The interim director of the Housing Authority of Butler County stresses heating issues in the Historic Lafayette Apartments are being addressed.

John Trant said the authority already responded to tenants’ complaints of being too cold.

“Residents are being provided space heaters,” Trant said.

He toured the building Monday to check on their needs.

Trant said the problem arose with the heating system Saturday night.

County Commissioner Jim Eckstein was contacted by one resident, who was dissatisfied with the authority’s response.

During Eckstein’s tour through some apartments, residents, including ones who are disabled, said they were too chilly.

Thermostats in those apartments were set up to 72 degrees, but the temperature was only in the low 60s even with portable heaters being used in some cases.

Some rooms in the building’s basement and first floor were cooler than the apartments.

When asked if the authority board knew about the problem, Chairman Margaret Clawson said she was unaware of it, but would look into the matter.

Trant said Clawson would not have been informed because it was an operations issue.

After touring the building, Eckstein expressed concern about how the authority handles such situations.

He already was critical of the authority board’s handling of executive director Perry O’Malley’s leave of absence.

Eckstein sent letters to the state auditor general and the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Inspector General requesting investigations into why more information was not disclosed about the leave.