Fall River Housing Authority Receives Perfect Score for Section 8 Program
State Properties Assessment Yields Outstanding 92% Score for Housing Authority
Site Improvements and Tree Removal Completed at Multiple Housing Authority Properties
The Fall River Housing Authority Commission held a brief meeting, lasting approximately 15 minutes. The board, led by Chairman Stephen R. Long, moved quickly through a series of routine approvals, including the minutes from the July 13, 2026 meeting, bills and vouchers, and various management and financial reports for June 2026. All these items were passed unanimously without discussion. Executive Director Mr. Spadella provided an update, inviting the commissioners to the annual employee cookout. He highlighted two significant achievements: the Section 8 department, led by Carrie Farias, received a perfect score of 100 on its SEMAP assessment, earning a "high performer" designation. Additionally, the authority's state properties received an outstanding score of 92 on their annual performance management review. Mr. Spadella and Chairman Long publicly thanked the staff involved for their excellent work. The commission then approved several modernization items, including a certificate of completion for electrical upgrades at the Edward F. Doolin Apartments for $153,340, certificates of final completion for site improvements at three locations totaling $116,275, and a change order for fire-damaged apartments at Maple Gardens increasing a contract by $115,415.79. Finally, the board approved a new three-year contract with KP Law for labor attorney services at a rate of $255 per hour, not to exceed $50,000 annually.
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City Officials
Public / Other
This meeting of the Fall River Housing Authority Commission is called to order at 4:30.
0:074:30.
0:09Roll call.
0:10Chairman Long?
0:11Here.
0:12Vice Chairman Underhill?
0:13Here.
0:14Commissioner Burns is absent.
0:15Commissioner Bentley?
0:16Here.
0:16Commissioner Medeiros?
0:17Present.
0:19Language for the open meeting.
0:20Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
0:22Pursuant to the Open Meeting Law, Chapter 38, Section 20, any person may make an audio or video recording of this public meeting or may transmit the meeting through any medium.
0:31Attendees are therefore advised that such recordings and transmissions are being made, whether perceived or not perceived by those present, and are therefore deemed acknowledged and permissible.
0:43Thank you.
0:43Uh, are there any citizens here wishing to be heard at citizen input?
0:50Seeing none, I'll move on.
0:52Are there any residents here for resident input?
0:56Seeing none.
0:58Next order of business is minutes of our regular meeting held July 13th, 2026.
1:04I'll entertain a motion to accept.
1:08Make a motion to accept the minutes of the regular meeting held on July 13th, 2026.
1:14Second.
1:15Motion made and seconded.
1:16Any discussion?
1:18All those in favor?
1:20Aye.
1:20Opposed?
1:23Bills and communication vouchers, we've reviewed those.
1:29I'll entertain a motion to accept.
1:32I'll make a motion to accept the vouchers.
1:35Second.
1:36Motion made and seconded.
1:38Any discussion?
1:40All those in favor?
1:41Aye.
1:44Management reports.
1:47Did we do these all?
1:48Yep.
1:50All right, this includes the applications, occupancy reports, tenants' accounts receivable, work order report, monthly Section 8 voucher activity report, monthly personnel accounting report, Director of Modernization monthly report, bank investments, and bond debt balance reports.
2:10Hope you all reviewed them.
2:11I'll entertain a motion to accept.
2:13I'll make a motion to accept, uh, management reports as stated.
2:20Second.
2:21Motion made and seconded.
2:22Any discussion?
2:25All those in favor?
2:26Aye.
2:26Opposed?
2:30Financial reports, June 2026, have been reviewed.
2:39I will entertain a motion to accept.
2:43I'll make a motion to accept the monthly financial reports for June 2026.
2:50Second.
2:51Motion made and seconded.
2:53Any discussion?
2:55All those in favor?
2:57Aye.
2:57Opposed?
3:03I need this one.
3:05The next one is our state quarterly modernization report for the period ending 6/30/26.
