Minutes 2025-12-10

Portsmouth Housing Authority
Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Board of Commissioners
Commissioners:
Chair James Seveney
Vice-Chair Terri Cortvriend
Gary Gump
Patricia Chretien
Dr. J. Mark Ryan

MEETING MINUTES

FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10th, 2025 AT 3:00 PM
Location: Portsmouth Town Hall/Portsmouth Room
Please note in accordance with RIGL § 42-46-6 (b) The PHA Board may review, discuss and/or
take potential action and/or vote on the following asterisked items:
1. CALL TO ORDER; ROLL CALL
A. Commissioners Present: Jim Seveney, Gary Gump, Patricia Chretien, Dr. Mark Ryan;
absent – Rep. Terri Cortvriend
B. Introduction of Guests: Sharlene Patton, Town Council Liaison
2. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
A. Our top priority infrastructure improvement, upgrading the Quaker Manor & Quaker
Estates heating systems, is nearing completion. See Attachment 2 for detailed
status.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES *
A. Minutes for September 17th, 2025 – Motion to approve by Chretien, second by DR
Ryan – Approved as written unanimously.
4. FINANCIALS AND BILLS *
A. NA
5. COMMUNICATIONS
A. Michael Packard informed us that all grant execution details had been established
between Sabattus, Church Community Housing CDBG manager, and the State
Housing Office. Replacement/upgrade of the Quaker Manor and Quaker Estates
heating systems began in mid-October. Phase 1 is now complete – see detailed
status in Attachment 2
B. Commissioners Gump and Seveney met with the Town Planner on 11/17 to discuss
potential collaboration approaches related to supporting growth of affordable
housing in Portsmouth, and execution of the Comprehensive Community Plan
Element 4 (Housing).
6. OLD BUSINESS
A. Status on progress with CDBG replacement/upgrade of the heating systems for the
Quaker Manor and Quaker Estates buildings. Board discussed the latest execution

Portsmouth Housing Authority
Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Board of Commissioners
Commissioners:
Chair James Seveney
Vice-Chair Terri Cortvriend
Gary Gump
Patricia Chretien
Dr. J. Mark Ryan
status on the project as reported by Sabattus Housing owner. Details included as
Attachment 2 to these minutes.
B. Continue Board dialogue on what our future priorities and activities should focus on
to advance the Town’s efforts to improve and expand housing capacity for our
residents. Discussion continued on need for an outreach effort to other housing
authorities to learn more about their operations, programs and finances. Also
discussed how the Board can communicate more broadly and effectively within the
Town… objective is to more effectively inform the Town on our activities, new
initiatives and status on current housing programs. The discussion then shifted to
our main focus for today’s meeting – review and potential approval of a resolution
offering PHA support to the Town, specifically with the Housing Element of the 2022
Comprehensive Plan… detailed in New Business item A below.
7. NEW BUSINESS *
A. PHA Board discussion on collaboration with the Town on growth of affordable
housing in Portsmouth. As part of this discussion, the Board will consider a draft
PHA resolution offering the Town our support and willingness to act as the their
“Affordable Housing Commission” as defined in the Comp Plan Element 4. This draft
resolution is included here as Attachment 1. The draft resolution was reviewed by
the Board, and after some discussion, and with some corrections, approved for
submission to the Town for their consideration. The motion was made by Gump,
seconded by Dr. Ryan – and passed unanimously. Chairman Seveney took the action
to incorporate the corrections and submit the final resolution to the Town
Administrator and Town Planner for their consideration.
8. REPORTS *
A. The PHA Annual Report for 2025 is due to the town in January, in accordance with
RIGL § 45-25-31. Please review and comment on the 2025 draft report provided
separately. Please provide your comments/changes by Monday, December 8th. The
Board has reviewed the draft report, asked Chairman Seveney to update it with the
information from this December 10th meeting and approved submission of the final
report forthwith, in accordance with state law. Motion to authorize the chairman to
make the updates and submit the final report was made by Gump and seconded by
Chretien. Passed unanimously.
9. PUBLIC COMMENT/OPEN FORUM
None

