Minutes, November 17, 2020
Minutes from the November 17, 2020 Clarksville CDC Monthly Meeting
In support of citywide efforts to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the November 17, 2020 Monthly Meeting was held via Zoom.
Board members in attendance: Aly Byatt, Aubrey Clark, BJ Friedman, Paula Hern, Kim O’Brien, Malcolm Greenstein, Mary Reed, and Chris Thomas.
Others in Attendance: Rose Gabriel, CCDC Director of Property and Finance, August Byatt, Justice Gabriel.
1. On a motion by Aly, seconded by BJ, the minutes from the October 20, 2020 monthly board meeting were approved.
2. BJ presented the monthly financial reports. We ended October with $4702 in our checking account, $168,763* in our savings account (* of that total, $31,757 is not designated to be spent on specific projects.)
We are investigating the $251 bank service charge. We renewed our line of credit at Frost Bank but were not aware that we would be charged this fee.
The ending balance shows negative because we returned the $7500 federal Covid-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) received in the previous fiscal year. The repayment of $7566.11includes interest accrued on the loan.
The minutes from the November Finance and Operations Committee meeting appear at the end of these minutes.
3. Rose Gabriel, Director of Property and Finance, gave her monthly report. Two tenants are on payment plans and are current on those plans. New tenants are moving into 1007B Charlotte. They were referred by Casa Marianella. Two sets of tenants are moving out, one at the end of November, the other the end of December.
Regarding egress issues at 1011 Charlotte: the front steps need to be redesigned, along with adding back egress. Rose suggested moving the current upper unit tenants into the about to be vacant lower unit during construction. When the work is complete, new tenants would move into the upper unit. It would mean a loss of rent for a month or two on the upper unit, but work must be done. The board approved the idea. Rose will talk to the upstairs tenant and see if they want to move. No make-ready will be required. Aubrey will draw required plans.
The board commended Rose on the monthly report’s format.
4. Rose gave the monthly progress report on the CCDC house at 1611 W. 10th Street.
She presented the board with a document showing expenditures to date as compared to the approved Development Budget. She explained the amount charged to Infrastructure is for copying plans (at this time this is the most appropriate line item.)
Expenditures are to be submitted to the City for reimbursement. Because the reimbursement process is cumbersome, Rose will wait until more expenses are accrued before seeking reimbursement.
We are hoping for a February groundbreaking.
5. Rose reported on a productive meeting with City staff and Phoenix One, the contractor who will be performing the grant-funded repairs to the Haskell House. Phoenix One is out of Dallas, but they have worked with COA/PARD before, and were the City’s recommendation.
6. The following was discussed under Other Business:
On a motion by Kim, seconded by Malcolm, additional egress at 1821 B Waterston was added to the top priority list, along with the other properties with egress issues. This unit has two exits, but they both are close to the front. There is no door at the back and tenant can’t easily access the back yard. A French door can replace one of the back windows.
Mary reported on improvement to our service from Higginbottom Insurance. Our account representative will now be someone who worked for the company when it was William Gammon and is familiar with the CCDC.
The Austin Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Gala, where the CCDC will be presented with the Vision Award, will be held virtually this week. Mary, Rose, and BJ will be “attending” (and enjoying the promised “cocktail kit.”) Mary prepared a video accepting the award which will be shown. The award will be displayed at the Haskell House.
Mary reported that Steve Amos, who lives on Waterston, has an idea for an online holiday celebration. Since COVID will prevent holding the annual CCDC/OWANA Holiday event, Steve is suggesting identifying a couple of Christmas Carols that everyone can sing outside their houses at the same time. We’ll contact Rick Patrick to suggest some carols. Paula asked that OWANA be included. Mary will work with Steve.
Aubrey wondered if we can have a board gathering, outside the Haskell House, with holiday libations. The Board was agreeable.
Mary announced that there would be no board meeting in December.
7. The Board did not meet in Executive Session.
Actions taken via Electronic Vote:
11/5/20: The board approved a graduated rent increase schedule for a tenant. This matter was time-sensitive and could not wait until the November meeting.
Minutes from November 12, 2020, Finance & Operations Committee Meeting
Attending: BJ Friedman, CCDC Treasurer, Mary Reed, CCDC President, Paula Hern and Rose Gabriel, CCDC Director of Property and Finance. Absent: Chris Thomas, CCDC Vice President
BJ compared the CCDC’s October bank statement against deposit slips, debit transactions and receipts for that month.
Everyone reviewed the financials for October and asked Rose for several clarifications.
Mary asked Rose if there were any regular or periodic bills we could have auto-debited from the CCDC bank account beside our insurance payment that Rose is going to have paid that way from now on and our monthly utility bills.
Mary asked if Rose had applied for the CCDC to be reimbursed for the expenses the organization has incurred thus far related to 1611 West 10th. Rose said that to date, we’ve incurred about $10,000 worth of expenses and that she wants to wait until that amount is larger before completing a reimbursement request.
Rose reported that on Saturday, 11/13, she will meet at the Haskell House with Kim McKnight and Kyle, a contractor recommended by Kim, to discuss the Haskell House project.
Mary reminded Rose that she would like the Committee members to review an up-dated version of the repairs-needed doc.
Mary and Rose discussed the $251.00 fee that Frost Bank appears to have charged the CCDC for the renewal of our LOC. Mary said that she had reread all of the documents related to that renewal and did not see any mention of a fee. Rose will contact Frost about this matter.