60 Kings Highway

Kings Corner Manor

Gales Ferry, Connecticut 06335

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Housing Authority

Meeting Minutes - Draft Minutes

Chairman

Charles Duzy

Special Meeting

Monday, November 20, 2023

7:00 PM

Kings Corner Manor

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Duzy called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

II.

ROLL CALL

Board Member Thomas Cassabria

Board Member Dayna Waterhouse

Chairman Charles Duzy

Present

Board Member Paula Crocker

Board Member Margaret Boyd

III.

OPENING AND CLOSING THE FLOOR TO TENANTS, RESIDENTS & PROPERTY

OWNERS COMMENTS

Comments limited to (3) three minutes. Total Time (30) minutes

Ms. Sonn Unit # 19 asked why this was a special meeting?

Mr. Duzy responded that the regular meeting was cancelled due to lack of quorum and any

meeting other than a regular meeting is a special meeting.

Mr. Ed Murray referred to Connecticut law regarding tenant representatives. Mr. Murray

referred to the minuets of August 21, 2022. He stated that under new business there was a

motion and possible action to adopt tenant commissioner election procedures and supporting

documents. Mr. Murray added that the motion was approved and after there was no further

mention of this action and perhaps it was discussed offline. Mr. Murray added as a reminder

under State Statute 841B the Authority shall designate a tenant organization and it implies that it

is the Authorities responsibility to make sure the tenants understand they have a right to have an

organization and how to establish that organization. Mr. Murray added this would allow the

tenant organization to make decisions as a group and designate who the representative would be.

Ms. Eleanor Murray referred to the smoking policy that sends tenants down to the end of the

street to an abandoned building at Stonington Institute where they are not welcome to smoke.

Ms. Murray stated it is her understanding residents have been stopped at least twice by police.

Ms. Murray stated she understands that there will be a sidewalk built at the Town's expense

down to the Mayor's apartment building. Ms. Murray believes this quite an adjustment for

people to make in the bad weather. Should anyone get sick or hurt in the snow or otherwise

hassled by the Police there will be liability to be concerend about. Ms. Murray hopes her

comments will be on the record and reflected accurately. Ms. Murray stated that every other

housing authority has a spot 25 feet from a building, in a little gazebo where people can smoke

quite nicely. Ms. Murray referred to the issues of power outages. Ms. Murray stated that tenants

should be able to have a little power pack or battery in their apartments when the power is out so

that oxygenators and wheel chairs can be recharged. Ms. Murray added that batteries are safe.

Ms. Fernandez Unit #3 suggested the extra shed be moved to the farther end of the parking lot to

be used as a smoking area. This would be closer than walking to the end of the driveway.

Ms. Sonn Unit #19 stated although she is opposed to smoking, she would like to second the

suggestion of Ms. Fernandez for the safety and well being of the people that live here and it

would be a safe and fiscally responsible way to deal with the issue.

IV.

BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS

None

REPORTS

MOTION to accept the payment of Bills and Financial Report

Discussion

Mr. Duzy asked for the balance in the STIF account. Mr. Lauer stated that the balance is $1000

more than the month before and she will get the number before the end of the meeting.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Charles Duzy

RESULT:

MOVER:

Margaret Boyd

SECONDER:

Cassabria Waterhouse Duzy Crocker Boyd

AYE

Reports of the Executive Director

· Ledyard Social Services will be providing holiday baskets this year to Ledyard Food

Pantry guests. If you are not currently a guest of the LFP please fill out an application (in

the community building hallway) and return to Kristen at the Town Hall. Christmas

basket forms need to be returned by 11/21.

· We are negotiating a contract with the laundry company, we were able to keep the

increase down to just 25 cents. When the new machines are installed it will be $1.25 to

wash/dry.

· Ms. Lauer spoke with the Mayor, the town will be installing a sidewalk and a bump out

in the easement that will attach to the current sidewalk by the condos. Call before you

dig has been notified, the town is waiting on 3 bids per their procurement policy and then

the work will be completed.

· Sean Condon from Ageless Insurance is available to come do a presentation or speak one

on one with tenants about the Medicare plans available. Let me know if there is any

interest.

· Recertification packets will be going out soon. Save your October/November/December

and possibly January bank statements as these are needed for your recertification with

your December 31st bank balance.

· The Beautification Committee will be delivering the wreaths to tenants that signed up on

Saturday December 2 at 1:00 pm.

· The Ledyard Lights Jeep tour is Sunday, December 10th.

· American Heritage Girls will be caroling December 22nd.

· Now that the interior renovations are complete we have a few units that are empty. We

will offer current tenants the opportunity to transfer to another unit as we did when the

renovations began. The transfer request form is available in the hallway. If you are

interested please see me, walking round a paper tomorrow, these transfers will have to

happen in December so that we can get units rented out at the beginning of the year.

