2002-02-13-Minutes 691
MINUTES OF THE
PARIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
SPECIAL MEETING
FEBRUARY 13, 2002
The Paris Economic Development Corporation met in special session on
Wednesday, February 13, 2002, 4:00 P.M., at Heritage Hall, 1009 West
Kaufman Street, Paris, Texas. President Mike Rhodes called the meeting to
order with the folloWing Directors present: Don Wall, Jay Guest, and Curtis
Fendley. Also present were ex-officio Board Members Bobby Walters, Mike
Graxiola, Executive Director Gary Vest, City Attorney Larry Schenk, and City
Clerk Mattie Cunningham.
President Rhodes called for approval of minutes from the January 16, 2002
meeting. A motion was made by Director Fendley, seconded by Director
Guest, for approval of the minutes as presented The motion carried
unanimously.
President Rhodes asked Gene Anderson, Director of Finance, to give the
financial report for January.
Mr. Anderson came forward presenting the financial statement for January
along with the cash flow statement. Mr. Anderson advised that there were no
unusual expenditures in the month of January. He said there were only a
couple of check written in December, which made this month a little heavy on
expenditures than it normally would have been. Mr. Anderson also gave the
Board a handout containing the sales tax receipts month by month. Mr.
Anderson advised that he has not received the sales tax direct deposit in
February, which represents the sales tax for December 2001.
A motion was made by Director Guest, seconded by Director Fendley, for
approval of the financial report as presented. The motion carried unanimously.
Gary Vest, Executive Director, advised the Board that their ad responses since
the last meeting have been very minimal, and pointed out that after the
September 11th incident in New York they did not advertise through the end of
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February 13, 2002
Page 2
the year. Mr. Vest said they did have on good response from the Texas
Department of Economic Development on a Pet Food Plant. He advised that
the PEDC submitted a proposal on the plant.
Mr. Vest said they had a meeting with Sara Lee' s Plant Manager, their Director
of Human Resources and Director of Public Relations along with their
Attorney on January 17, 2002. He advised that Sara Lee has started their
negotiations last week and submitted an offer to the workers. They will be
meeting again on February 27, 2002.
Mr. Vest told the Board that he attended the Texas Economic Development
Council winter meeting January 23 - 25, 2002. He said the primarily program
were meetings with all of the various committees. Mr. Vest said he is the
Chairman Elect of the Texas Economic Development Sales Tax Association.
He advised that he spent one afternoon with the Texas Department of
Economic Development.
Mr. Vest advised that on February 4 and 5, 2002 he was in Austin and met with
the Economic Development Committee of the House. He said they have an
interim study, and the reason for him being at this meeting was the preservation
of the Economic Development Sales Tax.
Mr. Vest informed the Board that regarding the property that the PEDC is
wanting to develop in the northwest part of Paris, that Ed Ellis agrees that
everything has been taken care of and the PEDC can start developing the
property. Mr. Vest said they were going to go through one more step and that
Mr. Ellis is going to write one more letter and tell them that by a certain 'day
everything they want has better be offthe property, because the PEDC will start
work on the property at that time. Mr. Vest advised that while he was in
Austin, he met with an architectural firm that has developed a lot of industrial
parks around the state and completed a lot of industrial projects and talked to
them about the acreage and what might could be accomplished on this property.
Mr. Vest said they were very interested in taking on the project. He advised
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February 13, 2002
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that he has looked at the cost for what this firm has done in developing parks
and said the firm is also very good in helping with marketing and selling the
project. Mr. Vest said he hoped that the PEDC can use them to design the
Industrial Park. Also in conjunction with that, there is quite a bit of
engineering work that is going to have done as there is a lot of infrastructure to
be extended into the Park, and Mr. Vest said he hoped that they can use the
firm of Adams Consulting Engineering, Inc. out of Tyler, Texas. Mr. Vest
explained that he has had experience with this firm and they do an excellent
job. Mr. Vest advised that representatives from this firm met with the Shawn
Napier, City Engineer. Mr. Vest presented the Board with brochures on the
Adams Consulting Engineering firm.
Mr. Vest informed the Board that he will be in San Diego, California next week
on a business recruitment mission and in the first week in March Eric will be
in New York with Paris Junior College at the Jewelry Manufacturers Trade
Show. Mr. Vest gave the Board Members a brochure that they developed for
this show and advised that they will be doing a direct mail campaign as there
are approximately eight thousand Jewelry Manufacturers in the United States
and this brochure will be mailed to everyone of those manufacturers before the
show.
On a question by Director Guest regarding the Exide situation, City Attorney
Schenk advised that additional information is needed as he has tracked it as far
as he can regarding who the PEDC needs to sue. City Attorney Schenk said he
was unclear as they came up with a lot of Exide and he is trying to establish
what the party is and where a suit needs to be filed. He advised that he has sent
an inquiry to the Secretary of State for information on this particular entity.
Mr. Vest report regarding the Oliver Rubber Plant, that the Jackson Product
people have decided that regarding this particular operation, they do not want
to start it up until sometime next year. Director Wall discussed the process, of
operation of the Jackson Product and the state's use of their product.
Minutes of the PEDC
February 13, 2002
Page 4
Director Wall also discussed present and future highway development in this
area with the Board Members.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned by President
Rhodes.
MICHAEL RHODES, PRESIDENT
ATTEST:
MATTIE CUNNINGHAM, CITY CLERK