GLOVERSVILLE HOUSING AUTHORITY
Minutes of a Regular Meeting
The Gloversville Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners met at its monthly meeting that was held at the Gloversville Housing Authority, 141 West Street on March 13th, 2023 at 6:00p.m.
Board Members Present:
- Ellen Anadio, Commissioner
- Lashawn Hawkins, Commissioner
- Gail Peters, Commissioner
- Sherry Courtney, Resident Commissioner
- Ronald Holly, Commissioner
Others Present:
- Anthony Casale, Authority Legal Counsel
- Jason Mazur – Executive Director
Commissioner Anadio called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. All present stood for the Pledge of Allegiance followed by a moment of silence.
Commissioner Anadio conducted a roll call memorializing the presence of the above-named individuals.
Commissioner Anadio opened the floor for public comment.
Joyce Etsy spoke and stated the following: My name is Joyce Alice and president of the Tenants Association. And still biggest concern here is the safety issue. It absolutely has to be taken care of and we need somebody in here. If you’re going to take somebody to come and be in the building certain number of hours, we need them at night. We need them on the overnight hours because people are being let in coming in two 3:00 o’clock in the morning. You don’t. Those of us with that, like their monitors, you don’t know what floor they’re going to. You don’t know where they’re going to. You don’t know if they’re going to be on your floor or what floor they’re going to be on. I personally don’t come out after 9:00 o’clock at night I used to come down here and go back to that table and do jigsaw puzzles Saturday nights. I wouldn’t even think about it now, because I don’t feel secure. I don’t know if you’re here at all.
Commissioner Anadio inquired of Joyce if she believed it the issue arose more during the weekend as compared with weeknights. Joyce replied I don’t think it really makes a difference. OK, but it’s definitely and definitely is a big concern that along with every time Peter, Paul and Mary having peace to get in here, duplicate keys to get in, that’s another big issue. The safety concerns I had noticed that thank you for that. They sent out the letters about the smoking cause. I’ve noticed that there has been a considerable difference in that that regard, at least I don’t smell like I had that right. Walked through the door.
Judy Dwight spoke and said that her intercom works good but it does not work for her neighbors. That don’t have an account at work and they need them for the certain people you know coming in here.
Commissioner Anadio indicated that the board is looking into getting security and it is not easy
Joyce asked about wellness and said that they used to be able to do them but no longer can.
Mazur stated that there is nothing Particularly that stops anybody from going to knock on a friend or a neighbor’s door. To see if. They’re OK, alright. And that’s. That’s perfectly fine.
Joyce stated: And then if that light goes on and goes on like there might be in neighbors door and the door automatically opens. Am I allowed to go in there? Before calling the cops or somebody. Am I allowed to go in and check and her to see if she’s lying at me? Up blood. Or having a heart attack or something.
Mazur stated: Yeah, and what I would is knock a couple of times and see if they answer. If they don’t, I’d call the fire department or the Police Department to come do the actual Wellness check instead of going into somebody else’s apartment. Maybe they’re sleeping. Maybe they’re in the bathroom. You never know, but you won’t know until you have to call the fire department or police department. If you need those numbers listed somewhere more conspicuous, we can do that for you too, but realistically, that’s the only time a tenant really has our resident has the opportunity or reasoning to enter another apartment or anything else like that and it would be more of knock on the door a few times. If they don’t answer you, you call the appropriate parties, especially if it’s off hours and it’s not during the day. Maintenance could do wellness checks too but my suggestion would be if you can’t get a response from that person to make sure you call the fire department or the Police Department to make sure they go check it out because you never know what’s going on, right? Maybe they just don’t feel like answering the door. Sometimes it’s necessary. We’ve had that happen before where you can’t get a hold of somebody and. You never know what’s going on, but just knock a couple of times. If you see the light on if they don’t answer, call the fire department and Police Department immediately.
Joyce stated that she had another issue: There’s a lockout person. How are they supposed to know who they can and can’t let in to the apartments. They have no lists. They have nothing to go by. Who is the contact person for who they claim they are coming to see?
