SWAMPSCOTT — After a contentious meeting between the town’s Select Board and Housing Authority members, the two boards agreed to partner and work together to improve housing for the 136 units that the housing authority oversees.
The Select Board appointed board member David Grishman to be the liaison with the Housing Authority to increase collaboration on grants, meet timelines, and have more frequent conversations.
The Select Board and Housing Authority have a history of not collaborating, which was addressed in Wednesday night’s meeting.
Housing Authority Chairman Richard Callahan said he and his colleagues feel like the Select Board treats the Housing Authority like it doesn’t count, when it should be more open to communication to help with any matters relating to the residents that it serves.
“I really don’t think that this board should denigrate us publicly,” Callahan said. “We’re here because we want to work with you people.”
Callahan said the people who the Housing Authority serves live here, pay taxes, are hidden next to the railroad tracks and not paid much attention to by the town.
Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald said he has tried to communicate with the Housing Authority, but was told that they are not open to working with the town, which Callahan said is not true and whoever told him that should be fired.
The Housing Authority wants to work with the town because funding is needed for improvements to the units, such as new doors, windows, and balconies.
“It bothers me that these neighborhoods and properties have declined for the last 30 years,” Fitzgerald said. “We need to partner to think about ways that these neighbors can be included in a bigger plan.”
Callahan said the willingness of the Select Board to communicate with them was a “breath of fresh air,” until Select Board member Peter Spellios began rapidly questioning him about a variety of topics including training for new members, data on handicapped residents, affordable housing, and living conditions.
Spellios said he felt like Callahan didn’t seem committed or have all of the necessary information, which ignited a back-and-forth argument between the two.
This led to members of the Housing Authority getting up to leave the meeting, because Callahan said he felt “rung out, attacked, and ambushed” and he didn’t appreciate the “characterization assassinations of board members.”
Fitzgerald then convinced them to stay, saying they can all agree that they are here for the better of the residents, so they need to talk things out, have a heart-to-heart and work together.
“This is uncomfortable and I’m glad it’s uncomfortable,” Spellios said. “I apologize if my passion comes across as unfounded criticism, but I actually think it’s founded criticism, but it is passion.”
Spellios reiterated that he doesn’t see a big commitment from Housing Authority board members to want to work together, which he said left him feeling unwhole rather than feeling like he wants to create a partnership.
“We want to make you thriving and successful and we want your residents to be thriving and successful,” Spellios said. “This is so important, but I don’t feel like we have a partnership yet.”
In order to improve the relationship to lead to a partnership, Select Board Chair Polly Titcomb said the members of both boards need to have internal conversations, and be more descriptive and engaging on definite action items.
“We might disagree on execution … But we all care about the people in those units,” Titcomb said, emphasizing the need for collaboration and respect among board members.
Although the conversations during this meeting got frustrating, Fitzgerald said he is glad the Housing Authority members stayed for the remainder of the dialogue.
“We have a responsibility to residents who live in inadequate housing,” Fitzgerald said. “We are going to be a part of a team that supports its residents … We need this relationship to work.”