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FAIR HOUSING
ADVISORY COMMISSION
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OCTOBER 20, 2003
ATTENDANCE: Nathaniel Shipp, Chair; Steve Papadakos; Heather Rodin;
Bernadine Tatem
OTHER: Margaret Suib, Fair Housing Officer
I. CALL TO ORDER
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 7:36 p.m.
II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AUGUST 25, 2003
The following corrections were made:
Page3, Paragraph 3, "She said she found a printer through Mr. Papadakos." should be "She said she found a printer through Mr. Shipp."
Page 4, Paragraph 1, "…Ms. Torrano would draft the design of the poster and submit it to the Commissioners" should be "Ms. Torrano would help with the design of the poster." Strike last part of the sentence.
Page 4, Last Paragraph, First Sentence,"Ms. Rodin said the Redevelopment Agency has made it so…" should be "Ms. Rodin said the Redevelopment Agency Comptroller does not develop the budget of the FHAC." Strike the last part of the sentence.
Page 4, Last Paragraph, Second Sentence, "She said the FHAC…" should be "She said the FHAC has the right, since it is not a line item budget to change the line."
Page 4, Last Paragraph, Third Sentence, Strike entire sentence.
Page 5, under New Business, Ms. Corcoran made the motion and not Ms. Rodin.
Page 6, Paragraph 1, Third Sentence, "…getting a forum." should be "…getting a quorum."
** MS. TATEM MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES AS
AMENDED.
** MS. RODIN SECONDED THE MOTION.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
III. FAIR HOUSING OFFICER’S MONTHLY REPORT
Ms. Suib said this coming Friday she would be speaking about Fair Housing and/or Predatory Lending at the Connecticut Housing Coalition’s Annual Conference in Groton, Connecticut. She said she is told there would approximately 600 people in attendance. She said she has never spoken before 600 people but that it would be very exciting.
Fair Housing Commission
October 20, 2003
Page 1
Ms. Rodin said it would be a great experience.
Ms. Suib said that unless the Commissioners had any questions she would like to move on to the other items on the agenda since that is really what is going on in the Fair Housing office right now.
IV. BUSINESS
a. Discussion of Commission’s Projects for Inclusion in FY 2004-2005 Draft Budget Application
Ms. Suib referred the Commissioners to a Budget Application in their packets. She said this is not the entire application but the guts of the usual budget application. She stated that what usually happens is that around this time of year the Executive Director of the Redevelopment Agency receives all of the blank application forms and distributes them and she would get the one for the Fair Housing Commission. Ms. Suib said that person would give her the Personnel, Fringe and Payroll numbers and then typically she would start filling in the rest. She said she would talk to the Chairman and the Executive Director and come up with numbers, which would then be submitted to the City. Ms. Suib said it is always due around Election Day. She said the Commissioners have from late October to the first week in November to do this. She said she has not received this package this year. She said that Ms. Rodin asked her to mark up last year’s, assuming that the application has not changed much so that tonight the Commission could consider what it might want to request.
Ms. Suib then directed the Commissioners to Page 3 of the packet entitled "City of Norwalk Grant Agency Funding Application Operating Budget." She said she does not fill in the 2002-2003 actuals. Ms. Suib stated that the second column, "Budget" should read "Actual". She said that is the current year. She said in the second batch of numbers, starting with Office Expenses there is a line item for $600.00, which reflects the agreement at the August meeting that there would be a flat charge for supplies. She said if the Commissioners wanted to do this again she would take, the Coming Requests 2004-2005, the first four numbers and combine them into a $600.00 line item instead of four.
Ms. Rodin said she thinks the Commission should do that. Mr. Shipp agreed.
Ms. Suib reported that about a week after the Commission approved the $600.00 the supply closet was locked in Redevelopment so she does not have easy access to supplies. She said she asked what the process is for getting supplies and has not been told. She said that when she has needed a pen she has asked others who have keys to open the closet for her.
Ms. Rodin asked if Ms. Suib asked for a key.
Ms. Suib said she sent an e-mail to Mr. Jacoby asking for either a key or that the door be unlocked given the agreement on September 9th. She stated that she still has not gotten a response to that e-mail.
