Minutes From A Special Meeting December 5, 2012

MINUTES FROM A SPECIAL MEETING ON DECEMBER 5, 2012

A Special Meeting of the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Orange will be held on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 6:00 p.m., Washington Manor, 340 Thomas Boulevard, Conference Room, Orange, New Jersey.

The Executive Director advised that all requirements of the Sunshine Law were met.

A roll call was taken as follows:

Present

Chairman           Clifford Ross

Commissioner   Lillie Davis

Commissioner   Evelyn Hudson

Commissioner   Coram Rimes

Commissioner   Ernest Williams

 

Also Present

Walter D. McNeil, Jr. Executive Director

Ernest Booker, Esq., Feinstein, Raiss, Kelin & Booker

 

Absent

Commissioner Rossi

Commissioner Juliano

 

Pledge of Allegiance was said

Chairman Ross called for the adoption of the agenda.  Commissioner Williams moved to adopt.  Commissioner Hudson seconded.

 

Chairman Ross called for discussion.

No discussion

A roll call was taken

All Commissioners voted in favor

 

RESOLUTIONS

Chairman Ross called for a motion to adopt Resolution No. 5200-12 Resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Orange Approving Bills Resolution No. 1844.  Commissioner Williams moved to adopt.  Commissioner Hudson seconded.

Chairman Ross called for discussion.

Commissioner Rimes inquired how many months were included in the bill list. Director McNeil explained it is only one month’s list. Commissioner Rimes questioned the amount of postage usage.

Mr. McNeil said the normal amount is about $1,000.00.

Commissioner Rimes questioned amount approved for expenses for the League that we were not able to attend. He would like to see approved amounts reconciled on next bills list.

Mr. McNeil said it will be on next month’s report.

Chairman Ross questioned the water bill on Elizabeth and Ward Street.

Mr. McNeil explained there were billing issues from the water company.  They were billing two months at a time. Residents were advised to conserve water.

 

A roll call was taken

All commissioners voted in favor

 

Chairman Ross asked Commissioner Hudson about the meeting they were to have with the fee accountant.

Commissioner Hudson is waiting for a date to meet with him.

Mr. McNeil said he will get back to her with dates.

 

Chairman Ross called for a motion to adopt Resolution No. 5201-12 Resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Orange authorizing the award of a contract for demolition of existing structures for the Oakwood Avenue Development Project and the Community Center at Walter G. Alexander Village.  Commissioner Hudson moved to adopt.  Commissioner Davis seconded.

 

Chairman Ross called for discussion.

 

Director McNeil stated that this is a combined resolution with OHDC. Trying to save money by doing this together. Followed local public contracts law for procurement this is a procurement project to demo the community center as well as seven other properties on Oakwood Avenue. This will be the beginning of us tearing down these buildings. When we discuss new business, there are some new issues that have developed. 217 Oakwood possibility of redesigning new development due to the cost we may have to pay for that property. We would like to get authorization to award the contract to Yanuzick. We won’t sign a contract with them until we are able to determine what we are going to tear down specifically. Maybe one or two changes. Possibly not knocking down 217 and knocking down everything from 213 then potentially knocking down 206 Oakwood Place. Commissioner Rimes stated that counsel (at the OHDC meeting) advised him that there was one requirement for the certification  of funds for the Housing Development Corporation. At this meeting, I don’t see any notation about the certification of funds for this project. Director McNeil noted the on top of the resolution is states budget authorization certified. In the bid form on page four you will see that they will charge 156,000 to knock down. The Community center at WGA is going to be 19,000 a portion of the fencing is going to be charged to that about 5,000. Would like to certify that we will use renewal and replacement housing monies for that which we have 2.5m dollars in order to tear that down.  The other monies are going to come directly from NSP3 which we have 280,000.  We need to spend 280,00 before the end of January. The signing of these contracts will certify us spending this money so we don’t get into trouble with the county. NSP3 money for one side and renewal and replacement money for the other. Chairman Ross asked a question about the diagram (the redevelopment area). He wanted to know which building would not be included in the demolition. Director McNeil stated everything except for 215 and 217. 206 is a burnout and we will try to take it through imminent domain. Bellford (owner of 217) wants too much for the property. Appraised at 45,000. Attorney contacted us and requested 100,000. We are working on doing the project without that property. Will develop 219 as an individual project. These plans are rough. .Commissioner Rimes asked about the amount of liability insurance that has to be carried. Director McNeil believes not less than 1m but will have to get back to you .It is in the packet. Shows we are not responsible for his actions. Com. Ross did we put in for the whole development on Oakwood Avenue. We will have him make the adjustments. May be more. Negotiations are not complete. Avram White suggested we may but the property for 100+ and hold our nose. But is that something we want to do? We need to think about our overall resources to deal with the project. Our plan was to only spend 145,000 for every unit. Chairman Ross wanted to know when a meeting would be set up to discuss 217. Director McNeil said there is no meeting planned. We are still in the negotiation stage. Chairman Ross asked if we have a set date to use the NSP3 funds. Director McNeil stated tonight’s resolution will commit the 280.000.  We have submitted vouchers for 124,000. This would be another voucher to submit. We will be at 260,000 or thereabout.  The 15^th of January is the deadline when we need to spend 560,000.

