Amherst Insider: Golden Court tarnished by election chaos

By NOAH HOFFENBERG

Published on June 26, 2009

HADLEY - All that glitters isn't gold. The age-old axiom seems especially true in recent years at Golden Court, the 40-unit, state-subsidized housing complex for the elderly and the disabled, where the golden years of its residents are repeatedly marred by disputes, conspiracies and a palpable tension.

Much of the discord has revolved around claims of management spying with recently installed security cameras, intimidation by having a police presence at Hadley Housing Authority meetings and the failed attempts of a dissident group of seniors to be wholly acknowledged as an official tenants association. There was even an alleged assault Sunday evening, in which one senior was reported to have hit another over the head with a cane.

Progress, however, seemed within reach. After myriad complaints to the commonwealth, the state stepped in to intervene back in April, outlining a list of measures to resolve problems within the Hadley Housing Authority, including board and staff re-education and a vow to recognize the Golden Court Tenants Association, the dissident group of seniors that formerly called itself "underground."

The state also was to help with holding new elections for the association.

Well, those elections took place Monday at Golden Court, and a second tenants association was voted into place.

Seems simple enough, right?

Wrong: Now there are two tenants associations, the newest being the Farmers Tenant Association - the subtext being that the new association members are Hadley natives, and the others are outsiders. It is unclear which association now represents residents.

Further, no one at DHCD or within the Hadley Housing Authority will say who was on the ballot, how they were chosen to be on the ballot, who was elected, how many votes were cast and why none of the existing tenants association members were included in the process.

Golden Court Executive Director Darlene Cohen would not provide the election results Monday or Tuesday, saying they would have to come from the state. Housing Authority Board President Chairman Joseph L. Fitzgibbon would not comment for this story, either.

According to tenants, the request for an election came from the DHCD. However, the DHCD won't comment about the election, saying the vote was a local issue. "(Monday's) tenant organization election at Golden Court is a local matter between the residents of that development. At this point, all questions should be directed to those parties as to how and why there is a competing group looking to represent the tenants there. It will be up to the (Hadley Housing Authority board) to determine which group will ultimately be recognized," Phil Hailer, DHCD spokesman, said in a prepared statement.

Bad news for dissidents

That's bad news for the original tenants association, as it's no secret that its members have had vitriolic relations with Fitzgibbon, who's known to be a gavel-pounder and fond of shouting down attendees attempting to speak at board meetings.

Members of the original tenants association were not on Monday's ballot, and they called the vote illegal, a sham, a ruse.

Judy Roncalli, 68, a five-year resident and treasurer of the original association, said the election was an attempt to override her panel, which also consists of Sue Oppenheimer, secretary, Maureen McGrath, president, and Peter Quimby, vice president. All are from places other than Hadley.

"This action is an attempt on their part to overrule and get rid of Golden Court Tenants Association. ... There's nothing fair about that," said Roncalli. "(The DHCD, the management and the board) handpicked the people that are running."

Roncalli noted that the man elected as the new vice president was arrested Sunday for assault and battery on another tenant. "These are the kind of people that they (the management) want to have as a tenants association," said Roncalli.

McGrath said the management refused to accept her written protest of the election Monday.

Mr. North

Henry North is a Golden Court resident, and he said he was voted in to serve on the new tenant association board as its vice president. In an interview Monday, North came across as jovial, garrulous and rational.

He also spent the morning at District Court, as he's the man accused of hitting his neighbor over the head with the cane the day before. Police say the victim, David Wzorek, 61, was highly intoxicated. North indicated that his actions were in self defense, and he believes tenants will understand.

North, 71, said he's never had any other run-ins with the law, with exception for two appearances in court to work out divorces with his two former wives.

A retired science teacher and Hadley native, North said he just wants bring a more tranquil atmosphere to Golden Court, one that has winnowed away in recent years. "I love it here," said North. "This is a great place to live."

North said the DHCD came up with the idea for the election, who would be on the ballot, and the stipulation that other interested candidates, such as members of the original Golden Court Tenants Association, would need to be written in.

He reckoned that the past behavior of the other tenants association is what spurred the state to intervene with Monday's ballot-casting.

North shared the unofficial results of the election with the Bulletin: In addition to himself, residents also elected were JoAnne Walrath as treasurer, Jack Yusko (a childhood friend of North) as president, Joy Tudryn as secretary and JoAnne Walrath as treasurer. Walrath said about 19 residents cast ballots. Three of the newly elected residents are from Hadley.

U.N. observer

John Fisher, of HAP Housing, a nonprofit housing assistance group, was on site Monday at the request of DHCD to conduct an approximately 40 question survey of Golden Court residents to capture the tenor of what it's like to live there. "My perception of the environment is about two hours old, but so far it seems to be a tad tense," said Fisher.

Fisher would not disclose the exact questions.

The questions were to be drafted by the DHCD and the Massachusetts Union of Public Housing Tenants. Oppenheimer said the survey lacked input from the union, and was therefore corrupted.

On Monday afternoon, shortly after the election, Oppenheimer harangued Fisher on that point, and he stressed his impartiality, likening himself to a United Nations observer.

Golden years?

Many residents at Golden Court just want some peace as they head into the twilight of their lives.

Gloria Boudah, 81, is going on her third year living at Golden Court. She said there seems to be more police cars around Golden Court lately, although she was unaware of the assault Monday. "I missed it. This is the most excitement I've had since I got divorced 25 years ago," said Boudah.

Aside from the hubbub, Boudah is happy with life at Golden Court. "I have no complaints. My toilet broke, they fixed it. Underneath the bathroom sink, they fixed it," said Boudah.

Leonard Gnatek, 73, a Hadley native and five-year resident at Golden Court, said the HAP survey has to be done, seeing it a possible roadmap to peace at the embattled housing complex. "I like it quiet, and it really hasn't been," said Gnatek.

He also feels, like Boudah, that the trouble at Golden Court has been instigated by the original tenants association, which has pushed its agenda with frequent flier distribution and campaigning. "Pretty much, (the underground tenants association) wants to control you. I still have a good mind, I know what's right and what's wrong," said Gnatek.

Massachusetts State Trooper Alan Gamache was the man who arrested North on Sunday night. When asked if North, the new association vice president, and the assault victim had any prior history of conflict, said: "The whole community does."

Know of someone doing something notable in town? Email Noah Hoffenberg at nhoffenberg@gazettenet.com and let him know, for possible inclusion in an Amherst Insider column. The column appears weekly.