Housing & Redevelopment Authority - April 11, 2017 Minutes
The regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners for the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Fargo, North Dakota was held April 11th, 2017 at 1 :30 PM in the Main Conference Room, 325 Broadway, and Fargo, North Dakota.
FHRA Staff Present
Lynn Fundingsland, Jill Elliott, Amy Rissmann, Scott Noeske, Kris Visness, Steve Eickhoff, Nazar Habib
FHRA Board Members Present
Michael Leier, Thomas Jefferson, Tonna Horsley, Bryce Alme-Johnson
Consent Agenda
Resolution #2017-04-01
BE IT RESOLVED, the FHRA March meeting minutes are approved. Leier/Horsley
Resolution #2017-04-02
Alme-Johnson/Leier BE IT RESOLVED, the Consent Agenda with addendum is approved.
Reports
Financials
Mr. Noeske presented the financial reports. He reviewed the income statement actual to budget and discussed the differences. Mr. Noeske also reviewed the balance sheet actual to last month and discussed the changes in cash position.
Capital Projects
Additional capital remodels are underway for Scattered Sites. Work on RAD for Capital Projects continues. The 2015 Capital Funds remaining are obligated in February to the New Horizons Project. FHRA requested an extension from Denver Field Office. Work continues other projects funded by 2016 Capital Fund. The first draft of the New Horizons Scope of Work is complete. Bid documents by EAPC are in process.
Deputy Director
Ms. Elliott's reported that other staff are filling in to support the work of the Homeless Program while the coordinator for the program is on temporary leave. Ideas to streamline procedures have been introduced to staff. Ms. Elliott continues to serve on the Mountain Plains Regional Conference Planning for Homeless and CD Tract. During the National NAHRO conference held in Washington, DC, Ms. Elliott and Mr. Fundingland met with Senator Heitcamp and aides from Hoeven's office. They distributed a packet of information which included National and Regional
NAHRO Legislative agenda, a Housing America Calendar with FHRA National winner, and information on our Medical Respite savings to taxpayers and to the local hospital.
Fargo's Medical Respite Program received applause at National CRD Committee and Regional NAHRO Board. Ms. Elliott talked to the committee about rebranding housing authorities as part of the solution to the budget crisis, citing the millions of dollars our Medical Respite program saved. Ms. Elliott also followed up with San Antonio Housing Authority Executive Director and Board Chair that our Board met in New Orleans. We will submit the program for an award at the regional conference in Vail, CO.
Ms. Elliott followed up with requests from last month's board meeting. She handed out copies of the FHRA Employee Policy Manual, ACOP, and Admin Plan. For the Sisters Path property, we have had several meetings with BSI, FHRA and YWCA regarding issues, policies at the building now that it is not staffed full time. The YWCA and FHRA staff the property five afternoons a week. She is pursuing the option of another agency that has a similar mission to house at our facility full time.
Old Business
Update on New Horizons project, LIHTC equity and mortgage quotes, relocation consultant
An RFP has been submitted for a New Horizons lender and investors. Our best quote was 93.5 cents. One lower quote was more advantageous as the higher one had a condition of borrowing that was not workable for the project. An RFP was sent out for a relocation consultant. The best quote was Pro Source out of Minneapolis. They will set up an office and begin a tenant consultation for a fall project construction start. FHRA will contact every tenant to communicate their rights to them.
High Rise floodwall land sale update
About one year ago FHRA received an offer from Cass County water resources district to purchase land to be used as a part of the floodwall construction. This offer was dependent on an appraisal. At the time the plan was to sell the High-Rise building and an appraisal was done for the full property. Since then plans for the High Rise have changed and instead of selling the High-Rise building, FHRA will rehab it. When Executive Director Lynn Fundingsland made efforts to close the land sale deal for the floodwall, HUD informed him that a new appraisal needs to be done. Since construction season had begun and there is a short window of time in the North Dakota climate, FHRA gave permission for the flood wall construction to begin as it provides a protection benefit to the property and the community.
Since that time, the land value may have increased. There are a few parts to the offer from Cass Count: the offer of purchasing the land, a rental fee for the construction crew to park vehicles in the High-Rise parking lot, and improvements to the surrounding area of the building. Mr. Fundingsland suggested that we accept their original offer, which is lower than the new appraised value however, the HRA receives benefits of the parking lot rental fees and improvements to the area surrounding the building plus some flood protection which offsets the difference between the new and the original appraised values.
New Business
PHAS score-physical inspection re-cap
The FHRA maintenance team worked at the various sites in anticipation of the inspection. When the inspector visited, he found things such as a broken beer bottle on a sidewalk and a lawn rut next to a driveway. The result was a failed inspection for that amp. Capital Improvements Coordinator Steve Eickhoff worked closely with the inspector during his visit to clarify any questions of the inspector and to learn of any ways FHRA can improve its inspection score.
Washington legislative conference re-cap
The main topic is the preservation or expansion of the low-income tax credit program. It will benefit FHRA as it will expand programs to improve properties such as the High Rise. It fixes the 4% credit which is currently variable. This credit has only been used once in the state of ND. FHRA will apply for it to use to rehabilitate the High-Rise property. Senator Heitkamp said she was in favor of it. Senator Hoeven said he was empathetic, however, he is not willing to take anything off the table when it comes to the topic of tax reform.
Performance review system
The performance review system for employees will be revised in the coming months. Instead of an annual employee review, the plan is for supervisors to meet more often to discuss goals and progress. Board members expressed the importance of continuing with an "annual" review as well.
Change financial reporting month to Board of Commissioners
FHRA Senior Management team requested that the cycle for financial reporting be changed. Currently the financials for the previous month are reviewed at the board meetings. The board meeting date is normally held the second Tuesday of the month, giving the FHRA Accounting department little time to prepare and analyze the financial reports. FHRA requested that the financials reporting be delayed another month before submitting to the board. Example: Instead of March's financial report review at April's Board Meeting, have March's financial reports reviewed at May's board meeting. The Board approved this by a unanimous vote.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for May 9th, at 1 :30 PM.