HUDSON—Thank-yous and office hours highlighted the short Hudson Housing Authority Board of Commissioners meeting June 22.

June 22 was the last meeting for Nick Zachos as interim executive director. Jeff Dodson is slated to succeed him as executive director on June 27. Mr. Zachos said he expected to show up at the HHA office sometimes during Mr. Dodson’s first week to help him through the transition.

Mr. Zachos, who has been interim executive director since last October, was full of gratitude. “It’s been my honor to be with this board,” he said. “It hasn’t been easy.” But he was grateful for his experience interacting with HHA’s tenants and commissioners.

“I’m really excited that Jeffrey is coming on,” Mr. Zachos continued. “He’s going to bring a new level of professionalism and experience to the job.”

“I’d like to truly thank you, Nick, for what you’ve done,” said Revonda Smith, chair of the board, adding an additional thanks to Mr. Dodson.

Meanwhile, the HHA has “been short administrative staff,” so its office has been open to the public only in the morning, Mr. Zachos explained. However, in the afternoon, clerk Kayah Payton is there, taking care of paperwork and updating records. “Kayah’s amazing,” Mr. Zachos said. “She’s done an incredible job.”

“He’s going to bring a new level of professionalism and experience to the job.”

Outgoing HHA Exec. Director Nick Zachos praises his successor, Jeff Dodson

Mr. Zachos also thanked the Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition and its anonymous donor for “what they’ve done for our tenants” by paying the tenants’ overdue rent. The HHA has received the check, and HHA’s clerk has entered it into the system, he reported. Some meeting attendees clapped. The system credits the money to the pertinent tenants’ accounts, so that everybody should be up to date in rent as of April.

To pay later rent, some tenants go to the HHA office. But resident Mary Decker pointed out that some tenants cannot reach the office during its limited open hours. She worried that those who cannot get to the office before the rent due date might be charged late fees.

Nobody will be charged a late fee for this month, Ms. Payton assured her. And arrangements will be made for people who can go to the office only at times when it is ordinarily closed to the public.

Meanwhile, Mr. Zachos reported that school children, under the direction of teacher Bridget Smith and artists, had painted a mural facing the ball court across State Street from Bliss Tower, on June 17. To celebrate this event, turnout was great, he said. (See “Mural says plenty about where home is” June 30, Page 1.)

With the end of his role at HHA, Mr. Zachos has said that he plans to start a building company that focuses on developing building skills.

The Hudson Housing Authority runs the 135-unit income-restricted Bliss complex, which includes the Bliss Tower high-rise and three low-rise buildings.

The next regular monthly meeting of the HHA Board of Commissioners will be Monday, July 18, at 6 p.m., in the Bliss community room.