03-B PEDC Minutes (02/13/02)MINUTES OF THE
PARIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
SPECIAL MEETING
FEBRUARY 13, 2002
The Paris Economic Development Corporation met in a 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
GraYiola, 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
checks written in December, which made the expenditures this month heavier
than normal. Mr. Anderson also gave the Board a handout containing the sales
taY receipts monthby month. Mr. Anderson advised that he has not received the
February sales taY direct deposit, which represents the sales taY 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
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February 13, 2002
Page 2
September l lr" incident in New York, they did not advertise through the end of
the year. Mr. Vest said they did have one 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, the Director
of Human Resources, the Director of Public Relations, and their Attorney on
January 17, 2002. He advised that Sara Lee 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 program primarily
consisted of ineetings with all of the various committees. Mr. Vest said he is the
Chairman Elect of the Texas Economic Development Sales TaY Association. He
reported 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 TaY.
Mr. Vest informed the Board that regarding the property the PEDC is wanting
to develop in the northwest part of Paris, Ed Ellis agrees everything has been
taken care of and the PEDC can start developing the property. Mr. Vest said
Mr. Ellis was going to go through one more step and write one more letter and
inform the squatters that by a certain day everything they want had better be off
the 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 and completed a lot of industrial parks around the state. He
talked to them about the acreage and what could be accomplished on this
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February 13, 2002
Page 3
property. Mr. Vest said they were very interested in taking on the project. He
advised 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 could use them to design the
Industrial Park.
There is quite a bit of engineering work that is going to have to be done because
there are a lot of infrastructures to be eatended into the Park Mr. Vest said he
hoped that they could 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. Representatives from this firm had met with
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 neat week
on a business recruitment mission. During the first week of 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 PEDC staff had
developed for this show and advised PEDC 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 every one 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 trying to establish the exact party to be sued and where a suit needs to be
filed. He has sent an inquiry to the Secretaty of State for information on this
particular entity.
Mr. Vest reported 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 neat year. Director Wall discussed the process of
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February 13, 2002
Page 4
operation of the Jackson Product and the state's use of their product.
Director Wall also discussed present and future highway developments 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