HOUSING AUTHORITY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — Other

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE 1001 Maple Bluff Rd., Ste 1 Stevens Point WI 54482 Housing Office: 715-346-1392 “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” POLICY FOR SEGREGATION OF DUTIES – RESOLUTION 26-09 POLICY KEPT WITH HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER ADMINISTRATIVE PLAN AND HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE ADMINISTRATION POLICY Office Staff Titles and Relevant Qualifications: Assistant Executive Director (referred to as AED):  Preferably - Two years’ experience in federally subsidized housing field (preferably in the field of Rural Development (RD) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD)); or one-year experience in Social Services or Real Estate; or possession of a Section 8 Existing Housing Manager Certification or its equivalent.  Preferably - One year experience conducting Housing Inspections per HUD regulations or possession of Housing Inspector Certification or its equivalent.  Two years of experience in accounting/bookkeeping, record keeping, documentation, and reporting.  Education or experience in operating office equipment: computer, fax, copier, etc.  Must be able to be bonded through our insurance agency’s underwriter. Executive Director (referred to as ED):  Preferably - Bachelor’s Degree or its equivalent, with emphasis in at least one of the following areas: Management, Public Administration, Sociology, Economics, Accounting, Planning Projects, or related fields and;  Preferably - Five years’ experience in assisting persons in meeting their social, economic, and/or housing needs.  Experience operating federally subsidized housing programs (preferably in the field of RD and HUD).is preferred and/or; an equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be substituted for the required education and experience listed above.  Preferably - One year experience conducting Housing Inspections per RD/HUD regulations or possession of Housing Inspector Certification or its equivalent.  Must be able to be bonded through our insurance agency’s underwriter.  Must be available for on-call services 24/7. Property Maintenance Technician (referred to as PMT):  Preferably two-years of experience in federally subsidized housing field (preferably-the field of RD).  General contracting or building and maintenance experience which includes but not limited to: heating, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, flooring, painting, appliance, and equipment repair.  Education and or combination of experience in maintenance repair work in repair and preventive maintenance of building, grounds, appliances, and equipment  Preferably - One year experience conducting Housing Inspections per RD regulations or possession of Housing Inspector Certification or its equivalent.  Two years of experience in record keeping, documentation, reporting, or bookkeeping required.  Must be able to be bonded through our insurance agency’s underwriter.  Must be available for on-call services 24/7. Board Member(s) (referred to as BM)  Authorized signers must be bonded through our insurance agency through an application process. All Employees handling money are required to be bonded through our insurance agency. If an employee cannot be bonded per insurance underwriting, policy procedures would thus have to change. The Housing Authority of the County of Portage in Wisconsin is a small agency with limited staff, and annual audits continually find “Audit Findings” in regards to: Segregation of Duties; Preparation of Reports; Preparation of Adjustments; Handling of Federal Awarded Funds; and Year-End Reporting, and to satisfy the Audit procedure requirements, our agency needed to create a policy that addressed the continual “Audit Findings” Check Disbursements - One signature (ED or Authorized BM) is required on all our Bank Accounts – Disbursements are conducted bi-weekly unless something unusual arises (such as but not limited to: a check did not clear; due date needs to be met before next disbursement date). Accounts Payables are prepared at least twice a month by the ED, approved/signed for payment by BM and disbursed by ED. Approval is implied by signature on the checks and a summary of monthly disbursements are approved by the BMs at a future board meeting. Housing Choice Voucher Program Payments – Checks are prepared from our contracted vendor’s software (Housing Data Systems); ED verifies all checks printed or ACH documents printed against records; checks/ACH are approved and signed by BM; ED disburses any check payments. Bank Deposits are prepared at least monthly and deposited by bonded employees (AED and ED) – ED prepares the deposit(s) and ED makes the deposit(s). ED initials/verifies the deposits and ED matches the deposit tickets by the bank to the copy of the bank deposit slip. If discrepancies occur, ED, AED, and/or bank personnel will settle the discrepancy. BM will review deposits at Board Meetings. Rent Receipts are recorded monthly by the ED; approved for deposit by ED; and bank verifies deposit amounts. If discrepancies occur, ED, AED, and/or bank personnel will settle the discrepancy. BM will review deposits at Board Meetings. Laundry Money Collected at Multi-family locations at least every three months or sooner: A bonded employee retrieves the money AED; ED; or BM, the ED prepares the deposit; the ED deposits the Laundry Money; and the ED matches the deposit ticket by the bank to the copy of the bank deposit slip. Payroll Report is initiated bi-weekly by ED; verified with ED; and transmitted by ED to contracted Payroll firm (HawkinsAsh); ED receives completed payroll reports for verification and disbursement by the ED. Payroll wages are established by the Board of Commissioners, implemented by the ED, and subsequently verified