3:11After review, I'll entertain a motion to approve.
3:17I'll make a motion to approve the modernization quarterly report.
3:23Second.
3:24Motion being seconded.
3:26Any discussion?
3:28All those in favor?
3:29Aye.
3:30Opposed?
3:32I will have an update from our executive director, Mr. Spadella.
3:37Thank you, Chairman Long.
3:39Uh, good afternoon, everyone.
3:41Just a few things.
3:44Uh, first, I would like to extend an invitation to all of our commissioners.
3:51We have our annual employee cookout this Friday at noontime at Oak Village.
3:59The school department is kind enough to let us utilize their parking lot for employee parking.
4:06So we have that every year.
4:08It's a fun event that runs a couple hours, and then we usually have an early release.
4:15So what time does it start?
4:1612 o'clock.
4:17So everyone is welcome to attend if they like.
4:23The next thing I have, I wanted to acknowledge the leaders of our Section 8 department.
4:32The director, Carrie Farias, her assistant, Maria Fonzo, and all of their team members.
4:39In your packet, Martha put in there, we received a score of 100, a perfect score, with the designation of a high performer for the CMAP assessment for that program.
4:58That's the Section 8 Management Assessment Program.
5:02We get assessed annually on our public housing side and also on our Section 8 side.
5:09And every year they do a tremendous job, but this year was a perfect score.
5:16So again, I want to acknowledge Carrie Farias.
5:19She does an outstanding job.
5:22Marie Afonso, her assistant.
5:24And all of the team members there.
5:27So I wanted to just let everyone know that.
5:33Also in the packet, we had our annual performance management review from the state.
5:42That's when they come down and they assess our state properties.
5:46And this year they assessed our financial our TARS, and also our facilities.
5:53And in your packet, you'll see we got a score of 92, to round up, which was outstanding.
6:03So I wanted to acknowledge Ed Majewski, our Director of Facilities, always an outstanding job there.
6:11Kathy Povar, our Director of Field Operations.
6:16Nella Souza, our Director of Finance, and also Amy Moran, who runs the Tenant Selection Department.
6:24Again, great leadership, outstanding performance.
6:28So again, I wanted to acknowledge them and thank them for all of their hard work and their leadership abilities.
6:37And that's all I have.
6:42So thank you, and I'd like to just, on behalf of the board, to say thank you to the people who were involved with the performance management review.
6:54Congratulations, and thank you very much.
6:56You do a wonderful job.
7:02Moving on.
7:07New business, modernization.
7:09We have a certificate of completion consolidated for electrical infrastructure upgrades at the Edward F. Doolin Apartments, contract number 667-2.
7:23The general contractor, MV Electrical Contractors, Inc., completed all the work items.
7:28The final contract amount was $153,340.
7:35I'll entertain a motion to approve.
7:40I'll make a motion to approve the certificate of completion consolidated for the electrical infrastructure at Doolin Apartments with the final contract amount of $153,340.
7:54Second.
7:56Motion made and seconded.
7:57Any discussion?
8:00All those in favor?
8:01Aye.
8:02Opposed?
8:04We have a certificate of final completion for site improvements and tree removal at Maple Gardens, contract number 200-2, number 095203.
8:16Elmer Corbett Street, contract number 689-1, number 095205.
8:22And Bullock Oak Grove Avenue, Contract number 689-4, number 095207.
8:32The general contractor for Maple Gardens was Regal Tree and Shrub Experts, LLC.
8:38They completed all work items, and the final contract amount for them was $27,355.
8:45The general contractor for the Elmer Corbett Street was Regal Tree and Shrub Experts, LLC.
8:53Completed all work items, and final contract amount was $41,125.
8:59And the general contractor for the Bullock Oak Grove Avenue was Guilden Inc., completed all the work items, and the final contract amount was $47,795.
9:12I'll entertain a motion to approve contingent upon final approval of EOHLC.
