AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - There were more tough words today at the Maine State Housing Authority-as the board members appointed by Governor Paul LePage continued to criticize the agency and its executive director for allegedly lavish spending.
Once again, Board chairman Peter Anastos led the charge, criticizing the Housing Authority for spending more than $700,000 in 2010 on education - including money spent for hotels, B&B's and restaurants around the state.
That expenditure was just one of many targeted by critics on the board. Anastos and others suggested that necessary education and training could be done far more cheaply at the Authority's own office building in Augusta - and that the money saved could be used to bolster housing and fuel assistance programs.
Authority Executive Director Dale McCormick defended the spending, and said the agency is frugal with its money. McCormick said when MSHA received a $40 million federal allocation for home weatherization; they were also required to put a certain amount of money into training for staff, energy auditors and contractors.
She also defended other expenditures criticized by board members, including six million dollars for new computer software and the development of a "carbon credit" program. McCormick said that program, once complete, will allow MSHA to get credit for carbon that has been reduced through home weatherization energy efficiency, and sell those "carbon credits: on a worldwide exchange.
McCormick predicted the Authority will make about $4.5 million on the credits over twenty years.
But Peter Anastos and some others were sharply critical, saying the market for carbon credits has collapsed, and the agency won't even make back the money its spent creating the program.
The exchange underscored part of the rift between the board members and McCormick. She said the carbon credit program has been enthusiastically supported by the Authority's previous Board. This new board, however, is skeptical of the projected earnings, and at least one member seemed skeptical of the entire idea of selling carbon credits. McCormick said she would provide the Board with more details on that and other programs at the March meeting.