yearly by our contracted auditing firm. Purchasing of products (day to day operation/maintenance supplies) for our agency is completed as needed by the AED, PMT, ED, and/or BM. Purchases by the ED/PMT are reviewed and approved by the BM for payment. Purchases by the ED are reviewed and approved by the BM for payment (disbursement of payments are reviewed and approved by the Board of Commissioners (BOC) at a board meeting. Purchases received are verified off the order form and or the packing slip by the AED and or the ED. If there are large purchases or project bid(s) (roofs, boiler system; multiple washers/dryers, excessive unit rehabs, etc.) that need to be completed; the ED prepares the BOC with the information; BOC reviews the information at their board meeting and acts on information received; if approved by the BOC; the ED proceeds with purchase or execution of a contract for a bid. If not approved, ED may have to gather additional information and present to the BOC at a future meeting. Bids for Contracts are prepared for by the ED and or AED/PMT; ED puts bids out; ED and/or AED/PMT review received bids; ED prepares a spreadsheet to be presented to the BOC; BOC reviews bids; and acts of bid(s). Monthly Accounting/Journal Entry Adjustments are prepared by the AED and/or ED, Monthly Accounting Reports are prepared by our, contracted accounting firm (Accounting Workshop), AED and/or reviews the Monthly Accounting Reports from accounting firm and ED compiles a spreadsheet of each housing program and other business activity accounts that incorporates the review of adjustments/expenditures of the Monthly Accounting Reports to ensure all accounts balance. If the balances do not match the monthly accounting reports, the ED proceeds to investigate the discrepancy until the balances match. A monthly summary of the spreadsheets is prepared and presented to the BOC. Our contracted audit firm does a yearly review our accounting. Monthly Reporting to BOC – Based on Accounting Reports which have incorporated account balances; journal entries; federal funds awarded; bank deposits; laundry money; checks disbursed – the ED prepares a summary spreadsheet based off the full spreadsheet of housing programs and other business activity accounts based off the Monthly Accounting Reports. The monthly summary spreadsheet is presented to the BOC. Bank Account Reconciliations are conducted monthly by the ED. ED verifies balances with the Monthly Accounting Reports and BOC review Balances at BOC meeting. ED will not move forward until accounts are balanced. The contracted auditing firm does review our reconciliations yearly. Monthly Federal Award Deposits are verified monthly or as needed with the HUD/RD notifications and recorded by the ED. If deposits are not correct or are missing, ED will investigate the discrepancy. We depend on monthly awards, so if deposits are not correct or missing, this will get resolved. The contracted auditing firm does review our Federal Awards yearly. HUD Monthly Report are initially prepared by the ED. ED verifies the reports by preparing spreadsheets for fraud; restricted and non-restricted funds; expenses; federal funding awards and verifies monthly check bookending balances based on Accounting Documents; once verified by the ED; ED submits report to HUD. Board of Commissioners Monthly Meetings to review our agency’s operations: Agenda includes but not limited to: Approval of Minutes of Prior Meeting(s) Correspondences Received Director’s Report Occupancy Report Income, Expenses, and Account Balances Board receives spreadsheet of monthly in come, expenses, deposits, and ending account balances Property Update Report Review and Approval of Monthly Check/Auto Withdrawals/ACH Disbursements to Landlords Board receives detailed printout of all disbursements for review Public Comment Statement Discussion/Possible Action on agenda items Set Next Meeting Date Year-End Preparation – AED and/or ED initiates the gathering of the information/journal entries needed for the Auditors; information is reviewed by auditors; auditor questions are answered by the AED and/or ED; audit is prepared; and AED and/or ED review the audit draft reports. Our agency currently works with an outside firm (HawkinsAsh) (not audit firm - KerberRose) to submit the REAC un-audited and audited report based off the information/reports received from audit firm (KerberRose) per Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations. The un-audited REAC submission is to be completed no later than February 28 th, and the audited REAC submission is to be completed as soon as possible (preferably by end of July 31 or by latest deadline of September 30th. Absent of either ED; AED; or BM – the processes above are always followed unless there is an unforeseen circumstance where the ED; AED; or BM is not available to follow the complete procedure as listed above and the situation needs immediate attention. If that is the case, the procedure that was not followed completely will be reviewed when the ED; AED; or BM returns. Audit Preparation – This agency has an audit conducted by a contracted firm (KerberRose) to satisfy the requirements of HUD and Rural Development (RD). The audit includes all components required by HUD and RD which also includes the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards. An outside firm (HawkinsAsh) will complete all “Unaudited and Audited” requirements submissions set by HUD through the Real Estate Assessment Center’s (REAC’s) Financial Assessment Subsystem. Our contracted audit firm does a thorough job yearly in reviewing all of our requirements of Segregation of Duties. BY-LAWS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE IN WISCONSIN SEPTEMBER 2026 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE 1001 Maple Bluff Rd., Ste 1, Stevens Point WI 54482 Housing Office: 715-346-1392 “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” BY-LAWS The By-Laws are the written rules that govern and define how a Housing Authority shall transact business and exercise its authority and functions in its area of operation as defined by Wisconsin Statutes and relevant federal directives. The By-Laws should be reviewed for accuracy and revised to reflect changes in policy or Wisconsin Statutes prior to each annual meeting. Revisions should be drafted and distributed to the Commissioners to review. The By-Laws are generally broken down into four parts of Articles, they are:  Article I – The Name of the Authority and Purpose  Article II – The Officers and Commissioners  Article III – The Meetings  Article IV – Amendments In addition, an addendum is added to the By-Laws to cover important rule making by the Commission concerning its operations. Through the addendum, the Commission can establish important governing actions of the Commission that are not normally written in the context of the By-Laws. The following By-Law is provided for the purpose of helping establish clear policy for the operation of the Commission. It is important that every member is given a copy of the By-Laws when they come on to the Commission. The Commission should review the By-Laws once a year to keep everyone focused on the rules of governance for your Commission. i HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE 1001 Maple Bluff Rd., Ste 1, Stevens Point WI 54482 Housing Office: 715-346-1392 “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” TABLE OF CONTENTS Definition of By-Laws – Page 1 Article I – Name and Purpose of Authority – Page 1 Section 1 – The Name of the Authority – Page 1 Section 2 – The Seal of the Commission – Page 1 Section 3 – The Office of the Commission – Page 1 Article II – The Officers and Commissioners – Page 1 - 2 Section 1 – Overview – Page 1 Section 2 – The Chair (Officer) – Page 1 Section 3 – The Vice-Chair (Officer) – Page 2 Section 4 – Secretary/Treasurer – Page 2 Section 5 – Commissioner – Page 2 Section 6 – Resident as a Commissioner – Page 2 Section 7 – Elections a nd Appointments – Page 2 Section 8 – Executive Director – Page 2 Section 9 – The Commission’s Responsibility – Page 2 Section 10 – Vacancies on the Commission – Page 2 Section 11 – Additional Personnel – Page 2 Article III – Meetings – Page 3 - 4 Section 1 – Annual, Regular, and Speci al or Committee Meetings – Page 3 Section 2 – Notice of Meetings – Page 3 Section 3 – Annual Meeting – Page 3 Section 4 – Regular Meeting – Page 3 Section 5 – Other Meetings – Page 3 Section 6 – Call to a Meeting – Page 3 Section 7 – Call to a Meeting – Other – Page 3 Section 8 – Quorum – Page 3 Section 9 – Order of Business – Page 4 Section 10 – Voting – Page 4 Section 11 – Minutes – Page 4 Article IV – Amendments to the By-Laws – Page 4 – 9 Amendments to the By-Laws – Page 4 Addendum – 1 – Identity or No Identity of Interest - Commissioner – Page 5 Addendum – 2 – Identity or No Identity of Interest - Staff – Page 6 Addendum – 3 – Hearing Officer – Page 7 Addendum – 4 – PC Housing, LLC – Page 8 Selected Wisconsin Statutes – Page 10 Government Agencies and Association – Page 11 ii HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE 1001 Maple Bluff Rd., Ste 1, Stevens Point WI 54482 Housing Office: 715-346-1392 “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” BY-LAWS OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE IN WISCONSIN Definition: The By-Laws are the written rules that govern and define how a Housing Authority shall transact business and exercise its authority and functions in its area of operation as defined by Wisconsin Statutes and relevant federal directives. The By-Laws should be reviewed for accuracy and revised to reflect changes in policy or Wisconsin Statutes prior to each annual meeting. Revisions should be drafted and distributed to the Commissioners. By-Laws can be revised at anytime. Article I – Name and Purpose of Authority Section 1 – The Name of the Authority - The Name of the Authority shall be “The Housing Authority of the County of Portage”. The Purpose of the Housing Authority, herein referred to as the Commission, is to promote and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public within its jurisdiction Section 2 – The Seal of the Commission - The Seal of the Commission shall be in the form of a circle that shall be near the name of the Commission and the year of its organization. The Portage County Board passed a resolution establishing the Housing Authority of the County of Portage. “The Housing Authority of the County of Portage” was established on August 15, 1972. On August 15, 1972, The Portage County Board passed a resolution as required by state statutes to appoint five (5) members to “The Housing Authority Board of Commissioners”. The Housing Authority of the County of Portage has never had a Seal of the Commission. All voting members sign documents as the Seal of the Commission. Section 3 – The Office of the Commission - The Office of the Commission is at: 1001 Maple Bluff Road, Ste 1, Stevens Point WI 54482 which is in Portage County, State of Wisconsin. All meetings shall be held at this location unless the Commission approves in advance of another locations. Article II – The Officers and Commissioners Section 1 – Overview - The Officers and Commissioners, meeting in an officially authorized session, shall constitute the Commission. The Commission has a five (5) member board (Two County Board Supervisors and Three Citizen Members (One Citizen to be a current Housing Choice Voucher participant). All majority votes of the Officers and Commissioners present, at a meeting where there is determined to be a quorum at a Commission meeting, shall be final. A Citizen Member appointment is for a 5-year term, but can be reappointed by the County Executive, to continue service but Per