The Bradford Housing Authority is slated to name a replacement
for former executive director Shelley Whitman during a special
meeting of the board next week.

After Thursday morning’s regular monthly meeting, Chairman Terry
Lopus said “We plan on hopefully bringing this (search for a new
director) to a conclusion next week. It’s progressing.”

The authority will meet at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Hi-Rise
Building on Bushnell Street for “unfinished business.”

Lopus declined to name the potential replacement for Whitman,
who was suspended with pay by the authority after it launched an
investigation into an “unspecified matter” last year. He also
declined to say whether the individual was from the local area or
was from within the auspices of the city’s public housing
arena.

“We are looking to set a new course,” Lopus said. “We are
looking forward to moving ahead.”

Last month, the authority unanimously voted to accept Whitman’s
resignation, ending months of speculation and legal wrangling over
her status as head of the city’s public housing units and Section 8
programs.

Both the authority and Whitman agreed to her departure from the
position in a decision announced in early February. In that
decision, Whitman’s attorney Gerald Robinson of Harrisburg said in
a fax to The Era that Whitman’s “failure to return as executive
director is in no way an admission of malfeasance or impropriety
and no charges will be pursued by the housing authority.”

There has never been any public disclosure on exactly what
brought about the parting of ways for both sides. Authority
solicitor Bob Saunders had said previously the fax spoke for
itself.

Lopus said previously the authority would work with the state
Civil Service Commission and under the authority’s own procedures
to find a replacement. There was no time frame set to find a
replacement.

Last August, Whitman was suspended with pay by the authority
after it launched an investigation into an unspecified matter. In
response, Whitman and Robinson indicated the authority failed to
provide a specific reason for its actions, claiming the matter
could be a violation of Whitman’s civil service rights.

That month, the authority started auditing its books and
operations as part of the investigation. The authority used an
independent auditor to perform the task.

While the investigation was ongoing, the McKean County Housing
Authority in Smethport was supervising the city’s authority on a
temporary basis.

The authority has housing units on Bushnell and South Center
streets and Brookline Court. The agency is just one of several
authorities under the auspices of the City of Bradford.

In other news, the authority unanimously agreed to go with
Pittsburgh Laundry Services for the purchase of five coin-operated
top load washers; five coin-operated dryers; one coin-operated
front-load extractor; and one coin-operated front-load dryer at a
price tag of $13,131.

The authority has previously used an outside service for the
machines, but decided to go out on its own and also maintain
them.

“It’s not a reflection on the past provider,” Lopus said. “We
just see this as a new opportunity.”

The authority is paying for the machines out of its 2005 capital
funds. The units are slated to be delivered by Wednesday.

Also, the authority heard from Hi-Rise tenant Judy Blanchard,
who said vehicles have been parking in the fire lane in the
“circle” in front of the building.

Blanchard told the authority that a vehicle had to be moved from
the space after an ambulance was called to the scene to pick
somebody up.

“It’s been going on all the time,” Blanchard said, adding the
Area Transportation Authority (ATA) buses have a hard time making
their way around the circle when they are picking people up or
dropping them off.

There are apparently also some tenants that park in the area as
well.

For its part, the authority agreed to look into the matter,
noting several things could be done to stem the problem, including
placing a note on the front sliding doors into the building;
painting “no parking, fire lane” in the circle; and possibly towing
away vehicles that don’t comply.