The Housing Authority Board continues to research various past contracts as the agency moves forward with its separation from the Gateway Community Development Corporation.
The board is discovering some contracts they were unaware of, as well as inquiring about the details surrounding many contracts put into place by former executive directors in the past.
“It is obvious as we begin this new era of separation from Gateway…we are not doing the wrong thing by looking at these situations as they continue to come up,” said Herbert Scott Jr., HA board member. “We still have a right to question all this to make sure we are updated with everything that is going on.”
Chairman Danny Neely said it is within the Housing Authority’s bylaws that contracts can be initiated through the HA executive director. But the contracts must also be signed by the HA board chairman.
“That is what it written, but it was never followed,” said Mamie Williams, HA board member.
Lillie Evans-Bass, board attorney, said the current HA board continue to find out about contracts through the financial statements.
“The only way the board was finding out was seeing a payment in the packet to be approved at the board meeting,” Evans-Bass said.
Carolyn Johnson, HA board member, also asked the interim HA executive director Ben Washington to look into the board’s payment of a computer technician.
“He is getting paid every two weeks, but he is taking care of Gateway,” asked Johnson. “And the Housing Authority is paying for it? I have a problem with that. And then there is Affordable Heating…he’s continuing to get paid, and right now I don’t think he is doing anything.”
Washington said the service calls are being handled through Affordable Heating’s contract.
“(Affordable Heating) does not have a standing contract with the Housing Authority,” added Veronica Starling, HA board member. “And his invoices are for varying amounts. It is not a reoccurring bill. He does do service calls, but he is also (former director Alpreston Billings) her son’s father. I had a problem with her utilizing him, especially with the last invoice for a payment of $12,000. In that same time, there was one for $3,000. What is he doing?”
Starling said there are many contracts that the HA needs to investigate. She added that some agreements were “family things.”