Portage County Ordinance 3.1.46 – Reappointment of Citizen Members – No Citizen Member of any standing committee of the Portage County Board of Supervisors shall be reappointed, if such member has reached ten years longevity/consecutively on that committee prior to the start of the proposed term, excluding any “title or position” specific appointment. There is no limit to the number of terms that a County Board Supervisor (subject to County re-elections) can serve on the Board. A Commissioner can serve as Chair no more than two consecutive, 2-year full terms per Portage County Ordinance 3.1.44. The ideal Board would have a variety of members that have experience in finance, business, social services, contracting, government, etc. It’s not required that they have that type of experience, but it’s good to be able to cover all areas of their governance. If there are concerns about a Commissioner’s ability to govern the Housing Authority, or if there are more experienced candidates, contact needs to be made with the appointing official prior to the next term expiration. County Board Supervisors and Citizen Members shall be entitled to per diems and mileage per Portage County Ordinance 3.1.14. Section 2 – The Chair (Officer)- The Chair shall preside at all meetings, except where a Commissioner is appointed as chair of a subcommittee, and he/she shall be responsible for assuring the terms and conditions of the By-Laws and addendum are carried out. The Chair shall sign all deeds and other instruments between the organization and outside entities except as otherwise authorized, by the Commission. The Chair shall have the responsibility of working with the Executive Director to assure that the agenda is established and mailed out on a timely basis to the other commissioners for every meeting. 1 Section 3 – The Vice-Chair (Officer) - The Vice-Chair performs all duties of the Chair in his/her absence or incapacity; and in case of the resignation or death of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall perform such duties as are imposed on the Chair until such time as the Commission shall select a new Chair. All other duties and responsibilities of the Vice-Chair shall, at the discretion of the Chair, be that of all other Commissioners on the Commission. Section 4 – Secretary/Treasurer - The Secretary/Treasurer shall be the Executive Director (ED) or in absence of the Executive Director, another office staff member. ED is responsible for signing and or submitting day to day documents as deemed necessary; keeping and maintaining all books, records, and documents of the Commission. The ED may be authorized by the Commission to act as a legal representative of this Agency to carryout additional responsibilities that are in the best interest of this agency and to sign legal documents from other organizations and or outside entities. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for all reporting to the Commission and assure that all reports are timely and complete; shall have care and custody of all funds of the Commission and shall deposit the same in the name of the Commission in such financial institutions as may be deemed necessary; shall keep the books of accounts showing receipts and expenditures and provide information concerning the financial condition compared with the operating budget of all funded programs of the Commission. Section 5 – Commissioner - The Commissioner upholds these By-Laws and all policies approved by the Commission. The Commissioner is responsible for attending all meetings and acts as a Commissioner only during official Commission meetings. The Portage County Executive appoints two (2) Portage County Supervisors to the Commission. The Portage County Board will appoint another three (3) citizens as the other Commissioners. One of the three citizens shall be a Resident of the Commission. See Article II - Section 1. Section 6 – Resident as a Commissioner - A Resident Commissioner is a current participant of the Housing Choice Voucher Program administered by the Housing Authority of the County of Portage. A resident Commissioner has all of the same duties and responsibilities of a Commissioner. Section 7 – Elections and Appointments - Elections of Officers: When necessary - The Chair and Vice-Chair Elections, shall be held at the annual meeting of the Commission, and shall hold office for a two-year term but not for more than two- consecutive terms. In the case of the Chair leaving permanently, the Vice-Chair shall take his/her place until elections are conducted to fill the vacant officer’s position. In the case of the Vice-Chair leaving, elections shall take place to fill the vacant officer’s position. The Executive Director shall be appointed as the Secretary/Treasurer of the committee. Section 8 – Executive Director - The full Commission shall appoint the Executive Director. The Executive Director shall have all duties mentioned in these By-Laws and all other duties normally associated with a position of this stature. The Executive Director is responsible to the Commission. The Executive Director is responsible for supervising and managing the staff, handling all of the business affairs, assure that goals and the mission of the Commission are carried out, implementing and following through on all policies of the Commission. Section 9 – The Commission’s Responsibility - The Commission shall make sure that all scheduled meetings start on time and are fully attended. It shall be the Commission’s responsibility to assure that the Executive Director adheres to all policies of the Commission through written reports and other means of communications to them. The Commission shall establish policies from time-to-time to conform to Federal, State, or local laws that are required that effect the operation of the Commission. The Commission shall assure that the staff is conforming to all