Portsmouth Housing Authority
Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Board of Commissioners
Commissioners:
Chair James Seveney
Vice-Chair Terri Cortvriend
Gary Gump
Patricia Chretien
Dr. J. Mark Ryan
10. EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Housing Authority Board of Commissioners may seek to enter Executive Session, for
discussions and/or potential actions pursuant to RIGL §42-46-5(a):
A. Not required for this meeting
11. NEXT MEETING
A. PHA meeting schedules for 2026 will be quarterly, notionally to be held the first
Wednesday of April, July, and October These projected meeting dates are subject
to change as circumstances may require. All meetings/changes will be duly
published in accordance with RIGL open meetings notification requirements.
Meetings will normally be held at Portsmouth Town Hall.
12. ADJOURNMENT*
Motion to adjourn made by Dr. Ryan, second by Gump. Passed unanimously at
3:50pm
Pursuant to RIGL § 42-46-6(c) Notice of this meeting was posted on the Secretary of State's
website, at the Portsmouth Housing Authority and the Portsmouth Town Hall.

Attachment 1: Final (Corrected Copy) PHA Resolution
PHA RESOLUTION #2025-01 IN SUPPORT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS AND
INITIATIVES OUTLINED IN THE PORTSMOUTH COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY
PLAN – ELEMENT 4
WHEREAS: The Portsmouth Housing Authority (PHA) was created by Town Council Resolution
63 years ago in September 1962, and chartered by the state under Rhode Island General Law §
45-25-7, and is empowered to exercise all functions, rights, powers, duties, privileges,
immunities, and limitations provided under § 45-25 and 26; and
WHEREAS: These powers are enumerated in § 45-25-15 and include but are not limited to
housing related investigation, planning, ownership, purchasing, leasing, renting, financing,
advocacy, or acting as agent for the municipality; and
WHEREAS: The Town of Portsmouth has a well-researched and documented need to grow
affordable housing stock, meet state mandated minimums for low and moderate income
housing, and fulfill the goals and objectives outlined in the 2022 Comprehensive Community
Plan – Element 4 on Housing; and
WHEREAS: One of the Plan’s strategies to accomplish housing goals is to establish an Affordable
Housing Advisory Board to act as a catalyst for affordable housing initiatives within the Town;
and
WHEREAS: The PHA constitutes a public body, “exercising all the powers necessary or
convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of chapters 25 — 27 of Title
45”, and represents an existing organization that is arguably well suited and empowered to
carry out the mission of the Portsmouth Affordable Housing Advisory Board effectively and
comprehensively.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Portsmouth Housing Authority would welcome
the opportunity to collaborate directly with the Town of Portsmouth to pursue growth of
affordable housing as outlined in the Comprehensive Community Plan. Further, the PHA offers
to fulfill the role of Affordable Housing Advisory Board in accordance with the goals and
objectives of Element 4, if desired by Town leadership.
December 10, 2025

_________

James A. Seveney,
Chairman, Portsmouth Housing Authority

Attachment 2: Status on CDBG Execution

RE: Subrecipient contract Inbox

Michael Packard
Mon, Dec 1, 5:01PM (2 days ago)

Hi Jim:

The update is as follows:

Phase I complete. This is all of Quaker Manor and Quaker Estates IV.

Total cost of Phase 1 of the project: $339,283.96
Total change orders to date: $10,854.00
Total including change orders $349,283.96
Total invoiced to date $204,610.96
Balance to finish Phase 1 $144,673.00 they are behind in their billing

Funds left for Phase 2 $150,716.04
This phase will consist of replacing the furnaces and hot water tanks at Quaker Estates I, II, and III

If we have any additional issues with the heating systems over this winter that require upgrades or replacements, we will use the phase 2 funds before we start on phase 2. I doubt that this will happen, but you never know.