Minutes 2025-01-08 — CouncilNotes

Portsmouth

Minutes · January 8, 2025

MEETING MINUTES

FOR WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8TH, 2025 AT 3:00 PM
Location: Portsmouth Town Hall/Portsmouth Room
Please note in accordance with Section 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: J. Seveney, G. Gump, P. Chretien: absent – T. Cortvriend
B. Introduction of Guests: Michael Packard, Pres. Sabattus Housing & Phoenix Property
Mgmt; Bob Plain, Church Community Housing CDBG Program Manager; Lea Hitchen, Town
Planner; Town Councilors Sondra Blank, Sharene Patton and Mary McDowell
2. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
A. The PHA Chair received written notification (included in the Town Council backup for their
December 9th meeting) that Commissioner Patton had resigned her position on the Board on
November 22nd as a result of her election to the Town Council. We thank her for her
contributions to the PHA and public housing in Portsmouth and wish her well in her new
role as Town Councilor.
B. The Town Council approved the submission of the Sabattus Housing application as “sub-
recipient” for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) after a lengthy hearing at their
December 9th meeting. There were some concerns raised at the hearing that the public
notices for the CDBG required hearings were unclear. These complaints were forwarded to
RI Housing’s CDBG office as well. In response to these concerns Mr. Bob Plain, local CDBG
program manager, set up a meeting between the Town Planner & Administrator, PHA Chair,
Sabattus Housing, and RI Housing CDBG Managers to discuss the concerns and any
response. Part of that discussion included the suggestion that the best course of action may
be to re-advertise the hearings with clarifications on new ownership (Sabattus Housing) and
participation by the PHA. Out of an abundance of caution that any public concerns over the
clarity of Quaker Manor & Estates ownership status and the role of the PHA in the CDBG
application process, all agreed it would be best to re-advertise and repeat the CDBG hearing
process early in the new year.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES *
A. Minutes for October 30th, 2024 – motion to approve by Gump, second by Chretien –
passed unanimously
4. FINANCIALS AND BILLS *
A. NA

Portsmouth Housing Authority
Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Board of Commissioners
Commissioners:
Chair James Seveney
Vice-Chair Terri Cortvriend
Gary Gump
Patricia Chretien
Agenda for 1/8/25 |Page 2
5. COMMUNICATIONS *
A. Zoom meeting on December 20th with Town of Portsmouth, RI Housing, Sabattus Housing
and CDBG Regional program manager as detailed above.
6. OLD BUSINESS*
A. Status update for the residents of Quaker Manor & Estates: New ownership, Housing
Authority role, relations with HUD, immediate plans, and view on the future. This item was
tabled as there were no Quaker Manor/Estates residents in attendance. It will be
rescheduled for a special meeting to be held on-site at Quaker Manor.
B. Discussion on the CDGB application content, the issue of re-advertising and repeating the
CDBG hearings with clarifications as described above and outlined in the attached draft
public notice. Shall the PHA join with Sabattus Housing as co-applicants/sub-recipients for
the requested $500,000 through the CDBG program to be used for upgrade/replacement of
the heating systems at Quaker Manor & Estates? Extensive discussion held… motion made
by Gump to support a joint PHA-Sabattus Housing application as sub-recipients for the
CDBG sponsored by the Town of Portsmouth, second by Chretien – passed unanimously.
C. Continue Board dialogue on what our future priorities and activities should look like now
that our HUD issues are resolved and Quaker Manor ownership has transferred to Sabattus
Housing. Extensive discussion held – consensus is that now that the PHA Board is less
burdened by ownership and day-to-day operations we can focus on higher-level issues
related to housing availability, and assistance with achieving Comprehensive Community
Plan Element #4 housing goals and objectives. No vote taken.
7. NEW BUSINESS *
A. Review and approve the draft PHA annual report to the Town of Portsmouth for operating
year 2024 as required under RIGL § 45-25-31; and authorize the Chairman to submit the
final report to the Town Council President and Town Administrator. Motion to approve and
submit the 2024 report made by Chretien, second by Gump = passed unanimously. PHA
Chair submitted the report to the Town Administrator and Council President following the
meeting.
B. Discussion on communications and coordination with the Town Council. Discussed the
potential for assigning one of the Councilors as a PHA liaison. Also discussed establishing
more frequent and regular communications between the PHA and Town leadership. No
votes taken.
8. REPORTS *
A. Draft PHA Annual Report for 2024 sent separately to Commissioners for their review.
9. PUBLIC COMMENT/OPEN FORUM
No further discussion

Portsmouth Housing Authority
Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island
Board of Commissioners
Commissioners:
Chair James Seveney
Vice-Chair Terri Cortvriend
Gary Gump
Patricia Chretien
Agenda for 1/8/25 |Page 3
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 2025 will be quarterly, held the first Monday 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. All meetings will be held at Portsmouth Town Hall.
B. Board agreed to hold a special meeting for the Quaker Manor/Estates residents as soon
as possible to brief them on current status. This meeting will be held on-site to
accommodate as much resident attendance and participation as possible.
12. ADJOURNMENT*
Move to adjourn by Gump, second by Chretien – approved unanimously at 4:20pm.
Pursuant to RIGL S 42-46-6(c) Notice of this meeting shall be posted on the Secretary of State's website,
at the Portsmouth Housing Authority and the Portsmouth Town Hall.
Posted on the RI Secretary of State website: 1/3/2025