1.12.2026 Housing Authority

Roll call.

Chairman lawn here.

Vice chairman under Hill here.

Commissioner Burns here.

Commissioner Bentley here.

Commissioner Maderas here.

[clears throat] Council meeting law please.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. Uh the open meeting law language is as follows.

Pursuant to the open meeting law, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.

Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings or transmissions are being made whether perceived or unpersceived by those present and are deemed acknowledged and permissible.

Thank you.

Are there any persons here for uh citizens? [cough] [clears throat] Are there any people here for residents?

Bless.

Hope we've all reviewed the uh minutes of our regular meeting held December 8th. I'll entertain a motion to accept the minutes.

I'll make a motion to accept the minutes from the meeting held on December 8th, 2025.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. Any discussion?

All those in favor I opposed bills and communications vouchers.

We reviewed the vouchers. I will accept a motion to accept the vouchers.

I'll make a motion uh to accept the vouchers.

Second.

Motion made and seconded.

Any any uh discussions?

All those in favor? opposed.

Okay. Tonight we have our management reports, applications, the occupancy reports, tenants accounts receivable, work order reports, monthly section 8 voucher activity report, monthly personnel account report, director of modernizations monthly report, bank investments and bond debt balance reports.

I'll make a motion to accept the reports as a group.

Second motion made and second to sec to accept all the reports.

All those all those in favor I opposed financial reports as of November 2025.

[snorts] All I accept a motion to uh approve.

I'll make a motion to accept the financial reports for November 2025.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. Any discussions?

All those in favor?

I I opposed.

Have update from our executive director.

Thank you, Chairman Long. Good evening, everyone. Uh, a few things for this month's agenda.

under human resources, we hired a second shift maintenance mechanic. Um, last month we did have someone, but um, they decided to back out. So, um, we had gone through the interview process and hired someone. So, thus far that person is working out well.

We also hired a new coordinator of tenant selection due to one of the retirements um Amy Morren who had been a longtime assistant. Um so we are very happy and extremely confident in the job that she will do.

We also had uh three retirements. Um we had uh Joyce Pereira who was the work order clerk. uh she was here for 23 years.

We had Walter Dominion uh maintenance mechanic who uh served the housing authority for 27 years.

And we also had Marie Soua uh who was our coordinator of tenant selection and she had dedicated 41 years to the housing authority. So, I wanted to uh thank them and acknowledge them and all three will be invited to next month's board meeting uh to receive a certificate and a plaque. So, um that's what we have under human resources under management. I'm happy to inform the board and the public. Um, we had

another Inspire inspection at Pleasant View in mid December. We finally received the score and we received an 87.

So, I wanted to thank Ed Majuski, our director of facilities, and his team once again. Outstanding job. Um, that's a family site. Um, and now we're good for two years over there. 80 and 80 to 90 is two years. So we received an 87. The last uh inspection we got there was I believe a 71 or a 73.

73. So it was a big jump. So thank you Ed.

I will also I have scheduled this week I'll be meeting with [snorts] the various departments in the housing authority um just to go over um the unknown of our uh budgeting uh under the new administration going forward in the new fiscal year and how we um all need to be frugal with our ordering and our spending in preparation if there should be um any cuts.

Um so I will be doing that. Um and how we all of us in each department have to go the extra yard for our residents to provide uh a reasonable level of customer service.

Under finance um we submitted our HUD uh audit with the help of uh CBiz our auditors.

uh we we um turned that in on December the 19th, well ahead of the uh December 31st deadline. So I wanted to thank Nella Soua uh director of finance and her team for working extremely hard with our accounting firm CBIS um in getting that submitted. You'll find in your packets from the letters from CBiz that there were no findings. So happy to inform you of that as well.

Um with that uh submitted we also had to uh submit our agreed upon procedures to EOHLC. So that was done uh at the same time.

Uh just a uh miscellaneous item that will uh also be on the agenda. Um, EOHLC is has asked me to seek permission from the board to approve change orders and when we get to that line item on the agenda, I can elaborate uh a bit further on that.

