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07/21/2020 MinutesPARIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION MONTHLY MEETING Paris City Council Chambers 107 East Kaufman St. Paris, Texas 75460 Board Members Present: Josh Bray, Chairman Shay Bills, Vice -Chairman Mihir Pankaj, Secretary/Treasurer A.J. Hashmi Chase Coleman Curtis Fendley Ex -Officio Members Present: Pam Anglin, PJC President Grayson Path, City Manager Paul Allen, President Lamar County Chamber Steve Clifford, Mayor Legal Counsel: Stephanie Harris Call to Order Tuesday, Jul , 21,202 5:15 O'CLOCK P.M. MINUTES Staff Present: Chris Stout, Economic Development Associate Guest(s) Present: Mary Madewell, The Paris News Basel Musharbash, Patel Law Group Casey Gain, Moore Law Firm Derrick Hughes, City Council Member Richard Manning, Citizen Marion Hamill, Citizen Carol Hufnagel, Citizen Chad Lindsay, myparistexas.com City Council Liaison: Paula Portugal Ms. Bills called the monthly meeting of the Paris Economic Development Corporation to order at 5:15 p.m. on July 21, 2020. Invocation Ms. Bills gave the invocation. Citizens' Ingut Ms. Bills invited those present to speak during Citizens' Input. No one came forward and the Citizen's Input was closed. Welcome of New Board Members Ms. Bills stated that the Board is welcoming new members; Curtis Fendley, Chase Coleman and Josh Bray. It is with excitement that we are looking forward to having these new members and moving the agenda forward for the citizens of our community. Mr. Pankaj asked that each of the new members introduce themselves. Curtis Fendley said that he has been on City Council, Planning and Zoning and was on the PEDC Board in the past. He has been an independent insurance agent in Paris for 41 years. He is happy to be on the Board and looking forward to working with the Board and serving the community. PEDC Board Meeting Minutes July 21, 2020 Page 2 of 4 Josh Bray stated that for 41 years he has been a Paris resident and his family has been in Paris for four or five generations. He went to say that it is a real honor to serve on the Board, and feels that this is one of the most important boards in the city because if we don't have jobs we have nothing. Mr. Bray is a past chairman of the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce. He is looking forward to moving the PEDC projects forward. Chase Coleman stated that he was born and raised in Paris; and he came back to the community 3 years ago to start a family. He wants to see Paris prosper and feels that the PEDC is the key to that prosperity. He is looking forward to serving Paris and Lamar County. Ms. Bills asked to make a motion to switch the item order of item #5 and item #6. She stated that the nomination of a City Councilor should come before the election of officers. Dr. Hashmi seconded the motion. Vote was 6 -ayes to 0 - nays. Election of Officers Ms. Bills came back to this item to elect officers. Dr. Hashmi made a motion for Mr. Bray to be Chairman. Ms. Bills seconded the motion. Vote was 6 -ayes to 0 -nays. Mr. Bray asked for a motion for Vice-chairman. Dr. Hashmi made a motion for Ms. Bills to continue as Vice - Chairman. Mr. Pankaj seconded the motion. Vote was 6 -ayes to 0 -nays. Mr. Bray asked for a motion for Secretary/Treasurer. Dr. Hashmi made a motion for Mr. Pankaj to continue as Secretary/Treasurer. Ms. Bills seconded the motion. Vote was 6 -ayes to 0 -nays. Discuss and ossibl nominate one Cit °Councilor to add to the Board. Mr. Fendley made a motion to nominate Paula Portugal, City Councilor, to serve on the Board. She has been serving as the City Council Liaison for several years. Mr. Bray seconded the motion. Vote was 4 -ayes to 2 -nays. The nays were Dr. Hashmi and Ms. Bills. Recognition of Outgoing oin Board Members. Ms. Bills spoke to the outgoing Board members, Marion Hamill and Tim Hernandez. She stated how much both were appreciated for the work they have done. The Board will miss both of them and the contributions they have made will have a lasting effect. Mr. Pankaj said it is an awesome responsibility to have the opportunity to be appointed by the City Council to represent the City. This Board takes the responsibility very seriously; Mr. Hamill and Mr. Hernandez have been through a lot of hard times with the PEDC Board. He thanked both of them for the work they have done and the talents they shared with the Board. Dr. Hashmi thanked Mr. Hernandez and Mr. Hamill for the fabulous job they did. He mentioned that he and Mr. Hamill disagreed on many items, but having those diverse opinions helped the Board. Mr. Bray stated that those leaving the Board left it much better than they found it. He mentioned American SpiralWeld coming to Paris and what a win it is to Paris. Discuss and ossibl a rove Minutes of the June 12 2020 S ecial Meetin the June 16 2020 Monthl Meetin � and the June 26 2020 S �ecial Meetin . Dr. Hashmi made a motion to approve the minutes as presented. Mr. Pankaj seconded the motion. Vote was 6 -ayes to 0 -nays. Discuss and Qossibiv a . rove June 2020 Financials. Mr. Pankaj pointed to some of the items; The PACE Group was paid $15,031.00 for services to recruit a new executive director, the Hommel Law Firm was paid $25,000.00 for the settlement with previous executive director, Brush Tech was paid $76,375.00 for land clearing, and Turner Industries was paid $200,000.00 in incentives. The PEDC Board Meeting