[Name inaudible] stated: 608 here in the building. I have had relatives come to my door and wanted to be let in and what I told them is I’m only allowed to let their resident that lives in that apartment building in that apartment. Is that the wrong approach?
Mazur stated: Shades of Grey. So here’s the issue with that. Sometimes we have individuals who are trying to get into these apartments because they know there’s valuables in there that they want to basically remove. I would say this. If you recognize the person, obviously if you know somebody who’s here quite often.
As far as the security and checking in and guest signs and everything else, that’s one thing we’re trying to mitigate because you never know. And unfortunately, we’ve dealt with it a few times over the course of the last couple years where they’ve gone in, they’ve taken their TV’s, they’ve taken their couch, they’ve taken their dressers, they’ve taken just about everything that they’ve had valuable in their apartments and sometimes you know the residents aren’t able to fend for themselves. Sometimes they don’t know any better until their TV’s missing and all of a sudden, they’re calling us to say, hey my nephew stole my TV. And that’s one of the reasons for this security initiative and making sure that we’re try to do everything we possibly can to keep everybody safe. Because unfortunately everybody cannot trust their family members. That’s a big problem that we have also
A check in process. Obviously if we have somebody coming into the building, they need to sign off and basically say they’re going to visit this person at this time and, once again, once we get into the security thing we’re going to talk about in a minute that’s going to become part of that as for the immediate fix.
Anadio asked should they have a list? Shouldn’t they be given something?
Mazur stated: It’s hard for us to tell if nephew John comes from Massachusetts to visit their mother or if they’ve got a reason or not to be in that apartment. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. You know, most times they do. Other times they walk out with their mother’s teeth. You never know. All right. And that’s the hard part for us. I don’t know if there’s a perfect answer to that question, but what I can say is check in, check out to make sure we know who’s coming in and out of the building to visit. What resident is imperative at this point because we have we’ve had issues with force, especially lately where that has happened. Police have basically been called because they’ve got robbed blind and that’s a hard one for us so as far as if it’s a resident or you recognize the individual, or you know who they are, you know by first and last name, I would honestly think that it’s in your best interest and not let that person into that apartment and rule on the side of safety on that one.
[Inaudible speaker] I have a camera that records everybody that comes to that door so if there ever happens to be an issue ,I got a record.
Mazur stated: OK, so that’s good to have first and foremost. Second, like I said, if they’re not listed on the lease and you don’t recognize the person, I would not let them in. My phone is on 24/7. If you have to call me at 8:00 or 9:00 o’clock at night. Call me, if that’s the case. It’s hard for us to really stop that one in its entirety unless we use good judgment on that one. It’s a vague answer, but it’s also a dicey answer when you say yeah, let them in when you say don’t let them in. And if it’s a Wellness check kind of a thing, once again, do the wellness check like I said and call the Fire Department or Police Department and have them come take a look and see what’s going on. If that person deserves to be in there, at least they can ask that person. ‘Is it OK to be in here?’ Instead of just letting somebody in.
Commissioner Anadio opened the floor for announcements of commissioners and with there being none, the board proceeded with its agenda.
Commissioner Anadio opened the floor for communications and with there being none, the board proceeded with its agenda.
The Executive Director’s report was provided by Jason Mazur: The finance summary of last month. – our occupancy rate went down a point over last month, a lot of that had to do with we had a couple move outs. We also had a couple of options that we had to take care of. Unfortunately, the delinquency rate right now we’re at $139,344 and have a 39.34% delinquency rate, 96 total delinquent accounts. Monthly income versus monthly expenses – $83,000 as far as income goes, expenses $89,000. A lot of times, though, this doesn’t clear until the 15th of the month. Obviously our expenses were more that’s probably pretty flush at this point. We didn’t have anything huge other than [inaudible] project was going on right now is cost us pretty close to almost $100,000 y the time we’re all set….
Most of that, if not 3/4 of it comes from Dubois, which we’re working working on that one…..