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October 20, 2003
Page 2
Ms. Rodin suggested writing a note to Mr. Sheehan or Mr. Jacoby from the Fair Housing Commission. Mr. Papadakos suggested e-mailing Mr. Sheehan, sending a copy to Mr. Jacoby stating that this is the second request. Ms. Suib said she would have something drafted in the morning.
Returning to the Operating Budget, Ms. Suib said the rest of the numbers she used are the numbers the Commission asked for last year. She stated that she added, under Computers, $600.00 for maintenance since by then the computer will be going on two years old and there needs to be money budgeted in case something is wrong with it.
Ms. Rodin asked if there are any service contracts on these computers.
Ms. Suib stated that the IT Department services them for the City.
Ms. Rodin asked if they charge for servicing. Ms. Suib said she did not know how that works. She said her computer is bought out of Fair Housing budget, while the other computers are bought out of Redevelopment budget.
Mr. Shipp said a servicing plan could be purchased for Ms. Suib’s computer, which would probably be cheaper for Fair Housing than actual maintenance.
Ms. Suib said she does not know how the IT Department is charging back.
Mr. Shipp said in three years the computer is going to be obsolete. Ms. Suib said she would think that the following year, 2005-2006 she would need a new computer.
Ms. Suib said under Secretarial she figured in $900.00 since Fair Housing is being charged back for secretarial services and they need to budget for it. She said for a typical meeting there is a $75.00 charge with a three-hour minimum. She said she assumed the Commission had twelve meetings a year in budget. Ms. Suib said under Advertising Fair Housing Monthly Activity she figured in $1,450.00. She said this year the Commission has around $1,100.00. She said the first page of the handout to the Commissioners shows how Mr. Jacoby did the numbers for the current year, which is different from the way she did them. She stated that the total granted by the Common Council is $80,847.00. She said that Mr. Jacoby does payroll, taxes and benefits all on one line so between $80,847.00 and $75,055.00, which is a little over $5,000.00. Ms. Suib said Mr. Jacoby allowed $600.00 for printing, under Office Expenses Mr. Jacoby is paying Norwalk Redevelopment Agency $600.00 for office supplies, he is allowing $900.00 for publications, $710.00 for travel, $1,190.00 for training (3% of budget for every position for training), and in Miscellaneous $1,792.00.
Ms. Rodin asked where is the $1,792.00 in the budget. Ms. Suib said for dues and subscriptions Mr. Jacoby had $900.00 but she had $1,100 because that is what she would need for her dues and subscriptions. She said that is $200.00 right there. Ms. Suib said for printing Mr. Jacoby figured in $600.00 and she figured in $900.00 for things like Fair Housing’s Predatory Lending flyers.
Fair Housing Commission
October 20, 2003
Page 3
Ms. Rodin suggested changing the printing name and put it into either advertising or Fair Housing Monthly Activities. She said she would cross out Fair Housing Monthly Activities and just put Fair Housing Activities.
Mr. Shipp said it needed to be broad enough to not limit the Commission in what they would be able to do. He said the other thing that concerns him that is not listed is postage and asked where this is covered.
Ms. Suib said that postage is covered under the $600.00. She said copying is covered in the $600.00 but Fair Housing now has a code system on the copying machine. She said that when she copies something it comes up Fair Housing, which has led to some money problems because she is doing this Personnel Committee for the Agency and has to copy for that. Ms. Suib said she needs another code. She stated that she thinks it is good to have a separate printing line and a Fair Housing Activities line because the more lines there are we are going to have activities costs x amount of dollars but we need printing for each of them.
Ms. Rodin said her thinking is that the printing might lead to the idea that has something to do with the Redevelopment Agency. She suggested moving the printing into advertising and/or printing.
Mr. Papadakos commented that that might look like a large amount.
Ms. Rodin said she noticed in Ms. Suib’s report that there were only 62 discrimination complaints. She said that seems to be few and one of the things that the Commission has to do for next year is do more outreach.
Ms. Suib suggested calling it Outreach instead of Advertising. Ms. Rodin said Outreach is good. The Commissioners agreed.