So, uh, that is all I have for this month. Uh, thank you all and I wanted to wish everyone a happy and successful new year as uh, we've entered that in January.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next order of business modernization.

Next order of business is modernization.

Certificate of substantial completion for the roof replacement project phase 7 building 26 and 30 at Sunset Hill.

I'll make a motion uh to uh approve uh certificate of substantial completion for the roof replacement project phase 7 buildings 26 and 30 at Sunset Hill.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. Any discussion?

All those in favor? I opposed.

Got a contract award for the sprinkler system and fire pump inspection, testing, and maintenance services at 14 different sites.

Make a motion to um award the contract to low rustic fire protection incorporated in the amount of $219,600.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. Any discussion?

All those in favor I opposed procurement valve and piping installation project at KO Madirus Towers.

I'll make a a motion to award the contract to the low bidder JC Canestaro LLC in the amount not to exceed $14,553.

I'll second that.

Motion made and seconded. Any discussion?

All those in favor?

I opposed.

Under miscellaneous, you have for the housing authority FY2026 2027 annual plan certification for submission to HUD along with the state FY [clears throat] 2027 annual plan for submission to EOHLC.

I'll make a motion to approve for submission.

Second motion made and seconded. Any discussion?

All those in favor?

I opposed.

Animal control officer supplemental police service contract for one-year period from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 in the amount of not to exceed $40,144.80.

80 cents.

I'll make a motion to approve the contract for annual control officer supplemental police services for one-year period January 1st 26 to December 31st 26 not to exceed $40,144.80.

Second motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? opposed.

2025 state aided property insurance program billing and participation agreement.

I'll make a motion uh to approve the 2025 state aided property insurance program billing and participation agreement.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. Any discussion?

All those in favor?

I opposed.

Permission for the executive director to approve change orders for Gateway Projects at Maple Gardens, EO HLC number 095177.

So, uh, Chairman Long, before you take a vote, if I can just, uh, shed a little information on this. So, at the last job meeting for the Maple Gardens Gateway project, uh both the uh state construction advisor um and our designer uh but more it's being pushed more from the state uh wanted me to seek permission to approve uh along with those uh two people um change orders in the field so as not to

impede uh the progress of the contractor and the subcontractors going forward.

Um, I would not approve anything without a recommendation from the designer and the approval of the construction advisor.

They couldn't approve it without my approval. So, it's all three uh need to approve any any change orders. Uh, one can't do it without the other or two can't do it without the other. So um this is only for this project. Um again just so we don't slow the process should be there uh a critical path to complete in some division of work. Um it is it's it's just getting started now but

eventually it's going to get really busy. There are many filed subcontractors.

Um, for example, the first thing they've asked me to approve part of this uh Maple Gardens Gateway is upgrades to the underground electric and that requires uh National Grid. So, to increase the load for the new electrical services, National Grid did a survey with their engineers. They're going to add uh more poles to the site and three locations for transformer pads and transformers.

Um and then along with that we have to grant them an easement. Um so there's three different proposals. Um I did get a recommendation letter from the designer and their electrical um consultant. Uh the three uh proposals total just under $62,000.

So the state agrees to that. The designer agrees to that. Um I would need to agree to that. It came simultaneously as the time that I'm seeking approval for these things. So that would be an example.

Um but we certainly can um have a procedure for different dollar thresholds. We can have uh what we customarily use in procurement best practices under 25,000.

Um sometimes you get uh three bids um over over 50,000, but we wouldn't be looking to get bids on an active project. But just using that as an example, those dollar thresholds. So I can I will always inform you and be fully transparent um with any changes no matter what the dollar amount is. But if the board is more comfortable with we put a dollar threshold that would come before you regardless of what's going on

in the field. if it's a if it's a higher a high dollar value, um, we can do that.

But I guess for the purposes of tonight's meeting is a, do you want to grant me that permission? And then b, what parameters do we put in place? What dollar thresholds would you be comfortable with?

So, uh, Commissioner Bentley, I you're a registered architect and have, uh, enormous experience with this type of stuff, so I would defer you as the to the expert on this.

