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Regular Council Meeting July 8, 2013 Page 5 incubator. Council Member Frierson said there had been expansion for Kimberly Clark and Campbell Soup, as well as the addition of Skinner locating to Paris and those were a result of Mr. Gilbert's efforts and negotiations. He commended Steve Gilbert, Kenney Dority and Bruce Carr in working out a ten year plan to replenish PEDC's reserves, so that they would have the opportunity to continue to expand and attract businesses. Council Member Frierson said the Board had requested a ruling from the Attorney General. He also said feedback from the Texas EDC reflected that PEDC was within the 10% framework. He said PEDC had formed a sub- committee of Bruce Carr, Vicki Ballard, and Steve Gilbert to work with the incubator administration because they do not feel that the incubator as a whole needs to be under the PEDC. He said they had decided to keep the money in the budget with the understanding that the sub - committee would come back with a plan for an exit strategy so that the incubator could continue to grow and produce companies like Body Guard. He said his opinion was they should have trust in the Board and the Board approved the budget and changes could be made when the AG's ruling came back, if needed. Council Member Frierson said they should approve the budget as submitted by the Board. Council Member Drake wanted to know if the City could fund the incubator. Mr. Anderson said yes, but that they would have to enter into an agreement with the incubator. Council Member Drake wanted to know if the PEDC budget could be approved if they left the items in or took them out when the AG's opinion was received. Mr. Anderson said their budget could be amended. Council Member Grossnickle said both were items related to creation of jobs. Council Member Lancaster said the mission statement was for the PEDC to bring industrial jobs and she was not sure the incubator fit into that category. Council Member Jenkins said he wanted to hear from the AG. Council Member Wright said regardless of what opinion the AG renders, to use the funds for purposes other than which was promised betrays the confidence of the citizens. Mayor Hashmi invited the public to comment. Sydney Young, 2765 N.E. Loop 296, she said she served the R3bI Board as president, that she trusted Steve Gilbert, and she thought they were within the 10% compliance. Mrs. Young asked that City Council consider the wonderful business environment in Paris. Davey Griffis, 1445 Clarksville Street, Suite 4, he said without the help of the PEDC and the Red River Region Incubator they would not have been able to open the $2 million dollar business they were fixing to open and they would probably house 500 employees. Hank Betke, 721 Church Street, he said he was the director of the Incubator and the Incubator had created 10 business and 50 jobs with no tax abatement or incentives. Mr. Betke said to date PEDC had invested about $188,000 and there was a solid return. He said Mr. Gilbert told him last October that he needed to develop a plan that would reduce PEDC's contribution by 70% over a period of four years. He said a plan had been developed and asked that the Council support the PEDC budget as it was presented. Holland Harper, 1040 SE 31st Street, he said he was a big supporter of the PEDC and believed they did a good job and that the Incubator was doing a good job. He added that the comptroller of the State of Texas lists that research and development facilities were allowed under Type A corporations and the Incubator fit into that category. Rebecca Clifford, 2050 Silverleaf, she said she was the chairperson for the PEDC Board and voted against the budget because she felt it contained inappropriate expenditures related to the incubator and the retail consultant. She said she was not opposed to helping small business, but was opposed the current structure because it was not in compliance with the law. Mrs. Clifford said PEDC should not be funding any retail consultant and that PEDC should focus