Ms. Suib asked if Printing and Outreach are going to be put together how much money needs to be budgeted there. She said as one item this is a lot of money and could possibly be cut. It was the consensus of the Commissioners to separate the lines and have one for Printing and one for Outreach.
Ms. Rodin stated that she would like the printing to be moved away from being an office expense.
Ms. Suib said she would move it to the bottom under other expenses so that there would be Outreach, Printing and Fair Housing Activities. The Commissioners agreed that this is fine. Ms. Suib stating that Printing is $900.00, Outreach $700.00 and Fair Housing Activities is $750.00.
Ms. Suib, regarding Personnel Costs, stated the second column is headed Budget but should really say Current Direction. She said her budget was approved last April, including the salary number. She stated that if the Commission would look at Mr. Jacoby’s run he uses this number as well for wages. She said she has not received any of that money in her paycheck. She stated that she is still being paid last years salary, which should have changed July 1st.
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October 20, 2003
Page 4
Mr. Shipp suggested writing a letter to Mr. Sheehan addressing this issue.
Ms. Suib said she has asked many times why this has not been addressed and has not been given an answer. She said she has heard through the grapevine that it is because the new personnel policy has not been written but the old personnel policy is in effect, which states that the Executive Director shall do annual reviews. She said employees always got their salary increase the first paycheck in July. She said she has been told that at some point she would get it in the future and that it would be retroactive. She stated that she has also been told that it is dependent upon a review but irrespective of the review she would not get more than what is budgeted.
Mr. Papadakos said he is concerned that an employee is asking questions and there are no answers being given or basically is being discarded. He said that is not right, especially coming form the Director and wondered how that would make the employee feel.
Mr. Shipp said he agreed wholeheartedly.
Ms. Suib stated that she is still doing her job.
Mr. Rodin asked Ms. Suib if she would like the Fair Housing Advisory Commission to address this issue at this point or if she would rather wait and have them do it next time.
Ms. Suib said she would wait until next month.
Ms. Rodin, referring again to the Budget said the salary line there are some choices. She said the Commission could either put in a number using the 5% and say depending on NRA policies or just leave it blank and get the information from them before Ms. Suib submits the budget.
Ms. Suib said at some point somebody would have to give it to her. She said salaries are supposed to be based on performance and a performance review is looking back on the previous year and the Commission is doing a budget way ahead of time. She said she does not know how to do a budget in October for her performance starting next in July. She said there used to be a cost of living increase, which could be estimated, now if and when the agency passes the new personnel policy there will be no cost of living increases there may be merit increases. She said that is hard to budget for and asked how does merit increase get budgeted for 2004-2005.
Ms. Rodin said that is something that Fair Housing cannot decide. She said the budget numbers for salary and fringe come from the Redevelopment Agency. Ms. Rodin suggested leaving the line blank until Ms. Suib gets a number from Mr. Sheehan.
Mr. Shipp said that in the future, once a policy is developed, the submission to the Counsel for approval of the budget could not include Ms. Suib’s salary and fringes.
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October 20, 2003
Page 5
Ms. Suib stated that it has to otherwise there would be no funding for it. Mr. Shipp said if the City is changing the policy then they need to work it out.
Ms. Rodin stated that the merit is evaluation by the Fair Housing Advisory Commission and asked how this is going to translate to what Mr. Sheehan does.
Ms. Suib said that what she sees happening is a disconnect. No matter if it is a good merit review or a negative merit review there is going to end up being a merit review and a salary that have nothing to do with the other because of the timing.
Mr. Shipp said the problem with the merit review is that it is not an incentive for the employee. He said this concerns him and there is something drastically wrong with the policy.
Ms. Rodin stated that this is something Fair Housing has no control over.
Mr. Shipp said he agreed but then it should not affect Fair Housing’s budget.
Ms. Rodin said at this point there is nothing to say because the Commission does not know what it is yet.
** MS. RODIN MADE A MOTION THAT THE FAIR HOUSING ADVISORY
COMMISSION APPROVE THE BUDGET AS PRESENTED LEAVING THE
SALARY AREAS BLANK PENDING POLICY OF THE NORWALK
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY.
** MS. TATEM SECONDED THE MOTION.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Ms. Suib asked if she could have the Commission’s approval to check with the IT Department on the maintenance of the computers, whether they are charging back or would a service contract be less.
