4A Wichita Falls Economic Development Minutes - 05/16/2019 (2) MINUTES OF THE
WICHITA FALLS BUSINESS PARK ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
May 16, 2019
PRESENT:
Gary Shores,President § Members
Dick Bundy §
Darron Leiker §
Dave Lilley §
Leo Lane, President § WFEDC
R. Kinley Hegglund, Jr., City Attorney § City Staff
Amy Gardner,Assistant City Attorney §
Paul Menzies, Assistant City Manager §
Linda Merrill, Recording Secretary §
Henry Florsheim, CEO §
Travis Haggard, V.P.,Business Retention &Expansion §
Adrine Wike, Director of Research §
Katie Britt, Marketing Director § Chamber of Commerce&Industry
Taylor Davis,Talent Partnership Director §
Hillary Robinson,Administrative Assistant §
ABSENT:
Reno Gustafson § Member
1. Call to Order
Gary Shores called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
2. Approval of Minutes (10/15/13)
Darron Leiker moved for approval of the minutes. Seconded by Dick Bundy, the motion
carried 4-0.
3. Possible Appointment of Board Members
Kinley Hegglund noted it was initially thought that the bylaws called for this board to
appoint its own members.Assistant City Attorney Amy Gardner discovered that those bylaws have
not been adopted.Therefore,appointments shall be made by the 4A Board. He will ensure that the
4A Board is aware of this duty, and with the approval of Leo Lane,this will be placed on its next
agenda.
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4. Election of Officers (President and Secretary)
5. Possible Appointment of Five-Member Development Review Board
(Current Members: Gary Shores, Dick Bundy, Reno Gustafson, Darron Leiker, and Dave
Lilley)
Mr. Bundy moved to table items 4 and 5. Seconded by Mr. Leiker,the motion carried 4-0.
6. Discussion of Future Marketing of the Business Park, including the Virtual Spec
Building Project
Mr. Bundy expressed the opinion that he ought to recuse himself—not for legal reasons,
but for the sake of appearance.Mr. Hegglund confirmed that the money his firm is receiving from -
the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to develop the virtual spec building is not money received
from the WFEDC. However, while there was no legal conflict of interest, he agreed that it would
be in everyone's best interests if he did recuse himself. Mr. Bundy said he would leave the room
during the discussion. Mr. Hegglund said he was still welcome to,stay as long as he did not take
part in the discussions. Mr. Bundy still chose to leave the room, and did so.
Mr. Shores asked Henry Florsheim to discuss the status of this project.Mr.Florsheim said
there were two issues: the status of the project, and the marketing of the business park. Wichita
Falls has long suffered a lack of quality industrial buildings for prospects in the 30,000 to 100,000
square foot range.Projects have been lost due to the lack of available buildings in that size range.
Other than being able to afford to build,the other possibility was to develop a virtual spec building
to show what could be provided and how long it would take to build it.This idea had been debated
for several months with the 4A Board. They decided to table it, but the Chamber's leadership
decided to fund it.The building is in the early stages of development.How it goes forward depends
on how this group, and the 4A Board, decides to market the Business Park in general.
Mr. Leiker asked why the Chamber moved to fund this project,which is 4A qualified,not
to mention the fact that the 4A Board owns the Business Park. Mr.Florsheim replied that this was
brought up at an economic development action team meeting. Several of the leadership talked
about the concept and the fact that the 4A Board was not ready to pull the trigger. There was no
clear message whether it would approve the project, and it was at a cost of only $15,000 at a
maximum.
Mr. Shores asked if the building could be modified to meet the standards of any potential
customer.Mr.Florsheim replied affirmatively.He added that the idea was to show the best possible
site in the Business Park,where it would cost the least to bring additional infrastructure to the site.
There are two buildings under design: One is 30,000 square feet (expandable to 60,000 square.
feet), and the other is 60,000 square feet(expandable to 120,000 square feet).
4. Adjourn
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The meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m.
l'
Gary ores, President
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