BIG SPRING, TX — During Monday’s meeting of the Big Spring Housing Authority, the Board of Commissioners voted Patricia Nabors as the new Chair Person and Linda Blankenburg was voted as Vice-Chair. It was also voted that Nabors and Blankenburg would be added to the checking account for the BSHA and Melinda Stapp, former Vice-Chair, would be removed.
Commissioners also discussed a resolution to relocate approximately 213 housing choice vouchers from the Big Spring Housing Authority to the Abilene Housing Authority. When questioned why they would move the office to Abilene, Stapp answered that they had no one to run the program – even though Sharon Fritz, former Executive Director of the BSHA with 17 years of experience, is currently contracted to work as the Executive Director for the organization. Stapp told Fritz that the board began considering the resolution when she resigned in January 2022. This was after the then-Mayor Shannon Thomason removed Margaret Cervantes from the BSHA Board of Commissioners for two charges of neglect of duty.
Fritz noted that she had returned to work with the BSHA and she was more willing to resume that role as Executive Director since a new mayor had been recently elected, but Stapp reiterated that they were unsure if she would in fact continue to stay because she had quit in the recent past.
Big Spring Housing Authority provides housing assistance to low-income residents through the management of the area’s Housing Choice Voucher Program – Section 8. This program assists very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. It is income based and the eligibility guidelines are set by HUD, which is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Approving a resolution would not immediately move the BSHA to the Abilene Housing Authority, but it would allow them to begin the process. According to Fritz, if the BSHA is relocated the Big Spring office would shut down resulting in a lack of local customer service for their clients. People would have to travel to Abilene to speak one-on-one with someone to help them or depend on technology to communicate or submit applications or paperwork. This is problematic when they work with a low-income population who may not have transportation to the Abilene office or older people who have trouble working with a computer or smartphone. It would also mean a loss of jobs for the handful of current BSHA employees.
Also during the meeting, Commissioners attempted to address a complaint against BSHA employee Diane Yanez. Fritz advised the board that she had no knowledge of the complaint, and it was never addressed to Yanez. In fact, neither of them was made aware of the personnel matter until they saw the meeting agenda posted on the front door of their office located next to ABC Park. An office, which they secure records but do not currently work out of because of the lack of air conditioning along with other factors. Fritz advised them to not pursue the matter because they were skipping several steps involved in the process per policy. Ultimately, after the board adjourned into Executive Session to discuss the matter they stated that no action would be taken and the matter would be tabled until the next meeting.
A regular meeting of the BSHA was scheduled to occur on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, however, no Commissioners were present. The meeting was opened and quickly closed due to the lack of a quorum.
For more on this story, check out our previously published stories:
Fritz to Return to Big Spring Housing Authority but the Search Continues for Executive Director Position, published 04-01-22: https://kbst.com/2022/04/01/fritz-to-return-to-big-spring-housing-authority-but-the-search-continues-for-executive-director-position/
Big Spring Housing Authority Appoints Interim Executive Director, published 01-18-2022: https://www.facebook.com/KBestMedia/posts/big-spring-housing-authority-appoints-interim-executive-director-011422big-sprin/5156868781003503/
Big Spring Housing Authority Fails in Oversight of Director and in Complying with Reporting Requirements, published 01-11-2022: https://kbst.com/2022/01/11/big-spring-housing-authority-fails-in-oversight-of-director-and-in-complying-with-reporting-requirements/
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