Ms. Rodin, in reference to the second page of Ms. Suib’s Goals of FY 2004-2005, said she would like to add Extended Outreach.
Ms. Tatem asked if in next years budget there is money for testers. She said that should be a separate line item. Ms. Suib said there are other issues surrounding the testers besides money. She said it is either subcontracted out for a little less than $20,000 or do it internally. She said there are issues such as "is it in my job description", "am I getting paid for it." and none of these issues have been resolved.
Mr. Papadakos said the radio ad using a person who disguises his voice and calls about an apartment is very good. Ms. Suib said the ad is addressing voice profiling and can also be seen on television.
Fair Housing Commission
October 20, 2003
Page 6
b. Discussion Of Draft FHO Annual Report For FY 2002-2003
Ms. Suib submitted her draft annual report to the Commissioners. She said traditionally it has been
released in November.
Ms. Rodin asked if it would be better to do this one on one instead of tonight.
Ms. Suib said one on one would be a problem for her. She said if someone gave her a comment that someone else disagreed with there is no consensus from the Commission.
Ms. Rodin suggested releasing the report in December. It was the consensus of the Commission that Ms. Suib release the report in December thereby giving the Commissioners time to review the draft.
Mr. Shipp said it should be the first item on the agenda for the next meeting.
c. Discussion of Redevelopment Agency’s New Processes for Fair Housing Expenditures
and Budgetary Reporting
Ms. Suib said until recently she would include in the packets to the Commissioners an Excel spreadsheet showing the budget and what was spent to date. She said she no longer does that because Redevelopment has gotten more professional in its accounting processing, which includes the way they keep records. She said there is no long a file that shows the checks written for Fair Housing, there is now payee files.
Mr. Shipp asked how the Commission knows what they have left in the budget.
Ms. Suib said Mr. Sheehan was to discuss with the Commission the fact that the Comptroller would be doing this from now on.
Ms. Rodin stated that Mr. Sheehan had not discussed this yet.
Mr. Shipp said in the letter already being drafted to Mr. Jacoby and Mr. Sheehan address the fact that Fair Housing needs to be able to track what their monthly spending is so that the Commission see a balance brought forward and can know what activities they can still pursue.
Ms. Suib said she did ask Mr. Jacoby if he had a run for her via e-mail when she was preparing this package. She stated that Mr. Jacoby indicated that he wasn’t ready this month and that he would be ready next month.
Ms. Rodin said the Commission should also add in the letter a reminder that the Fair Housing Office Budget is separate and distinct from the budgets of the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency and should be kept that way.
Fair Housing Commission
October 20, 2003
Page 7
Ms. Suib stated that she can understand having one accounting system but it is not like Fair Housing generates 10,000 checks a year or even 10 years. She said she would like to suggest to Redevelopment that they make a copy of every check and put it in the Fair Housing file so that she could see it too, otherwise she has no way of seeing this.
Ms. Rodin said she suggests putting it in a letter and seeing what happens. Ms. Suib agreed to draft a letter.
d. Discussion of Work Plan and Evaluation
Ms. Rodin said a date had not yet been set for the Commission’s evaluation.
Ms. Tatem asked who would do the evaluation. Ms. Suib stated that Redevelopment would do an evaluation.
Ms. Rodin said Fair Housing would do an evaluation as well and the question is when.
Mr. Shipp asked if the evaluation is for basically discussion with an employee of cohesiveness or for merit or recognition. He said it depends on what the Commission is defining the purpose for.
Ms. Rodin said the original purpose had to do with salary and schedule.
Mr. Papadakos said if it is Fair Housing’s budget shouldn’t the Commission have control over the evaluation and if there is any merit increase.
Ms. Rodin stated that the Commission does have control over the evaluation but not the salary itself because that is considered part of the administration and Fair Housing Officer administration has been assigned to the Redevelopment Agency’s policies. She said when the new policy comes up there is going to have to be discussion regarding the changes. Ms. Rodin stated that the original part of the evaluation has to address how we are doing. The next part of it has to have a section on merit. She said the first thing the Commission has to do is set a date for doing this.
