[00:00:02] >> [BACKGROUND] GOOD MORNING. TEMPERATURE GOES DOWN AND EVERYBODY GETS CHATTY. [1. Call to Order – Jerald Jones, Chairman] IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF HUMAN NATURE I SUPPOSE. IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE HERE FOR THE OCTOBER 26TH MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ASK MS. SIMMONS TO CALL THE ROLL AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> KEVIN KLINE PEPPER. PETER, I'M SORRY. [LAUGHTER] PROXY FOR BRANDON BREWERS. >> PRESENT. >> DAVID TOUPS. >> PRESENT. >> YVETTE COLA. GUY MCINNIS. RICKY FABRA. >> PRESENT. >> MANUEL FAJARDO. >> PRESENT. >> STUART MOSS. >> PRESENT. >> REPRESENTATIVE VINCENT ST. BLANC, PROXY FOR REPRESENTATIVE DAVIS. [NOISE] >> HE'S PRESENT. HE ISN'T JUST BOASTING. [LAUGHTER] WE HAVE TO PUT YOU ALL IN THE CORNER. [LAUGHTER] >> SENATOR MIKE REESE. >> HERE. >> KENNETH HERBERT. >> HERE. >> KELVIN JONES. >> PRESENT. >> SANDRA MCQUEEN. >> HERE. >> SENATOR MARK ABRAHAM FOR BRETT ARMAN. >> HERE. >> REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT MAGNITE FOR STUART BISHOP. >> HERE. >> JOHAN MOLLER. >> HERE. >> SECRETARY DON PIERSON. >> PRESENT. >> GEORGE NASSAR. >> HERE. >> DARREL SAIZAN, MARSHALL SIMEON. >> HERE. >> JUAN SLOAN. >> PRESENT. >> MATTHEW BLUNT FOR DR. SHAUN WILSON. >> PRESENT. >> DR. WOODROW WILSON, TRAVIS HOLLY, DR. BEVERLY THOMPSON. >> HERE. >> WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> NOTE THAT MR. MCINNIS IS ARRIVING. MARK HIM AS PRESENT AS WELL, PLEASE. [BACKGROUND] >> DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. [3. Approval of Minutes from August 24, 2022 meeting] >> EVERYONE, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 24TH MEETING. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE OR A MOTION TO EDIT. HAVE A MOTION, MR. SIMEON SECOND MR. MOSS. ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? THERE IS NO OPPOSITION. THE MOTION CARRIES. THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. MR. DOUGBE YOU'RE HERE WITH US FOR THE QUALITY JOB PROGRAM. [4. Quality Jobs Program – Michaela Adegbe] LET'S WALK THROUGH IT, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> THERE IS ONE NEW APPLICATION, 2020-0326, LANDLOCKED INDUSTRIES LLC CALCASIEU PARISH. >> I'M GOING TO TURN A MOTION FOR THIS ONE APPLICATION. MOTION FROM MR. MOSS. SECOND, MR. SIMEON, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> THERE ARE TWO LATE RENEWALS, 2016-1677 ASAP INDUSTRIES MANUFACTURING INC. SARAH BORNE PARISH, CONTRACT EFFECTIVE DATE 9-14-2016, INITIAL CONTRACT EXPIRATION DATE 9-13-21, LATE RENEWAL REQUEST DATE 7-27-22, APPLICATION NUMBER 2016-0358 AND VI LLC, SARAH BORNE PARISH, CONTRACT EFFECTIVE DATE 1-1-2017, INITIAL CONTRACT EXPIRATION DATE 12-31-2021, LATE RENEWAL REQUEST DATE 9-6-2022. >> BEFORE WE GET INTO THE DISCUSSION OF THESE SPECIFICS, I KNOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF MEMBERS HERE TODAY WHO ARE SITTING IN PROXY FOR LEGISLATORS. I KNOW THAT OR FOR THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. I KNOW THAT YOU MAY NOT BE AS FAMILIAR WITH HOW WE WORK THROUGH THESE. JUST A LITTLE WORD OF EXPLANATION AND A REMINDER FOR THE REST OF THE BOARD. WHEN WE HAVE LATE RENEWALS. AS YOU KNOW, THESE PROGRAMS, THEY HAVE PEOPLE APPLY FOR THEM AND GET THEM AND THEN THEY'RE UP FOR RENEWAL FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERM. BUT WE HAVE GUIDELINES AND TIMELINES IN WHICH PEOPLE HAVE TO FILE FOR THOSE RENEWALS. WHEN THEY'RE LATE, THAT'S PROBLEMATIC FOR THE STAFF, IT'S PROBLEMATIC FOR THE PROGRAM, IT'S PROBLEMATIC FOR THE SYSTEM. THE LIGHT RENEWABLES HAVE TO BE APPROVED. NOW UNDER THE ONSET PROGRAM, THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM, WHICH WE'LL GET TO IN A LITTLE BIT. THERE ARE RULES THAT BASICALLY DICTATE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THOSE LATE RENEWALS. [00:05:03] BUT WITH THE QUALITY JOBS PROGRAM WHICH WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE NO SET RULES. AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE, WHAT THIS BOARD HAS DONE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS WE CAN DO. WE CAN IGNORE THE LIGHTNESS OF THE RENEWAL. WE CAN TERMINATE THE CONTRACT AND NOT GRANT THE RENEWAL AT ALL, OR WE CAN PENALIZE. THAT MEANS GENERALLY, WHAT IT AT LEAST MEAN IN THE PAST IS TO REDUCE THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT THE RENEWAL CAN CARRY FORWARD. HERE WE HAVE TWO LATE RENEWALS. BOTH OF THEM ARE LESS THAN A YEAR LATE. THE PRACTICE NOT TO SAY IT, BECAUSE THIS IS AGAIN, NOT SET BY RULE FOR THE QUALITY JOBS PROGRAM. THE PRACTICE FOR THE BOARD IS GENERALLY WHEN IT'S LESS THAN A YEAR. BUT WE WILL GENERALLY PENALIZE THEM FOR A 20 PERCENT OF ONE YEAR PENALTY FOR THE LATENESS OF THE RENEWAL. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S UP TO THE HOWEVER THE BOARD WANTS TO HANDLE IT. BUT LIKE SAY, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME NEW FACES AND SOME FOLKS THAT HAVEN'T SAT IN THESE CHAIRS ON THIS BOARD FOR A LONG TIME. I WANT IT TO WALK THROUGH THAT, SO WE COULD ALL UNDERSTAND IT. FIRST, WE HAVE ASAP INDUSTRIES MANUFACTURING NUMBER 2016-1677. DO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD? WE CAN TERMINATE, WE CAN IGNORE OR WE CAN PENALIZE. MR. MILLER? >> I WOULD MOVE TO PENALIZE ONE YEAR. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO PENALIZE ONE YEAR. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? THAT'S FIRST OF ALL, DO I HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >> I'VE GOT A SECOND FROM MR. MOSS. THANK YOU. NOW, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? YES, SIR. >> YOU HAVE ANYBODY FROM THE BUSINESS HAVE LIKE TO. >> PULL YOUR MIC DOWN SO WE CAN GET ON THE RECORD. >> I'M SORRY. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY FROM THE FRONT OF THE BUSINESS? >> ANYONE HERE FROM ASAP MANUFACTURING, PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> HI. >> THANK YOU. JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. >> PENNY PORSCHE. I'M CONTROLLER FOR ASAP INDUSTRIES. >> GREAT. TELL US WHAT HAPPENED FROM. [OVERLAPPING] >> KEVIN PARISH WAS AFFECTED BY HURRICANE IDA AND SAID IN AUGUST AND OUR NEW WAS SEPTEMBER. WE WERE JUST TRYING TO WE HAD BEEN A BUSINESS INTERRUPTION OF ABOUT FIVE WEEKS AND WE WERE JUST TRYING TO GET THINGS BACK UP AND RUNNING THAT THE TIMELINE. >> IT WAS A HURRICANE EITHER ISSUE THAT LED TO THE LIGHTNESS OF THE RENEWAL? >> CORRECT. >> GOOD. ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. >> YEAH. JUST CURIOUS. I KNOW THERE WAS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PENALTY, BUT HAVE YOU HAD ANY PAST HISTORY OF WHEN A REGION HAS BEEN HIT BY A HURRICANE? DO YOU MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR THAT? I KNOW I REPRESENT THE LAKE CHARLES AREA AND WE GOT HIT HARD. I UNDERSTAND I'M IN BUSINESS FOR MYSELF. I DO UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET BACK AFTER A HURRICANE. I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY HISTORY OF HURRICANES IN WELL, THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION. WE DON'T WANT TO PENALIZE THEM ANY FURTHER THAN THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN PENALIZED BY THE HURRICANE. JUST ASKING THAT QUESTION. >> A FAIR QUESTION, AND ANY BOARD MEMBER IS WELCOMED TO RESPOND. BUT TRULY WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS WE TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON, AND TO SAY THIS BOARD IS WITHOUT COMPASSION WOULD BE INACCURATE. I THINK WE DO LISTEN TO WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND, AND WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE, WE TRY TO DEAL WITH IT APPROPRIATELY. THAT'S ONE REASON THE RULES ARE NOT SET IN STONE HERE AND IT GIVES THEM THE BOARD THAT THE LATITUDE THAT IT NEEDS BASED ON THE FACTS. THERE IS A MOTION, MR. BLOCK? >> I HAVE ONE QUESTION. IF IT WAS DUE IN SEPTEMBER WHEN WAS IT ACTUALLY SUBMITTED? >> IN JULY. >> JULY OF THIS YEAR? >> YES, SIR. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? WE HAVE A MOTION TO PENALIZE FOR ONE YEAR. EXCUSE ME, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC I'M SORRY, BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO PENALIZE ONE YEAR. SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ALL OPPOSED. SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> I THINK THAT MOTION FAILS. WE WOULD ENTERTAIN A NEW MOTION THEN. >> YEAH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE NOT PENALIZE THEM. [00:10:02] >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO FOREGO ANY PENALTY. WE HAVE A SECOND AND MR. FARMER, WE HAVE SEVERAL SECONDS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? [LAUGHTER] MR. NEIL, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE GOT SET UP, DON'T YOU? >> YEAH. [LAUGHTER] YEAH. I JUST WANT TO SAY WE USUALLY DO ASK THE RESPONDENTS TO COME UP. I THINK MAYBE MY MOTION WAS PREMATURE. >> THAT WAS MY FAILURE. I APOLOGIZE FOR PUTTING YOU IN THAT POSITION. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THERE WILL BE NO PENALTY. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NOW, NEXT, 220-16-0358 AND VI LLC, DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE FROM THE COMPANY? PLEASE COME FORWARD. [NOISE] IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> REBECCA TERRIO, GRANT AND ECONOMIC OUTREACH COORDINATOR. >> JOSHUA LEFT THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER. >> SOMEONE TELL US WHAT HAPPENED HERE. >> OUR GRANT WAS SUBMITTED LATE AT THE TIME WE WERE WORKING THROUGH THE PRIOR YEAR'S FILING, 2020. IN 2021, WE WERE INTERRUPTED THROUGHOUT DISCUSSION OF THAT THROUGH THE HURRICANE. THEN 2020'S FILINGS WERE NOT APPROVED UNTIL MIDWAY AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2021. WE WERE UNABLE TO EVEN SUBMIT 2021 UNTIL WITHIN THE TIME FILING FOR 2021'S FILING, BUT WE WERE WORKING THROUGH A BACKLOG UNTIL WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW OUR RENEWAL ONCE THE BACKLOGS OF THE PRIOR YEAR AND THEN THE PRIOR YEAR AFTER THAT WAS COMPLETED. >> THANKS. I'M MAKING SURE I UNDERSTAND. I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T WANT TO [OVERLAPPING] >> LET ME JUST CLARIFY THAT THE BACKLOG WAS WORKING WITH YOUR STAFF HERE AT THE STATE. THERE WAS ONGOING COMMUNICATION THERE IN THE TIME FOR THE PRIOR YEAR'S FILINGS. WE WERE ACTUALLY WAITING ON THE CERTIFICATION FOR PRIOR YEARS AT THAT TIME. >> MISS. DOUG, DID YOU HAVE ANY CONTEXT FOR US? >> HE'S REFERENCING THE ANNUAL COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTS THAT THEY SUBMIT TO US ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER WITH EACH OTHER TO WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WAS REQUIRED FOR THOSE PRIOR YEAR'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. [NOISE] >> I GUESS FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, HOW DID THOSE DOCUMENTS RELATE TO THE RENEWAL ITSELF? DID THOSE ISSUES NEED TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE THE DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RENEWAL? >> THE RENEWALS STILL NEEDED TO BE FILED ON TIME. WHENEVER WE RECEIVED THE ANNUAL COMPLIANCES WE DO WORK THROUGH THOSE, BUT IT DOES NOT AFFECT THEM ACTUALLY FILING A RENEWAL APPLICATION. >> LET ME ASK A QUESTION A DIFFERENT WAY. DOES INFORMATION THAT IS REQUIRED BY THE RENEWAL APPLICATION, DOES IT REQUIRE CLARIFICATIONS FROM THE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTS THAT HAD TO BE FILED EARLY? IN OTHER WORDS, DID THEY HAVE TO GET THOSE RIGHT BEFORE THEY COULD PROPERLY COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FOR THE RENEWAL? >> THEY NEED IT TO BE SUBMITTED, BUT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO BE PROCESSED. THEY HAD INITIALLY, WHICH I DON'T HAVE THEIR ANNUAL COMPLIANCE IN FRONT OF ME OF WHEN IT WAS PROCESSED, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE, I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS ON THERE AS WAS IT RECEIVED. DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT ACTUALLY. ONCE IT'S INITIALLY RECEIVED, IT STILL HAS THAT TIME, IT'S WHERE WE CAN WORK BACK AND FORTH TO CORRECT FOR THOSE ANNUAL COMPLIANCES. >> YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THE TIMING OF THE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTS? IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF GETTING THEM PROPERLY COMPLETED? >> CORRECT. >> NOW, I GUESS BACK TO THE COMPANY WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND I APOLOGIZE TO THE BOARD FOR MONOPOLIZING, BUT I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT HELP CLARIFY. FROM YOU ALL'S PERSPECTIVE, WHILE WAS WORKING THROUGH THESE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTS, WHY DID THAT IPY FROM BEING ABLE TO WORK ON THE RENEWAL APPLICATION? >> I THINK IT WAS JUST A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IT NEEDED TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD. HONESTLY, WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD COME UP IN THE DISCUSSIONS FOR THE RENEWAL. >> THE RENEWAL APPLICATION NEEDED TO BE FILED BEFORE 12/31, AND IT WAS NOT FILED UNTIL NINE MONTHS LATER. WERE YOU ALL WORKING ON THE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENT FOR THAT ENTIRE TIME? [00:15:02] >> OUR RENEWAL DOCUMENT FROM WHAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS DUE AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, BUT 2020'S ANNUAL DOCUMENT WAS NOT EVEN FINALIZED OR APPROVED UNTIL APRIL. >> THE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? >> COMPLIANCE DOCUMENT FOR 2020 WAS NOT APPROVED UNTIL APRIL, SO WE WERE UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH 2021 UNTIL THAT WAS SUBMITTED, WHICH 2021'S HAD TO BE SUBMITTED BY THE END OF JUNE, WHICH IT WAS. THEN THAT WAS NOT FINALIZED UNTIL A LITTLE BIT LATER AS WELL. AS STATED WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THOSE DOCUMENTS, IT WAS JUST, I GUESS, A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT THOSE HAD TO BE FINALIZED BEFORE WE COULD SUBMIT THE RENEWAL FOR THAT. >> THE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTS AND AGAIN, FOR MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO MAY NOT, THE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTS ARE BASICALLY A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS THAT THE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS HAVE TO SUPPLY TO THE LED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS JUST SAYING THIS IS WHERE WE ARE, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE. WE WOULD CHECK THE BOXES ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND THERE'S GENERALLY FOLLOW UP AFTER THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE FILED. I GUESS WHAT I'M HAVING A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING IS WHY THOSE TWO WORK STREAMS COULD NOT BE CARRIED ON A PARALLEL BASIS AND WHY IT HAD TO BE SUBSEQUENT TO ONE ANOTHER. >> IT WAS JUST OUR UNDERSTANDING. IT WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING. THERE'S NOTHING MORE THAN THAT. HAD WE BEEN AWARE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SUBMITTED AT THE SAME TIME AS THESE OTHER DOCUMENTS WE WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTELY DONE SO. >> BECAUSE THE DIFFICULTY IN MY WORLD THEY'RE TOTALLY UNRELATED. IT'S APPLES AND ORANGES AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE COULDN'T BE PARALLEL WORKSTREAMS. MS. DOUG DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER CONTEXT? >> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SO HOW SHE JUST NOTED THERE IS A GRACE PERIOD, SO THEY DO HAVE 60 DAYS AFTER THAT CONTRACT EXPIRES TO FILE THEIR RENEWAL. EVEN THOUGH THE CONTRACT EXPIRES ON 12/31, THEY DID HAVE 60 DAYS AFTER THAT TO WHERE IT'D BE TIMELY. >> IT'S STILL LATE, JUST NOT AS LATE? >> CORRECT. >> BOARD, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE. AGAIN, THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER, WE CAN TERMINATE THE CONTRACT, NOT GRANT THE RENEWAL AT ALL. WE CAN IGNORE THE LATE RENEWAL OR WE CAN PENALIZE AT SOME LEVEL. WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? YES MR. BLUNT. >> ONE QUESTION, BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THIS EARLIER AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU MENTIONED JUST WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PREVIOUS APPLICANT OR YOU ARE IN CALCASIEU, CORRECT? >> TERREBONNE. >> TERREBONNE. >> I'M SORRY, YOUR ARE IN TERREBONNE PARISH. I WAS LOOKING AT THE WRONG. YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS SOME IMPACT FROM? >> WE DID HAVE AN INTERRUPTION. WE SUBMITTED OUR 2020 FILING ON TIME, BUT THERE WAS INTERRUPTION WITHIN OUR NORMAL WORK PROCESS, YES, ABSOLUTELY. WE WERE WORKING ON 2020, EVEN SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, LIKE THERE WAS INTERRUPTION IN JUST THE COMMUNICATION IN GENERAL. >> OVER HALF OF OUR EMPLOYEES IN TERREBONNE PARISH LOST THEIR HOUSES AS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR OUR BUSINESS IN TERMS OF THE HURRICANE. WE WORK IN CALCASIEU. WE HAVE AN OFFICE IN SOUTH LOUISIANA AS WELL TOO. INDIANA WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY THE HURRICANE, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. >> ALL RIGHT. