Housing board begins new director search

The Morgan City Housing Authority board began Thursday the process of finding a new executive director by forming a sub-committee for the sole purpose of filling that position and also approved keeping its interim director for at least six more months.
The board voted to form a sub-committee consisting of board members Mark Griffin Jr. and Jerome Guidry to hire a new executive director. The sub-committee would then bring its suggestions before the entire board to vote on the criteria brought forward.
On July 25, 2013, Berwick Housing Authority Executive Director Clarence Robinson Jr. was originally approved as interim director of the Morgan City Housing Authority replacing former Executive Director Charles Spann.
The sub-committee will help expedite the hiring process, Board Chairman Victory Ho said.
“We need an outline of everything we need by next (board) meeting,” Ho said regarding formulating the qualifications for an executive director.
The board also approved a resolution for an inter-agency agreement with the Berwick Housing Authority that will allow Robinson to continue as interim director of the Morgan City Housing Authority for another six months.
The agreement will automatically renew for an additional 60 days unless either board terminates the agreement. Robinson expects that the process to hire a new executive director will take several months, he said. Education and experience are two of the qualifications the board should consider among others, Housing Authority Attorney Robert Duffy said.
Ho said he would seek guidance from other housing authority boards going through similar hiring processes. Duffy said the job criteria different housing authorities put in place for an executive director can vary greatly. Though a federate mandate does not exist specifying the qualifications for the position, there is a salary cap in place for the position, Duffy said.
“Integrity is one of my main points,” Ho said. Because of what the housing authority has been through, the new executive director needs to have certain core values, Ho said.
According to a state Legislative Auditor’s report released in December 2014, the Morgan City Housing Authority paid almost $700,000 in improper bonuses and wages between 2007 and 2014, with most of that money paid to three office workers and the former executive director Charles Spann.
On June 5, 2013, the Morgan City Housing Authority board accepted Spann’s resignation. Ho said the position of executive director is “very demanding” and “it’s something that’s going to better our city.” Robinson is a man of integrity, and Ho believes the board needs to replace him with a man of integrity, Ho said.
The Housing Authority must publicly advertise for the position of executive director with criteria already set before starting the interview process, Duffy said.
When Robinson was hired as interim director, The Daily Review reported that the Morgan City authority would pay the Berwick authority $839.40 for a 24-hour week to cover Robinson’s salary and benefits along with a mileage reimbursement. “If an administrative assistant from Berwick is used, the Morgan City authority will pay half the hourly salary,” The Daily Review reported in July 2013.
Based on a 24-hour work week by Robinson and an assistant over a six-month period, the Morgan City authority would reimburse the Berwick authority $27,755, The Daily Review reported at the time.
Spann’s salary as executive director was $85,000 per year.
The board also discussed resolutions it approved Dec. 18, 2014, to move forward with Legislative State Audit recommendations for the Morgan City Housing Authority and to approve Duffy, Robinson and Ho to approach the district attorney and the U.S. attorney for the determination and resolution of any criminal violations.
Duffy is waiting on the federal government to make a determination as to what it will do in terms of any criminal prosecution in regards to the State Legislative Auditor’s report, he said. “They don’t even choose to meet with us yet, and they’ve indicated that they’re still doing some investigation,” Duffy said.
Duffy also contacted Assistant District Attorney Anthony Saleme of the 16th Judicial Court who indicated the office is waiting to determine whether federal prosecutors will take any action in the case, Duffy said. If federal prosecutors do not take action, Saleme said the district attorney’s office would take action in the case, Duffy said.
Saleme hoped to have more answers for Duffy in the coming weeks while federal authorities said their answers, if any, would be provided in several months, Duffy said.
Saleme said this morning that he had no further comments relating to the case.
In other business, the board:
—Approved a lease agreement between the Morgan City Housing Authority and the St. Mary Community Action Agency.
—Approved a contractor for renovation in Brownell Homes and Jacquet Homes with 2013 and 2014 CFP funds.
—Approved a resolution to adopt the Internal Revenue Service Mileage rate for 2015 for the Morgan City Housing Authority.
—Approved the Louisiana Compliance Questionnaire for audit service and for the year ending Sept. 30, 2014, for the Morgan City Housing Authority.