Ms. Suib said it seems to her if there is going to be a merit approach to compensation and merit is going to be determined by somebody evaluating somebody then it needs to be tied to budget cycles.
Ms. Rodin suggested setting a date for this.
Ms. Suib stated that she had never received a formal evaluation. She said the purpose of an evaluation is to determine whether not they get a raise and how much. She said if it is not tied to raises what is the value to an employee.
Ms. Rodin said the question is when does the Commission want to do the evaluation.
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October 20, 2003
Page 8
Mr. Shipp said the evaluation process would have to be in June or July 2004.
** MS. RODIN MADE A MOTION THAT THE ANNUAL EVALUATION OF THE FAIR HOUSING OFFICER BE SET IN JUNE 2004.
** MR. PAPADAKOS SECONDED THE MOTION.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Ms. Rodin said one of the things the Commission has to do is the Work Plan for what things they want to accomplish this next year.
Ms. Tatem said she definitely would like to see some quality training done with regards to testing. She said it is sorely needed.
Ms. Rodin suggested doing a lending study.
Mr. Shipp stated that Acorn did a lending study recently for Connecticut. He said they did Connecticut compared to the nation citing certain towns, in particular, Bridgeport, Stamford and Norwalk. He said some of the numbers were pretty shocking as far as percentages of denial rates. He said Stamford did much better than other towns and in Bridgeport the disparity was ridiculous.
Ms. Rodin asked if it is possible to get a copy of the report. Ms. Suib said would see if she could get a hold of a copy.
Mr. Shipp said a copy of the report would be beneficial to see what they came up with.
Ms. Suib said the Housing Authority needs more trainings of some kind that they want her to do. She said her experience in the past has been any training she does has resulted in a ton of complaints for her so any training for Fair Housing residents or Section 8 participants is a good thing. She said she is just waiting to hear what it is.
Mr. Shipp said it is his understanding that in early December the town is going to be making a presentation and has asked him to speak. He said now Adopt-a-House has also asked him to come and speak.
Ms. Suib said she has been asked to come and speak as well. She said it is some kind of housing forum.
Mr. Shipp said it is a housing forum geared towards affordable housing. He said this may be a good place to address Predatory Lending and also a good opportunity to let them know the Fair Housing Commission exists, the types of issues that are addressed and that the Commission has a Fair Housing Officer.
Ms. Rodin said there has been a two-year administration with a few initiatives concerning affordable housing. She said she would like the Fair Housing Commission to issue a report to the City of Norwalk
Fair Housing Commission
October 20, 2003
Page 9
on those initiatives and what has happened to them. Mr. Shipp said the Commission would have to identify which initiatives.
Ms. Rodin stated that there were meetings of the Planning Committee of the Common Council, the Zoning Commission.
Ms. Suib suggested putting out an inquiring letter from the Commission following up with the Chamber, the Planning Committee and the Mayor’s Breakfast on Affordable Housing.
Ms. Rodin suggested inquiring of the Zoning Commission whether they are taking any initiatives based on what has been going on with the other committees.
Ms. Suib said she would draft a letter to the different committees.
V. OLD BUSINESS
None.
VI. NEW BUSINESS
Mr. Papadakos said all of the Commissions have their agendas posted on the website and asked why the Fair Housing Commission is left blank.
Ms. Suib said she did not know why the agendas were not posted on the website because she sends them every month to Mr. Manson.
Mr. Papadakos suggested making an inquiry as to why the agendas are not posted. Ms. Suib said would make an inquiry.
Mr. Papadakos asked Ms. Suib if she had gotten any discrimination complaints.
Ms. Suib responded that she had not received anything that cannot be resolved
easily.
Mr. Papadakos said the Human Rights Commission has not had any inquiries since Ms. Devitt left. He said it is a concern to him and it should be a concern to this Commission as well. Ms. Suib said she has gotten nothing from Mr. Papadakos’ office and that is unusual.
Mr. Papadakos said there is definitely an issue there. He said Ms. Devitt retired on January 31st, which is almost a year ago.
** MS. RODIN MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
** MS. TATEM SECONDED THE MOTION.
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:56 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda L. Custis
Telesco Secretarial Services
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