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March 18, 2026 Meeting Minutes

The Board of Commissioners of the Beaufort Housing Authority convened a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 5:10 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
  • Commissioner Natassia Allen
  • Commissioner Janie Glover

Commissioners Not Present: 

  • Vice Chair Marilyn Harris

Staff and Guests attending the meeting included the following:

Staff: 

  • Aris Hanchard Gerguson, 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)

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.

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 as presented, subject to removal of the election of officers item, which had been inadvertently left on the posted agenda even though that action had already been taken the prior month. Commissioner Glover seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Approval of Minutes
The Board considered the minutes from the February 18, 2026, meeting. During discussion, a clarification was made that Commissioner Allen's name should appear without the "Dr." honorific in the minutes, and that future references should reflect "Commissioner Allen." With no further additions, deletions, or revisions requested, Commissioner Achurch moved to approve the February 18, 2026, minutes. Commissioner Robinson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Public Comment 
There were no members of the public present in person or via Zoom for public comment.

Executive Director's Report 
The Interim Executive Director provided an operational update highlighting several key areas. She advised that staff plans to issue a request for quotes for window replacement at Sandalwood Terrace and Yemassee Heights, noting that at Sandalwood, replacements will be limited to essential needs given anticipated redevelopment.

She reported that a request for proposals for a new fee accountant will be issued, following a gap in monthly financial reporting due to a misunderstanding regarding the prior accountant's scope of services. In the interim, an experienced former housing authority CFO is assisting staff in bringing financial records current and preparing for the upcoming audit.

The Interim Executive Director also raised ongoing plumbing and infrastructure concerns, noting that plumbing issues account for a significant portion of maintenance calls and resulted in over $200,000 in outside contractor expenses last year. She indicated that staff is evaluating strategies to address these issues, including hiring maintenance personnel with plumbing expertise, but no formal recommendation is being made at this time. She further discussed the Authority's emergency maintenance policy, noting that recent situations highlighted the need for clearer communication and the appropriate use of staff discretion when addressing resident needs, particularly regarding temporary hotel accommodations.

With respect to employee benefits, the Interim Executive Director reported that staff is exploring participation in the State of South Carolina healthcare and retirement systems. She noted that the state healthcare plan appears to offer cost advantages and will be further evaluated, while the retirement system requires additional analysis due to its financial and operational implications. The Interim Executive Director also advised that updates to the employee handbook and personnel policies are underway, including review of disciplinary procedures, compensatory time, and alignment of the holiday schedule with other local entities.

She reported that staff has clarified ownership and accounting classifications for certain properties, ensuring that BHA-owned units are now properly tracked separately from LHRC properties moving forward. Finally, she provided a high-level redevelopment update, noting that current planning contemplates increasing unit counts at Sandalwood and Marsh Point and pursuing a 4% tax credit financing structure. She also highlighted potential challenges related to resident relocation and voucher funding availability, both of which may impact project feasibility.

Old Business
There was no old business requiring action. The Interim Executive Director reported that continued background work was being done with the RAD consultant and HUD portal authorizations, but that no formal action was needed from the Board at this meeting.

New Business 
Under New Business, the Board considered approval of the purchase of two new maintenance vehicles. The Interim Executive Director explained that two existing Ford Transit vans are beyond economic repair and that replacement vehicles had been identified through Parks Ford at state contract pricing for just under $50,000 per vehicle. She stated that capital funds would be used for the purchase and that the sale of the existing vehicles through government auction would partially offset the cost. Commissioner Allen moved to approve the purchase of two new maintenance vehicles in accordance with staff recommendations. Commissioner Robinson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Executive Session 
Commissioner Allen moved to enter Executive Session for discussion of personnel matters related to the Executive Director search pursuant to S.C. Code Ann.§ 30-4-70(A)(l), and for discussion of negotiations incident to contractual
arrangements regarding repositioning pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. § 30-4-70(A)(2). Commissioner Robinson seconded the motion. The Board voted unanimously to enter Executive Session at 6:24 p.m.

Commissioner Robinson moved to exit Executive Session. Commissioner Allen seconded the motion. The Board voted unanimously to exit Executive Session at 7:10 p.m.

Possible Votes as a Result of Executive Session 
No votes were taken as a result of Executive Session.

Questions and Comments: Next Regular Meeting 
The next regular Board meeting was scheduled for April 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at the Beaufort Housing Authority Conference Room. The Interim Executive Director noted that April 22 would fall on the fourth Wednesday of the month
rather than the usual third Wednesday because she would be out of the country from April 12 through April 20. She stated that if the date presented any issue for the Board, an alternative could be discussed, but no objection was raised at the meeting.

Adjournment
Commissioner Allen moved to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Robinson seconded the motion. The Board voted unanimously, and the meeting was adjourned at 7: 11 p.m.