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Paris Economic Development Corporation <br />Regular Meeting Minutes <br />June 12, 2012 <br />Board Members Staff <br />Present: Pike Burkhart, Chairman Present: Steve Gilbert, PEDC <br />Rick Poston <br />Bruce Carr <br />Doug Wehrman <br />Ex-Officio Members Guest(s) <br />Present: Jon Landers, Chamber Chairman Present: <br />Pam Anglin, PJC President <br />John Godwin, City Manager <br />Legat <br />Counsel: Kent Mcllyar <br />City Council <br />Liaison: None <br />Shannon Barrentine, PEDC <br />Laurie O'Neal, Governor's Office <br />of Economic Development <br />Jeff Parish, eParisTexas.com <br />Charles Richards, <br />eParis Extra <br />Pike Burkhart, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 3:10 p.m. He welcomed those present. <br />Amended Minutes from the April 26, 2012 Called Board meeting were reviewed. Bruce Carr made <br />a motion to approve the Amended Minutes, as submitted; seconded by Doug Wehrman. Motion Carried <br />4-0. <br />Minutes from the May 15, 2012 Regular Board meeting were reviewed. Rick Poston made a motion <br />to approve the May 15, 2012 Minutes, as submitted; seconded by Bruce Carr. Motion Carried 4-0. <br />Financial report for April, 2012 was reviewed. The Financials were approved, as submitted, by a <br />motion from Rick Poston; seconded by Bruce Carr. Motion Carried 4-0. <br />Steve Gilbert led a discussion about the April through August calendar of events for the Paris EDC <br />Board and Staff. In addition, he announced that the Red River Region Business Incubator (R3bi) was a <br />recipient of a$50,000 Grant from the USDA to establish a revolving loan fund to benefit small business <br />and entrepreneurs. The R3bi Board will oversee the applicants and administer the fund through a newly <br />formed loan committee. Steve also reported that a grant application for $600,000 through the EDA/Public <br />Works to support a kitchen incubator, to assist smaller communities in the region to start a business <br />incubator, assist with technical training, etc. This application will require the joint effort of Paris Jr. <br />College, Lamar County Coalition for Business, Education & Industry along with Texas A&M-Commerce. <br />The full application is available for viewing on the Paris EDC's website by entering "edapw" in the <br />Proposal Box located in the upper right hand corner. Steve had received a telephone call the day before, <br />from an EDA staff person, evaluating the submittaL Bruce Carr wanted to confirm that the grant <br />opportunities are a direct result of our recent visits to Austin and Washington, DC, and based on the just <br />completed business plan, and the work of Richard Seline. Grant awards will increase the ROI of our <br />manufacturing initiative. <br />12 <br />