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I CAN SUGGEST IF THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL ARE LOOKING FOR, MR. SIMEON. >> [BACKGROUND]. >> WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. SIMEON FOR APPROVE THE RENEWAL WITH NO PENALTY. >> I SECOND. >> WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. BLOCK. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE ONE RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT RENEWAL. [5. Restoration Tax Abatement Program – Becky Lambert] >> CORRECT. >> MS. LAMBERT IS OUT, SO YOU'RE GOING TO WORK WITH US ON THAT. >> YES, SIR. >> FANTASTIC. >> 2012-0024 MORPHO INC. TAMMANY PARISH. [00:20:04] >> THERE ARE NO ISSUES WITH THIS OF WHICH WE ARE AWARE OR IS THERE A MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. FAJARDO TO APPROVE AND SECOND FROM MAYOR TOUPS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >> THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE] >> GOOD MORNING, [6. Enterprise Zone Program – Joyce Metoyer] MS. MONTOYA. >> WE WANT TO DEFER ASH INDUSTRIES 2020-0051 TO THE DECEMBER BOARD. IT WAS REQUEST REFERRED BY THE COMPANY. >> ALL RIGHT. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER 2020-0051 ASH INDUSTRIES, MOTION MR. SLOAN, SECOND BY MAYOR TOUPS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD. HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >> HEY. 2015-16403, BROWN AND ROOT INDUSTRIAL SERVICES LLC WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH. >> ENTERPRISE ZONE APPLICATION, JUST ONE BROWN AND ROOT. I ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MOTION FROM MR. NASSAR, SECONDED MR. FAJARDO, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE GOING TO TERMINATE SOME CONTRACTS. >> YES. 2014-1614, ASSOCIATED GROCERS INCORPORATED, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 71-2017 THROUGH 630-2022. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 11 OF 2020. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET, NO ADDITIONAL JOBS OR ANTICIPATED, 2014-1332 IN MIDSTREAM OPERATING LP ASCENSION PARISH EXISTING CONTRACT IS TO 13 OF 18 TO TO 12TH OF 2023. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS TWO 12 OF 2021. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET, NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2014-0958, OUR LADY OF THE LAKE ASCENSION COMMUNITY HOSPITAL INCORPORATED, ASCENSION PARISH, THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS MARCH 1 OF 15 THROUGH FEBRUARY 28 OF 2020. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 831 OF 2017. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET, NO ADDITIONAL JOBS OR ANTICIPATED. 2014-1327 FRANCISCAN MISSIONARIES OF OUR LADY UNIVERSITY, EPR PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 1013-17 TO 1012-2022. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS APRIL 2020. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET, NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2017-0646 LAMARCK FORD, JEFFERSON PARISH, THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 1227-2017 THROUGH 1226-2022. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS JUNE 26, 2020. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET, NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2017-0647, LAMARCK FORD INCORPORATED, JEFFERSON PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 1227 OF 2017 THROUGH 1226 OF 2022. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 626 OF 2020. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET, NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2017-0468, NOBEL PLASTICS INCORPORATED, ST. LANDRY PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS OCTOBER 1, 2018 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 331 OF 21. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2018-0172, NOBEL PLASTICS INCORPORATED, ST. LANDRY PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 58-2018 THROUGH 57-2023. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 117-2020. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2016-18705, OUR LADY OF THE LAKE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, EPR PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 1115 OF 16 THROUGH 1114 OF 2021. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS OCTOBER 12 OF 2019. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2018-0044 THE NEURAL MEDICAL CENTER EPR PARISH, [00:25:02] JANUARY 1, 2019 THROUGH 12, 31-2023 IS THE EXISTING CONTRACT PERIOD. JUNE 30, 2021 IS TO REQUESTED TERM DATE, THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2018-0054 TURNER'S SPECIALTY SERVICES, LLC CALCASIEU PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS FEBRUARY 9, 2018 THROUGH FEBRUARY 8, 2023. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS DECEMBER 31, 2020. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2017-0401, WESTLAKE MANAGEMENT SERVICES INCORPORATED, CALCASIEU PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS JUNE 30 OF 2018 THROUGH JUNE 12 OF 2023. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS JUNE 12, 2021. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET, NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. >> A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR EACH ONE OF THESE, THE APPLICANT HAS ACTUALLY ASKED THAT THE DEPARTMENT TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACTS. BUT AS FAR AS A PROCEDURAL NOTE, IF WE CAN HANDLE THESE IN GLOBAL, IF THAT IS THE WISH OF THE BOARD, WHICH IS THE PRACTICE OF THE BOARD, BUT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO HANDLE ANY ONE OF THESE SEPARATELY, JUST LET US KNOW AND WE'LL HANDLE THAT IN THAT MANNER. YES, SIR. >> I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION ON INDIVIDUALLY, BUT I JUST BECAUSE IT'S FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN HERE. I'M ASSUMING THAT THESE CONTRACTS IT LOOKS LIKE HER FOR FIVE YEARS FOR ENTERPRISE ZONE. MY QUESTION IS, WHY WOULD THE TERMINATION DATE BE SO IN ARREARS, IN OTHER WORDS, WE DO THIS EVERY FOUR YEARS OR SOMETHING. I'M SEEING TERMINATION DATES OF 17 AND 20, THAT'S OUR EVIDENTLY YOU JUST DO THIS EVERY SO OFTEN OR WHAT'S THE REASONING? >> [BACKGROUND]. >> THE RULES DON'T STIPULATE, YOU HAVE TO TERM CURRENTLY SO THEY CAN TERM BACK, AND THESE ARE ALL BACK IN CONTRACTS. CONTRACT TERMINATIONS ARE ALWAYS REQUESTED BY THE COMPANY. WE DON'T REQUEST THEM TO TERM, AND IT KEEPS THEM FROM FALLING ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK. >> OUR LADY OF THE LAKE ASCENSION REQUESTED TERMINATION DATE WAS 831-2017. WHEN DID THEY? NOT YET. >> THAT'S NOT THE DATE THAT THEY ASKED FOR THE TERMINATION. THAT'S THE REQUESTED EFFECTIVE TERMINATION. IS THAT RIGHT, MS. VICTORIA. >> YES. >> THAT'S NOT THE DATE THAT THEY REQUESTED THAT WE TERMINATE. >> NO. THIS WERE ALL REQUESTED RECENTLY. >> THIS WAS THE DATE THAT THEY ASKED THAT THE TERMINATION DATE BE EFFECTIVE. >> ALL CONTRACTS MUST BE IN EFFECT FOR A MINIMUM OF 30 MONTHS. ALL THE PAPERWORK HAS TO BE FILED. THEY'VE MET ALL THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. THEY DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY ADDITIONAL JOBS OR THERE ARE NO OTHER BENEFITS TO GET. >> WELL, WHEN THEY HAVE ASKED FOR THE REQUEST TO TERMINATION DATE TWO YEARS AGO. >> THE RULES DON'T SPECIFICALLY SAY YOU NEED TO ASK FOR IT. IF IT WAS TODAY'S DATE, I DON'T NEED TO ASK FOR IT TODAY, I CAN ASK FOR IT LATER. ONE OF THE STIPULATION SIR. IT'S A LITTLE OUTSIDE OF WHAT LED DOES BUT THAT DAY, IF THESE ARE TERMED, LDR HAS AN ISSUE WITH RELEASING THEIR BENEFITS. THAT'S PART OF THIS. THEY GO TO LDR ONCE ALL OF THIS IS APPROVED, NOT THE TERMINATION, BUT ALL THE OTHER PAPERWORK. LDR WON'T LET GO OF THEIR PHONES IF THESE APPEAR TO BE TURNED. >>OKAY. THANK YOU. GREAT QUESTION THOUGH. THANK YOU, SANDRA, AND NAME IS NATALIA. NOW DO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSAR TO APPROVE THE CONTRACTS AND GLOBAL, DO HAVE A SECOND. SECOND, MR. SLOAN, ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >>AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MA'AM. >>I HAVE ONE [OVERLAPPING] CANCELLATION. >>I'M SORRY. >> 2015 0848 IN LED MIDSTREAM OPERATING LP IBERVILLE PARISH, THE COMPANY DID NOT MEET THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND THE COMPANY REQUESTED CANCELLATION. >> THIS IS UNLIKE THE OTHER. THIS IS NOT THEY HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS, THEY HAVE NOT MET THE REQUIREMENTS, SO THEREFORE THEY WANT TO CANCEL THE CONTRACT. >> IN TERMING IS NOT PENALIZED IN ANY WAY. HAD THIS COMPANY ACTUALLY RECEIVE SOME BENEFITS, THEY WOULD BE DUE BACK TO THE STATE. BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MEET THE REQUIREMENTS. >> GOT IT. MOTION TO APPROVE. [00:30:02] I'M SORRY. [LAUGHTER] I'M CALLING COMPLETELY BLANK DOCUMENT TO BE QUITE FORGIVE ME. PLEASE FORGIVE ME. [LAUGHTER] MAYBE I HAVE A SECOND. ALL THESE NEW FACES AND NAMES AND I'M JUST GOING, DO I HAVE A SECOND, MR. MAHARA, I MEAN, PRONOUNCING HIS NAME CORRECT TODAY. [LAUGHTER] ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM TO THE PUBLIC. THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> THERE IS NONE MOTION CARRIES. >> THAT INCLUDES EASY. >>THANK YOU. NOW, INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION APPLICATIONS. [7. Industrial Tax Exemption – Kristin Cheng/Hud Usie] >>WE HAVE ONE PRE EO APPLICATION, 2011 0659K, SABINE PASS LIQUEFACTION, LLC AND CAMERON PARISH. >> THOSE OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE ORIGINAL APPLICATIONS FOR PRE EO WERE PAGES LONG. WE ARE NOW REACHING THAT POINT WHERE THE NEW RULES HAVE BEEN IN PLACE LONG ENOUGH, WHERE ALL THE APPLICATIONS ARE COMING UNDER THE NEW RULES RATHER THAN THE PRE EO RULES. THAT'S WHY WE ONLY HAVE ONE THIS TIME. NOW IT IS A $2 BILLION INVESTMENT, BUT [LAUGHTER] IT'S ONLY ONE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THIS PRE IO APPLICATION. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. SLOAN, SECOND FROM MR. MOSS TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, FORGIVE ME. IS SOMEONE HERE FROM SABINE PASS, I'M SORRY. NOT THAT IT MATTERS, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE ALREADY VOTED, BUT I STILL WANT TO COMPLETE THE RECORD BECAUSE I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS. SUCH A NAME YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> YES. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US HERE. I'M ANDREA CARTER, VOTING IN AND I'M MANAGING TAX COUNCIL FOR SHINIER. >> HOW MANY PROGRAMS, HOW MANY TRAINS ARE WE ON NOW WITH SABINE. >> THE APPLICATION BEFORE YOU IS FOR THE COMPLETION OF TRAIN 6 AND SABINE PASS, AND THAT IS THE FINAL TRAIN THAT IS COVERED UNDER THIS CONTRACT, THERE WILL BE ONE LAST APPLICATION BEFORE YOU FOR THE COMPLETION OF OUR THIRD BIRTH, WE'VE INSTALLED A THIRD BIRTH FOR SHIPS TO COME IN, AND WE EXPECT THAT SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION EMINENTLY LIKELY THIS WEEK, SO YOU'LL GET TO SEE ME AGAIN. BUT THAT WILL CLOSE OUT OUR PRE EXECUTIVE ORDER APPLICATIONS. >> WHAT IS THE TOTAL INVESTMENT FOR THIS PROGRAM? >> WE ARE AT 20 BILLION, I'M GOING TO PEEK TO MY GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. WE HAVE MADE A $20 BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT TOTAL INCORPORATE WITH SABINE PASS. >> AMAZING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE. I KNEW WE WERE GETTING TOWARD THE END. I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE FIT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION. >> THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. >> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE STATE. >> [BACKGROUND]. >> LET'S GO. I'M SORRY. OKAY. GOOD. THANK YOU. 2018 RULES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE TEN APPLICATIONS FOLLOWING THE POST EO 2018 RULES. THREE, ARE NEEDING TO BE DEFERRED, FIRST IS 2022-0110, GEORGIA PACIFIC PORT HUDSON, LLC, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 2022-0372, HUNTSMAN INTERNATIONAL, LLC AND ASCENSION PARISH, AND 2022-0026, RELIABLE EDM, LLC, AND LAFAYETTE PARISH. >> OKAY. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER THESE THREE APPLICATIONS. WE HAVE A MOTION, MR. MILLER, SECOND FOR MAYOR TUBBS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NON, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR FOR DEFERRALS, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. NOW, WALK US THROUGH THE REST OF THEM. 2022-0300, BLUE RUNNER FOODS INC, ASCENSION PARISH, [00:35:02] 2021-0366 BOKEH LOOSER WEST PV1 LLC WASHINGTON PARIS, 2022-0392 DOLET HILLS SOLAR, LLC, DE SOTO PARISH, 202-02-0383 SHELF CHEMICAL LP ASCENSION PARISH, 2020-0502. STELLAR INC LAFAYETTE PARISH, 2020-10370 SUNLIGHT ROAD SOLAR LLC WASHINGTON PARISH, AND 2019-0281 TRI-STATE INDUSTRIES OF LOUISIANA LLC AND REPEATS PARISH. >> I'VE HAD A REQUEST FROM DR. THOMPSON THAT SHE WILL BE RECUSING HERSELF FROM THE DISCUSSION OR VOTE ON THE SHELF CHEMICAL APPLICATION. OTHERWISE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE OR IF ANYBODY WANTS TO CONSIDER ONE OF THESE SEPARATELY, WE CAN DO THAT. >> MOTION TO APPROVE. >> MOTION TO APPROVE FROM [INAUDIBLE], SECOND FROM MR. SLOAN. