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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_GEDCO_05.15.2006Minutes of the Meeting of the Georgetown Economic Development Corporation City of Georgetown, Texas Monday, May 15, 2006 The Georgetown Economic Development Corporation of the City of Georgetown, Texas, met on Monday , May 15 2006. Members Present: Ron Shelly, President, Rick Smith, Ben Oliver, Vice President, Farley Snell, Secretary Members Absent: Henry Carr Staff Present: Paul E. Brandenburg, General Manager, Micki Rundell, Finance Manager, Mark Thomas, Economic Development Director, Shirley Rinn, Deputy City Secretary, George Gomez, Program Specialist 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. Recessed at 2:00 pm to Executive Session 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: A. 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 detrimental effect on negotiations with third persons. B. 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 prospect that the Corporation seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the City of Georgetown. C. 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. There was no action out of executive session. REGULAR SESSION: The Board will reconvene in regular open session to take any action necessary related to any of the above -posted executive session items Reconvened to Regular Session at 2:30 p.m D. Consideration and approval of the minutes from the Regular Board Meeting held Monday, April 17, 2006-Farley Snell, Secretary Motion by Oliver second by Smith to approve the minutes from the Regular Board Meeting held Monday, April 17, 2006. Approved 4-0 (Carr Absent) E. Consideration of the April 30, 2006, Financial Report - Micki Rundell, Finance Manager Rundell presented the Financial Report to the Board and explained the details in the report, which included monthly sales tax revenues, monthly expenditures, a budgetary report and other relevant financial information. She indicated that the actual budget will end up being higher than projections based on sales tax collections. She also told them she will bring the actual budget to the Board at the next meeting. There was additional discussion regardmg cost of legal services. F. Consideration and possible action regarding the precision machining training program -Mark Thomas, Director of Economic Development Thomas addressed the Board that the Economic Development Department continues to benchmark the program to ensure that the program is going to be successful. He introduced Ralph Nayman who is on the City's Economic Development Advisory Board. Thomas told the Board that Mr Nayman has worked very closely with the economic development staff in their benchmarking efforts and recently visited the Leander High School Machining/Precision Program to obtain additional insight regarding their program. He said after visiting and reviewing Leander's program, which has been in place for 5 years, they feel like we need to take our time and study all of the issues invloved with developing the program more closely to ensure the success of the program before requesting that the 4A Board expend any funds toward the program. He said there are issues that need to be worked out with G1SD regarding how the program GEDCO Agenda/April 17, 2006 Page 2 of 4 is set up to ensure its success. He went on to tell the Board that the success of this program was going to be dependent on having a certified instructor. He also said the optimal class size is 13-15 students for safety reasons and that the instructors have to work very closely with each student for that reason. He also said that at Leander the counselors at the school work closely with the program coordinators to help identify students who can complete the program. He said Leander's program is very successful and has won a number of awards. They are graduating students who have gone on to obtain very good jobs. Thomas told the Board that Leander's program is very successful and we should model our program after theirs He has talked with Joe Dan Lee, the GISD Superintendent who told him GISD fully supports this program. However, he also agrees that it is important to make sure that the program is developed appropriately to ensure its success. He said that GISD is going to go ahead and start the program with its existing instructors and continue their recruitment efforts for qualified students who can master the math requirements necessary for this type of program. He said they will offer the program to sophmores and begin with the training that doesn't require the lab. There is also some concern by GISD whether or not requiring a certified instructor is legal. Thomas told the Board they have talked with the Texas Education Agency and believe this can be done. However, we will need to work with GISD in order to alleviate this concern, and that will take time He also told the Board it will also take time to locate a certified instructor and that it is very important these instructors be able to help set up the program and help locate the equipment necessary for the program. It was mentioned that a certified instructor might also have the resouces to located good used equipment that would save the program money. Discussion regarding the importance of a disciplined Advisory Board and not an ad hoc board. There was also dicussion of the importance of having all of the details ironed out before the 4A Board should expend any funding. Thomas confirmed that Leander's program does have an Industrial Advisory Board. There was additional discussion regarding the importance of this Advisory Board and that the members be directly involved in the program to ensure its success. There was also discussion as to how the Advisory Board could also use its resources to locate good used equipment in order to save the program money. Brandenburg told the Board he didn't think the Board should tie up its funding on potential projects, but instead be aware that the project is out there and may require funding at a future date. He said that he thought it was more important to keep its funding available for other projects that may come up and are ready to move forward. There was additional discussion regarding the process necessary to get instructors certified to teach this program, as well as the importance of having the buy -in from the GISD School Board. GEDCO Agenda/Apnl 17, 2006 Page 3 of 4 Meeting Adjourned at 2:45 p.m. Attest: Shirley Rnn , Depuy ity Secretary GEDCO Agenda/April 17, 2006 Page 4 of 4 Farley Snell, Secretary