Reports of the Chairman

None

Tenant Representative Comments

Ms. Waterhouse stated that she did not find anything in the minutes that were incorrect. Ms.

Waterhouse stated maybe there was a miswording or misunderstanding but she could not find

anything wrong.

VI.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

MOTION to approve the Housing Authority regular meeting minutes of September 5, 2023.

Mr. Duzy stated that there were comments about the September minutes at the last meeting and

he asked for issues with the minutes to be submitted in writing. Mr. Duzy stated he understood

that did not happen and after consultation with the Town if there are comments about the

minutes those comments will be reflected in this meeting and the September minutes will be

approved unless the Board thinks there is something wrong. Mr. Duzy asked if the Housing

Director or the Board has received anything in writing. The Board and Director responded they

had not received anything.

Ms. Lauer added she had provided Ms. Sonn with the portion of the minutes with her statements

and asked for the minutes to be marked up and returned and that did not happen.

Ms. Sonn Unit #19 stated she is going blind and she cannot be told to write things up. Ms. Sonn

stated there are accommodations in her home that are not working because Colleen, James and

Lou plugged and unplugged plugs and did not know what they were doing. Ms. Sonn

approached Ms Lauer and said four items in the notes that were misquoted, that these were not

major but words were left out. Ms. Sonn stated she never said she had fire pits or tiki torches in

her backyard by her bedroom but that she does not want smoke from the fire pits or tiki torches

in her back yard by her bedroom. Ms. Sonn stated that is a huge difference. Ms. Soon stated

this has been brought to the attention of the police and the Department of Justice and if those

notes are posted as previously written she will file an arrest warrant. Ms. Sonn continued to

express her concerns regarding the minutes.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

RESULT:

Charles Duzy

MOVER:

Margaret Boyd

SECONDER:

Cassabria Waterhouse Duzy Crocker Boyd

AYE

MOTION to approve the Housing Authority regular meeting minutes of October 2, 2023

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Charles Duzy

RESULT:

MOVER:

Thomas Cassabria

SECONDER:

Cassabria Waterhouse Duzy Crocker Boyd

AYE

VII. OLD BUSINESS

Suggestion Box

None

Renovation Updates

BRD’s process to replace damaged items was received and posted. Any issues

you have given me have been forwarded to BRD. If you have any damages that

have not yet been reported please get them to me as soon as possible.

Due to unforeseen circumstances the punch and back punch were not completed

today. We are still waiting on the new day/time and I will get that out. The

architects will be entering each unit whether you are home or not. The architect

will again give a list to BRD for items that do not meet their standards.

We are in the home stretch, the parking spaces have been lined. BRD turned over

the last 3 units on the 17th. The Connex boxes are gone, the work trailer is

scheduled to be picked up November 29th. There will still be workers here

completing punch and back punch items. I will pass along the schedule BRD

gives me and the work will be completed whether you are home or not. The

architects will have to come and do one final punch for items that do not meet the

architectural standards. Hoping to be out of here by mid December.

Discussion and possible action regarding the Smoking Policy

Mr. Duzy suggested that there be no further discussion until the Town puts in the sidewalk

Discussion and possible action on the Housing Authority monthly meeting location

Monthly Meeting Survey

A _____ Keep the meeting at Kings Corner Manor - 1st Monday of the month at 7pm

B _____ Keep the meeting at Kings Corner Manor - 1st Monday of the month at 7pm & record

the meetings

C _____ Keep the meeting at Kings Corner Manor -1st Monday of the month at 7pm & provide

a Zoom Link (record/video)

D _____ Move the meeting to the Town Hall Annex - First Monday of the month at 7pm

E _____ Move the meeting to the Town Hall Annex - New day & time

Tenants voted A - 9, B - 7, C - 7, D -0, E - 1 … 2 votes checked multiple boxes (1

voted for A/B/C and 1 voted for A/B)

The Board discussed the options and determined that the best course of action was to redo the

tenant monthly meeting voting survey. Mr. Duzy added that he would like to consult with the

Town regarding recording requirements.

MOTION to redo the vote by tenants on the meeting location/recording of the meeting

VIII. NEW BUSINESS

Discussion and possible action to amend current late fee in lease/tenant rules & regulations

MOTION to amend the current late fee to $5.00 per day due to State Statute change

MOTION to approve the Ledyard Housing Authority 2024 Meeting dates

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Dayna Waterhouse

RESULT:

MOVER:

Charles Duzy

SECONDER:

Cassabria Waterhouse Duzy Crocker Boyd

AYE

Ms. Lauer briefly excited to meeting to obtain the STIF account balance. There was a back and

forth discussion between the board and public in attendance regarding the ownership of the

property and the smoking policy.

IX.

ADJOURNMENT

Mr.Cassabria moved the meeting be adjourned, seconded by Ms. Crocker.

The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.

VOTE: 5 - 0 Approved and so declared

Respectively Submitted,

_______________________________