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT ANY OF THESE 2018 RULE APPLICATIONS? THERE BEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE 15 PRE EO TIMELY RENEWAL APPLICATIONS. ONE COMPANY IS REQUESTING DEFERRAL 2015-1379, GRAPHIC PACKAGING INTERNATIONAL, LLC IN WASHINGTON PARISH. >> WOULD ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION TO DEFER. MR. SLOAN, SECOND FROM MAYOR TUBBS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. NOW WALK US THROUGH THE REST. >> 2015-0989, BASF CORPORATION ASCENSION PARISH, 2015-2047 BASF. CORPORATION, ASCENSION PARISH, 2015-0280 B EGO US 2LOC IN KALGUGSU PARISH, 2012-1341 ENERGY LOUISIANA, LLC AND NINE MILE POINT JEFFERSON PARISH, 2015-1466 FLOW PAM INC AND AIR PREVAIL PARISH, 2016- 1511 A GOLF CRAFT LLC ST. MARY PARISH, 2014-11, 17A KOCH METHANOL ST. JAMES LLC, ST. JAMES PARISH, 2015-1161M GB LLC ST. LANDRY PARISH, 2015-0264A MATHESON TRI-GAS INC KALGUSU PARISH. 2015-1126 A UTM MANUFACTURING LLC REPEATS PARISH, 2015 -1279 WESTLAKE VINYLS COMPANY LP, ASCENSION PARISH. 2015-12798, WESTLAKE VINYLS COMPANY LP ASCENSION PARISH, 2015-1590 WESTLAKE VINYLS COMPANY LP ASCENSION PARISH, AND 2016-0666 WESTLAKE VINYLS COMPANY LP ASCENSION PARISH. POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, THE SHARE WILL BE RECUSING HIMSELF FROM THE KOCH METHANOL. ST. JAMES APPLICATION, WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION OR THE VOTE, BUT I'LL CONTINUE TO FACILITATE THE VOTE ON THE MOTION. DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION FROM MR. NASSAR, SECOND FROM MR. MOSS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. >> WE HAVE ONE PRE EO LATE RENEWAL, 2014-1228, TANGY PACK LOC AND TANGIPAHOA PARISH, INITIAL CONTRACT EXPIRATION 12-31 OF 2021, LATE RENEWAL REQUEST DATE MARCH 24TH, 2022. >> DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM TANGIPAHOA? >> I'M MIKE MASTIC. >> MASTIC, PLEASE, HAVE A SEAT PLEASE. SPEAK INTO THE MIC SO WE MAKE SURE WE PICK IT UP FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. >> HEY, I'M MIKE MASTIC, 50% OWNER AND VICE PRESIDENT OF TEST BENCH, LLC. >> THANK YOU, SIR. JUST GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT HAPPENED HERE FOR THE LATE RENEWAL. >> WHAT HAPPENED IS, WE DIDN'T THINK THE RENEWAL WAS UNTIL 2022. [00:40:02] >> PULL YOUR MIC LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YOUR MOUTH. THANK YOU, SIR. >> IN OUR CALENDAR, WE HAD RENEWALS 2022, THE PLAN WENT INTO PRODUCTION IN JANUARY OF ONE YEAR, BUT WHAT HAPPENED IS THE CONTRACT HAD BEEN SIGNED IN THE PREVIOUS NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER. IT ACTUALLY EXPIRED, BUT IT WAS OUR INTENTION TO FILE FOR THE RENEWAL, BUT WE DIDN'T THINK THAT RENEWALS WAS NEEDED UNTIL 2022. WE'VE SPENT THIS YEAR GATHERING INFORMATION OF THE IO. WE TRIED TO GET INTO APRIL. THE ASSESSOR DIDN'T SHOW ANYTHING DUE AND WE TRIED TO GET IN APRIL DUE AND WE COULDN'T GET THE INFORMATION TOGETHER TO SUIT EVERYBODY FOR THE APRIL. NOW, WE'RE HERE TODAY. >> WHEN WOULD THE APPLICATION HAD BEEN DUE? >> IT WAS DUE BY 12/31 OF 2021 AND THEY HAVE SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION TO RENEW IT. >> OKAY. THERE'S A SIX-MONTH PERIOD IN WHICH TO DO THE RENEWAL. IT WAS FILED ESSENTIALLY, ALMOST FOUR MONTHS LATE, [OVERLAPPING] THAT'S CORRECT? >> IT'S CORRECT. >> OKAY. OUR OPTIONS ARE TO APPROVE THE FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL, APPROVE OF THE PENALTY, OR DENY THE RENEWAL ALL TOGETHER. WE HAVE A MOTION. THAT IS AN OPTION. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. SLOAN TO APPROVE WITH A ONE-YEAR PENALTY. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. MILLER. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE MOTION CARRIES. >> WELL, HOW DOES THAT WORK? >> BASICALLY, YOUR RENEWAL WILL BE IN PLACE, BUT IT WILL BE A FOUR-YEAR RENEWAL INSTEAD OF A FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> NEXT WE HAVE ONE POSTEO RENEWAL FOLLOWING THE 2018 RULES, 2017 0087 MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT COMPANY, INC IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH. >> DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE FROM MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT? THANK YOU, SIR, IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS BRANDON LASTOR, I AM WITH MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT COMPANY AND I'M AN ACCOUNTANT. >> GREAT. TELL US WHAT HAPPENED ON THE LIGHT RENEWAL? >> IT'S NOT LIGHT ITS TIMELINE, [OVERLAPPING] POST EXECUTIVE ORDER TIMELY RENEWAL. >> FORGIVE ME. WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU WITH US, WE ENJOY VISITING WITH YOU, BUT IT'S REALLY NOT NECESSARY. [LAUGHTER] >> APPRECIATE IT. >> THE FALL AIR HAS GOT THE CHAIRS, MINE SOMEWHERE ELSE, APPARENTLY, PERHAPS GETTING READY FOR ALABAMA, I DON'T KNOW BUT FAIR ENOUGH IN ANY EVENT. WE HAVE [LAUGHTER] TIME RENEWAL. FORGIVE ME, GUYS. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? BY WHAT BILE MIGHT WANT THIS CHAIR? [LAUGHTER] WE HAVE A MOTION, MR. ST. BLANC. SECOND FROM MR. FLORIDA. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> IN THE OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE ONE PARTIAL TRANSFER OF CONTRACT, SABINE PASS LIQUEFACTION, LLC, CONTRACT 2011 0659J. THE BEAM PASSED LOCAL FACTION LLC IS RETAINING $63,106,700, AND SABINE PASS LNG, LP, IS RECEIVING $23,051,623, AND THIS IS CAMERON PARISH. >> HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. MOTION TO APPROVE, MR. MOSS? SECOND. I HAVE A SECOND FROM SENATOR ABRAHAM. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [00:45:02] >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE SIX CONTRACT CANCELLATIONS, ADVANCED PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS INK, 2014, 0511, 2015 0223. [OVERLAPPING] >> LET'S STOP THERE AND LET'S HANDLE THAT ONE INDIVIDUALLY. [OVERLAPPING] >> OKAY. >> THE ADVANCED PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS INK. THE COMPANY REQUESTS CANCELLATION. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CANCELLATION, MR. MOSS, SECOND MR. MILLER. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? >> IT'S THREE CONTRACTS. I DIDN'T GET TO READ THE LAST ONE. >> FORGIVE ME. >> LAST CONTRACTS, 2016 1148. IT'S THREE FOR ADVANCED PRODUCTS AND LAFAYETTE. >> YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS, AREN'T YOU? [LAUGHTER] WE HAVE THREE CONTRACTS AND MR. SAY NOW BEEN ALLOWED TO READ ALL THREE OF THEM, AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE CANCEL. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. NOW, LET'S GET TO SOUTH ALEXANDER DEVELOPMENT. >> DO YOU WANT ME TO READ ONE AT A TIME? [OVERLAPPING] >> JUST WALK THROUGH ALL THREE OF THEM BECAUSE THE SITUATION IS SIMILAR FOR ALL THREE. >> WE HAVE SOUTH ALEXANDER DEVELOPMENT 1 LLC CONTRACT 2018 0355, AND LIVINGSTON PARISH, SOUTH ALEXANDER DEVELOPMENT 3, LLC 2018 0414, AND LINCOLN PARISH, AND SOUTH ALEXANDER DEVELOPMENT 10 LLC, 2018 0287, AND CALCASIEU PARISH. FOR ALL THREE LED REQUESTS CANCELLATION OF THESE CONTRACTS DUE TO THE COMPANIES FAILING TO FILE ANNUAL PROJECT STATUS REPORTS FOR THE FRONT END CONTRACTS, AFFIDAVIT OF FINAL COST PROJECT COMPLETION REPORTS, OR COMPLY WITH THE COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND JOB REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN THEIR EXHIBIT A AGREEMENTS, COMPANY CONTACTS WERE NOTIFIED. >> DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM SOUTH ALEXANDER? >> STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ADRIAN BRUNO, I'M THE GOVERNMENTAL COUNCIL FOR JOULE ENERGY IN NEW ORLEANS. THE AGENDA ITEMS YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD, THE PROJECTS ARE IN CALCASIEU, LINCOLN AND LIVINGSTON PARISHES. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE TIME GRANTED SINCE THE LAST BOARD MEETING TO WORK THROUGH SOME DELAYS THAT WERE CAUSED BY HURRICANE LAURA, HURRICANE IDA. I'D LIKE TO REFER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS A HURRICANE, BUT I CAN'T. BUT THERE WAS A FEDERAL TARIFF ISSUE WHICH AFFECTED THE SUPPLY CHAIN THAT I DON'T KNOW IF MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE OF. IT WAS RECTIFIED BY THE WHITE HOUSE VIA EXECUTIVE ORDER. IT HAD TO DO WITH A RETROACTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO A TARIFF. IT COMPLETELY DELAYED THE SUPPLY CHAIN HERE IN THE UNITED STATES. JOULE ENERGIES, A COMPANY THAT THEY WORK WITH AT A SENIOR LEVEL, WHICH IS HECATE ENERGY STOPPED A NUMBER OF THOSE PROJECTS AND IT CAUSED A LOT OF DOWNSTREAM DELAYS, ONE OF WHICH WAS WITH JOULE ENERGY. I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT ALL OF THE PROPER DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN FILED WITH LED AND ALL OF THESE PROJECTS ARE BACK ON TRACK AND MOVING FORWARD AFTER THESE SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS. THIS EXEMPTION IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THESE PROJECTS. BOARD MEMBERS, WE HUMBLY ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT ANY OF THESE PROJECTS THIS TIME. >> I DO. >> YES, SIR. >> I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU ALL WERE HERE FOR THE LAST MEETING, MR. SMITH WAS HERE REPRESENTING THE COMPANY FOR THE LAST MEETING. PRIOR TO THAT MEETING, THERE HAD BEEN NO COMMUNICATION WITH LED WHATSOEVER. SINCE THE LAST MEETING, WHICH WAS TWO MONTHS AGO, 60 DAYS, WE DID NOT HEAR FROM YOUR COMPANY UNTIL FRIDAY. IS THAT CORRECT? >>THAT IS CORRECT. >> THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT CONTRACTS WITH SIGNIFICANT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS WHICH SOUTH ALEXANDER DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES WANT TO TOWARD NONE HAD IGNORED. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAD A HURRICANE, BUT THAT HURRICANE WAS A LONG TIME AGO. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT FRANKLY, AFTER THE LAST MEETING THAT YOUR COMPANY WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE FRONT DOOR OF LED THE NEXT DAY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DO WE DO TO GET THESE PROJECTS BACK ON TRACK? MORE TO THE POINT, I UNDERSTAND THAT TODAY OR YESTERDAY YOU ALL FILED A BUNCH OF STUFF AND MOST OF IT IS NON-RESPONSIVE. NOW, THE CHAIRS HAD A BAD DAY TODAY, BUT I AM FOCUSED ON THIS LIKE A LASER BEAM. >> I WAS BROUGHT IN RECENTLY, SO I WAS THE ONE THAT MADE CONTACT WITH MR. SMITH AND ATTEMPTED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES BETWEEN THE BOARD AND HIS COMPANY. [00:50:04] >> THE ISSUE IS NOT WITH BETWEEN THE BOARD. THE ISSUE IS WITH THE PROGRAM. THERE ARE PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOUR COMPANY HAS THAT REQUIRES FILING IN A TIMELY MANNER. SOME OF THESE, I DON'T BELIEVE ARE CORRECTABLE BECAUSE YOU ALREADY HAD A TWO-YEAR GRACE PERIOD IN WHICH TO GET MATTERS FILED THAT YOUR COMPANY IGNORED. TO COME TO THE BOARD TODAY AND REPRESENT THAT ALL THE PROPER DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN FILED I THINK IT'S INCORRECT, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T BE RECTIFIED BECAUSE THE GRACE PERIOD HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN AND PASSED. WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE I'M JUST ONE VOTE ON THIS BOARD, BUT I WILL BE MAKING THE MOTION TO CANCEL THESE CONTRACTS. I THINK THAT MAY BE THE FIRST MOTION THIS CHAIR HAS EVER MADE. BUT I'M MAKING IT. I'M LOOKING FOR A SECOND. I GET A SECOND FROM MR. MCINNIS. NOW, IF THE BOARD HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MR. BRUNO, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ASK HIM. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM ME. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. >> I DO MR. JERALD. >> YES. >> MR. BRUNO, I ASSUME THESE CONTRACTS ARE VITAL TO GET THIS PROJECT UP AND RUNNING. >> THEY ARE AND WITH SINCERE APOLOGIES TO THE PROGRAM COMING IN. I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE BOARD AND WITH THE PROGRAM AND GET EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO GET STRAIGHT. I'M COMING IN ON THIS RELATIVELY LATE TO THE EQUATION. THAT'S NO EXCUSE. I UNDERSTAND THAT. UNDERSTANDING THEIR SERIES OF EVENTS, THOSE THINGS AFFECTED THE COMPANY TO THE POINT OF ALMOST INSOLVENCY. I DON'T THINK THAT THERE WAS ANY MALICIOUS INTENT NOT TO BE THERE. I HAVE TRIED TO WORK WITH THEM AND GET THEM UP TO SPEED AS FAST AS WE CAN. I WOULD SIMPLY ASK FOR SOME CONSIDERATION TO THAT EFFECT. GET THEM BACK ONLINE, GET THESE PROJECTS ALREADY IN UP AND VERTICAL AND READY TO GO NOW. I WOULD JUST PLEAD COMPASSION TO THE BOARD, GIVE US A LITTLE MORE TIME. THEY DID GET IN ALL THE PAPERWORK. THAT WAS A SPECIFIC REQUESTS THAT I GOT TO THEM. IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE SUBMITTED WE'RE HAPPY TO GET THAT BACK ON TRACK. BUT WE SEE THIS, IT'S INEXCUSABLE WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST. BUT THEY WANT TO GET RIGHT. THEY WANT TO GET THESE PROJECTS GOING VERTICAL. THEY'LL HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT IN EACH ONE OF THESE PARISHES WHERE THEY'RE GOING UP. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION. >> TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM NOT OVERREACTING. SOMETIMES I'M ACCUSED OF THAT. MR. RUSSI, TELL ME ABOUT THE DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED. >> AS OF 09:15 THIS MORNING, WE HAD A 2022 ANNUAL PRODUCT STATUS REPORT AND IT ONLY HAD ONE STATEMENT FOR THE LIVINGSTON PARISH SAYING THAT IT WAS THE HURRICANE AND IT WAS GOING TO BE COMPLETED IN MARCH OF NEXT YEAR. THE OTHER TWO ALSO HAD STATEMENTS SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMPLETED IN 2023 WHILE WE WERE MISSING THAT ARE FOLLOWED UP WITH MR. SMITH SAYING THAT WE NEEDED 2020S ANNUAL STATUS REPORT AND 2021 'S ANNUAL STATUS REPORT SHOWING WHAT TOOK PLACE OR DIDN'T TAKE PLACE IN THOSE CALENDAR YEARS, THOSE WERE SUBMITTED BUT IT WAS COPY PASTE WORDING OF THE 2022 REPORT. ADDITIONALLY, AFTER THE AUGUST 24TH BOARD MEETING, WE REACHED OUT TO MR. SMITH OUTLINING THE ZIP EXHIBIT A AMENDMENT PROCESS APPROVED BY THE BOARD. IF THEY WANTED TO AMEND THE EXISTING EXHIBIT A AGREEMENTS, THEY COULD REACH OUT TO THE LOCALS AND GET RESOLUTIONS. WE NEVER HEARD BACK ON THAT. >> MR. BRUNO, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT A MEMBER OF THE COMPANY, YOU'RE SIMPLY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMPANY. >> YES, SIR. >> I HOPE THAT YOU WILL COMMUNICATE TO THE COMPANY AT LEAST ONE BOARD MEMBERS DISSATISFACTION WITH ITS RESPONSE. THE REASON MY REACTION MAY BE AS VISCERAL AS IT IS, IS BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM HAS COME UNDER INCREDIBLE SCRUTINY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS. SOLAR PANELS FOR THIS PROGRAM HAVE BECOME UNDER INCREDIBLE SCRUTINY. THIS BOARD HAS COME UNDER INCREDIBLE SCRUTINY FOR IT. YOUR COMPANY OR THE COMPANY YOU REPRESENT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES THAT THIS BOARD STUCK ITS NECK OUT FOR, AN LED, STUCK ITS NECK OUT FOR, [00:55:03] AND GRANTED AND THE HANDLING AND THE RESPONSIVENESS AND EVEN ATTENTION TO EVEN THE MIRRORIST LEVEL OF DETAIL HAS BEEN NON-EXISTENT. THEN WHEN MR. SMITH WAS HERE TWO MONTHS AGO AND WE EXPLAINED THIS TO HIM, THE BEHAVIOR ONLY REPEATED ITSELF. I APPRECIATE YOU'RE TRYING TO COME IN AND SALVAGE THEIR ATTEMPTS. BUT I'M AFRAID IT WAS TOO LITTLE TOO LATE. AT LEAST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE REST OF THE BOARD CAN VOTE HOWEVER THEY WISH. BUT WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM CENTER ABRAHAM. YES, SIR. >> JUST A QUESTION. I AGREE WITH ALL YOUR COMMENTS. BUT I WASN'T HEARING ON THE PAST MEETINGS. HOW MUCH MONEY JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY ARE Y'ALL INVESTING IN THESE PROJECTS AND HOW MUCH HAVE YOU INVESTED? WHAT'S THE PLAIN INVESTMENT, HOW MUCH HAVE YOU HAD? >> TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THERE'S EIGHT OTHER PROJECTS BESIDES THESE WHICH HAVE GONE IN. THE TOTAL INVESTMENT IS AROUND $20 MILLION. >> HOW MUCH HAVE YOU SPENT SO FAR? >> ON MOST OF THOSE PROJECTS AROUND,. >> THESE THREE HERE. >> AROUND 11 MILLION FROM MY UNDERSTANDING SO FAR. >> THANK YOU. >> YES, SIR. >> ALL RIGHT >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, THE MOTION IS TO CANCEL ALL THREE OF THESE CONTRACTS FOR LIVINGSTON, LINCOLN, AND CALCASIEU PARISH. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MR. BRUNO. >> YES, SIR. >> WE HAVE SIX SPECIAL REQUESTS. THE FIRST ONE IS FROM CNC MARINE AND REPAIR LLC, AND THAT'S FOR TWO CONTRACTS, CONTRACT 2019, 0003 AND 2019, 0003-A. >> ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM CNC MARINE? STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> ALLISON SAVELLA, CPA FOR THE ENTITY. >> ALL RIGHT. MS. SHENKEN CAN TELL US WHAT EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR HERE. >> CNC MARINE AND REPAIR IS REQUESTING TO AMEND THEIR EXHIBIT A. THEY ORIGINALLY WERE REQUIRED TO CREATE 35 JOBS AND THEY'RE REQUESTING TO REDUCE IT TO 10 JOBS. >> AND WHY IS THIS COMING TO THE BOARD AS A SPECIAL REQUEST? >> BECAUSE THE BOARD APPROVED THE EXHIBIT A ORIGINALLY WITH 35 JOBS. >> GOOD. THANK YOU. IN ORDER TO CHANGE THE JOB AND THE PAYROLL NUMBERS, THE BOARD WOULD HAVE TO BASICALLY. AGAIN, JUST FOR BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE NEW TO THE BOARD WHEN THESE APPLICATIONS ARE ENTERED INTO. THIS IS A CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING I THINK. IT'S NOT JUST A MATTER OF FILLING OUT AN APPLICATION AND THEN APPLYING FOR IT. ONCE THE DEAL HAS BEEN STRUCK, IT IS REDUCED TO A CONTRACT. IN FACT, IT'S A CONTRACT THAT IS ENTERED INTO BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. THE GOVERNOR SIGNS IT ON BEHALF OF THE STATE. WHEN CERTAIN THINGS HAPPEN, AS IN ANY CONTRACT, THINGS HAPPEN AND THE PARTIES HAVE THE RIGHT TO RENEGOTIATE THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT IF THEY WISH. I BELIEVE AND IT'S NOT INAPPROPRIATE TO EXPLAIN WHAT CNC MARINE IS COMING TO US IS ASKING BASICALLY, CAN WE AMEND THE CONTRACT? SPECIFICALLY, THEY'RE TRYING TO REDUCE THEIR JOB REQUIREMENT FROM 35 JOBS TO 10 JOBS. TELL US WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST. >> AS WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, THE LAST MEETING BY MS. MARCEL. THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFICULTY HIRING PREDOMINANTLY BECAUSE OF COVID. WHEN MS. MARCEL WAS HERE BEFORE THE BOARD LAST MEETING, IT WAS TO GIVE SPECIAL PERMISSION FOR HAVING MISSED THEIR HEADCOUNT INCREASE. THIS IS JUST PUTTING IT INTO A FACT SO THAT ON A GO-FORWARD BASIS, WE WILL NOT HAVE TO CONTINUALLY COME BEFORE THE BOARD SHOULD THIS CONTINUE. THEY ARE STILL SINCE THE LAST MEETING, HAVING DIFFICULTY INCREASING THEIR HEADCOUNT, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN OVER THE LAST QUARTER. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A REQUEST TO DECREASE THE HEADCOUNT, THE SALARY PER PERSON HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED. [01:00:06] THE PRIOR CONTRACT HAD THE 35 PEOPLE OR THE 35 FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT HEADCOUNT INCREASE AT APPROXIMATELY $27,000 PER PERSON. ALTHOUGH THE NUMBERS, THE HEADCOUNT ITSELF HAS DECREASED, THE SALARY HAS INCREASED TO AT LEAST $30,000 A PERSON. >> NOW, YOU HAVE ALREADY GONE TO THE LOCAL BODIES AND REQUESTED THEIR OPINION ON THIS. >> SIR, THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS GIVEN APPROVAL AND THOSE ARE INCLUDED OR WERE INCLUDED WITH THE ORIGINAL REQUEST TO AN END. >> I UNDERSTAND THERE IS NOTHING FROM THE PARISH SIMPLY BECAUSE THE PARISH SHOULD NOT APPROVE THE CONTRACT TO BEGIN WITH. >> CORRECT. >> YOU HAD BEEN PAYING TAXES, THE PARISH AD VALOREM TAXES. BUT YOU HAD BEEN EXEMPTED FROM AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE SHERIFF'S TAXES AND THE SCHOOL BOARD TAX? >> YES, SIR. >> IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. NOW WITH THE APPROVAL FROM BOTH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SHERIFF TO AMEND THE CONTRACT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSAR. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. PIERSON. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? YES, SIR. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I KNOW YOU GOT APPROVALS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SHERIFF WITH THE PARISH PRESIDENT KIRKLAND PINE IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS. >> OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. NEXT. >> WE HAVE THREE SPECIAL REQUESTS FROM LA 3 WEST BATON ROUGE, LLC CONTRACTS 2016, 1942, 2017, 0443 AND 2017, 0504. >> OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM LA 3? STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> YES, MR. CHAIRMAN, MY NAME IS KEID COLE, I'M THE ATTORNEY FOR THE COMPANY AND I HAVE WITH ME GORDON HOOKE, WHO IS THEIR ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT. MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS IS A REALLY A TECHNICAL CONTRACT AMENDMENT. THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO CHANGE THE JOBS OR THE NUMBERS OR THE DOLLAR OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WHAT WE DISCOVERED IS THAT YOUR CURRENT CONTRACT FORM, THIS IS ONE OF THE EARLIER CONTRACTS. YOUR CURRENT CONTRACT FORM HAS A DEFINITION FOR SUBCONTRACTOR SO THAT THE QUALIFIED SUBCONTRACTOR WHO'S MEETING ALL THE BENEFITS AND DOLLARS AND JOB REQUIREMENTS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF IS PICKED UP IN YOUR CURRENT FORM CONTRACT. BUT IT WASN'T IN OUR OLDER CONTRACTS. THIS BASICALLY JUST BRING THAT FORWARD AND OTHERWISE CONFORMS THE CONTRACT TO YOU-ALL'S CURRENT FORM. >> I WANT TO BE SURE I'M CLEAR ON THIS. MS. PORTER, WE MAY NEED YOUR HELP ON THIS. WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, UNDER THE CONTRACT, WHAT I'LL SAY THE BASIC CONTRACT THAT IS NOW IN PLACE WITH LED. WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT NUMBER OF JOBS, IT INCLUDES SUBCONTRACTORS IN THE JOBS NUMBERS? >> WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS YOUR ORIGINAL DEFINITION OF QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR ALLOWED A QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR THAT HAS ALL THE BENEFITS REQUIREMENTS AND SALARY REQUIREMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO DO THAT. IT WAS PROBABLY THE CASE THAT THAT EXTENDED TO CONTRACTORS OF CONTRACTORS. BUT BELTS AND SUSPENDERS IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH LED, IT WAS DEEMED APPROPRIATE TO COME FORWARD AND CLARIFY THAT. THEN AS PART OF THAT, MS. BOURGEOIS, WHO WAS THEN WORKING WITH THIS, SAID, "HEY, LET'S JUST UPDATE THE CONTRACT TO OUR CURRENT FORM." >> MR. PIERSON? >> JUST SOME CLARITY HERE FOR THE BOARD AGAIN. SUBCONTRACTORS DON'T QUALIFY UNDER QUALITY JOBS OR ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAMS. HOWEVER, UNDER THE ITAP PROGRAM, FOR LONG-TERM, LOT OF COMPANIES SUBCONTRACT OUT THEIR MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS. SUBCONTRACTORS ARE RECOGNIZED UNDER ITAP. IN THE EARLY EDITION OF THIS CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION, THAT WASN'T NOTED IN THAT FILE THAT WAY. [01:05:01] THIS IS A TECHNICAL CLARIFICATION. I AGREE WITH HIS DESCRIPTION OF IT, I BELIEVE. >> I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE CONCEPT, BUT HAVING A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULTY WITH, DO WE APPLY THIS RETROACTIVELY OR NOT? BECAUSE WE PASSED A MOTION BACK IN, I THINK, IN '21, IN WHICH WE OUTLINED HOW WE WOULD HANDLE AMENDING CONTRACTS, AND WE SPECIFICALLY SAID AT THAT TIME THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE RETROACTIVE APPLICATION. DO YOU UNDERSTAND IF WE DO THIS, IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE PROSPECTIVELY? >> WELL, THE DISCUSSION WITH YOUR STAFF AGAIN, BECAUSE THESE ARE LED STAFF, [LAUGHTER] I KNOW THIS IS THE BOARD. >> [OVERLAPPING] I MUST HAVE. I'M SORRY. [LAUGHTER] >> WITH LED STAFF IS BECAUSE THIS WAS SO TECHNICAL AND THIS WAS REALLY OUR BELTS AND SUSPENDERS APPROACH. AS THE DEPARTMENT SAID, THAT IT'D BEEN THE [NOISE] INTERPRETATION IN THE PRACTICE. THAT WAS THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO FOR THIS. WORKING WITH LED STAFF, THAT'S WHY WE PROPOSE TO DO IT RETROACTIVELY BECAUSE IN A LOT OF WAYS IT ARGUABLY ISN'T CHANGING ANYTHING. THE DEFINITION OF QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR SAYS, GO FORWARD AND DO THESE THINGS THROUGH A LONG-TERM CONTRACTOR, THAT AGAIN, IS MEETING ALL OF THE SALARY REQUIREMENTS. ALL OF THE BENEFIT REQUIREMENTS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE FOR THE SITE. I THINK THAT IT'D BEEN THE PRACTICE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. AS AUDIT OF OUR FILE AND THE PRIME CONTRACTOR THAT WE WORK WITH, THEY SAID, "HEY, LET'S BELTS AND SUSPENDERS THIS THING." I THINK BECAUSE IT'S JUST A TECHNICAL CLARIFICATION AND REFLECTION OF LEDS PRACTICE, I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY WORKED WITH THIS AND THEIR STAFF RECOMMENDING THAT THIS BE RETROACTIVE. MS. BOURGEOIS HAS WORKED THROUGH THAT ISSUE PRETTY BIG DEAL. >> MR. PIERSON. >> SOMETIMES THERE'S A RAMP ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOBS IN EACH YEAR. IT INCREASES TILL IT GETS TO A TOTAL THAT'S BEEN AGREED UPON. DOES THAT RAMP INTERSECT WITH ANY OF THIS CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF THE LOOK-BACK THAT CHAIR IS CONCERNED ABOUT? >> NO, THIS CONTRACT DIDN'T HAVE A RAMP UP IN JOBS AND PAYROLL. SOME OF THEM DO, BUT THIS ONE DIDN'T. [NOISE] >> I'M TAKING IT THERE'S A SHORTFALL WITHOUT THE CONSIDERATION OF THE [OVERLAPPING] ASSOCIATED SUBCONTRACTORS. >> CORRECT. THEIR 2021 ANNUAL COMPLIANCE, HAS ALREADY BEEN SUBMITTED. IF IT GOES BACK APPROVED RETROACTIVELY, IT WOULD HAVE AN EFFECT ON WHETHER THAT YEAR IS COMPLIANT OR NON-COMPLIANT. WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF THE SUBCONTRACTORS, 2021 WOULD BE NON-COMPLIANT BECAUSE IT'S ONLY QUALIFIED CONTRACTORS IN THAT AGREEMENT. IF IT'S APPLIED PROSPECTIVELY, 2021 WHEN IT'S REVIEWED, IT WILL BE MORE THAN LIKELY FOUND TO BE NON-COMPLIANT, AND THEN LOCALS WILL BE NOTIFIED AND I COME BEFORE THE BOARD. IF IT'S RETROACTIVE, THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO INCLUDE THOSE SUBCONTRACTOR POSITIONS AND BE DEEMED COMPLIANT. >> THANK YOU, MR. OZE. I APPRECIATE THAT. MR. ABRAHAM. >> YES. WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IS, YOU'VE THOUGHT THESE WERE INCLUDED SO YOU'VE FILED THE REPORT. NOW, YOU'RE THINKING THAT ONCE THE REPORT IS AUDITED, THEY MIGHT FIND THIS TECHNICALITY. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? >> I THINK EVERYBODY THOUGHT THAT IT WAS NOT REQUIRED TO BE IN THERE AT THE TIME BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN THE PRACTICE. BUT I THINK BECAUSE YOU ALL HAD UPDATED YOUR FORM, IT WAS PROBABLY FLAGGED, HEY, THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO SAY IT. ALL WE'RE SAYING IS, WE'RE HERE TO SAY IT THAT SAME WAY. THIS IS ALWAYS HOW IT WAS BEING DONE AT THE SITE AND THEN BEEN DONE AT OTHER SITES, I THINK. BUT I THINK ULTIMATELY, IT'S A CODIFICATION OF WHAT HAD BEEN THE PRACTICE. I THINK WE COULD HAVE TAKEN THE VIEW THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY THAT THE LATER CONTRACT LANGUAGE WAS ADDITIONALLY CLARIFYING BUT NOT DIFFERENT. YOU JUST BOAT UP AND SAID IT WAS COMPLIANT, BUT I THINK THE GUIDANCE WE WERE GIVEN IS, THIS WAS SO TECHNICAL AND IN LINE WITH WHAT HAD OCCURRED THAT JUST SUBMIT IT AND BRING THE WHOLE CONTRACT UP-TO-DATE WITH THE FORM CONTRACT THAT'S NORMALLY IN PLACE. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, WITH THAT EXPLANATION WITH WHAT I HEARD FROM SECRETARY PIERSON, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION. WE ACCEPT IT. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM CENTRAL RACE. [OVERLAPPING] WE'LL GET THERE. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. NOW COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, MR. BLOCK. >> MY MAIN CONCERN ABOUT THIS, THIS CAN'T BE THE ONLY ENTITY THAT'S AFFECTED BY [01:10:01] THIS AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING WHERE THIS ISSUE FOR EACH APPLICANT THAT IS POTENTIALLY EFFECTED BY THIS, NOT ONLY WHAT THAT UNIVERSITY IS, BUT IT'S MORE THAN ONE, THAT WE'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE TO DO THIS PIECEMEAL AND ENTITY BY ENTITY, BECAUSE FIRST-OFF, THAT MIGHT MEAN THIS ACTION BY THE BOARD TODAY MIGHT PROMPT A WHOLE BUNCH UP AND THEY HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD. I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S NOT SOME BETTER WAY TO DO THIS WHERE IT CAN BE DONE UNIVERSALLY AND NOT ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. I GUESS THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE LED STAFF. IS THERE SOME OTHER WAY TO DO THIS IF IT IN FACT, IT WAS ALWAYS THE INTENTION THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE COVERED? I GUESS I TAKE THE SECRETARY'S POINT THAT THAT WAS IN FACT THE CASE, THEN IS THERE SOME OTHER WAY THAT THIS CAN BE CLARIFIED SO WE'RE NOT HAVING TO DO THIS ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS? >> I AGREE WITH YOU, MR. BLOCK. THAT'S THE THING THAT ESPECIALLY IF WE ALLOW RETROACTIVE APPLICATION, JUST HANDLING ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS SEEMS TO PRESENT ALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ISSUES. I'M SPIT BALLING HERE, BUT IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THERE COULD BE A BOARD RESOLUTION THAT BASICALLY RECOGNIZES THE ISSUE AND BE DRAFTED TO APPLY THE UNIVERSE OF CONTRACTS, WHICH MAY BE SO WORDED. IS THERE SOMETHING MS. PORTER, YOU THINK YOUR FOLKS COULD HANDLE FOR US? SORRY. SOMEBODY MAKE ROOM FOR MS. PORTER. I NEED TO LET HER WEIGH IN ON THIS. [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER] >> MRS. PORTER, STATE YOUR NAME [OVERLAPPING] >> ROBIN PORTER, EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR LED. I THINK MAYBE IF WE STYLE IT BASICALLY AS A CLARIFICATION OF DEFINITION, THAT MAY BE MORE APPROPRIATE THAN JUST GOING THROUGH AND ALLOWING THE RETROACTIVITY BECAUSE, THE BOARD INDICATED ON THE 20TH, 2021 APRIL MOTION THAT THESE MATTERS WOULD BE DONE PERSPECTIVELY. MR. BLOCK, YOU WERE ON POINT TO INDICATE THAT IT COULD OPEN THE DOOR TO ALLOW FOR SOMEONE TO CORRECT WHEN YOU'RE NON-COMPLIANT AND SO FORTH TO GO BACK. BUT I THINK IF WE LIMIT IT TO JUST A CLARIFICATION OF DEFINITION, THAT SHOULD WORK APPROPRIATELY. >> CAN WE DO THAT SIMPLY BY MOTION TODAY OR DO WE NEED A FORMAL RESOLUTION TO BE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT MEETING? >> MY OPINION IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED A FORMAL RESOLUTION. >> OKAY. >> MR. COSY, IS THERE AN ISSUE ON TIMING IF THIS IS DEFERRED TODAY AND IT IS PUT BACK ON THE DECEMBER AGENDA IN TIME FOR THIS TO BE CONSIDERED? >> MY COLLEAGUE, WHO IS THE COUNSEL FOR THE PRIME CONTRACTOR, THEN HIRES THE SUBCONTRACTORS, ADVISES THAT PERHAPS THE VOTE TODAY CAN BE TO GO AHEAD AND DO THE AMENDMENT BECAUSE SO MUCH WORK WENT WITH LED STAFF ON UPDATING IT TO THE CURRENT FORMAT. NOT RETROACTIVELY, BUT JUST DO THE AMENDMENT AND THEN YOU ALL COULD CLARIFY THE PRIOR CONTRACT TERM IN THE WAY THAT YOU ALL HAVE DESCRIBED VIA