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April 22, 2026 Board Meeting Minutes

The Board of Commissioners of the Beaufort Housing Authority convened a regular meeting on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m., in person at the Beaufort Housing Authority Conference Room. The meeting was called to order by Chair Ethan M. James, and upon roll call those present and absent were as follows:

Commissioners Present: 

  • Chairman Ethan James
  • Commissioner Linda Robinson
  • Commissioner William Achurch (via telephone)
  • Commissioner Natassia Allen
  • Commissioner Janie Glover

Commissioners Not Present: 

  • Vice Chair Marilyn Harris

Staff and Guests attending the meeting including the following:

Staff

  • Aris Hanchard Ferguson, Interim Executive Director

Guests

  • Ronald T. Scott, Legal Counsel, Haynesworth Sinkler Boyd, P.A. (via Zoom);
  • Ben Quattlebaum, Consultant (via Zoom);
  • Sheila Jones, Selenium Consulting (via Zoom)
  • Alicia Brown, HCV Participant

Call to Order and Roll Call 
Chairman James called the meeting to order, took roll, and a quorum was recognized. Chairman James noted that Vice Chair Harris was absent, and Commissioner Achurch participated by telephone.

Freedom of Information Act Statement 
The Interim Executive Director confirmed that the meeting had been publicly noticed, published, posted, and distributed in compliance with the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act.

Adoption of Agenda 
Commissioner Robinson moved to adopt the agenda. Commissioner Glover seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Approval of Minutes 
Commissioner Robinson moved to approve the March 18, 2026 minutes as presented. Commissioner Glover seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Public Comment 
Alicia Brown addressed the Board regarding her family's Housing Choice Voucher and the difficulty of locating a suitable unit for her large household She advised that Apex Realty may have identified a potential home and requested grace if additional time is needed to finalize the paperwork. The Interim Executive Director confirmed that staff would work with Ms. Brown, Apex Realty, and the HCV Administrator to assist with the process and address any voucher timing issues.

Interim Executive Director's Report 
The Interim Executive Director provided updates regarding staff attendance at the South Carolina Affordable Housing Summit, upcoming enterprise software discussions with Yardi, redevelopment progress following execution of the option to ground lease, and the need for a special meeting the week of May 4, 2026, to review the Master Development Agreement in more detail.

She also reported on ongoing work to evaluate cloud-based software options, staff review of the updated ACOP and Administrative Plan, full staffing of the operations team, utility allowance questions, the ongoing financial audit, property matters related to a potential right-of-way acquisition at 29 Gay Drive, sewage maintenance at Yemassee Heights, and recommended insurance coverage adjustments to meet replacement-cost thresholds.

Old Business 
There was no old business. 

New Business 
The Board considered approval Of an amendment to the recruitment contract with B.J. Quattlebaum and Associates for continued executive director recruitment services. Commissioner Achurch moved to approve the amendment to the contractual agreement. Commissioner Robinson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Executive Session 
Commissioner Achurch moved to enter executive session for discussion of personnel matters related to the executive director search pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. and discussion of negotiations incident to contractual arrangements regarding repositioning pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. 30-4-70(a)(2). Commissioner Glover seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The Board entered executive session at 5:45 p.m.

Commissioner Allen moved to exit executive session. Commissioner Robinson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The Board returned to open session at 6:00 p.m. Commissioner Achurch exited during executive session.

Possible Votes as a Result of Executive Session 
There were no votes as a result of executive session.

Questions and Comments: Next Regular Meeting 
Commissioner Robinson raised concerns regarding dead palm trees, grounds upkeep, possible beehives, pressure washing, and preventative maintenance needs at Reeve Road. The Interim Executive Director stated that she would follow up with staff regarding the palm trees, grounds maintenance, and related preventative maintenance concerns.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for May 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at the BHA Conference Room.

Adjournment 
Commissioner Robinson moved to adjourn. Commissioner Glover seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:06 p.m.