By By JESSICA SIEFF / Niles Daily Star
NILES – When the resignation of Georgia Boggs from the Niles Housing Commission board was made official last week, there had been no word on who would fill the vacant seat.
That question has been answered – and Tim Batton will fill that seat.
"I think he'll bring a whole new perspective to the board," said board member Juan Ganum.
Batton was the previous executive director of the Greater Niles Community Development Corporation, which ceased its operations in September last year after 12 years. The agency helped low and moderate-income prospective homebuyers find homes they could afford.
The agency was forced to close as it became harder to operate under strains from the housing market and the suffering state economy. Ganum believes Batton's experience will only help the needs of the housing commission board.
Batton's addition to the board as well as Boggs' resignation from it will hopefully help members get back on track after being all but derailed in recent months. An interim director has yet to be approved. Boggs' resignation had been classified as a "conflict of interest" by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), along with that of chairman of the board, Scott Clark. About Boggs' resignation, Ganum said, "I think it was an appropriate response," given the circumstances. Still, he added, "Georgia's contribution to the Niles Housing Commission was a great asset to its residents. She will be missed." Attorneys for both Niles and HUD will determine Clark's future on the housing commission board.
"We're moving forward," Ganum said. While the board is still waiting for approval on the interim director position, Ganum said they are still eligible for funding through a capital improvement grant, the deadline of which had been missed. "We have not lost access to that money," Ganum said.
The board is holding a special meeting Wednesday to discuss the current request for proposals for legal services to the board and their current financial situation.