RESOLUTION FOR EVERYBODY. >> I REALLY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE AMENDING A SINGLE CONTRACT ON THIS ISSUE. IF WE CAN HANDLE IT. THAT'S MY PREFERENCE, AT LEAST IF WE CAN HANDLE IT IN A UNIVERSAL FASHION, AND THE REASON BEING IS THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT MAY PLAY OUT IN A FUTURE ISSUE. I JUST DON'T KNOW. BUT WHAT I'M LEARNING THIS MORNING IS, THAT THE ISSUE IS IT IS TRULY A CLARIFICATION ISSUE. RATHER THAN CHANGE A CONTRACT, [01:15:01] I WOULD RATHER SEE ACTION BY THIS BOARD RECOGNIZING THE CLARIFICATION AND MAKING IT THEREFORE UNIVERSALLY APPLICABLE. I JUST THINK THAT MAKES MORE SENSE. >> MR. CHAIRMAN. I JUST WANT TO ADD THERE'S NOTHING ELSE THAT I WOULD SAY SUBSTANTIVE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. BUT WORKING WITH LED, I THINK THERE WERE A VARIETY OF CLAUSES THAT AGAIN ALL THINK VERY TECHNICAL VENUE SELECTION IN THE 19TH JDBC AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE IN YOUR NORMAL CONTRACT NOW THAT I THINK THE SUGGESTION FROM WORKING WITH LED WAS IF JUST UPDATE THIS TO THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITHOUT CHANGING THE DATE. I THINK I'LL DEFER TO THE BOARD ON THAT, BUT THAT WAS WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND VARIOUS OF OUR CLIENTS HAVE BEEN REVIEWING AND EVERYONE IS OKAY WITH THAT STANDARD LED CONTRACT. WHAT I WAS SUGGESTING WAS THAT PERHAPS THAT WOULD BE THE CASE PROSPECTIVELY BECAUSE EVERYONE'S WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT. >> THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS THE ONLY ISSUE. I DON'T HAVE ALL THE OTHER ISSUES BEFORE ME, THE ONLY ISSUE I HAVE BEFORE ME IS THE ISSUE OF THE QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR [OVERLAPPING]. >> THAT'S THE ONLY ISSUE WE NEED [LAUGHTER] >>WELL, BUT EVEN IF WE MOVE TO APPROVE THAT, THAT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT ALL THE OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT APPARENTLY ARE NECESSARY. [BACKGROUND] YEAH, I DON T THINK THAT DOG IS BEFORE ME RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS HUD MACHINE. IS THERE ANY ISSUE TO MR. BLOCK POINT? IS THERE ANY ISSUE AS FAR AS THIS CONTRACT IS CONCERNED, DEFERRING THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING AND HANDLING WITH A UNIVERSAL RESOLUTION? DOES THAT AFFECT THIS CONTRACT IN ANY WAY OR THE COMPLIANCE ISSUE WITH IT IN ANY WAY? WOULD YOU PLEASE ANSWER VERBALLY? >> NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, NO. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THEN IT'S MY SUGGESTION AND I WOULD ASK FOR A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT THAT WE BASICALLY DEFER THIS MATTER, AND MR. ABRAHAM, WHO'S YOUR MOTION? >> I CAN JUST WITHDRAW MY MOTION. YOU CAN DO THAT, GREAT. BUT THEY MAY ASK A QUESTION. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> UNDER THE CLARIFICATION RULE. IN MY MIND, WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING RETROACTIVE. >> ACTUALLY ALL WE'RE DOING IS SAYING THIS IS WHAT IT MEANT ALL ALONG. >> ALONG SO THERE'S NO RETROACTIVITY TO ME. THAT'S MY POINT I WANT TO MAKE. >> THAT'S 100 PERCENT CORRECT. MS. PORTER, WE WOULD ASK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, SO THE MOTION IS WITHDRAWN AND WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSAR TO DIFFER, AND A SECOND FROM MR. BLOCK. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO DEFER, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. THEN THE BOARD WOULD ASK MS. PORTER TO WORK WITH STAFF TO DEVELOP A RESOLUTION FOR THIS [LAUGHTER] CLARIFICATION ON THIS QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR ISSUE SO THAT IT HAS UNIVERSAL APPLICATION TO ALL SIMILARLY SITUATED CONTRACTS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE TODAY. >> WE HAVE ONE LAST SPECIAL REQUEST FROM LAMB WESTON INK CONTRACT 2020 0134. >> SOMEONE HERE FROM LAMB WESTON. PLEASE COME FORWARD. YES, SIR. IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOE BEARS WILL, PLANT FINANCE MANAGER FOR LAND WEST INTO DEL HOT LANGUAGE. >> OKAY. MS. JAYNE, TELL US WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. >> THIS APPLICATION WAS ORIGINALLY DENIED BY THE LOCALS WITHIN THE 30 DAYS THAT WERE PROVIDED BY RULES TO PROVIDE NOTICE TO LED OF THEIR DECISION. THE POLICE JURY AND SCHOOL BOARD DENIED WITHIN THE FIRST 30 DAYS. IT WAS AFTER THE 60-DAY WINDOW FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES TO TAKE ACTION THAT WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE COMPANY THAT THE POLICE JURY AND SCHOOL BOARD ARE WANTING TO CHANGE THEIR DECISIONS TO APPROVALS. >> OKAY. MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND. YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND TELL US WHAT HAPPENED HERE? >> ESSENTIALLY, AS WAS STATED, BOTH THE ORIGINAL PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND THE ORIGINAL PARISH POLICE JURY DENIED THE TAX CREDIT. [01:20:04] WE WERE NOT PRESIDENT AT THE BOARD MEETINGS. ONCE WE WERE INFORMED THAT THEY HAD DENIED THE CREDITS OR THE APPLICATION, THEN WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OF THE BOARDS AND ACTUALLY DID A PRESENTATION ON OUR PROJECT AND WHAT IT DID TO THE COMMUNITY. OF COURSE, THAT WAS AFTER THE APRIL DEADLINE, THE 60-DAY DEADLINE, AS SHE MENTIONED. DURING THE MONTH OF MAY AND JUNE, WE HAD BOTH BOARDS APPROVE OUR TAX CREDIT WITH BOTH THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE POLICE JURY. THE POLICE JURY UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED IT AND THEN IT WAS A MAJORITY ON THE SCHOOL BOARD. >> FOLKS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE THIS BOARD AND IN THE PAST WE HAVE NOT HONORED THE CHANGE OF MIND BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AGAIN, JUST ONE BOARD MEMBER EXPRESSING AN OPINION. BUT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT APPROVAL PROCESS OBVIOUSLY WAS INTRODUCED INTO THIS PROGRAM BACK IN 2016. BUT SINCE 2016 IT HAS BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROCESS, AND ANYBODY WHO'S WORKED WITHIN THIS PROCESS UNDERSTANDS THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS IN ONE SHAPE FORM OR ANOTHER HAS A SEAT AT THIS TABLE IN APPROVING THESE CONTRACTS. NOW, WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN IS WHY NO ONE FROM LAMB WESTON WENT TO THE BOARDS TO BEGIN WITH, TO MAKE YOUR CASE FOR WHY THE PARISH ENTITY SHOULD APPROVE YOUR CONTRACT. WHY DIDN'T YOU? >> THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR THAT. WELL, I WAS NOT AWARE OF WHEN THOSE MEETINGS WERE HELD. WE ASSUME AND I WANT TO SAY WE LAMB WESTON'S TAX DEPARTMENT THAT IS HEADQUARTERED IN THE NORTHWEST OF THIS COUNTRY IN WASHINGTON, DOES ALL THE TAX WORK FOR US. WE HAD TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER POLICE JURORS AND SEVERAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS OUTSIDE OF THE MEETING, AND WE JUST MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT WOULD BE PASSED. THERE WAS A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS AT THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT DID NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE TAXES THAT WE PAY TO THE PARISH. ONCE WE MADE OUR CASE AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, THEY SAW THE IMPLICATIONS ON THE TAXES THAT WE PAID TO THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT. >> AGAIN, SO THE NEWER MEMBERS TO THE BOARD UNDERSTAND, THE STAFF TO HELP ME WITH THESE DEADLINES. ONCE THE MATTER GOES TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, IN WHAT PERIOD OF TIME DO THEY HAVE TO RESPOND? >> THEY HAVE 30 DAYS TO LET US KNOW IF THEY ARE GOING TO HOLD A MEETING AND IF THEY NOTIFY US WITH A NOTICE OF ACTION STATING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HOLD A MEETING THAT GIVES THEM AN ADDITIONAL 30 DAYS FOR A TOTAL OF 60 DAYS. >> WHEN A LOCAL ENTITY THEY NOTIFY YOU THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE MEETING THEN THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE MEETING WITHIN 30 DAYS. IF AFTER 60 DAYS WE HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WHAT HAPPENS? >> IT'S AUTOMATICALLY DEEMED APPROVED. >> WHEN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT GOES TO THE TROUBLE OF HOLDING A MEETING AND MAKING A DECISION, THEN THAT COMES TO US AS A DENIAL, IS THAT CORRECT? >> SOMETIMES THEY HAVE A MEETING AND APPROVE IT. >> WELL, YEAH. BUT FOR THE APPROVALS, IF THEY DENIED, IT'S A DENIAL AND THAT GOES INTO OUR RECORDS AS A DENIAL. >> YES, SIR. >> NOW, IN THIS SITUATION, EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED AFTER THE 60 DAYS IS FRANKLY OUTSIDE OUR RULES, IS THAT CORRECT? >> YES, SIR. >> AGAIN, THIS IS ONE BOARD MEMBER. THIS IS NOT BOARD POLICY OR LED POLICY BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE. IN ORDER FOR US TO SAY, OKAY, LOCAL GOVERNMENT THEY'VE CHANGED THEIR MINDS OUTSIDE THAT 60-DAY PERIOD, [01:25:05] WE BASICALLY EVISCERATE THE 60-DAY PERIOD. WE BASICALLY TELL LOCAL GOVERNMENT, YEAH, THE 60-DAYS IS NOT A REQUIREMENT IS A SUGGESTION, AND IF WE OPEN THE DOOR FOR ALLOWING LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO CHANGE ITS MIND FOR ANY REASON, THEN ANY REASON IS GOING TO BE GOOD ENOUGH. IS MY CONCERN. WHILE I'M SYMPATHETIC TO THE COMPANY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, GUYS, IF YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT YOU NEEDED TO REALLY TAKE CARE OF YOUR POLITICS WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THEN THAT'S ON YOU ALL. I WOULD LOVE TO SAY THAT THERE'S A SOFTER WAY OF SAYING THAT, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY IT ANY SOFTWARE. I FEEL I'M BEATING THIS DRUM ALL DAY TODAY. THIS PROGRAM IS A VALUABLE PROGRAM AND IF THE APPLICANTS ARE GOING TO APPLY FOR IT, THEY NEED TO NOW UNDERSTAND THIS IS WHAT GOES WITH IT. FRANKLY, AND IF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN THIS PROGRAM, THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL AND THEY NEED TO TAKE THIS STUFF SERIOUSLY, THEY NEED TO DO IT IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND THEY NEED TO DO IT WITH CONSCIENTIOUSLY, WITH A LOT OF FORETHOUGHT OF WHETHER DO WE WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS OR NOT? AGAIN, JUST ONE BOARD MEMBERS PERSPECTIVE, BUT I'M AFRAID IF WE START OPENING THE DOOR FOR EVERY TIME A LOCAL GOVERNMENT OR A COMPANY DECIDES TO GET ITS STUFF TOGETHER AND GET TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE'RE GOING TO CREATE AGAIN, A LOT OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FOR THIS PROGRAM AND MAKE IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO ADMINISTER AND START GETTING INTO THE AREAS OF ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS WHICH IS SOMETHING I REALLY DON'T WANT TO DO. WITH THAT, I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION. MR. NASSAR? >> TAKE THE MOTION TO DENY THE REQUEST. >> I DON'T THINK THERE'S BEEN A MOTION, ARE YOU MAKING A MOTION? >> YES. >> WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSAR TO DENY THE REQUEST. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. MILLER. HAVE THE MOTION TO SECOND TO DENY THE REQUEST TO ALLOW THE CHANGING OF THE MIND OF THE POLICE JURY AND THE BOARD TO BE EFFECTIVE. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FOR MR. MCINNIS? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, THIS HAPPENED IN OUR PARISH. THE VERY FIRST ITEM THAT WE DEALT WITH AND WE SCREWED UP. THE WHOLE PROCESS OF GETTING THE COMPANY INVOLVED FROM OUR STANDPOINT AND ITS GOVERNING AUTHORITY, THE SHERIFF, THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND THE COMPANY'S PROACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN IT. I REMEMBER COMING AND TALKING WITH STAFF TO TRY TO REVERSE THAT, TRY TO DO OUR OWN EXEMPTION, IT'S NOT PROHIBITED IN THE CONSTITUTION BUT IT DOESN'T GIVE US THAT AUTHORITY. WE JUST LET THAT GO AND WE LOST A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT I DO AGREE THAT WE CAN'T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T HAVE THIS. MISTAKES BEING MADE AND TRYING TO CORRECT THEM HERE AT THIS LEVEL, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WHO I REPRESENTED HERE TODAY, I THINK HAVE GOTTEN THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND ARE ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING AND IT IS GOOD FOR THE WHOLE PROGRAM AS A WHOLE. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MR. MCINNIS. MAYOR TOUPS. >> THANK YOU. AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I AGREE AS WELL. I THINK NOT EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS USED TO DEALING WITH THINGS LIKE THIS, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT A COMPANY AND I THINK LED HAS A PLACE IN IT TOO TO MAKE SURE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS UNDERSTAND. AGAIN, A PROBLEM I'VE HAD ALL ALONG IS OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN NOTIFY THROUGH AN EMAIL, IS THAT CORRECT? >> WE ALSO SEND IT VIA USPS CERTIFIED MAIL. >> UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE? >> YES, SIR. >> DO WE KNOW HOW THAT OPERATES THIS DAY AND AGE? [01:30:03] >> I GET THE CERTIFIED MAIL RECEIPTS, SO IT'S RECEIVED. >> NO OFFENSE TO THE POSTAL SERVICE, BUT I'VE HAD THINGS EVEN CHECKS THAT COME IN. MY HEALTH INSURANCE THAT WORK AT THE TOWN OF NEVADAS WAS CANCELED BECAUSE WE USED TO DO THINGS THROUGH THE POSTAL SERVICE, SO THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS. I THINK NOTIFICATIONS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST AN EMAIL OR THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE. >> WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION? >> I THINK CERTIFIED MAIL. >> I SAID IT'S CERTIFIED USPS MAIL, SIR. [OVERLAPPING] >> OKAY. >> I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE BUT YOUR OPTIONS ARE EMAIL, FAX, TWEET, TEXT, USPS, FEDEX, UPS, CARRIER PIGEON. I UNDERSTAND YOUR FRUSTRATION, BUT WE'RE DOING IT BY EMAIL AND CERTIFIED MAIL. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY BETTER WAY OF DOING IT THAT'S MORE EFFICIENT. AGAIN, IN THE WORDS OF MR. CHURCHILL, IT MAY BE THE WORST GOVERNMENT IN THE WORLD EXCEPT ALL THE OTHERS. [LAUGHTER] I THINK THAT MAY BE WHERE WE ARE, BUT I'M JUST TIRED OF IT. WE HAVE A MOTION. MR. [INAUDIBLE] >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I DO AGREE WITH IT BECAUSE I THINK I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR A WHILE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE GAVE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT POWER TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS, AND THERE HAS TO BE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY. NOT WITH JUST THE COMPANY, BUT WITH THEM AS WELL, BECAUSE WE CREATED THESE RULES TO BE IN PLACE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT ESPECIALLY FOR A COMPANY, I ALWAYS LIKE IT HERE WHEN THERE'S ACTUALLY THE PRESIDENT, OR THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY, OR A REPRESENTATIVE. IT'S NO FACE TO ATTORNEYS OR ANYBODY THAT'S HIRED BY THE COMPANY, BUT FOR AT LEAST A COMPANY TO BE HERE TO FIGHT FOR THEIR TAXES AND FIGHT FOR THOSE THINGS. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE SEE THAT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE INVESTED INTO THE STATE. I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT WE CAN'T SET PRESIDENTS WITH THINGS LIKE THIS TO OPEN UP DOORS WHERE THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE AND YOU'RE RIGHT THE BOARD WAS UNDER SCRUTINY FOR A LONG TIME, BUT WE'VE WORKED WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WITH COMPANIES TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING THROUGH, SO IT NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY HELD FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED. >> THANK YOU, MR. VARGA. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? YES, SIR, ABSOLUTELY. >> MR. TUBBS AND MR. MCINNIS, I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH GENTLEMEN MADE THE COMMENT, BUT I WILL SAY WHEN I DID APPROACH AND WE DID GO TO THE BOARD MEETING AT THE RICHLAND PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE HAD TO EDUCATE THEM ON HOW THE PROCESS WORKS REGARDING THE INDUSTRIAL TAX CREDITS. THEY WERE UNAWARE ON WHAT THEY SAID NO OR DEEMED DENIED REALLY MEANT. WE BROUGHT IN OUR TAX ASSESSOR FROM THE PARISH TO SPEAK ON OUR BEHALF. WE EVEN REACHED OUT TO HER LOCAL CONGRESSWOMAN, LET LOW AND OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE THOMPSON, TO HELP OUT ON THIS. I DO AGREE THAT THE BUSINESS HAS A PROACTIVE RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS. NOT GOING TO DENY THAT. I AGREE. HOWEVER, WE DID GO TO THE RICHLAND PARISH SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THE FOLLOWING MONTH. THEY TABLED THE DECISION FOR ANOTHER MONTH THAT FELL OUTSIDE THE APRIL WINDOW, BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO VOTE ON IT AFTER WE HAD A DISCUSSION AT THAT BOARD MEETING, SO THAT WENT OUTSIDE THE WINDOW. THE POLICE JURY MEETING WE DID ATTENDED IN APRIL AND IT WAS APPROVED IN MAY. YES, IT WAS SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE APRIL 26TH DEADLINE, BUT IT WAS APPROVED IN THAT FOLLOWING MONTH. THE SCHOOL BOARD WAITED AN EXTRA 30 DAYS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT TO VOTE ON IT WHEN WE DID GO TO HIM. >> AGAIN, I KNOW I MAY NOT SOUND LIKE I'M SYMPATHETIC TO THE PROBLEM. I REALLY AM BECAUSE I KNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN PARISHES IN THIS STATE THAT DEAL WITH THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM IS NOT A TAX CREDIT, IS A TAX EXEMPTION. [01:35:02] BIG DIFFERENCE. BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN PARISHES IN THE STATE WHO DEAL WITH IT EVERY MEETING. UNFORTUNATELY, RICHLAND PARISH IS NOT ONE OF THOSE, AND I GET THAT. IT'S A NEW THING FOR MANY OF THE PARISHES, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU GET OUTSIDE OF THE RIVER DISTRICT, WHEN YOU GET OUTSIDE OFF THE COAST, WE CAN GET NORTH OF BUNGIE. A LOT OF PARISH IS UP THERE. DON'T SEE THE MANUFACTURING THAT THE PARISHES IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE STATE DO, SO I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE AND THE PROBLEM; HOWEVER, THAT'S WHEN IT BECOMES EVEN MORE INCUMBENT UPON THE COMPANY TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO EDUCATE THE GOVERNMENT LEADERS. NOT ONLY ON YOUR PROJECT, BUT ON THE PROGRAM. I WISH THERE WERE A BETTER WAY TO DO THAT, BUT WE HAVEN'T DEVISED IT YET. I COME BACK TO MY COMMENT AND AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE CRITICAL, BUT BUT TO POINT OUT, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN, OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB OF SELLING YOUR PROJECT, BUT YOU DID IT TOO LATE. IF YOU HAD DONE IT IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THIS ISSUE. LESS FRANKLY, I PUT LESS RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS OUTCOME ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAN I DO ON THE COMPANY, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT BLAMING YOU, BUT SOMEBODY AT THE COMPANY SHOULD HAVE SAID WE NEED TO GET TO WORK ON GETTING THIS SOLD AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL. FOR WHOEVER MAY BE LISTENING TO THIS, IF YOU HAVE PROJECTS IN PARISHES THAT DON'T SEE A LOT OF MANUFACTURING, THIS IS AN OBJECT LESSON. WHEN YOU INTEND TO ENTER THE OCTET PROGRAM, OR FRANKLY QJ ENTERPRISE IN ANY OF THESE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, YOU OUGHT TO BE WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS THAT YOUR COMPANY BRINGS TO THE PARISH. ONE THING I'VE HEARD AND DEBATES OVER THE ITIP PROGRAM AND THE PROS AND CONS OF THE EO THAT WAS SIGNED IN 2016, IS THAT IN THOSE PARISHES WHERE THERE IS A LOT OF MANUFACTURING, THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS GOTTEN BETTER. GUYS, THAT'S NOT A BAD THING. THAT'S A GOOD THING. SO IN THOSE PARISHES WHERE THERE'S NOT AS MUCH MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MORE PROACTIVE, I BELIEVE, IN WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND YOUR PROJECT, THE BENEFITS OF YOUR PROJECT AND THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROGRAM. I'LL GET OFF MY SOAPBOX FOR NOW. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I HEAR NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, SIR. >> NEXT, WE HAVE NON-COMPLIANT CONTRACTS FOLLOWING THE POST EXECUTIVE ORDER 2017 RULES. >> JUST ONE SECOND, LET ME GET MY PAPERWORK IN FRONT OF ME. >> THE FIRST CONTRACT, WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT NUMBER 2017 0323 FOR AIT MACHINE AND TERRIBLE ON PARISH, THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD. THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE CONTRACT REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN TWO JOBS WITH 100,000 AND PAYROLL. THE COMPANY CREATED ZERO JOBS AND ZERO PAYROLL FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD. THE PARISH DID NOT RESPOND WITH A RECOMMENDATION. THE SCHOOL BOARD SUBMITTED A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE CONTRACT BE HONORED BY THE STATE AGENCIES WITHOUT PENALTY. THE SHERIFFS SUBMITTED A LETTER STATING, WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES OF MANY COMPANIES DURING COVID PERIODS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR CONTINUED CONTRACTUAL COMPLIANCE AS EXEMPTIONS OF AD VALOREM TAXES ARE PROVIDED TO THE AWARDED COMPANIES. A REQUEST A DEFERRAL TO THE BOARD FOR THE NON-COMPLIANCE OF AIT MACHINE, BUT STRESS CONCERNS REGARDING THE NON-COMPLIANCE AT AIT MACHINE DURING THE CONTRACTUAL PERIOD. >> THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK THERE. LET ME WALK THROUGH THIS JUST A LITTLE BIT AGAIN, FOR NEWER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S RELATIVELY NEW TO THE BOARD OF BASICALLY MATTERS OF COMPLIANCE COMING BEFORE US. WHAT ARE THE PROCESS IS IS THAT WHEN THE COMPANIES HAVE [01:40:01] TO BASICALLY FILE COMPLIANCE REPORTS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS WITH LED. THE QUESTIONS ARE, DID YOU MEET YOUR JOB REQUIREMENTS? DID YOU MEET PAYROLL REQUIREMENTS? HAVE YOU MET ALL THE DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE THERE UNDER THE UNDER THE PROGRAM? WHEN THERE ARE SHORTFALLS, FOR EXAMPLE, LET'S JUST USE AIT MACHINE AS AN EXAMPLE. YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY HAD A JOB CREATION RETENTION REQUIREMENT OF TWO JOBS AT SALARIES OF 100,000 OR PAYROLL OF $100,000. BUT THEY DID NOT CREATE ANY JOBS AND THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY INCREASED SALARIES. THEY ARE NOW BEFORE US FOR NONCOMPLIANCE, FOR THAT REASON. ANOTHER REASON COMPANY MAY BE NONCOMPLIANCE, BUT THEY FILE THEIR COMPLIANCE REPORT LATE. [NOISE] YOU HAVE WHAT I'LL CALL MORE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES OF NON-COMPLIANCE. THAT IS, YOU DIDN'T CREATE THE JOBS, YOU DIDN'T CREATE THE PAYROLL, OR THE MORE PROCEDURAL COMPLIANCE ISSUES AND THAT IS YOU FILED LATE. WHAT HAPPENS IS THESE ISSUES GO TO THE LOCAL ENTITIES WHERE THE PROJECT IS IN PLACE AND ASK THEM TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS. YOU'LL SEE THOUGH THAT IS THE KEY, FOR EXAMPLE, AGAIN, WITH AIT MACHINE, THE POLICE JURIES, THEY DID NOT RESPOND TO OUR REQUEST FOR A RECOMMENDATION. THE SCHOOL BOARD DID RESPOND AND SAID TAKE NO ACTION. IN OTHER WORDS, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO PENALIZE FOR THE NONCOMPLIANCE. THE SHERIFF IN HIS LETTER SAID WE DON'T LIKE THE COMPLIANCE, BUT WE DEFER TO YOU-ALL. THE MUNICIPALITY WAS NOT APPLICABLE BECAUSE THE PROJECT DID NOT EXIST INSIDE A MUNICIPALITY, THEREFORE, IT DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND. WHILE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARE INSTRUCTIVE, THEY ARE NOT CONTROLLING. THE ACTION ON COMPLIANCE IS STILL UP TO THIS BOARD. WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY [NOISE] HERE FROM AIT MACHINE? THANK YOU, SIR. IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> MY NAME IS MICHAEL RODERICK. I'M THE OWNER, OPS MANAGER. >> TELL ME WHAT DOES AIT MACHINE MANUFACTURER? >> WE MANUFACTURER MOSTLY OIL AND GAS PARTS FOR VARIOUS CUSTOMERS. WE DON'T DO ANY OF OUR OWN ENGINEERING, WE DON'T HAVE OUR OWN PRODUCT LINE. WE'RE BASICALLY A GENERAL MACHINE JOB. >> GOT IT. HOW MANY TOTAL EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE? >> AS OF TODAY, WE'RE AT 19. >> HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? >> SINCE 2012, WE WERE UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME, YANWEN FUNDERS, IN A PROGRAM UNDER PREMIUM MACHINE WORKS BUT PRIOR TO 2017. IN 2017, WE PURCHASED AIT MACHINE, ONE OF OUR COMPETITORS, THEY WERE BASED ON BRUSSELS WE'VE BEEN IN TERRIBLE IN PARIS SINCE 2012. >> OKAY. WHEN YOU ENTERED INTO THIS CONTRACT, OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS SOME EXPANSION THAT HAD BEEN DONE OR SOME INCREASE IN EQUIPMENT? >> YES, SIR. WHEN WE PURCHASED AIT AT THE END OF 2017, WE BASICALLY DOUBLED OUR PAYROLL. WE WENT FROM OVER 10 EMPLOYEES TO 22 BETWEEN BOTH LOCATIONS. >> BUT THIS CONTRACT HAD AN INVESTMENT OF $319,000. WHAT WERE YOU ADDING TO THEM? >> THERE WAS ONE LEAVE. >> ONE LEAVE. >> ONE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. >> OKAY. >> YES, SIR. >> YOU ANTICIPATED HIRING TWO PEOPLE WITH TOTAL PAYROLL OF $100,000? >> CORRECT. AT THE TIME, WE WERE RUNNING 24 HOURS, SIX DAYS A WEEK. THERE WAS A HEAVY WORKLOAD. SINCE THAT TIME, WE STILL HAVE ONE PERSON ON THAT MACHINE FULL-TIME, BUT ONLY A DAY SHIFT. WE HAVE HIRED ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, BUT AT THE POINT OF THIS CONTRACT, OUR BASELINE PAYROLL, WE DROPPED DOWN BELOW THAT IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR IN A DOWNTURN. WE'VE HIRED ADDITIONAL PEOPLE SINCE, BUT WE'VE NEVER MADE IT UP ABOVE THE BASELINE FOR THEM TO TAKE CREDIT TOWARD THIS. >> OKAY. ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, AN OUTCOME OF THE DOWNTURN IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY? >> YES, SIR. SOME OF THE PERSONNEL WE LOST, LIKE AT THAT TIME, WE HAD THREE SHOP HELPERS. IT'S NOT A HIGH-PAYING JOB, BUT THEY COUNT IT TOWARD OUR BASELINE. WE REPLACE THOSE HELPERS, AND WE REPLACED THEM WITH HIGHER PAY AND ADVANCED KNOWLEDGEABLE JOBS. [01:45:06] QUALIFIED MACHINISTS, THAT THEIR SALARIES ARE TRIPLE WOULD I HELP WOULDN'T THEY? THEIR SALARIES HAVE INCREASED PER PERSON, BUT WE'VE STILL NEVER GOT ABOVE THE BASELINE FOR THEM TO TAKE ANY CREDIT. >> I KNOW THIS IS FOR THE YEAR 2021. HOW IS 2022 LOOKING FOR YOU? >> 2022 REVENUE RISE HAS BEEN A GREAT YEAR, WORK WISE HAS BEEN A GREAT YEAR. THE WORKLOAD IS THERE. IT'S FINE AND PEOPLE. WE'VE BEEN ON EVERY ONE OF THE SOCIAL MEDIAS AND LINKEDIN AND ALL THE OTHERS. WE'VE HIRED, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, HEADHUNTERS. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND BUT ONE QUALIFIED MACHINISTS IN 12 MONTHS AT BOTH LOCATIONS TO COME TO WORK. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO STEAL THEM FROM ANOTHER SHOP IN ORDER TO TAKE THEM FROM ANOTHER SHOP, YOU HAVE TO INCREASE THAT PAYROLL SIGNIFICANTLY. >> YEAH. >> AT THE END OF THE DAY IT JUST EATS AWAY FROM YOUR BOTTOM LINE. WE'VE MANAGED TO MAINTAIN THE PERSONNEL THAT WE HAVE AND KEEP THE WORKLOAD TO KEEP THEM BUSY. >> NOW, THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS RECOMMENDED TO TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION AGAIN, THE POLICE JURY HAS NOT RESPONDED AND THE SHERIFF IS DEFERRING TO THE BOARD. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO PENALIZE OR NOT PENALIZE, TAKE NO ACTION, OR WE CAN PENALIZE FOR THE NON-COMPLIANCE. WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? WE HAVE COMPLETE DISCRETION HERE, FOLKS, MR. MCINNIS? >> HOW ABOUT TO TAKE NO ACTION, MR. CHAIR? >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE NO ACTION. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. NASSAR. [NOISE] EXCUSE ME. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THE MOTION IS TO TAKE NO ACTION. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH GOOD LUCK IN FINDING SOME EMPLOYEES OUT THERE. >> WE NEED IT. >> YES, SIR. >> NEXT. >> WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT, 2018 0081 FOR MELE PRINTING INK IN ST. TAMMANY PARISH. THEY'RE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2019 REPORTING PERIOD AND THE 2020 REPORTING PERIOD. THEY WERE REQUIRED TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN FIVE JOBS WITH 150,000 IN PAYROLL. IN 2019, THEY CREATED FIVE AND 176 IN PAYROLL AND IN 2020, THEY CREATED FIVE WITH 181,000 IN PAYROLL. THIS CONTRACT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THESE TWO REPORTING PERIODS DUE TO LATE FILING. >> ANYONE HERE FROM MELE PRINTING? SIR, IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> SIR, HI, MY NAME IS MALLERY MELE. I'M THE OWNER AND CEO OF MELE PRINTING IN COVINGTON. >> RIGHT. THE ONLY ISSUE WE HAVE HERE, OBVIOUSLY YOU CREATED THE JOBS, YOU'VE CREATED THE PAYROLL. WE JUST HAVE, AGAIN, A PROCEDURAL LATE FILING. WHAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE LATE FILING? >> IT'S REALLY A MISUNDERSTANDING BETWEEN US AND OUR CONSULTANT WHO WE'VE BEEN USING. WE THOUGHT HE WAS TAKING CARE OF THE PAPERWORK. IN REALITY, HE THOUGHT WE WERE TAKING CARE OF THE PAPERWORK AND ONCE WE REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON, WE RECTIFIED IT, BUT THE TIME HAD ELAPSED DURING THAT TIME SO WE CERTAINLY APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. WE'VE BEEN IN THE PROGRAM A WHILE AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED. >> I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT THEY ARE COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 PROJECT YEAR. IT WAS FILED ON TIME AND THEY WERE STILL COMPLIANT WITH THE JOBS AND PAYROLL. >> BUT THIS IS JUST 19 AND 20. >> YES. >> 21 APPARENTLY YOU ALL GOT THAT WORKED OUT? >> YES, SIR. ONE LAST THING IS, WE'RE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL ITF PEOPLE, IN ST. TAMMANY. WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS, SIX MONTHS OF MEETING WITH ALL THE LOCAL ENTITIES, EDUCATING THEM ON THE PROCESS. IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO DO, BUT TODAY IT'S A MUCH BETTER PROCESS IN ST. TAMMANY. >> GOOD. THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND SHERIFF DEFERRED TO THE BOARD AND THE CITY PROVIDED NO RESPONSE. [01:50:01] >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> YES, SIR. WE'LL TAKE NO ACTION. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE NO ACTION. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MAYOR TUBBS. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MR. MILLER APPRECIATE YOUR WORK, SIR. WE'RE GETTING CLOSE, FOLKS. HANG IN THERE. >> NEXT, WE HAVE THE NON-COMPLIANCE CONTRACTS FOLLOWING THE 2018 POSTERIOR RULES. WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT NUMBER 2019 00704 FOR AW CHESTERTON COMPANY, AND ONE CONTRACT 2019 0029 FOR JNR JUNO, LLC THAT ARE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD. JNR, JUNO IS THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING AND IS LEASING IT TO AW CHESTERTON. THE CONTRACTS COVER ONE PROJECT AT THE SAME SITE AND THEY SHARE IN EXHIBIT A AGREEMENT OUTLINING THE REQUIRED ANNUAL JOBS AND PAYROLL TO BE CREATED AND MAINTAINED BY AW CHESTERTON. EIGHT NEW JOBS AND 520,000 AND PAYROLL WAS REQUIRED TO BE CREATED AND MAINTAINED FOR THIS PERIOD. THE ACTUAL JOBS AND PAYROLL CREATED WAS ONE JOB WITH $10,057 IN PAYROLL. THE PARISH AND THE SCHOOL BOARD EACH SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS RECOMMENDING THE BOARD IMPOSE A ONE-YEAR PENALTY ON BOTH CONTRACTS AND THE SHERIFF AND THE CITY DID NOT RESPOND WITH ANY RECOMMENDATIONS. >> DO WE HAVE ONE HERE FROM AW CHESTERTON? NO ONE. ALL RIGHT FOLKS. WE HAVE THE POLICE DURING THE SCHOOL BOARD RECOMMENDING A ONE-YEAR PENALTY. >> I'LL TAKE THAT AS A MOTION. >> MR. MOSS, WE HAVE A MOTION FOR A ONE-YEAR PENALTY. SECOND FROM DR. MCLAIN. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? BEARING NONE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? BEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? >> CAN WE GET ONE CLARIFICATION TO HIS PENALTY ON THE INITIAL CONTRACT TERM OR ON THE RENEWAL TERM? >> WELL, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION. IN THE PAST, WE HAVE DONE IT THAT THEY ARE IN THEIR INITIAL TERM, CORRECT? >> CORRECT. IN THE PAST YOU-ALL HAVE DONE IT ON THE RENEWAL TERM? IF THE COMPANY RENEWS, IT WOULD BE A ONE YEAR PENALTY ON RENEWAL. >> WELL, THAT IS AN OPTION THAT WE HAVE EXERCISED IN THE PAST, BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT ON EVERY ONE HAVE WE? >> NO. NOT ON EVERYONE. >> WHAT YEAR ARE THEY IN THEIR CONTRACT; 1, 2, 3, OR 4 OR 5? >> THEY ARE IN YEAR 3 RIGHT NOW. >> MY RECOMMENDATION IN THE INITIAL IT'S APPLICABLE TO THE INITIAL TERM? >> YES. >> BECAUSE THERE MAY NOT BE A RENEWAL. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPLY A ONE YEAR PENALTY IN THE INITIAL TERM WITH A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE TWO CONTRACTS 2018, 0149 AND 2018, 01498 FOR DIVERSIFIED FOODS AND SEASONINGS AND ST. TAMMANY PARISH THAT ARE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2019 AND 2020 REPORTING PERIODS. THE EXHIBIT A FOR BOTH CONTRACTS REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN 44 JOBS WITH $1,245,200 IN PAYROLL FOR THE 2019 AND 2020 REPORTING PERIODS. THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED FOR 2019 WAS 41 JOBS WITH $1,120,357 IN PAYROLL, AND THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED FOR 2020 WAS 21 JOBS WITH $414,345 IN PAYROLL. ALL THREE LOCALS, THE PARIS COUNCIL, THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND THE SHERIFF, ALL RESPONDED WITH RECOMMENDATION STATING TO DEFER TO THE BOARD AND AS A NOTE, THE BOARD DEFERRED THIS ITEM AT THE AUGUST MEETING DUE TO NO COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT TO ANSWER ABOUT THE 2019 REPORTING PERIOD. >> PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR POSITION [OVERLAPPING]. >> PETER SMITH, PRESIDENT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF DIVERSIFIED FOODS AND SEASONINGS. >> TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. >> IN REFERENCE TO PRE-PANDEMIC, POST-PANDEMIC. [01:55:04] >> HANDLE IT HOW YOU SEE FIT. [LAUGHTER] I THINK I SEE HOW THIS IS UNFOLDING. >> I WON'T BORE YOU WITH THE POST-PANDEMIC UNLESS I CAN JUST PROVIDE ONE KEY METRIC POST PANDEMIC, IS THAT WE ARE UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED WITH THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES AND HAS CREATED THE BIGGEST LABOR MASS THAT I'VE SEEN IN MY ENTIRE CAREER. WE'RE HAVING TO SPEND IN EXCESS OF $1 MILLION A YEAR FOR OUTSIDE CONTRACT LABOR TO KEEP OUR PLANTS RUNNING. THAT'S THE CHALLENGE. IN TERMS OF THE 2019, WHICH IS I BELIEVE THE QUESTION THE THE BOARD HAD IS THE BACKGROUND IS THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST ITAP THAT WENT THROUGH ST. TAMMANY PARISH. AT THAT POINT, I WAS MAKING THE DECISION WHETHER TO CLOSE OUR PLANT IN NEBRASKA OR CLOSE OUR PLANT IN MADISONVILLE. DUE TO THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS, ITAP, ETC, MADE THE DECISION TO CLOSE THE PLANT IN NEBRASKA, AND COMMITTED TO THAT WOULD BE 44 NEW JOBS. WE CREATED THE 44 NEW JOBS, BUT APPARENTLY IN 2019 WE FELL THREE SHORT. THE NEW JOBS WAS AT 41 PAYROLL, I THINK MISS BY 27,000. BASICALLY THE QUICK EXPLANATION IS UNFORTUNATELY, WITH LABOR AND SALARY AND WAGES, IT'S NOT A LINEAR PROCESS. THERE ARE EBBS AND FLOWS AND THE AVERAGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY HAS 10 PERCENT TURNOVER AND OURS WILL VARY BETWEEN THREE PERCENT AND A GIVEN MONTH AND 16 PERCENT. UNFORTUNATELY, IN 2019, WE HAD A PEAK IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, AND OUR TURNOVER REACHED AN AVERAGE OF 14 PERCENT. IN ADDITION, WE HAD A SIZABLE FINANCIAL LOSS WHEN WE INTEGRATE NEBRASKA INTO MADISONVILLE. ON THAT SAME TIMING, I HAD TO TERMINATE A NUMBER OF KEY CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, VICE PRESIDENT OF ENGINEERING, ETC, SO I CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROCESS. AS YOU KNOW, IS EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO REPLENISH LABOR AND HIRE PEOPLE DURING THE HOLIDAYS, THANKSGIVING CHRISTMAS, ETC. I BELIEVE WE HAD TURNOVER OF APPROXIMATELY 11 INDIVIDUALS OR SO AFTER THE HOLIDAYS. WE REPLACED THEM, SO I BELIEVE WE WERE BACK IN COMPLIANCE. THEN UNFORTUNATELY, WE RAN INTO AN ABSOLUTE BUZZSAW WITH THE PANDEMIC AND IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE. BECAUSE SINCE THE PANDEMIC, IN THIS FIRST ITAP, WHERE WE INVESTED $12 MILLION TO EXPAND THE PLANT. DURING THE PANDEMIC, I CONTINUED TO INVEST TO THE TUNE OF $30 MILLION THAT WE ARE DOUBLING OUR CAPACITY IN MADISONVILLE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAS CREATED HUNDREDS OF CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND POSITIONS JUST FOR THE FUTURE, SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED. YOU MENTIONED THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I THINK THAT WE HAVE EXTREMELY STRONG SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNMENT, WHETHER IT'S MIKE COOPER OR FRANK JABIR WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD. IN FACT, THIS WAS THEIR FIRST ITAP. I WAS BEFORE THE SCHOOL BOARD ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. I THINK THEY WOULD SAY I'M PROBABLY THEIR FAVORITE CEO IN THE PARISH, SO BUT WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND. WE ARE OBVIOUSLY THE LARGEST FOOD MANUFACTURER IN THE PARISH AND ONE OF THE LARGEST FOOD MANUFACTURERS IN THE STATE. THAT IS THE TOP-LINE OVERVIEW. >> PARDON MY IGNORANCE, BUT WHAT FOOD DO YOU MANUFACTURER? >> DIVERSIFIED FOODS AND SEASONINGS, WE MANUFACTURER BATTERS, BREADINGS. IN FACT, LAMB WESTON IS ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS. SPICE BLENDS AND ALSO COOKED SIDES. MANY OF YOU HAVE EATEN OUR PRODUCTS. WE ARE THE LARGEST SUPPLIER TO POPEYES, LOUISIANA KITCHEN. WE SUPPLY PRODUCTS TO 30 COMPANIES AROUND THE GLOBE. WE'RE ALSO A MAJOR SUPPLIER TO OUTBACK, CHILE'S, DENNY'S, ETC. VERY EXCITED AND WE ALSO ARE VERY PROUD OF THE JOB THAT WE DID DURING THE PANDEMIC. I WON'T BORE YOU, BUT I DO HAVE A COUPLE LETTERS FROM MIKE COOPER OUR PARISH PRESIDENT, ALSO STEVE MASSENGILL WHO'S THE CEO OF [NOISE] ST. TAMMANY CORPORATION. THEY CALLED OUT AND THANKED US SPECIFICALLY FOR THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAD IN TERMS OF MAINTAINING OUR PAYROLL, [02:00:02] MAINTAINING OUR CAPEX AND OUR EXPANSION DESPITE THE CHALLENGES. I WON'T BORE YOU, BUT AS YOU SAID, THE PARISH VOTED TO DEFER JUDGMENT DESPITE THE SUPPORT. BUT I THINK THE BEST COMMENT WAS FROM MY FRIEND, RANDY SMITH, WHO IS OUR SHERIFF, AND HE SAID VERBATIM, WE SHARE A LENIENT MINDSET TOWARD THE CHALLENGES OF MEETING EMPLOYMENT BENCHMARKS DUE TO THE WIDESPREAD AND DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC. PERSONALLY I CAN'T SAY IT ANY BETTER THAN THAT. THEN WE GOT SIMILAR COMMENTS AND LETTERS FROM BOTH MIKE AS WELL. THEN THE LAST THING BECAUSE OF OUR CONTINUED EXPANSION AND BEING A VITAL PART OF THE PARISH, ARE REPRESENTATIVE STEVE SKA LIVES, JUST VISITED, HAD LUNCH WITH ME LAST MONTH AND TOURED OUR PLANTS SO THAT HE COULD SEE THE EXPANSION UP-CLOSE AND PERSONAL. >> BE SURE I UNDERSTAND, BASICALLY 2019, YOU WERE GOING THROUGH THE CLOSING DOWN OF THE PLANT IN NEBRASKA AND MOVING OPERATIONS TO ST. TAMMANY PARISH? >> CORRECT. >> YOU SIMPLY FAIL TO MEET BOTH THE PAYROLL AND THEN THE JOBS NUMBERS, AND 2020 IS ESSENTIALLY A STORY OF COVID. IS THAT FAIR? >> 2020, JUST TO GIVE YOU THE KEY METRIC, IS THAT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WITH OUR EXPANSION RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE OUR STRATEGY AS I'M PREPARING THE COMPANY FOR THE NEXT DECADE TO CONTINUE SUPPORT POPEYES. WE OBVIOUSLY CANNOT BE DOWNSIZING FOR LOWING, CUTTING WAGES, ETC. THAT'S THE LAST THING THAT WE NEED. THE ISSUE IS IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, IT HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE TO ATTRACT STAFF AND HIRE INDIVIDUALS ESPECIALLY HOURLY, WHICH THE MAJORITY ARE HOURLY BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, AS YOU TALK ABOUT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. ONE OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THE STIMULUS CHECKS WAS THAT FOR MANY OF THE EMPLOYEES, THEY COULD MAKE MORE MONEY SITTING AT HOME THAN WORKING AT DIVERSIFIED. THE KEY METRIC RIGHT NOW IS THAT IN 2022, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND IN EXCESS OF $1 MILLION FOR OUTSIDE CONTRACT LABOR AND OVERTIME IN ORDER TO KEEP THE PLANT RUNNING. >> LET ME JUST STOP YOU BECAUSE I HAVE SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, THERE IS THE INFORMATION I'M INTERESTED IN. TELL ME WHAT 2021 AND 2022 LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS THE JOBS AND PAYROLL ARE LOOKING LIKE. >> THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK VERY SIMILAR. >> SIMILAR TO 20 OR SIMILAR TO 19? >> IT'S GOING TO BE SIMILAR TO 20. BECAUSE WHAT HAS HAPPENED, THE KEY METRIC IS THE $1 MILLION FOR OUTSIDE CONTRACT LABOR AT A BASE SALARY AND RATE IS THAT EQUATES TO OVER 20 FTES OR FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS. WHERE WE ARE MAINTAINING 20 HEADS SHORT THAT WE CANNOT FILL, SO WE'RE HAVING TO RELY ON OUTSIDE CONTRACT. >> BUT EVEN WITH THE OUTSIDE CONTRACTS YOU DON'T MEET YOUR GOAL. >> NO, THAT'S THE PROBLEM, WERE IN NON-COMPLIANCE BECAUSE OF THAT AND I'M STILL SPENDING THE $1 MILLION TO KEEP THE PLANT RUNNING. >> OKAY. IN YOUR PACKET OF INFORMATION, BOARD MEMBERS, A LOT OF TIMES, I KNOW YOU GET A LOT OF PAPER IN PREPARATION FOR THIS MEETING. BUT IT'S NOTED THAT ST. TAMMANY PARISH DEFERRED TO THE BOARD AND MAYOR TOUPS, AS YOU TELL THE FOLKS AT POLICE JURY ASSOCIATION, LMA, I REALLY HATE THAT. [LAUGHTER] IT'S LIKE JESUS SAID, EITHER BE HOT OR COLD. JUST TELL ME IF YOU LIKE IT OR YOU DON'T LIKE IT. BUT OTHERWISE, I JUST WANT TO SPEW YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH. BECAUSE FRANKLY, FROM ONE BOARD MEMBER'S PERSPECTIVE, WHEN I SAY DEFER TO THE BOARD, THAT MEANS NO PENALTY. BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T MATTER ENOUGH TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THEN APPARENTLY WHATEVER WE DO IS FINE. [02:05:04] BUT NOTICE THAT THE PARISH COUNCIL BASICALLY JUST DEFERRED. THE SCHOOL BOARD'S LETTER, BASICALLY SAYS, WE DEFER, BUT THEN THE SECOND SENTENCE SAYS, THE SCHOOL BOARD DOES NOT WISH TO TAKE ANY DIRECT ACTION AGAINST THE COMPANY. >> THANK YOU, FRANK. >> I THINK I KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. I WISH THEY JUST SAID IT. AS HE SAID, THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENTS SAID, "WE SHARE A LENIENT MINDSET TOWARD THE CHALLENGES MEETING THE BENCHMARKS DUE TO THE WIDESPREAD." BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE TELLING US TO BE LENIENT, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. GUYS, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. WE'RE GETTING VERY LITTLE DIRECT DIRECTION FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT. YOU'VE HEARD THE STORY. WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. HAVARD OF, NO TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MAYOR TOUPS. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE STATE. >> YEAH. WE'LL CONTINUE THAT. IF I MAY, JUST A QUICK QUESTION. SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NON COMPLIANCE IN TERMS OF DISCRETIONARY PERFORMANCE-BASED GRANTS, WHICH WE RECEIVED ONE FROM LAD, IS THAT UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THIS BOARD OR? >> NO. WE DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THAT FIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> BEST OF LUCK. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. >> NEXT. >> NEXT WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT, NUMBER 2019-0412, FOR HOWELL FOUNDRY LLC IN WEST FELICIANA PARISH THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD. THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE CONTRACT REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN TWO JOBS WITH 72,000 IN PAYROLL. THE ACTUAL JOBS AND PAYROLL CREATED WERE ZERO. THE PARISH, THE SCHOOL BOARD, NOR THE SHERIFF RESPONDED WITH A RECOMMENDATION. >> MR. HAVARD. >> WE'RE ALL IN SUPPORT. WE HAVE A BLANKET RESOLUTION IN WEST FELICIANA TO SUPPORT THE ITEP. A SIMILAR SITUATION THEY'D BEEN IN POST-COVID WORLD THAT WE ALL LIVE IN NOW. BUT IN THE RECENT FUTURE, THEY HAVE HIRED SOME PEOPLE, MADE SOME PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENTS INTO IT, AND AT THIS TIME I WOULD RECOMMEND TAKING NO ACTION. >> DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE FROM HOWELL FOUNDRY? PLEASE COME FORWARD. