CHR director reports progress in several areas
Kelly Collini has been extremely busy over the past two months settling into
her new position as executive director of Sanibel’s Community Housing &
Resources (CHR). Her appearances at island functions, meeting with staff and
tenants and visiting service organization meetings has not gone unnoticed.
At Monday’s CHR monthly board of directors meeting, Collini proudly reported
having acquired a $3,000 donation from the Rotary Club earmarked for
landscaping improvements at the Airport Road housing campus.
“I’m really anxious to get into (more) fundraising, which I do best,”
Collini said.
The board backs her fundraising efforts “as time and the opportunity
arises.” The non-profit entity has some higher priority projects and
fence-mending to do.
Collini also attended a Calcutta for the Doc Ford’s Golf Tournament and
accepted a check for $1,360. Membership gifts and donations through June 8
total more than $37,900.
Collini reported that since assuming her position in April, she is moving
into more of a supervisory role with CHR staff, working on office culture
and communication and addressing tenant concerns.
The board also approved a series of goals and priorities for Collini to
pursue over the next four months.
Board treasurer Melissa Rice reported on the financial status, indicating
CHR will run a “slight negative through September, then see a positive flow
thereafter.”
That status led the board to recommend three vacant studio apartments at the
Riverview campus to return to rental availability status. It has been
recommended that the cluster of four studios, which have been difficult to
rent, be converted to two one-bedroom units.
The board felt the cost associated with the conversion did not warrant
pursuing at this time especially since the 10-unit structure possibly could
be limited by long-term Federal SHIP grants.
The executive committee proposed that CHR board meetings be moved to the
third Monday of every month rather than the second. A poll of all board
members showed no conflicts or objections and the board voted unanimously to
begin the new meeting schedule with the third Monday in September.