4A Wichita Falls Economic Development Minutes - 10/05/2012MINUTES OF THE
WICHITA FALLS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
October 5, 2012
PRESENT:
Gary Shores, President § Members
Dick Bundy, Vice President/Sec.- Treasurer §
Reno Gustafson §
Gary McLendon §
Glenn Barham, Mayor
Tim Ingle, Councilor District 4
§ City Council
Jim Dockery, Assistant City Manager /CFO § City Staff
Kevin Hugman, Assistant City Manager §
Miles Risley, City Attorney §
Dennis Burket, Transit Administrator §
Linda Merrill, Recording Secretary §
Tim Chase, President § Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Kevin Pearson, Vice President §
ABSENT:
Dave Lilley § Member
1. CALL TO ORDER
President Gary Shores called the meeting to order at 3:00 p.m.
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES/REVIEW OF FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Dick Bundy moved for approval of the August 17, 2012 minutes. Seconded berry
McLendon, the motion carried.
Kevin Hugman distributed the financial statement. It is essentially the same as was
approved by the Board at its last meeting. There are no revenues yet for FY 2013; the
October/November receipts will be reflected in FY 2012. Sales tax receipts are running about
1.5% above last year.
3. DEALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR ALBERT MOVING STAFFERS ASSISTANCE
PROJECT - $364,000
Tim Chase said the company anticipated creating 30 jobs that would stay in Wichita Falls
(rather than be transferred to the company's headquarters in Arkansas), and thereafter create 60
additional jobs. The company currently has 28 employees, with no plans to add the 60 additional
H: \_legal \4A & 4B \4A Corp\ Minutes \2012\2012.10.5\2012.10.5 4a minutes.doc
WFEDC — Minutes of October 5, 2012
positions, as the business did not mature as anticipated. Mr. Bundy moved to deallocate the
$364,000 budgeted for this project Seconded by Reno Gustafson the motion carried.
4. DOWNTOWN TRAVEL CENTER PROJECT
Jim Dockery said the Downtown Travel Center Project came in just about on budget at a total
cost (without contingencies) of $5,023,000. The City has identified $4,292,000 in FTA and TxDOT
grants and City funds from which to pay for this project, leaving a deficit of $732,000. The City has
approved another $348,000 toward the deficit, and the 4B board has budgeted the same amount. It should
be noted that it was anticipated the shortfall would total approximately $1 million, and the sum of
$348,000 was originally going to be requested of all three entities. However, since the bids came in after
the $348,000 had been secured from the City and the 4B Board, the 4A Board is only requested to pay
$243,980. These payments from these three entities will be made in the form of loans to be reimbursed
over the next 2 -3 years from entitlement grant funds.
Mr. McLendon questioned how this request squares with the statutory limitations on the use of
4A funds. Miles Risley replied that the 4A Board cannot fund a project whose primary purpose is to
provide a transportation facility, unless the facility benefits other properties in town. He specified the
properties benefited by this project within the Findings included in the Notice of Meeting.
Mr. Bundy asked what type of document would be drafted to provide this loan. Mr. Risley said
he would have to be very careful in drafting the instrument, as it cannot specifically referred to it as a
loan. It will be a City obligation, but by law, the City must have the ability to get out of this obligation at
least once a year. It is prohibited by the Texas Constitution from incurring real debt without establishing a
sinking fund to fund that debt. Mr. Dockery assured the Board the City is good for the loan.
Mr. Gustafson moved that the 4A Board recommend to the City Council the expenditure of
$243,980 from 4A funds to help cover the deficit needed to fund the Downtown Travel Center
Project, with the understanding that the money will be reimbursed over the next 2 -3 years.
Seconded by Mr. McLendon, the motion carried.
5. UPDATE ON REGIONAL MARKETING TASK FORCE
Mr. Chase said a report had been produced with a lot of data and ideas, but the task force
deemed it to be more of the same and wasn't what they wanted. They sent out of a survey
looking for new ideas in (1) growing jobs with a focus on jobs having higher wages; (2) growing
the population; and (3) growing the tax base. After confusion concerning the tax base survey, it
was decided to concentrate on (1) and (2) above. The next step is to reflect the survey comments
in the report.
Mr. Gustafson asked who participated in the survey. Mr. Chase said it was done very
quickly and distributed to a select group of businesses, including the task force members, the
Chamber Board, industry representatives, health care, manufacturing, builders and realtors. The
restaurant and hospitality industries were invited to participate, but unfortunately declined.
6. UPDATES AND /OR POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS RELATED TO KKE
HOLDINGS, INC., CHEESE FACTORY ROAD HOLDINGS, INC., GELATEX, INC., NATURA
WORLD, INC., 1485451 ALBERTA LTD., LORIMER, LLC, GEL SOLUTIONS, LLC.,
NATURA WORLD USA, PHOENIX HOLDINGS, LLC., BEDDING MANUFACTURER
WFEDC — Minutes of October 5, 2012
PROJECT, CARTER AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES, LLC., CARTER AIR VEHICLES, LLC.,
AND CARTER AEROSPACE DEVELOPMENT, LLC.
The Board members discussed the necessity to have property insurance on its lienholder
interest in the Natura building. It was decided that the Board would withhold any decision until
the new appraisal on the building has been performed, and the cost for an insurance policy had
been determined. The Board would then meet again later this month to discuss this matter
further.
7. EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mr. Shores adjourned the meeting into executive session at 3:27 p.m. pursuant to TEXAS
GOVERNMENT CODE § §551.071, 551.072, and 551.087. He announced the meeting back into
regular session at 3:55 p.m. The subjects posted in the Notice of Meeting were deliberated, and
no action was taken on these items in executive session.
8. ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 4:04 p.m.
Gary Aores, President