9:20I'll make a motion to approve contingent upon final approval by EOHLC for certificate of final completion for site improvements, tree removal at Maple Gardens for 200-2, 689-1, 689-4, for tree removal or for Regal Tree and Shrub Experts for the final contract amount of $27,355.
9:58For Regal Tree and Shrub completed work items for the amount of $41,125.
10:06And for Gildan, incorporated for the amount of $47,795.
10:15Second.
10:16Motion made and seconded.
10:18Any discussion?
10:20All those in favor?
10:22Aye.
10:23Opposed?
10:25Request for Hanwha Wave video management software platform be a priority item for the security camera installation at Maple Gardens.
10:35Contract number 200-2, number 095185.
10:42I'll entertain a motion to approve.
10:48I'll make a motion to approve Hanwha Wave video management software for security camera installation at Maple Gardens.
11:01Second.
11:02Motion made and seconded.
11:03Any discussion?
11:06All those in favor?
11:08Aye.
11:08Opposed?
11:12The change order number 5 for the comprehensive building and site upgrades at Maple Garden.
11:18It's the contract 200-2, number 095177.
11:25The change order number is an increase of $115,415.79 due to the contract amount for the reconstruction of the fire-damaged apartments, number 14D and number 22D, including demolition and abatement.
11:44There is no increase to the contract time.
11:46I'll entertain a motion for approval contingent upon final approval of EOHL-1.
11:53See, I'll make a motion, uh, to approve the change order, uh, contingent upon final approval by EOHLC, uh, for the comprehensive building and site upgrades at Maple Gardens, uh, 200-2, number 09517.
12:19And an increase of $115,415.79.
12:27Second.
12:28Motion made and seconded.
12:29Any discussion?
12:32All those in favor?
12:33Aye.
12:33Opposed?
12:37Procurement for labor attorney services, um, the recommended action to order 3 3-year contract to KP Law at an hourly rate of $255, $255, in the amount not to exceed $50,000.
12:52This contract contains 2 separate and distinct 1-year renewable options.
13:01At the table, motion to approve.
13:12Excuse me, I have a question.
13:14Is this a 3-year contract or a 1-year contract that we can renew twice?
13:18No, a 3-year with 2 options to renew.
13:23A 3-year with the potential of 2 options to renew at our discretion.
13:28And to renew a year each time or to renew 3 years each time?
13:34No, no, no, 1 1 year each year.
13:36So 3 years.
13:36So the maximum potential is 5.
13:39Okay.
13:40Thank you.
13:41Which is HUD's— typically HUD's— not typically, which is HUD's limit.
13:47Obviously, if there was anything that was ever longer, we would be coming to the board to seek permission for something like that.
13:54But HUD's legal limit is 5 on duration.
13:58One last question and then I'll Stop.
14:02In the total amount not to exceed $50,000 per year, per term, for the 3, for 3, for the first 3.
14:09Yeah, we've been spending, Commissioners, we've been spending much less lately.
14:15I mean, the biggest savings is not being in negotiation years, for one thing.
14:22We also haven't been bombarded with the need for legal advice, whether it's grievances, discipline, things of that nature.
14:32And all of our work policies are pretty much in place.
14:36Something will come up here or there, but our spending has been way, way down on legal.
14:42Way down.
14:46Obviously, our staff attorneys help with our day-to-day and our housing court matters.
14:52So I'll make a motion to award a 3-year contract to KP Law at an hourly rate of $255 and a total amount not to exceed $50,000.
15:03And this contract contains 2 separate and distinct 1-year renewable options.
15:09Second.
15:10Motion made and seconded.
15:11Any discussion?
15:14All those in favor?
15:15Aye.
15:15Opposed?
15:19I think that concludes our business.
15:22Good.
15:22Yeah, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.
15:29Motion to adjourn.
15:31Second.
15:32Motion made and seconded.
15:34Any discussion?
15:36All those in favor?
15:37Aye.
15:38Opposed?
15:39We are adjourned at— I can't see that clock— 4:45.
15:454:45.