So, I I I definitely have a few thoughts and opinions on this.

Sure. Sure. The hardest thing is when you're in the middle of a project and something unexpected crops up and you have to wait. You know, it loses momentum.

You could lose the weather. There's so many things that could happen. Uh and change order procedures.

The contractor gives you a change order, you review it, then it has to get signed. And I know for here we sign change orders and we only meet once a month and that could be very detrimental if you're in the middle of the winter or it's it because of the timing right and it slows everything down. Um, I think if we set some parameters such as if a change if a change comes up

our own procurement on campus is if we're under $25,000 we use good business sense. We still have to get it signed but we don't go out and seek multiple bid. We don't have to because we're using good business sense. What I think is if something is under 25,000, I would say approve it. All three people, right? The the architect approves it, the on-site super or the oversight person approves it, and you

also approve it, and then let us know at our monthly meeting or what what that's happening. I I think if it's over the $25,000 threshold, um we would still want you and the others to approve it, but let us know sooner, like not wait until the meeting.

if you could send an email. Hey, something came in. Something big came in and it's alone. It's $50,000 and we need to do it to keep moving.

Everybody agrees we need to do it and I'm informing you that we need to do it.

So whether we want to give you an email approval or a vote or just say thank you Kevin for letting us know. Um I you know that part I think would be up for discussion but it's it's the only because so propos change order proposals get I mean you could have a job hopefully with not a lot or you could you could have a job with a lot and the proposals

get added together and then put together as one change order and you will still receive that each each month if there's a proposed change [clears throat] order that is made up of several proposed change orders.

So, you'll still get that um regardless of the dollar amount. However, just as you stated to keep the project moving along in an efficient way for all parties, right? uh I can certainly inform someone but I think for the purposes even for open meeting we should establish a threat a dollar threshold so there's not discussion in an email we know this is the threshold I can certainly inform you but

if commissioner Maderas has a question on it and then commissioner Burns may have a different outlook on it. We need to know, we need to agree that this dollar amount um Kevin will always inform us, but he has our approval to approve. Um and then certainly if you want to anything over that, whatever we agree upon, it can only come before the meeting for the purposes of you know the open meeting uh guidelines.

So, if we say this, I'm just talking here. If we say, "Okay, anything under $25,000, go for it. You You can do it. The architect approves it. The on-site super approves it. You approve it.

It's it's good business sense because of the dollar threshold." And then we'll know that at a meeting. But if it's over the 25,000, I would be hesitant to say, "Let's wait until the board meeting because that could really if we're only meeting once a month, that could really slow things down out on the site." Um, so there I think there needs to be a way to inform us of what's happening.

Oh, I I'm not saying I wouldn't inform you. All I'm saying is we We kind of need a dollar amount to know that I can approve it or not. Um, just as I said, because if it's, let's say it's 30,000, you're comfortable with it. Commissioner Burns has questions on it. Commissioner Underh Hill says go ahead. Commissioner Long says, "Oh, that's I don't know about that. At least if we have the

dollar amount, it's always going to be approved by the three parties. I don't care if it's a dollar or [snorts] $50,000. I would never put my signature on something that's not a unanimous approval. Um, but then all of that will get brought to the to the board meeting for you to formally approve. uh as that's the the pursuit the the practice of the state. Uh if I could ask, so you brought up uh a

situation earlier that you just learned of uh with this electrical situation that's 62,000.

Well, we knew we had to do it. We finally received the proposals from National Grid, right?

It was always known we had to. So, if we set the threshold at 25, that's not moving forward without us approving it first.

Correct.

And like you said, this project is uh s timesensitive. Um so, you're encouraging us to consider a number significantly higher than 25. Well, the uniqueness with we're dealing with National Grid, which normally in these projects and they're not involved with because we have to increase the electrical load and they're the only utility company. Um, we need them for this project. So, is

there a number that in your mind you think would gives you the latitude you need given the project that's at hand or or are we just picking a random?

No, I I I mean I I wouldn't uh personally uh I would say $50,000.

Um, but even at that I I you know, and I have to say we have a a strong working relationship with stock architects.