The occupancy rate, obviously we’re working on getting you, it’s ready, making sure people are ready to move in, but we also have on the same the same battlefront. We have people that haven’t paid rent 18-20 months now, so we give every opportunity we possibly have given them. We’ve offered all kinds of different rental assistance programs, repayment agreements, they’re unable to meet those requirements. We realistically and clearly have no other choice. ….
The one thing that I will say we are working on the security aspect of the whole thing. We had Cintas which is another company that does security for a number of businesses in the area. They basically are looking approximately $120,000 to have two guards one year. One and four, next for six hour shift, so they’re willing to work with us as far as what time those shifts entail, but that’s what we were thinking more or less was after hours is going to be our biggest problems are most of the time we don’t have a lot of days when we’re here it’s after hours you know midnight onward that we have issues. So that’s one thing that we have to basically file an amendment to our capital funds to have security in the building which we’re working on doing right now. So all we have to do is agree on it, move forward with it, figure out how we finance it, and we’ll have security guards. The security guard will basically be positioned in the lobby. There will still be check-ins, check outs. Anytime somebody comes in the building. They have to tell us who are going to visit apartment going to as far as the doors, the same company does door access. So once again, with them working through some of the Kingsguard looks to work best for us is it replacing every lock or replacing the front door lock? Actually, the elevator could have a key code or a key fob or something where I’m not sure resident building. You’re going up the elevator so that only helps us where you don’t live in the front door, not be in the building. If you live in the front door, it still be the same problem no matter what kind of key access. ….
It’s half behavioral, half functionality. As far as our security procedures go right now, and we’re looking at $120,000 for those guys. Money well spent as far as I’m concerned…..
Keep in mind, like everything else, it’s just a matter of it takes time to put all these things together……
On top of that, the key FOB system like we’re still on a proposal for that. They have a couple different ideas that we’re waiting to hear out. They have to source out the supplies for. It’s not easy to find parts, but at the same time, it’s going to be probably a little longer for that keep system than it is or any kind of card system or door lock system to get the security guard here, just to help us knock this down a little bit……
That’s actually all I have. OK, we’re working on security aspect. …
The Intercom is another issue, so that that comes is not built into this intercom system is anyway, you can’t find parts for it, but it’s broken. It’s broken so. The one and only thing we can do with intent this point replace the whole thing that Intercom project is approximately $300,000 entails basically them coming in every department change update consist and rewiring the whole system and moving on to that. So as we put together the 2024-2025 budget, as far as intercom goes, that’s something that we’re looking to work on too. But the main concern for us right now is definitely the security issue.
Commissioner Anadio stated that she circulated committee assignment lists and asked if anyone had any question. Commissioner Holly stated that he was here to listen and learn.
Anadio opened the floor for new business and presented Resolution 847 regarding monthly vendor invoices and read said resolution into the record as follows:
“Whereas the Gloversville Housing Authority’s Finance Committee has reviewed the monthly vendor invoices for payment of the financial obligations of the Gloversville Housing Authority for the month of February 2023 and finds all payments on the attached list to be in order. Now therefore be it resolved, the Board of Commissioners of the Gloversville Housing Authority has reviewed the monthly vendor invoices for payment as set forth on the attached list.”
A was made by Anadio adopting Resolution 847 and said motion was seconded by Commissioner Hawkins. There was no additional discussion and Resolution 847 was approved by a vote of 6-0 in the affirmative.
Anadio asked for a motion approving the minutes from the February 2023 monthly meeting minutes . Said motion was made by Commissioner Peters and seconded Commissioner Courtney. There was no additional discussion and the motion was passed by a vote of 6-0 in the affirmative.
A motion was made by Commissioner Hawkins to go into Executive Session pursuant to Public Officers Law, Section 105(1)(f), said motion having been seconded by Commissioner Anadio. The motion was carried by a vote of 6-0 in the affirmative. The executive session began at 6:28pm. …A motion was made to end the executive session at 6:31pm by Commissioner Peters and seconded by Commissioner Hawkins.
A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Commission Holly at 6:32pm and seconded by Commissioner Peters. There was no additional discussion. The motion passed by a vote of 6-0 in the affirmative . The meeting was adjourned at 6:32 p.m.
Lashawn Hawkins, Secretary