Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Warsaw City Councilman Porter Polston was honored Monday during the Warsaw Housing Authority board meeting for his service to the board.
Polston was the council representative to the board and steps down because he will not be on the council as of Jan. 1. The position is a nonvoting one, and Polston's replacement will be named after the first of the year.
Polston said he has enjoyed being on the board because it "has been a learning experience."
After a bit of confusion regarding when board member terms expire, it was determined that the terms of members Tom Lemon and Dennis Cultice expire Dec. 31, 2000; Bob Kline's term expires Dec. 31, 2001; and the terms of Sherri Ruggier-Milton and Sue Charlton expire Dec. 31, 2002.
It was Charlton's belief before attending Monday's meeting of the board of directors that her term expired this year. She agreed to stay on and fulfill her term, regardless of how long it was, prior to learning its duration.
Election of officers for 2000 were voted to remain the same: Kline, president; Charlton, vice president; and Ruggier-Milton, secretary/treasurer.
Kline and Lemon were appointed WHA representatives to a Warsaw Community Development Corp. advisory board concerning housing matters.
In other business, the board voted to draft an amendment to the agency's personnel policy stating how paid time off - other than vacation time - is accrued. The information is unclear in the policy and the WHA's auditor noted that it should be defined.
The board also wants to look at the city's vacation and paid time off policies so as to mirror those since the agency is a branch of city government.
"Our policy ought to track the city of Warsaw's policy," Lemon said. "Whatever they do, we'll do."
Mayor Ernie Wiggins, who attended the meeting, said the city's new personnel policy will be ready in February and the board will review it at that time.
The board also agreed to choose a zero minimum rent policy vs. the $25 minimum rent it has maintained.
Former WHA executive director Catharine Walker said the policy affects very few people and the administrative burden keeping a $25 minimum rent clause would impose on current executive director Angie Shirk and other employees would be such that it should sway the board to opt for zero rent.
If the agency kept a $25 minimum rent, clients who might have been eligible to apply for a hardship would have to be contacted retroactive to October 1998 and refunds would likely be paid to those who qualified for less than the minimum rent payment. Going with the zero rent now means the agency doesn't have to backtrack.
In other matters, the board:
• Learned the audit for fiscal year ending Sept. 30 went well and returned with no findings. "It's a clean audit," Shirk said. The Housing Opportunities of Warsaw audit also was without findings.
• Was told that Lowell Owens, who bought the building in which the housing authority offices are located, put the WHA and HOW names on a sign that at no charge to the agencies.
• Decided that despite an Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation loan holder's filing for bankruptcy, the agency's mortgage should not be affected and the monthly payments should be made as they become due.
The next WHA board of directors meeting is at 5:15 p.m. Jan. 24 in the law offices of Lemon, Armey, Hearn & Leininger.
