Vice Mayor Anita Scott Jones, who voted against severing the contract, said she did so in the interest of fairness. She said that because some of the problems with Consoc centered around its relationship with The Inspection Group, which provides Housing Quality Standards inspections, she said both companies ought to have been brought before the Council.
“I think we need to get a handle on this Section 8 program but to do that I think we need to bring all parties to the table,” she said.
The contract termination will be effective 180 days after the city provides written notice to Consoc. City Manager Judy Gilleland said a draft of that letter should be prepared by today.
Consoc, based in Columbus, has administered Middletown’s Section 8 program since 1996, doling out the 1,662 vouchers used to obtain subsidized housing within the city. It received $924,000 annually through federal U.S. Housing and Urban Development funds to administer the program, according to city records.
Consoc representative Sandra Joseph told Council members before they voted that the company was unable to meet some of its obligations because the city had yet to approve the changes in a final administrative plan for the Section 8. However, Doug Adkins, city community revitalization director, said the issues with Consoc center around the contract, not any proposed changes City Council wishes to make with the program.
Joseph said she had no further comment regarding the termination.
Adkins said he has already received a bid from Nelson & Associates Inc. to take over administration of the program. He estimated the city would save up to $200,000 annually.
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