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1996-01-10-PEDC MINUTES OF THE PARIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION REGULAR MEETING January 10, 1996 The Paris Economic Development Corporation met in a regular meeting on Wednesday, January 10, 1996, at 4:00 P.M., in the City Hall North Annex, Fire Training Room, Paris, Texas. President Philip Cecil called the meeting to order with the following boardmembers present: Dick Amis, Curtis Fendley, Leon Williams and Barney Bray. Also present were ex-officio boardmerabers, Judge Chuck Superville, Bobby Ray Walters, Dr. Marshall Dougherty, and City Attorney T. K. Haynes. President Cecil stated that the next item on the agenda was approval of the minutes from the previous meeting of the Paris Economic Development Corporation. He asked if there were any corrections or additions to the minutes, of the previous meeting, and there being none the minutes stood approved as presented. President Cecil asked Mr. Gene Anderson, Director of Finance, to give the financial report. Mr. Anderson gave the report. President Cecil called for questions and there were none. Boardmeraber Amis made a motion, seconded by Boardmeraber Fendley that the report be approved as presented. The motion carried unanimously. President Cecil stated that he had no report to give at this time.. 219 President Cecil asked Mr. Vest to make his report. Mr. Vest advised that due to advertising they had received eleven inquiries since the last meeting. He said he had met with several individuals at the Texas Department of Commerce in Austin since the Board's last meeting. Mr. Vest said that at the last meeting he had discussed the abandonment of the Texas Northeastern Railroad and he said that the railroad has filed a "Ninety Day Public Use" filing where comments can be made concerning the public use of the railroad beginning on January 11, 1996. He said we have ninety days to make comments as to our proposed action. Mr. Vest said there is a State of Texas Rail Abandonment Committee that we will have to deal with in the next ninety days. Mr. Vest said that Railtex owns the tracks with a salvage value of $28,700.00 per mile for the rails. He said that the Union Pacific owns the land and they have not priced the land. He said if we want to maintain the right-of-way we are going to have to buy the land from Union Pacific. Mr. Vest said to replace rail the present cost is $50.00 per foot and we are talking about approximately four to five miles. Mr. Vest said from the railroad's perspective if we are going to retain it, then we are going to have to buy it. President Cecil stated for clarification that the instructions to Mr. Vest were to find out all the information available in order to determine the Board's options in relation to the railroad abandonment and he should report his findings and options back to 'the Board at the next meeting in order for the Board ko take some type action at the correct time. President Cecil asked City Engineer Earl Smith to give his report. City Engineer Smith said that he had made a video the day before showing the BITCO site and how it was progressing. President Cecil asked if there were any problems that the Board needed to be made aware of, and Mr. Smith said that everything was going real well at this time. President Cecil asked Mr. Amis to give his report regarding the purchase from the Paris Industrial Foundation. Mr. Amis said that they had completed this purchase from the Foundation. President Cecil asked Mr. Vest to comment on the next agenda item regarding the Board acting as the sponsoring agent fcr the North East Texas Economic Development District's application for a grant from the Economic Development Administration to fund its Revolving Loan Fund. Mr. Vest said that this resolution names this Board as the sponsoring entity that allows the North East Texas Economic Development District to make application for a $500,000.00 grant from the Eccnomic Development Administration. He said this is the same program that we used for the BITCO Project where we put up twenty-five percent. He said we are the sponsoring local match for this program. President Cecil called for questions from the .Board and there were none. Resolution No. 96-001-authorizing the Paris Eccnomic Development Corporation to act as the sponsoring agent for the North East Texas Economic Development District's application for a grant from the Economic Development Administration to fund its Revolving Loan Fund. 220 PARIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION RESOLUTION NO. 96-001 WHEREAS, the North East Texas Economic Development District includes areas which have been designated as Long Term Economically Distressed (LTED) by the Federal Economic Development Administration; and, WHEREAS, the North East Texas Econoimic Development District, because of such LTED designations, is eligible to apply for an Economic Development Administration Title IX Revolving Loan Fund Grant under the provisions of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended; and, WHEREAS, the Revolving Loan Fund Grant in the amount of $500,000.00 would require a local match in the amount of $167,000.00; and, WHEREAS, these funds can only be used in these LTED designated areas for the purpose of providing financing for economic development incentives; and, · WHEREAS, the Paris Economic Development Corporation has interest in and is located within an LTED designated area; recognizes the advantages of having access to a Revolving Loan Fund Program; and desires that these funds are made available to the North -East Texas Economic Development District's LTED designated areas; and, WHEREAS, the North -East Texas Economic'Development District will serve as the applicant agency to receive and administer such funds; and, WHEREAS, the Paris Economic Development Corporation has funds which can be used, as needed, up to the amount of $167,000.00 for the purpose of satisfying the local match requirements; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE PARIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, that the Economic Development Administration approves the North East Texas Economic Development Districts Revolving Loan Fund Grant Application; other LTED areas will be given the opportunity and encouraged to participate as needed in the local match responsibilities; and that tbe Paris Economic Development Corporation reserves the right to periodically review and evaluate any changes in program guidelines which might affect the Paris Economic Development Corporation's commitment, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Paris Economic Development Corporation commits, as needed, up to $167,000.00 for local matching funds for the Revolving Loan Fund Program Grant. PASSED AND ADOPTED on this the 10th day of January, 1996. Philip R. Cecil, President ATTEST: Richard M. Amis, Secretary-Treasurer APRROVED AS TO FORM: T. K. Haynes, City Attorney 21 Boardmember Fendley made a motion, seconded by Boardmember Bray to adopt the resolution which carried unanimously and the resolution was adopted. City Attorney Haynes reported that an open records request was received from a law firm in Houston regarding information concerning BITCO and all of the information subject to the request was furnished. President Cecil asked if there was any other business and there being none he declared the board meeting adjourned. PRESIDENT PHILIP CECIL ATTEST: ASSISTANT CITY CLERK, BARBARA DENNY