Mathews named to lead FCHA

The Forrest City Housing Authority Board on Tuesday voted unanimously during a special called meeting to remove the interim title and hire Donna Mathews as director of the agency.

Mathews, who has been serving as interim director for the past several months, was the only person who applied for the position.

FCHA Chair Ernestine Weaver said the agency experienced some struggles following the sudden departure of former director Denise Grady.

"We have been without a director for a while now," said Weaver. "We have been waiting and working through some things, and tonight we will open the applications and review what we have. This is a great operation and a big operation and we do not want to mess anything up. We have done the best that we could do and gotten done what we needed to get done. We only received one bid, and following the opening of this bid, we will enter into an executive session and discuss the hiring of this applicant."

Mathews' resume shows she worked for the FCHA for two years while the agency was under the direction of former director Janet Duncan. Her resume shows that Mathews was an insurance agent for eight years prior to being named interim director in October.

According to Weaver, the job includes a 2% raise over the hourly wage paid to Grady, with Mathews making $30.09 per hour.

"We are going to offer this job to Mrs. Donna Mathews as a permanent employee with the exception of a probationary period for 60 days beginning at the end of this month so that we can monitor her progress," said Weaver. "Since you have been interim director, Mrs. Duncan has been assisting you as a sort of prop. We want to take that prop away at the end of this month and see how you do on your own. You will begin this job at the same rate as the former director, plus 2%.”