There are two new faces on the Wareham Housing Authority Board of Directors and one empty chair still to be filled. These are the faces of residents Rudy Santos and Bill Lockwood.

The Housing Authority’s primary role is to operate the Agawam Village and Redwood Park housing complexes for Wareham senior citizens and disabled adults.

In the course of a tumultuous 2013, board members Paul Innis, Donald Hall and Martin Benoit left. Although those leaving cited a variety of reasons, all the departures came in close proximity to long-time Executive Director Pamela Sequeira’s abrupt retirement and receipt of a state report that presented a long list of management and financial irregularities at the Authority.

The Authority board is a hybrid of four members elected by Wareham voters and one appointed by the governor of Massachusetts.

New to the board are:

Bill Lockwood

Hall’s seat was filled by Wareham resident Bill Lockwood. Bob Powilatis, acting chair of the Housing Authority, endorsed Lockwood for membership on the board. Lockwood was appointed by the Selectmen back in October, 2013. Beyond being on the board, Lockwood is an Onset architect.

Rudy Santos

Wareham resident Rudy Santos took Benoit’s seat on the board in July 2013. Before joining the board, Santos had been active in the community, volunteering his efforts to help the Guyon Rescue and planning the town's recognition ceremonies for the 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, among other local causes.

Remaining on the board are:

Bob Powilatis

Before working for the Authority, Powilatis served as the First Deputy State Auditor, retiring from the position in 2002. He stayed on as a consultant to the office until 2010. Before moving to Wareham in 2010, he served on the Holbrook Board of Selectmen, Board of Assessors and the Housing Authority. He ran unopposed for a five-year term on the Housing Authority in the 2013 Town Election.

Donna Barros

Barros attempted to leave her position in a few weeks ago. However, the paperwork was not properly completed and has not been accepted by the Town Clerk's Office, according to Town Clerk Mary Ann Silva.

Moving forward:

Still to be filled is the state-appointee slot vacated by Innis. Former Finance Committee Chair Donna Bronk was recommended to the governor by Selectmen in August, but no appointment has yet been announced.

In late October, Powilatis stated Bronk’s application was still going through the state.

“The Governor’s office receives thousands of nominations a year for individuals seeking appointments to various boards and commissions,” said Jesse Mermell, communications director in the office of the Governor. “We understand that important work depends on these positions being filled, and we process nominations and make appointments as quickly as possible.”

Mermell stated that he could not comment on where Bronk’s application was in the process.

“A background check alone can take an average of two months – longer if issues come up with a check,” Mermell added.

Mermell further added that “there were multiple people nominated for the Wareham Housing Authority position.”

On the staff front, Sequeira has been succeeded by Jacqueline Hickey, who formerly worked in finance at the Community Economic Development Authority. Although the title is different – “administrator” instead of “executive director” – the job of overseeing day-to-day operation of the Authority remains the same.

With Powilatis, Lockwood, Santos, Barros and Hickey, the Authority will have a fresh look now in 2014. The look may get even fresher as Lockwood, Santos and Barros have terms up for reelection in April.