They're not going to put their signature or have a stamped an engineer stamp on something unless they know that it's valid and the cost is in line. Um, and the state quite frankly is not going to approve it either. uh because the construction advisor has to get the approval of his or her project for funding.

So there's still a layer. It's just it's kind of bypassing the once a month formal board meeting and then you know the contractor has to get this in so that uh I can get it on the agenda so that it can be publicly uh uh advertised in time. And what happens on these these projects with all these various divisions of work, there's multiple consultants and subcontractors.

So the general contractor might be waiting on the electrical who's waiting on HVAC.

So there's a kind of a domino effect.

So, if I would feel confident and I think they would as well is if outside of this electrical one because this that's an anomaly. We're dealing with the the um utility company. They're not one of really one of our vendors that uh put in a bid and was approved for this project. Uh they're the only game in town, so we we have to utilize them. But um so yeah, I would say I would as as

Commissioner Bentley said, uh under 25 just do it and then let us know at the meeting, but if it's over that, you know, inform you via email or something, which is fine. I just don't want to get into people questioning when they see the dollar amount and the scope of work in the email because then that's still you're holding up the process. So I just I just want the board to be comfortable

with whatever the number is and you you agree upon that number um so that we know going forward that's the number we all agreed upon it. I know that's the authority that's given to me and we go from there and hopefully, you know, we we won't hit any change orders that I, you know, um but you never know.

I'd like to speak to this for a second.

Um I had I I had spoken to um the executive director about this prior to the meeting. Um and I was concerned about the financial numbers. Um, and since that conversation, I had some things in my head. Could you just give me as far as this gateway project at Maple Gardens? Um, what is the total price tag on that?

We're about 8.2 million.

So, as you can imagine, a project of that size, there's going to be a lot of unforeseen. There's going to be things that no matter how many consultants you put on the job, they're they're just not going to pick up on every single thing in the field. There's always going to be something.

Um, and I I get that. But the other side of that coin is is when we start saying $50,000, I can see the first one coming in being $50,000 $10. Just doesn't go through. So my I I have two issues. one is seeding authority of this board to anyone, not just you. Not that we don't I don't trust you, but I do. Um, and not that I don't trust anybody that's

working at ELH. I just I I have some concern about that. But I also understand that business is business and you we need to take care of business.

So my question would be in the breakdown of these contracts whether [snorts] it's electrical plumbing because I think that's when these little change orders come in in the individual pieces.

Um if we could look at that and say you know the maximum contract in this one will be electrical let's say of the 8.2 2 million. The electrical is going to be 3.5 million or whatever it is. [snorts] If we could go to a a percentage maybe of each contract if that if it's plumbing and the plumbing is 600,000.

How much do we want to do? I don't know, 10%, I don't know, 5%, 4%. And we don't get stuck on a hard number of 50,000. Um I think that's very difficult to say in your head, you know, where is the change order going to be. Um and and I'm not sure again I have problem seeding our authority to somebody else and but I also understand that we want to keep the

business flowing. So, I'm thinking um a percentage piece would probably make more sense to me rather than a hard number. I don't know how anybody else feels about that.

Just the only thing I wanted to also add to give you a little assurance this being a state job and we know on all our state it's it's funded from EOHLC.

Uh unlike our federal projects, we have a pool of money. Our finance department has it in an account. As we get invoices and change orders, um we pay them, right? Um there's no representative from HUD looking over those change orders. It's us and it's the designer. With the state, you have a third person, right? Because they have this way this construction unit is set up. They have a construction advisor in

the field and then they have a project manager that approves the construction advisor. So, they're not going to approve it if they don't have the money and feel that it's that it's adequate. Mhm.

If we were just if I were asking you just for this approval on federal projects, then you might say why why does Kevin have to why does he need this approval on this? Um why don't we just keep the system the way it is? And I would agree, you know, and I don't want to be tasked with uh the only person to approve these. I mean, I still have to

design it, but on the state you have those added layers of approval. So, and you make a good point, whether it's a percentage or a dollar amount, that person in the field is is going to see it. They're going to approve it.

