There are indications from the Rockingham Housing Authority board that an imminent change in management won’t only mean a facelift in bookkeeping and financial reporting practices, but in the very way it delivers services.

The agency is still waiting for approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to contract administrative services from Landura Property Management, but it has also already begun the interviewing process to name a permanent replacement for former RHA Director Gracie Ingram.

At Tuesday night’s meeting of the RHA Board of Directors, a question from a board member concerning unpaid rent on its units prompted Interim Director Jim McCaskill to offer this guidance as the search for a full-time replacement nears completion.

“Our conventional housing program is in desperate need of attention,” McCaskill said. “And when we get to a place where we can make that a priority, that is something we will definitely look at.”

Board member Joe Mendola pointed out that in the agency’s August financial report, there was a 60 percent increase in the amount of rent collected from tenants.

“That is what the conventional (housing) program collected over the month,” McCaskill replied.

Mendola pointed out the fact this is a large fluctuation in the amount of rent collected from one month to the next.

“I am wondering, if a tenant is behind, what kind of a grace period do we allow them to get caught up,” Mendola then asked him.

McCaskill said there was apparently no set policy the agency has gone by, and that some residents have paid “catch-up amounts” in addition to their monthly rent.

“I even had some come to me and say, ‘I thought since Gracie was gone, I didn’t have to pay anymore,’” McCaskill said. “I had to tell them of course they didn’t really think that was the case.”

Mendola suggested the administrative arm of the agency hold tenants to a stipulated time on their rent contracts.

“I think you will find that when Landura takes over, they play hard ball,” Mendola said.

“We need to be fair, but firm,” McCaskill said. “And that’s what we expect, and that’s what you’ve got to do.”

Further discussions on the board, especially by board member Cohen Cox who works as a Certified Public Accountant, offered some alternative explanations for the difference in the size of the ledgers, but the board seemed to reach a consensus to look for changes to the program in the future.

The board was also updated on the status of the bank account for the non-profit organization that administered the agency’s summer food program and appears to be involved in the investigation of former officials at the RHA.

McCaskill told the board the money to close out the summer food program was deposited into the general fund of the agency initially.

It then had to be transferred into the checking account of the Richmond County Enrichment Corporation before being paid out.

“There is some money left in the account,” McCaskill said. “There are also some taxes to be paid, then there won’t be much left at all.”

McCaskill said he’d consulted with HUD officials on what can be done with the money, and was told there are very specific uses it can be spent on.

“Basically, for feeding people,” he said.

McCaskill said the advice of one official was to possibly hold on to the money as seed money for a food program next summer.

“Also, they suggested if the H1N1 flu pandemic, or anything, gets to the point that they have to close the schools, we could use the money to feed the kids who would be eating at school.”

In three separate transfers of funds taking place in just over one month, there was nearly $65,000 deposited in the account from HUD federal funds.

In other business:

n The board received updates on two contracts to repair damage to buildings.

McCaskill said work to repair damage from a tree that fell on 909 and 911 John F. Kennedy Street is “about 95 percent complete.”

“Work was delayed due to a back order on window units that had to be replaced,” the staff report reads. “Remaining work should be completed within 10 days.”

He also told the board the more than $275,000 contract with Mitex Inc. on the capital improvement roofing project has been executed.

“Materials were delivered on site Oct. 14, but no other work has begun due to the weather last week,” the report read.

McCaskill pointed out the weather this week has improved, but the crew has not arrived yet.

n Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.