contractual commitments that the Commission has entered with both public and private contractors. The Commission shall modify, amend, or create any new policy, as it deems necessary to assure that staff makes the most efficient and effective program delivery. Section 10 – Vacancies on the Commission - When vacancies occur on the Commission, the County Executive office is responsible to seek new member(s). The County Executive office appoints all members to the Housing Authority of the County of Portage per statute to fill the expired term or vacancy. Section 11 – Additional Personnel - The Authority may from time to time employ such personnel as it deems necessary to exercise its powers, duties and functions as prescribed by the Housing Authorities laws of Wisconsin and all other laws of the State of Wisconsin applicable thereto. The Authority shall determine the selection and compensation of such personnel (including the Secretary) subject to the laws of the State of Wisconsin. 2 Article III – Meetings Section 1 – Annual, Regular, and Special or Committee Meetings - All meetings shall be conducted as prescribed in these By-Laws. The purpose of the meetings is to conduct the business of the Commission, in an open forum, as prescribed by these By-Laws and appropriate State laws, where applicable. Section 2 – Notice of Meetings - Every scheduled meeting shall be given public notice of any scheduled: annual, regular, or special committee meetings the week prior to the scheduled annual, regular, or special meeting and shall state the date, time, and place of such meeting. Notice of all emergency meetings shall be given (posted to County Website) as soon as practicable prior to the holding of such meeting which may not include a 24-hour notice. The minutes of an emergency meeting must be filed and must describe the nature of the emergency which precluded 24-hours’notice and the proceedings of the meeting. Section 3 – Annual Meeting - The purpose of the Annual Meeting (held in May or June which ever Coincide with Confirmation of Committee Appointments and Reappointments by County Board of Supervisors) is to conduct elections of the Chair and/or Vice-Chair, when necessary. By-Law updates are conducted prior to Annual Meeting, preferably at March Meeting. Regular business of the Commission shall be conducted immediately after any necessary elections are held. The Board of Commissioners may change the date of the annual meeting but the change must be: Given Proper Public Notice; Posted at least 24 hours in advanced; and voted on in open session; Section 4 – Regular Meeting - The purpose of the regular meeting is to conduct the business of the Commission, including gathering information and passing appropriate policy in an open forum where applicable. Section 5 – Other Meetings - The purpose of other meetings (special, reconvened, or emergency) is to conduct the business of the Commission where additional time or an emergency is declared by the Chair to conduct informational meeting and/or pass policy. An agenda shall be made and once notification is made, no other form of business may be conducted. Section 6 – Call to a Meeting - The annual and all regularly scheduled meetings of the commission shall be tentatively scheduled on the 2nd Wednesday of each month depending on Housing obligations for that month at 4:00 pm at the main office of the organization or at such other places or time as previously approved by the commission. A notice shall be made and displayed in all prominent place(s) as required by state law giving the dates of such meetings. Should this time be affected by a holiday, a new date shall be established before this schedule is finalized. The Commission shall pass, by resolution, the schedule before the beginning of its fiscal year. The Commission can vote on a change of the approved scheduled meeting date, time, and place at any meeting prior to the new meeting date. Section 7 – Call to a Meeting: Other - The Chair may call for a special, reconvened, rescheduled or emergency meeting at any time. Any two members of the Commission may call for a meeting at any time. They will pass along their call for a meeting and an agenda to the Executive Director who will schedule and notify the other Commissioners and all appropriate persons of the meeting. Section 8 – Quorum - The power of the Commission shall be vested in the Commissioners in a duly authorized call to a meeting. This Commission has a five (5) member board. A quorum of this Commission shall require at least three (3) of its a five (5) member board to be present at the meeting. Otherwise, the meeting will be cancelled and rescheduled. 3 Section 9 – Order of Business - Robert’s Rules of Parliamentary Procedure shall be the guide for conducting all meetings of the Commission, and its officially sanctioned sub-committees. At the regular meeting of the authority the following (suggested items) shall be the order of business: 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. If New County Board Supervisors and/or Citizen Members are appointed by the County Executive to the Commission and if a County Board Supervisor(s) and/or Citizen Member(s) was an Officer (s) on the Commission, that was not reappointed, an election must be conducted to fill the vacant position(s). 4. If Annual Meeting – Conduct Elections only when necessary 5. Review and Approval of the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) 6. Correspondence 7. Executive Director’s Update (Occupancy, Income/Expense/Account Balances, Properties) 8. Review and Approval of Housing Authority Disbursements 9. Public Notice Read 10. Discussion/Possible Action Issues 11. Next Meeting Date, Place, Time 12. Adjournment All resolutions shall be in writing and shall be copied in a journal of the proceedings of the Authority. Section 10 – Voting - The voting on all questions coming before the Commission shall be by roll call with the “ayes” and “nays” entered upon the minutes of the meeting. Entering and Reconvening during Closed meeting shall be by voice call. Section 11 – Minutes - The recording of all open and closed meetings of the Commission and its sub-committees shall be kept in accordance with applicable requirements. The minutes shall be written to minimally include: 1. The date, the time, and the place of the next scheduled meeting. 