You're going to get a recommendation letter uh from the designer. If the designer doesn't feel that it's that it's fair and and and accurate and in needed, they're not going to they're not going to approve it.

So um that is a good point the uh percentage but um this we have about nine file subvids commissioner so uh chairman uh so I don't know what the percentage of their work is and and and that would really be splitting hairs and dissecting it. If there were two, I'd say, "Yeah, we we have an HVAC and we have a plumber, and it's easy to see what their scope of work is." But with all these divisions

of work, it's really we have roofers, we have carpenters. Uh Jim, could I add something too because I think Kevin, it probably would have been uh best to even highlight that right at the beginning. So the change orders that typically come here whether it's CFP the modernization money you got that pool of money CIP is even a pool of money to a much like lesser extent for the state

projects this is basic this is almost a separated from that type of yearly funding that we have it is a special grant-f funded state project to to to overhaul and upgrade you know uh uh uh a variety of things at at Maple Gardens.

um dedicated strictly to that that was awarded five years ago and for a variety of reasons has taken forever to kind of get shovels in the grounds at this point. But that is the to me that's the important component of the whole thing with the state project manager and his supervisors along with the obviously the the designers on site and whatnot when when they're signing off on that change

order again they're approving that as eligible funding for the project. So, you know, whatever the whatever the original grant was, they're saying, "Okay, there's $30 thou. Let's just pick a number. I I it's I don't even something's going to be pretty drastic, I would think, when it gets to that high, but let's say it's an $11,000 change order, whatever." They're signing off on the eligibility of that funding.

It's not Kevin coming back and and with what we normally do on a month-to-month basis that the folks at home would not know where, okay, we got a change order out of a project and that's 11 grand that's coming out of that general pool that maybe could have been used at a subsequent project. The state is saying, okay, we see it. We realize that it's a, you know, it's a valid change

order. We're also going to sign off on it along with the designers and the engineers and we're funding that. We're it's eligible. you know, it's not affecting it's not come it's certainly not coming out of our operational which these change orders never do, but it's not also not coming out of that pool of modernization planning that we do when we're prioritizing projects from year to year to year saying and and and

sometimes we even adjust those plans.

All of a sudden there's a problem with the roof and the boiler has to wait because there's a problem with the roof.

This is a separate specifically identified, you know, funding pattern and special project and a and a and a and a state grant that was awarded to us, like I said, unfortunately 5 years ago.

And if I can add, I don't want to push you in any direction. Whatever the dollar amount you're comfortable with, please, that's I'm uh Commissioner Bentley threw out 25, I threw out 50. I mean, it's whatever the pleasure of the board is. Don't be influenced by what I say.

So um I kind of view our our role in any kind of these approvals as guard rails, making sure we're doing the right things, um, making sure everything kind of makes sense, right? But I'm still taking a lot of advice from the professionals in that world. If we give you permission, there's a lot of professionals involved in this who are working on this. It's not use spitballing and saying, "Hey, let's see

if this works, right?" So, I feel like there's still guard rails. Um, I would be willing to say you asked for $50,000.

I'd be willing to do that. But I would say that, um, do we can we build into that? Like say a month into this, two months into this, um, we somebody in this room feels a little uncomfortable with that process. It's not playing out the way um, I I either intended or thought it would that we revisit it and say 50 is too much. Let's knock it down to $25,000.

I the last thing I want to do is hold up the project, right? And with those guardrails, I think it makes sense, but but I would respectfully say, let's let's continue to monitor it and and go forward.

You certainly as a board retain the right at any time to say, you know what, I'm not comfortable with this. We voted to approve it last month, but now we're here. We are in February. I'm not comfortable what I see, what I hear. um I want to scrap it or I want to lower it to $10,000. You certainly always have that right. This isn't anything that's going to become statutory or this is and

it's solely just for the Maple Gardens Gateway project. We'll have a a camera project at Maple Gardens starting in the in the in near future.

Same proceed nothing to do with this. I won't be seeking any approval. They had asked me, I said, "We meet in January.

