day.

BC's report.   EC moved, EO seconded a motion to hold off discussion of the issues brought up by BC at a previous meeting until a memo was received from Attorney Kathleen O'Donnell on the financial and legal status of the trust.

LA's contract. The subcommittee on the Contract of the Housing Specialist had not met.  It was decided that this subcommittee should post a meeting and meet next week.  The subcommittee was constituted as consisting of CD, BC, DB and EO.  It was decided a new composition was required.  WM moved, and EC seconded a motion that the new composition of the subcommittee would be  CD, CW, EO, and EC, would meet within two weeks and report back to the Trust.  The motion passed unanimously.

LA had been asked to submit a plan.  LA gave an outline of tasks that he suggests need to be undertaken. (See Attachment A.)  EO moved, EC seconded a motion that in light of events,  the Trust should update its Action Plan.  The motion passed unanimously. 

Summer Intern.  It was agreed that the matter of an intern and the timing would be decided later.  There is some money available for a stipend for an intern.

Clerk.  EC moved, and EO seconded a motion to advertise in house for a clerk, at the end of July.  Funds are available.  It was approved unanimously.

Noquochoke Village Update.  A long discussion emphasized the following points:  (1) LA should look at the experience of other towns.  (2)  BC will do an in-house pro forma of probable costs, because he believes the developers are suggesting costs which are too high. BC noted that the developer-quoted cost of $340 per square foot is too high.  BC asked LA to provide him with the feet of roadway in NV that is contemplated. (3)  No developer seems really interested in Noquochoke for various reasons: too few units, timeframe too short and rigid, want more funds for infrastructure, not sure of income limits.  LA attended a conference on future of homeownership where  the State representative suggests rentals rather than homeownership as necessary for current projects because financing is not there, in other words a full rental scenario.  LA stated that he is not seeing any interest in Noquochoke and no new developers are making enquiry.  LA recommended that the date for RFP should be extended, that the timeline should be lengthened, that Kathleen O'Donnell should be asked about income limits, that the issue of the control and maintenance of the open space should be resolved.  It was suggested that phased development proposals should be considered also; banks would like that better.

EC recommended that some members of the Trust attend the CPC meeting to get an idea of how CPC  would feel about allocating funds to infrastructure.  CW said she would go for sure.

School Street and 6/13/11 Selectmen meeting.  As of this date, there is no word that the discussion of the letter from the School Street abutter would be on the Selectmen agenda.  A discussion of the tenor of the letter was held.  CW and EO emphasized that they did not see the threat in the letter and there certainly was no intention of making a threat.  The question now is what to do about the proposed meeting in June with the abutters.  At this time there is nothing new to discuss but a postponement might be again seen as a threat.  BC suggested that a letter with a simple questionnaire might be useful to try to determine what were the specific problems with drainage and septic the abutters have and how they think they can be fixed.  It could be indicated that there is a possibility that this land could be used to help solve those issues.  LA suggested that he send out a newsletter stating simply that there would be no meetings in June.  EO moved, EC seconded that LA do a newsletter and the vote in favor was unanimous.

WM leaves at 2:10.

An invoice was submitted and examined by the Trust for the amount of $3,490 for the period May 1 - May 31st.  EC moved, BC seconded and it was approved unanimously and signed by CW as acting chair.  BS agreed to handle it for the CPC approval.

A draft housing survey for town employees was prepared and handed out by LA to the Trust.  This was not found to be what had been envisioned by the Trust so LA was asked to redo it.  LA was advised to write a cover letter explaining what the Westport Affordable Housing Trust's goals and objectives are, what the income guidelines are, and to ask simply if the town employee was interested in getting more information for himself or anyone else.  The town employee would determine if s/he was eligible.  No questions about income or any other status should be included.  LA agreed to redo.

Next meeting.  BC suggested that the agenda for the next meeting should include (1)  building relationships with other towns, (2) soliciting other sources of funds and (3)finding another physical location for the Housing Office.   He noted that the Trust is a quasi-public trust and is not covered by the Open Meeting Law, however  posting of meetings and the like should continue as a courtesy to the public.

The next meeting of the Trust  is June 23, Thursday, 1pm at Town Hall.  The next meeting of Noquochoke Subcommittee is June 22, Wednesday at 1 pm at Town Hall.

BC moved, EO seconded a motion to adjourn and the vote was unanimous in favor at 2:15.

Respectfully Submitted,

Betty Slade, Acting Clerk