By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The Massena Housing Authority is in debt to the village to the tune of $43,000 and the Board of Trustees are trying to work with them to get it paid in a timely fashion.

The balance is the authority’s 2014-2015 payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) payment. A PILOT deal allows tax payments at a reduced rate for a number of years, after which point they owe taxes on the full assessment.

Mayor Tim Currier said MHA proposed making $500 monthly payments for “87 months or seven years, if my numbers are correct.”

The authority has paid their 2015-2016 PILOT, according to the mayor.

The trustees said they want to work with the MHA, who are struggling in light of reduced occupancy and smaller payments from Housing and Urban Development, but need to be realistic.

“If you look at their history, they’re struggling. HUD reimbursements are reduced and their vacancy rates are not extreme, but high,” Currier said, adding that he has seen their financial statements.

“If a tenant paying rent on one of their units said ‘I’m having a rough year, can I forgo paying rent for a year’ … we have to be good stewards and press this is an agreement they need to live up to, this is not optional,” Trustee Matt Lebire said.

Trustee Tim Ahlfeld said he feels comfortable giving MHA up to three years to pay up.

“That’s where I stand, I’d be willing to let them pay back on a two year term, or three," he said.

“Most people by now, they’d have shut their water off,” Trustee Francis Carvel said.

Currier said he will have talks with MHA heads in the near future.

“I will keep you apprised on the discussions,” he told the trustees.