I'll put it on the agenda." They were very happy with that. And um after this project and if there's no issues, it goes away and it's business as usual.

So, do we need uh sorry to cut you off.

So, do we need two motions? One motion to uh give you approval to make these decisions and then a motion for a separate uh dollar amount. Is that what you're looking for? Or do we need to wrap it up into one?

Uh just in one. Yeah.

One motion.

All right. So, I make I make a motion to um make it allowable at the $50,000 level. Um I do that with great trust in this process. I think there is guardrails um but with completely monitoring it and willing to change it as we go forward. But I I'll I'll you you are seeking that amount. I make a motion for that. If anybody wants to amend that dollar amount, I'm not offended, but that's where I am

starting.

I'll second that motion.

I have a motion made and seconded. Um, I'd like to continue the discussion with a couple more thoughts that I have on this. Can you tell me the process right now um with approving a change order coming to this board and saying we have a change order of $50,000 for whatever?

Um, what is the process internally here um to to review that change order?

So, it it would start out in the field.

Let's just say we're here at O'Brien. We have a window project. We're doing the mockup unit this month, this week.

Um, they get into it. They find that there's additional asbestous in the insulation uh in the old framing.

We've got a thousand windows that may have that existing condition. It's going to be $400 to abate each window.

The contractor is uh going to request that proposal to the designer, to the owner. We're all going to put our eyes on it. the designer is going to look at it maybe require additional testing but in the end if the designer says yes it's it's hot it's positive for asbestous uh we this change order is is is accurate now uh the modernization department will put that on the agenda and that will

come before you just like this and you'll either approve it or disapprove it I'll give you an explanation on why we need it. Many times there's change orders and it makes it a little easier for you. It's it's code enforcement. The codes have changed. The code now requires X, Y, and Z and it may be a it may be costly, but we kind of have to do it.

I would just want to add one thing to that though, Kevin. I believe what we see is a compilation of the change order proposals that are then put together as a change order.

So there could be six change order proposals that total $40,000 or $50,000. We see change order number one in the amount of $50,000, but it's truly made up of multiple change order proposals that have been vetted and approved.

Correct. So we don't see each one. We see you see the overall you see one but you see each individual PCR.

Correct. So we're we're approving the change order but not the which is made up of the change order proposals.

Correct.

Correct.

Yeah.

So because you wouldn't be asked to approve a proposal, right? the designer in the field and the owner would would be and then once they approve it with the recommendation letter then it would come to you and you would read that recommendation letter and it says change PCO number one is to remove asbestous.

PCO number two is to reinsulate those pipes. PCO number three is the additional labor and and drywall to cover up the wall. And then there could be one for painting everything like that. And we see it as change order one, right?

You always have the breakdown.

Correct. Correct.

Yep.

Yeah.

So that's the that's the current and will continue to be uh the procedure.

But one more thing and then I'll stop talking.

Sure.

Is that on officially until we approve it, the work comes to a screeching halt. until we approve it.

That's right.

So, if they submit if they have a change order to if there a proposed if a potential change order happens tomorrow, they have to wait till our February meeting until they can continue work on it. And this is what they're trying to have not happen.

And and this what we're doing here is just specific to this to this project to this not correct. And you really because it's such a large project with so many divisions of work. So let me give you an example. Uh in 2010 we federalized Pleasant View that went out at the time I think it was a 1.6 million project.

The end of that project for 1.6 there were $300,000 in change orders at the end of the project. So maybe 30%.

Um, so imagine now an $ 8.2 million project. As much as we hate change or some are necessary, some do they really need to do that? Was that labor really accurate? But it's it's progress. You're moving along. And quite frankly, the state's paying for it, right? It's not it's not coming out of our budget or out of our CFP. So, but yeah, that's uh only for the Maple Gardens Gateway. Any other

projects at Maple Gardens? Nope. It would be the same procedure. You get the change order, you read through it, you have questions, I explain it to you, and then you approve it or not. Um so, this is just as Commissioner Bentley's just to kind of expedite and not hold up. Um and that's a high number. It really is.

