03-B PEDC Mtg Min 03-08-06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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PEDC Minutes March 8, 2006 Page 3 Gary talked about a request from Spencer's Wholesale Food Distribution on purchasing land at our industrial park. The board agreed to sell the land for $30,000 an acre. This was approved on a motion by Rodney Bass and a second by Dick Severson. The PEDC audit performed by McClanahan & Holmes, LLC, for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2005 was approved on a motion by Rodney Bass and a second by Dick Severson. The director's report was given by Gary Vest. Kay O'Dell, from the Workforce Board has asked the PEDC to help in a matching grant for job training at Campbell's Soup. The exact amount is not known at this time. Gary will place this on the agenda when more information is known. PJC is applying for a skills development loan. TxDOT is asking for assistance in creating a deceleration lane in front of the Campbell's plant. TxDOT will run the numbers on the project and get back to the PEDC with the exact cost. There have been several close calls in front of the plant in the past and they feel an extra lane will prevent accidents. Mike Dunn is involved in this project as well. Project Feeder is on hold due to the owner's birth of twins. Project Verde is still in the works. Gary and Chad will meet with Mike Morrow and area soy bean growers to discuss the possibility of creating a co-op and a soy bean crushing facility. Gary talked about We-Pack's extension of the Enterprise Project and offering this service to Campbell's as well. The PEDC staff attended the NETMOB meeting in February. Gary Vest, Don Wall, Bobby Littlefield and Mike Blackerburn met with the Mt. Pleasant city manager to discussed pass through tolling for SH271. In February the staff also attended the ARCIT (Association for Rural Cities in Texas) meeting. We discussed their legislative agenda for the coming year. Gary discussed the La Quinta article in the Paris News and the fact that the company has never contacted the PEDC about assistance in building a new hotel in the Paris area. Gary met with the hotel owners association and they said this hotel would be bad for the city and they do not want a permit given for them to build. Gary brought up the Economic Development Survey that has been given out to local industries; we will be collecting them and using them along with the city's survey to evaluate the business environment of the area. The meeting was recessed until Thursday, March 9, 2006 at 1:30 PM.