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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_GEDCO_04.21.2008Minutes of the Meeting of the Georgetown Economic Development Corporation City of Georgetown, Texas Monday, April 21, 2008 The Georgetown Economic Development Corporation of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met on Monday, April 21, 2008. Members Present: Ron Shelly, Rick Smith, Farley Snell, Ben Oliver, Pat Berryman Members Absent: Staff Present: Paul Brandenburg, General Manager, Mark Thomas, Economic Development Director, Trish Carls, City Attorney, George Gomez, Economic Development Program Specialist, Micki Rundell, Finance Manager, Leticia Zavala, Controller, Shirley Rinn, Executive Assistant to the City Manager Regular Meeting REGULAR SESSION: Board may, at any time, recess the Regular Session to convene in Executive Session at the request of the Chair, a Board Member, the City Manager, Assistant City Manager, City Council Member, or legal counsel for any purpose authorized by the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551, and are subject to action in the Regular Session that follows. The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. A. Consideration and approval of the minutes from the Regular Board Meeting held Monday, March 3, 2008 -- Ben Oliver, Secretary Motion by Snell, second by Oliver to approve the minutes from the Regular Board Meeting held Monday, March 3, 2008, with corrections as noted by Rick Smith. Approved 4-0 (Berryman absent) Discussion and possible action regarding the Project Progress Report. -- Mark 'I homas, Economic Development Director and Paul E. Brandenburg, General Manager Thomas gave the Board an overview of all of the active projects that the GEDCO Board approved, including Citicorp, Vista Solutions/Loading Dock, Airborn, TLCC, Orthopuetics. Rundell noted that Vista Solutions was paid $21,000 for 7 jobs. Consideration of the February 29, 2008 and March 31, 2008 Financial Reports--Micki Rundell, Finance Manager Leticia Zavala gave the Board an overview of the Financial Reports, including monthly sales tax revenues, monthly expenditures, budgetary report, and other relevant financial infosniation. The Board indicated that it would like to include status of projects on the financials as well. Rundell also noted that the City received some unanticipated sales tax revenue from Cisco for the purchase of equipment for Citicorp . Discussion and possible action regarding a preliminary report and update regarding 4A Funding --Mark Thomas, Economic Development Director Thomas provided information to the Board regarding what other cities are doing with regard to expenditures of 4A monies. He also provided some additional information from the Attorney General's office as well Carls clarified that a legal analysis has not yet been done. regarding the information that was provided to the Board. It was also clarified that this information was preliminary, but that staff wanted to provide the Board with the research that has been obtained to this point. There was additional discussion regarding whether a project is debt or cash funded and how that decision can impact the use of 4A monies for water/wastewater infrastructure projects. There was also additional discussion regarding the difference between "general use" and "targeted infrastructure". The Board also discussed who would decide whether a project was "targeted" or not. Additionally, there was a brief discussion regarding whether or not a 4A Board could just "award cash grants" for jobs with no capital investment. It was clarified that this Board has not awarded grant money in that fashion and that all monies granted to date have been tied to capital inveslment. The Board went on to discuss the procedure that GTEC uses to identify and formalize the finding of a "project". The Board indicated that it would like to see some written guidelines to refer to when staking these decisions so that they don 't have to continue to have extensive discussions as to whether or not something is a project or not. E. Discussion and possible action to regarding funding for a water and wastewater improvement project for Texas Outdoor Power Equipment -- Mark Thomas, Economic Development Director and Paul E. Brandenburg, General Manager Thomas provided a presentation to the Board regarding Texas Outdoor Power Equipment regarding their plans to expand their operations. He told that Board the TOPE has approached both the GEDCO and GTEC Boards and that both proposals will be presented to the Council at the same time Thomas told the Board that TOPE has purchased a piece of property adjacent to their current location and based upon their expansion plans the City's UDC regulations requires that TOPE provide water/wastewater infrastructure to the property that has capacity to meet the future needs for the area. 