We need to have this development done by 2014.

 

A roll call was taken

All Commissioners voted in favor

 

Chairman Ross called for a motion to adopt Resolution No. 5202-12 Resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Orange authorizing the Executive Director to sign a real estate contract for the purchase of 217 Oakwood Avenue, Orange, New Jersey.  Commissioner Williams moved to adopt.  Commissioner Hudson seconded.

 

Chairman Ross called for discussion.

No discussion

A roll call was taken

All Commissioners voted in favor

 

Unfinished Business

 

Director McNeil sent information for meeting. Described it well. North Parrow Street Project. We own 197, 189 and 191. We own lot 23, 22, 21. We are going to ask the city to convey two unit to us. Talking with owner of lot 25 seems to be flexible. Lot 8 off of South Street. We own the tax lien on that property part of vacant and abandoned. We may foreclose or take through imminent domain. We will own majority of properties in are to do the development. There are other tax liens. Lot 20 wants to sell property to us. We have Section 8 tenants residing there. Most of housing is dilapidated.

Sent letters to city. Will not be able to take possession of property until we have a board meeting.

 

Chairman Ross in agreement with what we are doing in acquiring properties over there. Not too interested in spending money in acquiring property over there. We don’t have the money to develop that property right now. We have the Oakwood Avenue property Phase III; we need to have our attention on those projects before we start messing around with this and spending money. Director McNeil explained sometimes you have to act now for a future project. These are vacant lots. I can’t see us spending more than 8000 for those lots. We may have to spend 15,000 for the ones the city owns. If we have site control we are ahead of the ballgame. This is all preliminary.

 

Walter G. Alexander – we sent letters requesting residents to have a reappraisal on their properties. Notices were not responded to in timely manner. We are trying to pursue imminent domain with those properties. Monies are already set aside for this with the renewal replacement.

 

2m in our renewal and replacement. We may have to pay bodega owner close to 200.000. We had it appraised at 179,000. He had it appraised at 230,000. Remember this is a hedge fund guy. We have to come somewhere in the middle. We have to discuss this at the next board meeting. We can own the bodega with three units and a beauty salon. Bryan spoke with one of the property owners to allow the appraiser to value the house to make a transaction without going to court.  82 is a city owned property which we have a conveyance in the initial redevelopment agreement.  We had to request the property in a letter that was already part of the redevelopment agreement. 84 is vacant land 88

 

Parrow is on the vacant and abandoned lost. Director McNeil stated he would have to come back to the board for the contract and the plans.

Mr. McNeil said the deadlines for tax credits have been moved back to May.

Bryan Scotland said that he was going through deeds and found a cluster between Central Place and Oakwood Place, 8 units on vacant and abandoned list three that are privately owned. Would not require demolition.

Mr. McNeil said to look at these properties for possible development three years down the line. This green space can be developed. Lots are overgrown. Abandoned cars are there. Mr. McNeil said we should look at this. If you clean this up it gives the other property owners a chance to want to stay in the area. Mr. McNeil said he will have Bryan Scotland to continue to do research and see what we can come up with.

Commissioner Rimes said we should do some commercial space there as well.

Mr. McNeil said that this is a hardcore residential area. He said we can get rid of the people who hang out in front of the bodega.

Commissioner Williams said unless the City of Orange cleans up the area, no one will want to move in that area.

Director McNeil said the area has changed for the better. Crime is down. We are giving the residents who live there a fighting chance. Mr. McNeil said we are going to make that neighborhood something.

Bryan Scotland suggested that maybe we could offer some off street parking.

Chairman Ross said our mission is to acquire property. If we can get it dirt cheap and develop them, let’s get it.

Chairman Ross called a motion to adjourn the meeting.  Commissioner Williams moved to adjourn.  Commissioner Davis seconded.

 

Chairman Ross called for discussion.

No discussion

A roll call was taken

All Commissioners voted in favor

 

Meeting was adjourned at 7:15 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

Walter D. McNeil, Jr.
Secretary/Treasurer