Authority approves security contract
The Fayette County Housing Authority voted Monday to enter into a contract with the state police to provide a substantially increased presence in three of the authority’s larger housing projects. The contract, set to begin on Oct. 1, will affect the residents in Lemon Wood Acres in North Union Township, Bierer Wood Acres in South Union Township and Dunlap Creek Village in Redstone Township.
Currently, there are 192 units in Bierer Wood, 150 in Lemon Wood and 100 in Dunlap Creek, although plans are to demolish a significant percentage of them in the future.
Dave Huston reported that the only baseline or current service the state police provide is “one drive-through per shift and on call as needed.”
Although he said the final language of the contract is still in negotiations, the police presence will increase to up to 32 hours per week. Huston said the 32 weekly hours will be distributed between the three sites.
In approving the resolution, the authority voted to fund the program under the public housing drug elimination program for a cost not to exceed $25,000.
The resolution outlines that the authority “desires to create a drug- and crime-free environment and to provide for the safety and protection of the residents.”
With the increased police presence, Huston said a plan must be devised to slowly eliminate the current security used in the federally subsidized housing units. He said the plan is to slowly eliminate the current security and “go with police with arresting powers.”
Executive director Thomas L. Harkless said the current security contract allows for an increase or decrease of hourly people on site.
Huston said providing security is “hit and miss,” depending on different factors such as new tenants moving into different locations.
In another matter, Harkless reported that he will likely be sending out a written response to a federal monitoring letter today. The response is due on Wednesday. He said a rough draft was sent to the Cohen & Grigsby law firm in Pittsburgh on Sept. 6 for review.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which wrote the monitoring letter, gave the authority 30 days to submit a written response to concerns it raised about the authority’s business dealing with two firms that employed Harkless’ relatives through marriage.
In a related matter, the board met in executive session for nearly an hour to discuss the status of Harkless as contracting officer for the authority. Following the closed-door session, authority chairman Kenneth L. Johnson made a motion to change the contracting officer from Harkless to Andre Walters, the authority’s director of technical services. The motion died when it didn’t receive a second.
After the meeting, Johnson said he merely wanted Walters to take over the position until HUD makes a ruling.
“But the board felt it was not necessary to make changes,” he said.
As contracting officer, Harkless does all the paperwork for contracts and also signs off on all the contracts as his role of executive director.
In agenda items, the authority voted to approve several contracts. Tony Baiano Construction Inc. was awarded a contract for $398,800 at Lemont Heights for outside site work. The work includes reconstructing retaining walls, replacing handrails, paving, landscaping and drainage. A contract was also approved with James Electric for $23,500 for Lemont Heights for outside pole lighting.
Scott Yeardie’s Creative Concrete was awarded a contract for $45,990 for a concrete and masonry construction contract at Oliver Heights.
A motion was approved to seek $400,000 in additional operating subsidy from HUD. Sandy Over said the authority is entitled to more money and they want it. She said the money will be used to build up reserves to pay for emergency things not in the budget. Over said the amount of subsidy the authority receives will slowly be reduced as the units are demolished. Johnson and members Beverly Beal, Nancy Sutton and the Rev. Howard E. Dantzler Sr. voted for the motion and Angela M. Zimmerlink voted against it.
J.C. Ehrlich Co. Inc. of McKees Rocks was awarded a contract for $78,494.70 for pest control services, with additional costs for termites. Dennis Barclay said only one bid was received, but it was the same company at the same price as two years ago. He said Erlich’s process is less time consuming and uses baiting instead of spraying. He said the contract covers ants and roaches.
“This is a very good product,” Barclay said.
The authority voted to purchase up to 150 Hotpoint refrigerators at a price of $48,750 or $325 per unit delivered in lot of 25. GE Appliances of Louisville, Ky. provided the lowest bid. Barclay said it is cheaper to go straight to the factory.
The authority voted to reject all bids for a modification to the computer system. Computer expert William Guldenschuh recommended the motion, saying it “wasn’t in the best interest of the authority to proceed at this time.” He said bids ranged between $6,600 and $35,000.
Johnson said the idea is to have a new add-on to the computer system that will give people who go out of town the capability of accessing e-mail. Johnson said the authority can look at other options, such as calling Penn State for suggestions.
Guldenschuh said other solutions may be more cost efficient.