Uh we've had I believe one change order thus far over there and it was less than $4,000 because when they opened up the wall there was a speestous insulation around some water lines. Um, I don't anticipate anything being that vast where uh we're over that because I'll quite frankly have a lot of questions you know why.

On the other side of this is is when we do change orders for the most part when they come before us it comes before us with the recommendation of the executive director and his staff reviewing all of these pieces. uh and we uh we rely on their professionalism and understanding of the projects when we uh take our votes. So I get it. But uh and you'll I think I can uh support the motion [cough]

limited to uh 50,000. Um but my concern still exists that uh we need to watch it and watch it carefully to make sure that uh you know it doesn't get abused. Right.

Right.

So, uh, no, I'm I'm I'm I'm willing to support this because out in the field, I'm, for lack of a better term, I'm an extended member of the board, and I'm just approving it out in the field, and I'm not going to approve it without the backup, without knowing exactly what's going on. I'm not going to sign off on anything um without the state and without the designer.

What's the timet on this? When does this get done? When's it completed? What's your completion date?

Uh, about a year and a half from now like it's 500 plus days.

So, um, are any further discussions here? Any questions? Any amendments?

We'll move forward with the Can you restate your uh My motion was to uh give the executive director permission to uh complete the change orders with a cap of $50,000.

Not to exceed not to exceed.

Any further discussion?

We'd be getting monthly updates on the progress and and and just for the purpose not so much for a vote but for the open meeting as I explained the national grid that's unique. That's not even really a change order. That's something that's by code is required and that's just under $62,000.

You're okay with me signing off on that for national We can we can only get one for $62,000 when the motion proposes $50,000.

It's not a change order.

It's not a change order. You've been waiting for this amount to come in.

Yes. It's scope of work.

Okay.

Um so No, I don't I don't have problem with that. Um I get it.

It's just something like that like you're not going to see that on an application for payment. That's going to be a separate payment. The state is going to give us the money. then we're going to cut a check to national grid or in some of these cases just a pastor we yeah we pay the money and then you get reimbursed from the state because without national grid donors we can't do anything quite frankly

so do we need to amend the motion at all just to say the exception being the national grid if if you're comfortable with that I I don't We don't have an alternative.

Are you asking for a vote on the 62,000?

It's not a change order. Okay. So, you're not So, no. So, the so the original motion is I think fine as stated. Yeah.

And we're delineating 50,000 and down.

So, as I think you guys collaborated not to ex not exceeding 50 comes to the board.

On the gateway project.

On the gateway project. Correct. Yeah.

Yeah. Let's keep it at that and then 62 you deal with that.

Okay.

Get a get a vote on it. We got a motion on second.

Uh any further discussion, questions?

Motion's on the table. All those in favor?

I I opposed for election of officers by calendar year 2026.

If I can just add for your election um solely for the purpose of time um if everyone is satisfied in their current positions we are allowed to vote as a as a slate. Correct attorney Souza? So as as presented as presented you don't have to do individual for each person but that's totally everybody is happy in titles.

I'm happy If Mike's happy, I'm happy.

Can we reiterate the the the slate of officers then?

Chairman Long, Vice Chairman Under Hill, and Treasurer Jason Burns.

So, just a motion to carry that slate of offices forward for the election of offices for calendar year 2026. I'll make a motion to carry that slate of offices forward for the calendar year 2026.

Second.

Motion made and seconded. Any discussion?

All those in favor?

I opposed.

I'll entertain a motion that we will be going into executive session, but I'll make a motion that uh we can adjourn the meeting from the uh executive session when we're concluded.

But at this point, this will conclude our open meeting at this time. Motion, please.

I'll make a motion to close our regular meeting and go into executive session.

Mr. Chairman, would you just want to read the recommended action?

Recommended action is anticipated executive session pursuant to the MGL chapter 30A section 21 A3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public body. And the chair so declares and you do declare that that it does have an effect on the litigating position.

Yes. Yes, I do.

I'll make a motion to go to end our regular meeting and go into executive session. And after executive session, we will not be coming back to regular meeting. We will second.

Motion made second. Any discussion? All those in favor? I opposed.