The Cohoes Housing Authority and the Watervliet Housing Authority have entered into a management agreement to unite the Executive Director responsibilities of each facility under one person. Charles Patricelli, the existing executive director of the Watervliet Housing Authority, will assume the new responsibilities of directing the Cohoes Housing Authority effective February 1, 2010.
Patricelli has been assisting the Cohoes Housing Authority since the retirement of its former executive director last February. While the Cohoes Housing Authority originally began searching for a new Executive Director, it became apparent that sharing the Executive Director services between the two authorities made sense from a technical standpoint and also from a financial standpoint. Additionally, both housing authorities are similar in size and have the same operational requirements.
“I am honored to serve as the director of both the Cohoes and Watervliet Housing Authorities. Over the last year, I have had the opportunity to meet many of the Cohoes tenants and I look forward to working closely with them in the future. During these trying economic times, it’s important to think outside of the box and come up with better ways to do more with less. Our plan benefits the residents of both Cohoes and Watervliet, while keeping the individuality of each in tact which is important to each community. Both Mayor McDonald and Mayor Manning have been very supportive and I look forward to continuing to work with them to meet our goals. I want to thank both Boards for their trust and foresight in the creation of this relationship. I applaud their innovative ideas and look forward to this collaborative effort,” said Executive Director Charles Patricelli.
“We believe the decision to share resources with the Watervliet Housing Authority will provide a substantial savings in operational costs for our housing authorities and the taxpayers while improving both the quality of life for our residents and the appearance of our properties,” said Cohoes Housing Authority Board Chair William Hebert.
“I look forward to moving ahead working with Cohoes for the good of the residents of the Watervliet and Cohoes Housing Authorities and having the ability to share services. Charles Patricelli has been a great asset to the Watervliet Housing Authority and I’m sure he will exceed the expectations of Cohoes,” said Watervliet Housing Authority Board Chair Sandra Beston.
“I commend the respective Boards of both Housing Authorities for their forward thinking in this decision. Mr. Patricelli is a proven administrator and an authority in the public housing arena. At the same time working with our dedicated staff at Cohoes Housing, I believe the residents will be well served and the opportunities for further collaboration are unlimited,” said Cohoes Mayor John T. McDonald.
“This agreement allows both Authorities to come together in a way that saves money and streamlines the responsibilities of the director. It really is a win-win for both the Cohoes and Watervliet Housing Authorities. Mr. Patricelli is perfect for this role as he already has experience working with both Authorities and has proven a strong commitment toward improving both communities,” said Watervliet Mayor Michael Manning.