2. The members of the public body recorded as either present or absent. 3. A general description of all matters proposed, discussed, or decided. 4. A record of any votes taken. Article IV – Amendments to the By-Laws Amendments to the By-Laws shall be made in a fully authorized meeting with a quorum present and voting to approve the amendment. All Commissioners shall be given a copy of the amendment prior to the meeting for review. In addition, an addendum is added to the By-Laws to cover important rulemaking by the Commission concerning its operations. Through the addendum, the Commission can establish important governing actions of the Commission that are not normally written in the context of the By-Laws. These additional actions deal with the ethics of the Commission and are added because of the importance of ethics to the individual Commissioner and the operation of the organization. Subjects may include but not limited to: Conflict of Interest - The Commissioner; Conduct of a Commissioner; Conflict of Interest - The Staff; and Sanctions; Hearing Officer; New Entities. DISCUSSION/REVIEW OF BY-LAWS/ADDENDUMS WAS CONDUCTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER 19, 2012. BYLAWS WERE AMENDED ON DECEMBER 17, 2012 WITH RESOLUTION 12-10. AMENDED BYLAWS: NOVEMBER 17, 2014 WITH RESOLUTION 14-06 DECEMBER 21, 2015 WITH RESOLUTION 15-18 NOVEMBER 12, 2017 WITH RESOLUTION 17-12 NOVEMBER 15, 2018 WITH RESOLUTION 18-10 NOVEMBER 10, 2021 WITH RESOLUTION 21-13 DECEMBER 14, 2022 WITH RESOLUTION 22-10 FEBRUARY 8, 2023 WITH RESOLUTION 23-04 NOVEMBER 12, 2025 WITH RESOLUTION 25-22 SEPTEMBER 2, 2026 WITH RESOLUTION 26-11 4 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE 1001 Maple Bluff Rd., Ste 1, Stevens Point WI 54482 Housing Office: 715-346-1392 “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” BY-LAWS ADDENDUM – 1 IDENTITY OR NO IDENTITY OF INTEREST - COMMISSIONER The following is an addendum to the Housing Authority of the County of Portage By-Laws: New Commissioner – Will continue to receive a copy of the By-Laws of the Commission and will have to sign one of these two (2) forms – Certification of No Identity of Interest (IOI) (Form RD 3560-30) or Identity of Interest Disclosure (OMB NO. 0575-0189 (Form RD 3560-31)). Board Commissioner – Will inform the Commission if their status of Certification of No Identity of Interest (IOI) or Identity of Interest Disclosure changes. A new form will be updated immediately, if the status of a Commissioner changes. Let it be known that if any Commissioner has an Identity of Interest – he/she will not be able to benefit from it for being a part of the Commission. (Agency shall not be allowed to purchase any goods or services). Commissioner shall not be allowed to use his/her position or the Board to further their own agenda that would constitute a conflict of interest or be presumed as favoritism. Let it be known that a Certification of No Identity of Interest (IOI) (Form RD 3560-30) or Identity of Interest Disclosure (OMB NO. 0575-0189 (Form RD 3560-31)) will be updated at least annually prior to the start of the new fiscal year which is January. 5 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE 1001 Maple Bluff Rd., Ste 1, Stevens Point WI 54482 Housing Office: 715-346-1392 “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” BY-LAWS ADDENDUM – 2 IDENTITY OR NO IDENTITY OF INTEREST - STAFF The following is an addendum to the Housing Authority of the County of Portage By-Laws: New Housing Authority Staff – Will have to sign one of these two (2) forms – Certification of No Identity of Interest (IOI) (Form RD 3560-30) or Identity of Interest Disclosure (OMB NO. 0575-0189 (Form RD 3560-31)). Housing Authority Staff – Will inform the Housing Authority of the County of Portage if their status of Certification of No Identity of Interest (IOI) or Identity of Interest Disclosure changes. A new form will be updated immediately, if the status of a Housing Authority Staff changes. Let it be known that if any Housing Authority Staff has an Identity of Interest – he/she will not be able to benefit from it for being a part of the Housing Authority Agency. (Agency shall not be allowed to purchase any goods or services). Housing Authority Staff shall not be allowed to use his/her position or the Board to further their own agenda that would constitute a conflict of interest or be presumed as favoritism. Let it be known that a Certification of No Identity of Interest (IOI) (Form RD 3560-30) or Identity of Interest Disclosure (OMB NO. 0575-0189 (Form RD 3560-31)) will be updated at least annually prior to the start of the new fiscal year which is January. 