'There was extensive discussion regarding targeted infrastructure and whether or not this project meets those criteria . There was additional discussion regarding the "triggering event" for the necessity of this water/wastewater line Motion by Oliver, second by Shelly to direct staff to negotiate a Performance Agreement with Texas Outdoor Power Equipment for funding for the installation of a water and wastewater improvement line contingent on a staff report verifying the triggering event that necessitated the water/wastewater improvement. A friendly GEDCO Minutes/April 21, 2008 Amendment by Snell to make a project finding that this project is eligible for funding pursuant to the Texas Development Corporation Act of 1979 under Section 2(11)(C), which states "Project" shall mean: expenditures found by the board of directors to be required or suitable for infrastructure necessary to promote or develop new or expanded business enterprises limited to streets and roads rail spurs, water and sewer utilities, electric utilities, gas utilities, drainage, site improvements, and related. improvements, telecommunications and Internet improvements, and beach remediation along the Gulf of Mexico" Approved 4-0 (Berryman absent). F. Discussion and possible action to approve a Resolution and Performance Agreement with Kenny Nguyen DBA the Beauty Escape Salon --Mark 'Thomas, Economic Development Director and Paul E. Brandenburg, General Manager Thomas gave the Board an overview of the Performance Agreement. there was discussion that the Board would prefer that in the future, projects not be presented to their after the fact for reimbursement. While they support this project and what it cart do for the downtown, the proper procedure would have been for it to have been presented to the Board before the work was done. The Board is concerned about a precedent being set if it continues to approve reimbursements to support projects after the work has been completed. Motion by Oliver, second by Shelly to approve a Resolution and Performance Agreement with Kenny Nguyen DBA the Beauty Escape Salon (Resolution No. 042108-F), withthe caveat that Mr Nguyen be notified that inthe future if he would like to seek 4A funding from the Board that he needs to approach the Board prior to the work being completed. Approved 4-0 (Berryman absent) Recessed into Executive Session at 3:56 p.m. Pat Berryman arrived at 4:10 p m Oliver left at 4:36 p.m. Recessedout of Executive Session at 4:38 p.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION: The Georgetown Economic Development Corporation will meet in closed executive session as allowed by Texas Open Meetings Act (Texas Government Code Chapter 551), as follows: G Section 551.072. DELIBERATION REGARDING REAL PROPERTY Discussion and possible action to deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property for purposes authorized by Section 4A of Economic Development Act of 1979 (as amended) which discussion in open session would have a detnmental effect on negotiations with third persons. H. Section 551.087. DELIBERATION REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS Deliberation regarding commercial or financial information that the corporation has received from a business prospect that the Georgetown Economic Development Corporation seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the City of Georgetown and with which the Corporation is conducting economic development negotiations; and/or deliberation regarding the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business GEDCO Minutes/April 21, 2008 prospect that the Corporation seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the City of Georgetown. - Discussion and possible action regarding approval of a grant for new jobs created for an existing local manufacturing company expanding its operations. - Airborn Section 551.071. CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY Consultation with attorney regarding legal issues related to agenda items and other matters in which the duty of the attorney to the Georgetown Economic Development Corporation under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas. REGULAR SESSION: fhe Board will reconvene in regular open session to take any action necessary related to any of the above -posted executive session items Reconvened into Regular Session at 4:38 p.m. J. Action from Executive Session. Motion by Snell, second by Shelly to direct staff to move forward with negotiating and drafting a Performance Agreement with the local manufacturing company discussed in Executive Session pursuant to the terms discussed in Executive Session. Approved 4-0 (Oliver absent) Motion Snell, second by Berryman to direct staff to draft an amended Performance Agreement with Airborn, Inc. pursuant to the terms discussed in Executive Session. The Meeting was adjourned at4:40 p.m. 71/ Rick Smith, President Ben Oliver, Corporate Secretary GEDCO Minutes/April 21, 2008 0...... A ..F A