FCHA Board members hear updates on improvement projects

Forrest City Housing Authority Board chair Ernestine Weaver praised the agency’s interim director Shonveay Phillips for working closely with staff and tenants to make the office run smoothly during the board’s first meeting of the new year on Thursday.

"We want people to feel at home in the residences and she's done that," said Weaver.

Phillips thanked the board for the opportunity to serve as interim.

"While it has been confusing at times, it has been getting better and better," said Phillips. "We've not had any issues with employees."

Phillips told board members she is still taking training but is “good with the board deciding to post the job opening for a permanent director.

Phillips updated the board on capital funding projects through the Office of Public and Indian Housing Capital Fund Program Awards.

She told the board that due to Covid, they have to have the funds for 2021 obligated before the 2019 funds.

"We have to obligate those funds by Feb. 22 of this year and spend by February of 2025," said Phillips.

She explained the 2019 funding has to be obligated by April 15 of this year and spent by April of 2025.

"And we can be penalized for not spending the funding," added Phillips.

Board member Emily Holley asked how the agency plans to spend the funding.

Phillips said some had been spent on trimming trees at the Dawson and Turner Circle complexes. "The tree trimming is also done at Grobmyer Circle, but they have to come back to grind stumps," said Phillips.

Phillips also noted the agency is seeking bids for improvements at several locations and gave maintenance supervisor Anthony Bean an opportunity to explain those projects.

Bean said the agency wants to add concrete board up to a certain height so that when tenants were grilling outside it would be safer and not melt siding on buildings over time. He also said they were wanting to begin updating and replacing kitchen cabinets at several of the buildings as well as plumbing.

"We also are wanting to put clean outs outside of the building so they don't have to come inside the homes to make repairs," said Bean of some plumbing issues. "We also have water line problems in some of the units that we'll fix. We’ve had about 28 lines freeze this year."

Bean said plumbing would be moved from outside walls to under the upgraded cabinets.

Bean said another important project is switching to LED lights at Turner Circle to help with the cost of bulb replacement and energy.

Phillips said the bid openings on the projects would be held at the FCHA at 1 p.m., on Thursday, Feb. 2.

"We are trying to make the apartments more up to date and modernize them," added Phillips.

She said future projects would also include upgrading appliances in some units. "We are wanting all black appliances to modernize," she explained.

Phillips also noted that staff will be polling residents at each development to give residents an opportunity to have input on colors and such as the updates take place.

"When you give people ownership they take better care of things that are in their possession," said Weaver of the poll. "I believe in giving people ownership. You all are good stewards over the money."

Phillips said she plans to hold an empowerment meeting at Grobmyer Center and that the fun day had been postponed until spring due to weather.

Board member John Pope also announced his plans to retire from the board.

"I just wanted to mention it so you have plenty of time to find a replacement," said Pope.

Weaver said she is sad to see Pope go.

"We have such a good board now. Things are going so well with us passing inspections and people working together. It is such a good group of people working together and getting down to what needs to be done," said Weaver. "I would like for us to have, as much as we can, to have diversity on the board. The people like to be represented.”

Board member LaRita Moore also mentioned the need for dirt in some yards.

Bean said he's had been trying to get dirt for around five months and yards would be repaired as soon as the FCHA receives the dirt.

"We've had several yards like that and think it might have been a tree there at one time in those yards," said Bean. "We've had that happen in several instances. When we get the dirt, we're going to fix everything."