6 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE 1001 Maple Bluff Rd., Ste 1, Stevens Point WI 54482 Housing Office: 715-346-1392 “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” BY-LAWS ADDENDUM – 3 HEARING OFFICER The following is an addendum to the Housing Authority of the County of Portage By-Laws: Hearing Officer – A Commissioner starting with the Chair, then Vice-Chair, then Commissioners may be called upon to act as a Hearing Officer to make a ruling on a household’s housing assistance if the Executive Director has withdrawn from being the Hearing Officer due to conflict of interest. The Hearing Officer will determine whether the action, inaction, or decision of the HAPC office staff is legal in accordance with HUD regulations and Administrative/Management Plan of the program that the hearing is based upon the preponderance of evidence and testimony provided at the hearing. Factual determinations relating to the individual circumstances of the family will be based on a preponderance of the evidence (evidence which is of greater weight or more convincing than the evidence which is offered in opposition to it; that is, evidence which, shows that the fact sought to be proved is more probable than not. The intent is not to prove criminal liability, but to establish that the act(s) occurred.) Preponderance of evidence is not to be determined by the number of witnesses, but by the greater weight of all evidence presented at the hearing. A notice of the Hearing Findings shall be provided in writing to the family at the meeting or within 5 business days after all information requested is received for review and may include but is not limited to:  A clear summary of the decision and reasons for the decision;  Conflicts with or contradictions of HUD regulations or requirements;  Conflicts with or contradictions Federal, State, or local laws;  If the decision involves money owed and the amount owed;  Documentation of the calculation of monies owed; and  The date the decision goes into effect, if applicable. If hearing officer decision is to rescind the notice, the family is notified that any type of future program violations may mean automatic termination of assistance. The owner/management company will receive notification of termination but no reasons for termination will be specified. 7 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE 1001 Maple Bluff Rd., Ste 1, Stevens Point WI 54482 Housing Office: 715-346-1392 “This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” BY-LAWS ADDENDUM – 4 PC HOUSING, LLC The following is an addendum to the Housing Authority of the County of Portage By-Laws: PC Housing, LLC – The new separate owner entity PC Housing, LLC was established/created by The Housing Authority of the County of Portage per Resolution 22-08. Some of the affordable housing properties that The Housing Authority of the County of Portage (HAPC) owned had been part of a repositioning of some of the HAPC’s housing programs. These properties needed to be transferred to the new owner entity (PC Housing, LLC), for the Housing Authority of the County of Portage to enter into Housing Choice Voucher Contracts for these properties that were once owned by The Housing Authority of the County of Portage per Resolution 22-08. PC Housing, LLC will own those repositioned properties and the properties will no longer be termed affordable housing units. The properties will continue to promote and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public within its jurisdiction. Per Resolution 23-04, the HAPC/Board of Commissioners will govern/maintain control over the assets of PC Housing LLC. Although, PC Housing, LLC has established its own By-Laws for their name and purpose, PC Housing, LLC will be part of/follow the By-Laws of the HAPC per Resolution 23-04. As of 12-31-22, the federal rental housing subsidy contract (Project II – WI39R000017) with Housing and Urban Development had expired. Effective 1-1-2023, the HAPC transferred ownership of The Housing Authority of the County of Portage housing properties of the expired contract of Project II – WI39R000017 to the PC Housing, LLC entity to allow Housing Choice Vouchers to be utilized in these properties. As of 2-28-23, the federal rental housing subsidy contract (Project III – WI39R000079) with Housing and Urban Development had expired. Effective 3-1-2023, the HAPC transferred ownership of The Housing Authority of the County of Portage housing properties of the expired contract of Project III – WI39R000079 to the PC Housing, LLC entity to allow Housing Choice Vouchers to be utilized in these properties. Per Resolution 23-03, PC Housing, LLC will utilize the HAPC staff instead of transferring existing staff to the new entity of PC Housing, LLC. Components of PC Housing, LLC properties (the Property) is as follows: Management of the Property: Staff of the HAPC would manage all administration and management aspects of the Property. Maintenance of the Property: Staff of the HAPC would manage all maintenance aspects of the Property. Funding of the Property: Funds received by PC Housing, LLC would be transferred to HAPC – General Management for HAPC staff to manage all: administration, management, and maintenance aspects of the Property. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – Resolution 22-09: Comply with MOU between: HAPC, PC Housing, LLC, and Wisconsin Rapids Housing Authority regarding services needed to comply with Federal Regulations for the Housing Choice Voucher program that is administered by HAPC. As of July 31, 2025, PC Housing LLC properties - Project II and III were sold. The entity “PC Housing, LLC” has not yet been dissolved. The entity may be utili zed in the future for the remaining affordable housing properties owned by the Housing Authority of the County of Portage. 