Officials appoint new housing authority board member
The Selectmen on Tuesday appointed Bill Lockwood to serve on the Wareham Housing Authority.
Lockwood takes the seat of former Housing Authority Chair Donald Hall who resigned recently, along with state appointee Paul Innis and former Executive Director Pam Sequeira.
“I think housing is one of the most important things government can do for its citizens,” said Lockwood, who operates Lockwood Architects in Onset.
Chair of the Housing Authority, Bob Powilatis, endorsed Lockwood for member ship on the board.
“Mr. Lockwood came to our past meeting, and we had a discussion,” said Powilatis. “We’re prepared to vote.”
The Housing Authority is a state agency, and it and its executive director oversee the Agawam Village and Redwood Park affordable housing units in Wareham. The Housing Authority board consists of four elected members and one state-appointed member. Each term is five years.
“Thank you for stepping up to serve,” said Selectmen Chair Peter Teitelbaum. “You have the makings of a great board here.”
The Housing Authority has been through some tumultuous times over the past few months.
Sequeira agreed to stay on board as executive after announcing her retirement, so that the board could find a suitable replacement.
She left the job suddenly on July 22, five days after the state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) completed an inspection of the Housing Authority. The DHCD issued a report outlining financial mismanagement and other issues at the Housing Authority in September.
The Housing Authority is also in the process of getting a new state appointee. The Board of Selectmen has already approved the nomination of former Finance Committee member Donna Bronk for the position.
Bronk is currently in the process of getting approval from the state, according to Powilatis.