Minutes July 21, 2020 Page 3 of 4 total expenses for June were $354,472.93. He went on to say that our sales tax revenue is actually ahead by $45,000.00 over last year. Dr. Hashmi made a motion to accept the June financials. Mr. Bray seconded the motion. Vote was 6 -ayes to 0 -nays. Discuss and ossibl a grove retainin outside council for the PEDC. Presentations b r the Moore Law Firm and the Patel Law Grou .. Casey Gain with the Moore Law Firm stated that their firm has done projects for the PEDC for the past 30 years. Mr. Clem has been involved in many of the PEDC real estate transactions over the last 30 years. Since 2011 when Mr. Gain started with the Moore Law Firm, he has worked on many of the PEDC incentive agreements. In 2012 he worked on the incentive agreements with J. Skinner. More recently he has been involved in our real estate transactions, Potter Industries and BodyGuard incentives, American SpiralWeld land transfer and rail spur matters. Moore Law has not been the PEDC counsel, but knows the workings of the PEDC. The firm is a full service firm with nine partners at the disposal of the PEDC. Basel Musharbash with the Patel Law Group stated that he grew up in Paris and worked at the Moore Law Firm before moving to the Patel Law Group. Mr. Musharbash stated that he would work on a strategic partnership with the PEDC. He asked the Board for their input. Dr. Hashmi asked: how would we be represented, what are your qualifications, and why do you think you should be the PEDC attorney? Mr. Musharbash said that they are a thirteen attorney firm, full service and relationship focused. The firm handles real estate and corporate transactions with much of it being commercial development and multi -family development. Economic development is a new practice for them. The firm's pricing for services: general legal services - $150.00 an hour; consulting services would be at a reduced cost; transactions like incentive agreements after the first one, could be done in a flat fee. Mr. Gain with Moore Law discussed pricing. Real estate transaction charges for closing on property would be a flat fee of about $3,500.00. The associates are $175.00 an hour and the partners are $250.00 an hour. Mr. Fendley made a motion to retain the Moore Law Firm as PEDC counsel. Ms. Bills seconded the motion. Vote was 6 -ayes to 0 -nays. Discuss and ossiblr a .grove reimbursin: Maureen Hammond new Executive Director, for one month of COBRA coverage. Mr. Pankaj said that the insurance policy states that it is the first of the next month after hire that health insurance coverage starts. Dr. Hashmi made a motion to approve reimbursing Ms. Hammond for one month of COBRA coverage. Mr. Fendley seconded the motion. Vote was 6 -ayes to 0 -nays. Discuss roblems with the PEDC/De of fire alarm s lstem. Mr. Pankaj told the Board that the fire alarm keeps going off at the Depot which includes not only the PEDC, but the Caddo Museum, the Genealogy Society and the Community Room. This could be a bigger problem if we hit the ignore button and it is a fire. He asked Mr. Path what we need to do to rectify this problem. Dr. Hashmi stated that the Depot belongs to the City and the City needs to bring it within the fire code. Mr. Bray said he would talk to the City Manager. Mr. Fendley asked about our lease with the City. Mr. Stout stated that we have looked for a contract between the City and the PEDC and have not found one. The Chamber had a contract before they left the Depot. Pro'ect U dates: American SpiralWeld Pipe — GHD has conducted all the environmental studies and is prepared to submit a revised APAR to close all the environmental agreements. Mr. Stout added that APAR is an affirmation from the TCEQ that any environmental liabilities have been taken care of. This is the State saying that your site is clean. Mr. Pankaj said that construction timelines are being met and the project is looking good. Convene into Executive Session: PEDC Board Meeting Minutes July 21, 2020 Page 4 of 4 1) Pursuant to Section 551.072 of the Texas Government Code to discuss and deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property. 2) Pursuant to Section 551.087 of the Texas Government Code to (1) discuss or deliberate regarding commercial or financial information that the governmental body has received from a business prospect that the governmental body seeks to have locate, stay, or expand in or near the territory of the governmental body and with which the governmental body is conducting economic development negotiations; or (2) to deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to a business prospect described by Subdivision (1), to wit: • D6 • Lionshead Chairman Bray convened the Board into Executive Session at 6:20 p.m. Reconvene into O yen Session and ossibl take action on items discussed in Executive Session. Chairman Bray reconvened the Board into Open Session at 6:57 p.m. Dr. Hashmi made a motion on the first item, the property on the South Loop, that the property not be sold. Ms. Bills seconded the motion. Vote was 6 -ayes to 0 -nays. Discuss Future A Benda Items. Mr. Pankaj asked to discuss the meeting times at our next meeting. Dr. Hashmi asked for subcommittees to be formed to talk to existing and new companies. Adjourn The meeting adjourned at 7:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Paula Brownfield q� Administrative Assistant Paris Economic Development Corporation