8 PAGE WAS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 9 GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND ASSOCIATIONS U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Wisconsin State Office (HUD) Milwaukee Field Office 310 West Wisconsin Avenue Suite 950 Milwaukee, WI 53203 414-297-3214 www.hud.gov National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) 630 Eye Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001 877-866-2476 www.nahro.org Rural Development USDA Rural Development Servicing Office PO Box 66889 St. Louis, MO 63166 www.rd.usda.gov University of Wisconsin-Extension (UWEX) Portage County Courthouse Annex 1462 Strongs Avenue Stevens Point, WI 54481-2947 Phone: 715-346-1316 www.portage.extension.wisc.edu Wisconsin Association of Housing Authorities (WAHA) WAHA President Sara Boss, Executive Director (sboss@wchawi.com) Walworth County Housing Authority 735 S. Wisconsin St. Suite 100 Elkhorn, WI 53121 www.wahaonline.org Wisconsin Division of Housing & Intergovernmental Relations (DHIR) Department of Administration 101 East Wilson Street, 4 th Floor Post Office Box 8944 Madison, WI 53708-8944 608-266-0288 www.doa.wi.gov Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) PO Box 1728 908 East Main Street Suite 501 Madison, WI 53703 608-266-7884 www.wheda.com 10 SELECTED WISCONSIN STATUTES §19.81-§19.85 Wisconsin Open Meeting Law - Sets forth requirement that meetings of governmental bodies should be open to the public. It describes meeting notification requirements, exceptions to the open meeting re quirement and penalties for violations. §59.53 (22) County Housing Authorities - Authorizes the establishment of County Housing Authorities. Refe rences Wisconsin Statute §66.1201. §61.73 Village Housing Authorities - Authorizes the establishment of Village Housing Authorities. Refe rences Wisconsin Statute §66.1201 §66.1213 Housing Authoritie s for Elderly Persons - Authorizes the creation of City Housing Authorities to provide housing for el derly persons without regard to income. §66.1201-§66.1211 Housing Authorities - Known as "the" Housing Authority Law, this is the basic law governing the operation of public housing authorities in Wisconsin. §66.1335 Housing and Community Development Authorities - Authorizes cities to establish Housing and Community Development Authorities to consolidate various development activities in the municipality. §946.13 Private Interest in Pu blic Contract Prohibited - This statute sets forth penalties for public officials who allow thei r private interests to interfere with the discharge of their public duty. For more detailed information regarding the State Statutes, they are available for review at either your local library or at the following website: www.legis.wisconsin.gov 11 BY-LAWS OF PC HOUSING, LLC OF THE COUNTY OF PORTAGE IN WISCONSIN PC HOUSING, LLC 1001 Maple Bluff Rd., Ste 1, Stevens Point WI 54482 Housing Office: 715-346-1392 BY-LAWS FOR PC HOUSING, LLC Definition: The By-Laws are the written rules that govern and define how an Entity shall transact business and exercise its authority and functions in its area of operation as defined by Wisconsin Statutes and relevant federal directives. The By-Laws should be reviewed for accuracy and revised to reflect changes in policy or Wisconsin Statutes prior to each annual meeting. Revisions should be drafted and distributed to the Entity’s, Board of Commissioners which is the Housing Authority of the County of Portage’s Board of Commissioners. Article I - Name and Purpose of Owner Entity: The Name of the Owner Entity - shall be “PC Housing, LLC”. The Purpose of the PC Housing, LLC, herein referred to as PC Housing, LLC, is a separate owner entity recognized under state law that was created by Resolution 22-08. The PC Housing, LLC has established its own By-Laws per law. The Purpose of the Owner Entity – The Housing Authority of the County of Portage in Wisconsin (HAPC) once owned some affordable housing units that had been part of a repositioning of some of the HAPC’s housing programs. Effective 1-1-2023, the HAPC transferred ownership of some of their affordable housing units (Project II) and effective 3-1-25, the HAPC transferred ownership of some of their other affordable housing units (Project III) to the PC Housing, LLC entity. PC Housing, LLC owned those repositioned properties and the properties will no longer be termed affordable housing units. The properties continued to promote and protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public within its jurisdiction. As of 7-31-25, PC Housing, LLC sold the properties in which they had owned. Per Resolution 22-10, the HAPC/Board of Commissioners will govern/maintain control over any assets of PC Housing LLC. Although, PC Housing, LLC has established its own By-Laws for their name and purpose, PC Housing, LLC will be part of/follow the By-Laws of the HAPC per Resolution 22-10. Per Resolution 22-10, PC Housing, LLC will continue to utilize HAPC staff instead of transferring existing staff to PC Housing, LLC. Components of PC Housing, LLC: HAPC Staff will manage all administration and ma nagement aspects of assets under PC Housing LLC. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – Resolution 22-09: MOU between: HAPC, PC Housing, LLC, and Wisconsin Rapids Housing Authority regarding services needed to comply with Federal Regulations for the Housing Choice Voucher program that is administered by HAPC. Article II and III – Governed by HAPC By-Laws per Resolution 22-10 Article IV - Amendments to the By-Laws Amendments to the By-Laws shall be made in a fully authorized meeting with a quorum present and voting in open session to approve the amendment. All Commissioners shall be given a copy of the amendment prior to the meeting for review. In addition, an addendum is added to the By-Laws to cover important rulemaking by the Commission concerning its operations. Through the addendum, the Commission can establish important governing actions of the Commission that are not normally written in the context of the By-Laws. These additional actions deal with the ethics of the Commission and are added because of the importance of ethics to the individual Commissioner and the operation of the organization. Subjects may include but not limited to: Conflict of Interest - The Commissioner; Conduct of a Commissioner; Conflict of Interest - The Staff; Sanctions; Hearing Officer; and New Entities. Discussion/Review of By- Laws/Addendums are normally conducted at the annual meeting of the Commission. PC Housing, LLC By-Laws were Established on December 14, 2022 with Resolution 22-12. Updated on September 2, 2026 with Resolution 26-12