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M JB SHOAF, I'M THE PRESIDENT AT HOWELL FOUNDRY. >> TELL ME WHAT YOU MAKE. >> WE ARE A STEEL FOUNDRY, ALL 3D DIGITAL STEEL FOUNDRY. WE REPLICATE PUMPS, IMPELLERS, CASINGS FOR PRIMARILY THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY PRODUCTION. WHEN THEY CAN'T FIND A REPLACEMENT PART, THEY COME TO US TO REPLICATE IT, TO GET IT FASTER. IF THEY CAN'T FIND THE TOOL OR IF IT'S IN THE PAST BEEN MADE OVERSEAS AND THEY NEED IT FASTER OR A HIGHER-QUALITY, THEY COME TO US. >> CORRECT. HOW MANY TOTAL EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE? >> CURRENTLY, WE'RE AT 25. I THINK AT THE TIME OF THE CONTRACT OR COMMITMENT, IT WAS 12-14, SO WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT LEAPS. >> OBVIOUSLY, THE PARISH PRESIDENTS HAS ALREADY COME TO [LAUGHTER] YOUR AID, BUT I DO WANT TO HEAR FROM THE COMPANIES. TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON HERE AS FAR AS THE FAILING TO MEET IT IN 2021. >> WELL, WHEN WE ORIGINALLY ENTERED INTO THIS CONTRACT, THE PLAN WAS TO RELOCATE THE FACILITY TO SOME LAND THAT WAS OWNED BY THE PARISH THAT THEY WANTED TO DEVELOP INTO AN INDUSTRIAL PARK. WHEN COVID HIT, OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING STOPPED. THEY RAN OUT OF MONEY. THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO INVEST. WE HAD TO INVEST, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF WORK IN THE BACKLOG, SO WE DIDN'T HIRE. WE TOOK THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE EXPANSION OURSELVES, AND IT INVOLVED A LARGE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT WE NEEDED TO PURCHASE AND A PLACE TO PUT IT. WHEN THE COVID HIT, WE USED THE EXISTING WORKFORCE TO ADD THIS FACILITY FOR THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, AND AS SOON AS THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT CAME ONLINE, THEN THE JOB WAS TO GET PEOPLE IN PLACE, [02:10:02] AND IT WAS NOT FOR A LACK OF EFFORT. WE HAD A LOT OF TURNOVER LIKE YOU'VE HEARD SOB STORIES BEFORE TODAY AND WE'VE MADE IT TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE, BUT IT'S TAKEN A WHOLE LOT LONGER THAN THAT CONTRACT ALLOWED. IT IS WHAT IT IS. >> I UNDERSTAND, MR. HAVARD, THE LOCAL ENTITY SUPPORT TAKING NO FURTHER ACTION? >> THAT IS CORRECT. >> I HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. HAVARD FOR TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. MCINNIS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK. NEXT. >> NEXT WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT NUMBER 2018-00994 FOR INFERNO MANUFACTURING IN CADDO PARISH THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD. THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE CONTRACT REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN TWO JOBS WITH 100,000 IN PAYROLL. THE ACTUAL JOBS AND PAYROLL CREATED WERE ZERO. THE PARISH SUBMITTED A LETTER WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO DEFER ANY DECISION OR ACTIONS REGARDING THIS MATTER TO THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY WITH THE CONSIDERATION THAT THE PARISH OF CADDO FULLY ENDORSES INFERNO'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SHERIFF DID NOT RESPOND WITH RECOMMENDATIONS. >> DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM INFERNO? STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY? >> YES. MY NAME IS ALLEN ORGANICK. I'M THE OWNER. >> THANK YOU, ALLEN. AND TELL US WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU. >> WE HAD ROSY COLORED GLASSES ON WHEN WE SIGNED THE CONTRACT AND WE THOUGHT THE TREND WAS UP STRONGLY. THIS WAS THE THIRD PROJECT IN THREE YEARS WHERE THE TREND HAD BEEN UP AND IT'S THE THIRD PROJECT THAT WE DID. WE WENT NON-COMPLIANT IN THE SECOND YEAR. WE'RE NOW IN THE THIRD YEAR. >> 2021, THIS IS WHEN YOU WERE NON-COMPLIANT, CORRECT? THIS IS 2021. >> WELL, WE WENT NON-COMPLIANT IN 2020. >> NO, WE ALREADY ADDRESSED THAT LAST YEAR. >> IT WAS PRESENTED AT A PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING, 2020. THERE ARE ALSO NON-COMPLIANT FOR 2021 AND 2021 IS WHAT'S BEING PRESENTED TODAY. >> THAT'S WHAT I'M SEEING 2021 ON THE SHEET AS WELL. SILLY ME. SO THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE GOT THE POLICE. THE PARISH COUNCIL HAS WRITTEN A LETTER THAT SAYS THAT, "WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH OFFICIALS FROM INFERNO AND THEY HAVE PROVIDED SATISFACTORY EXPLANATIONS FOR THEIR INABILITY TO MEET JOBS AND PAYROLL NUMBERS. AND WE FULLY ENDORSE INFERNO'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM, BUT THEY DEFER TO THE BOARD. SCHOOL BOARD NOR THE SHERIFF RESPONDED AT ALL." WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD THIS MORNING? >> MR. CHAIRMAN? >> YES, SIR. >> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO TAKE NO ACTION. >> WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. FABRO, TAKE NO ACTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FROM DR. MCCOY? ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? >> I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION. [OVERLAPPING] IF YOU FIRST WENT NON-COMPLIANT IN 2020, THE BOARD TOOK NO ACTION AT THAT POINT IN TIME? >> CORRECT. IT WAS PRESENTED AT THE APRIL 27TH BOARD MEETING AND IT WAS NO PENALTY IMPOSED. >> FORGIVE ME, SIR, THAT IT'S GOING TO SOUND LIKE I'M MAKING THIS POINT IN THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR AND I'M NOT, IT'S MORE OF A GENERAL ONE. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO BE CAREFUL IT'S A BOARD AND I REALIZE IT'S EASY FOR ME TO SAY THIS IS, I WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN THESE BOARD MEETINGS GOING FORWARD. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE PRECEDENT THAT WE'RE SETTING HERE WITH ALL OF THESE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T SUPPORT THIS WHEN I'LL VOTE TO APPROVE IT, BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING SEE MORE AND MORE OF THESE AND IT'S PARTICULARLY CONCERNING THAT WE'RE SEEING REPEATED YEARS OF NON-COMPLIANCE WITH NO REAL SUNNY HORIZON HERE THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LABOR MARKET IS GOING TO BE FIXED AND CURED. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE OF THESE. [02:15:01] I THINK IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT VERY TOUGH ON LED TO BE ABLE TO POLICE THESE CONTRACTS, IF WE'RE SAYING, "LOOK, IT'S A TIGHT LABOR MARKETS, SO THESE COMPANIES CANNOT COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THEIR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS." IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD, THEN THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT LED WILL RECEIVE, BUT THAT IS THE ROAD WE'RE GOING DOWN. AND I THINK IT'S JUST LIKELY THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE NOT ONLY THE NUMBERS OF THESE INCREASED, BUT THE NUMBERS OF REPEATED YEAR AFTER YEAR OF NON-COMPLIANCE LIKE THIS ENTITY THAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. SO I WILL ASK YOU ONE QUESTION, IS 2022 LOOKING ANY DIFFERENT THAN 2021? >> NO, IT WILL STILL BE NON-COMPLIANT. >> SO THEN YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR IN SOME FUTURE MEETINGS, AGAIN SAYING YOU'RE NON-COMPLIANT. DON'T HEAR LIKE WHAT I'M SAYING TO BE THAT YOU'RE TO BLAME FOR BEING NON-COMPLIANT. OBVIOUSLY, EVEN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IS HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME ATTRACTING EMPLOYEES. IT IS A TIGHT LABOR MARKET ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND LOUISIANA IS CERTAINLY NO EXCEPTION TO THAT, BUT THAT IS THE PRECEDENT THAT WE'RE SETTING WITH THESE ACTIONS. I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO SEE MORE AND MORE OF THESE AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THIS AS CONSISTENTLY AS WE CAN. >> MR. BLOCK, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. TOO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE REALITY THAT HAS BEEN FOISTED UPON THE INDUSTRIES OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND FRANKLY FOR THE WHOLE COUNTRY BY WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED SINCE 2020. THE WORLD CHANGED IN 2020. WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, IT PROBABLY BEGAN BEFORE THEN, BUT THE WORLD CHANGED IN 2021, CONTINUED INTO 2021, ALL THE RULES CHANGED. EMPLOYMENT OF PEOPLE HAS REACHED INTO EVERY SINGLE INDUSTRY. I PERSONALLY HAVE REPRESENTED CLIENTS WHERE WE ALSO HAD TO GO INTO RENEGOTIATION OF CONTRACTS, BECAUSE STANDARDS THAT WERE SET IN 2017, 2018 AND 2019 SIMPLY COULD NOT BE REACHED IN THE WORLD THAT WE LIVED IN, IN 2020, 2021 AND EVEN INTO 2022. IN LOUISIANA, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN AT THIS BOARD IS THAT NOT ONLY DID YOU HAVE THE COVID STUFF, BUT SO MUCH OF THE INDUSTRIES IN OUR STATE ARE TIED TO THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, WHICH SIMULTANEOUS WITH COVID, SAW A DOWNTURN. SO WHILE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PRECEDENCE WE'RE SETTING, I'M REASONABLY COMFORTABLE, AS COMFORTABLE AS YOU CAN BE IN A MEETING LIKE WE HAVE HERE, THAT WHAT WE ARE SEEING WHEN WE TAKE NO ACTION, I'M REASONABLY COMFORTABLE THAT THE REASON WE HAVE TAKEN NO ACTION IS DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE LITERALLY BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE COMPANIES THAT HAD BEEN BEFORE US. WHEN WE SEE COMPANIES THAT COME BEFORE US AND THERE AREN'T GOOD REASONS FOR IT, I SEE NO REASON TO GRIND IT. AGAIN, I'M ONE VOTE ON THE BOARD. WHEN I SEE PEOPLE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME HIRING PEOPLE TODAY, LAST YEAR AND THE YEAR BEFORE AS THEY HAVE HAD, IT'S DIFFICULT TO HOLD THEM TO STANDARDS, TO CONTRACTS THEY SIGNED BEFORE ANYBODY EVER HAD HEARD THE WORD COVID, MUCH LESS STARTED LIVING THROUGH IT. SO WITH THAT, I TRULY DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BECAUSE I THINK IT IS. WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF IT, BUT I THINK THIS BOARD HAS BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT AND CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE REALITY BEHIND THE NON-COMPLIANCE. WE HAVEN'T APPROVED EVERY NON-COMPLIANT, IT'S NOT THAT WE'VE NOT TAKEN ACTION ON EVERY NON-COMPLIANCE, BUT WHEN THERE'S A GOOD REASON FOR IT, WE TRY TO BE UNDERSTANDING. SO THAT'S MY IMPRESSION OF WHAT THE BOARD HAS DONE. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, CAN I JUST MAKE ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT? >> YEAH. >> EFFECTIVELY WE ARE RENEGOTIATING THESE CONTRACTS [02:20:03] BY TAKING THESE ACTIONS BECAUSE WE'RE SAYING THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE NO CONSEQUENCES FOR THE FAILURE TO MEET THE CONTRACTUAL STANDARDS, BUT I THINK MAYBE THE POINT YOU MADE EARLIER IS PROBABLY THE BEST ONE. NOT THAT THE POINT YOU JUST MADE WAS NOT A GOOD ONE. >> THANK YOU, SIR. [LAUGHTER] >> BUT WHEN THE GOVERNOR TOOK THE ACTIONS HE DID IN 2016 AS IT RELATES TO THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, ONE OF THE KEY DRIVING FORCES TO THIS IS THE DECISIONS ABOUT LOCAL TAX DOLLARS SHOULD NOT BE MADE HERE IN BATON ROUGE ALONE. AND SO THE LOCAL TAXING ENTITIES AND WE MADE THIS POINT EARLIER WITH AN EARLIER VOTE, THEY HAVE TO HAVE A ROLE IN THIS. HOPEFULLY THAT ROLE IS GOING TO CONTINUE PAST 2024, BUT WHEN WE RECEIVE A NOTICE THAT THE LOCAL ENTITY IS NOT TAKING A POSITION ON THIS. I AGREE MR. CHAIRMAN. THAT'S THEM USING THEIR VOICE THAT THEY ARE NOT ASKING US TO OPPOSE OR TO TAKE ANY ACTION. THE POLICE ASSOCIATION, THE SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION, THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, THEY ALL NEED TO KNOW THAT WHEN THEIR MEMBERS SAY, WE'RE GOING TO DEFER TO THE BOARD. THAT'S ESSENTIALLY SAYING, "WE'RE OKAY WITH THIS." AND IF THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CASE AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT THEY ALL SHOULD SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY'RE SENDING. >> I COULD NOT AGREE WITH YOU MORE. I DON'T LIKE NO RESPONSE, BUT A DEFERRAL TO THE BOARD IS SIMPLY TELLING ME THAT WE'RE OKAY. WELL, I'M GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT HARDER THAN JUST THAT, WE'RE OKAY. WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE POLITICAL HIT FROM TAKING A POSITION AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL, WE WANT YOU TO TAKE THE POLITICAL HIT AT THE STATE LEVEL. >> YEAH. >> THAT FRANKLY IS INAPPROPRIATE, BUT NEVERTHELESS, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE. BUT IN THIS SITUATION AGAIN GO BACK TO INFERNO, WE HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION. I DO HAVE A MOTION, CORRECT. THANK YOU MR. FABRO, I THOUGHT I DID. THEY SOMETIMES MINGLED IN THIS MIND OF MINE. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS? MR. FABRO. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD. AND THIS WOULD BE A QUESTION DIRECTED TO INFERNO. WHAT IS THE EXISTING EMPLOYEES, THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT THEY EMPLOY AT THAT FACILITY? [NOISE] >> WE HAVE 25. ONE OF THEM IS OUT OF STATE. [NOISE] SO WE HAVE 24 RIGHT NOW THAT ARE COUNTING. THAT HAPPENS TO BE THE BASELINE NUMBER AND WE HAD PROMISED TWO EXTRA. WE WENT DOWN NOW WE'RE AT 24. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU, SIR. [NOISE] ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THERE BEING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY, AYE? >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> NEXT. >> NEXT WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT 2017-0624 FOR K&B MACHINE WORKS LLC IN TERREBONNE PARISH. THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2019 AND 2020 REPORTING PERIODS. THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE CONTRACT REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN 37 JOBS WITH $2,648,497 IN PAYROLL FOR BOTH THE 2019 AND 2020 REPORTING PERIODS. THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED FOR 2019 WAS 35 JOBS WITH $1,445,772 IN PAYROLL. THIS FILING IS ALSO LATE. IT WAS DUE AUGUST 23RD 2020 AND RECEIVED DECEMBER 22ND 2021. THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED FOR 2020 [NOISE] WAS 23 JOBS WITH $1,570,733 IN PAYROLL. THE PARISH AND THE SCHOOL BOARD SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS RECOMMENDING THE CONTRACT BE HONORED BY THE STATE AGENCIES WITHOUT PENALTY. THE SHERIFF SUBMITTED A RECOMMENDATION LETTER STATING, ''WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTIES THAT MANY COMPANIES DURING COVID PERIODS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CONTINUED CONTRACTUAL COMPLIANCE AS EXEMPTIONS OF AVALORUM TAXES ARE PROVIDED TO THE AWARDED COMPANIES, I REQUEST DEFERRAL TO THE BOARD FOR THE NON-COMPLIANCE BUT STRESS CONCERNS REGARDING THE NON-COMPLIANCE OF K&B MACHINE WORKS DURING THEIR CONTRACTUAL PERIOD." [02:25:02] >> [LAUGHTER] WHOEVER WRITES THE SHERIFF'S LETTERS, I'VE GOT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT. K&B MACHINE WORKS. >> YES SIR. GOOD MORNING. >> YES STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION IN THE COMPANY. >> SCOTT HEBERT I'M THE RISK MANAGER FOR K&B INDUSTRIES. >> THANK YOU SIR. I APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. TELL ME WHAT K&B MACHINE DOES. >> WE'RE PREDOMINANTLY IN OIL AND GAS SUPPLIER OF MACHINE GOODS, A PREMIUM THREADER. WE HOLD THE LARGEST ARRAY OF THREADING LICENSES TO THREAD OFF DOWN HOLE PRODUCTS FOR THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY. WE'RE ALSO INVOLVED IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY AND THE ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, WHICH WOULD BE THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY. WE'RE REALLY MAKING A PUSH IN THAT ARENA. >> HOW MANY TOTAL EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE? >> AS OF TODAY, WE'RE ABOUT 307 AT OUR REBECCA'S POND LOCATION. >> THANK YOU. [NOISE] >> THAT JUST GIVES US SOME CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH 2019 GOAL OF 37 JOBS YOU MET 35 AND 2020 GOAL OF 37, 23. TELL US WHAT WAS HAPPENING. >> WELL, WHAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF 2019, THE OIL INDUSTRY STARTED GOING DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND THEN JANUARY OF 2020 COVID HIT AND WE WERE HAVING LOTS OF PEOPLE FALL SICK, WE WERE SANITIZING OUR SHOP ABOUT EVERY OTHER MONTH. WE WERE GETTING A SANITIZATION ON THE SHOP SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR PEOPLE AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT WAS A ROUGH TIME IN 2020. WE HAD A HARD TIME MEETING OUR OBLIGATIONS AND AND THERE'S REALLY NOTHING ELSE I CAN SAY ABOUT THAT. WE DIDN'T HIT OUR BENCHMARKS AND AND THAT WAS THE REASON. >> HOW ARE WE DOING THE '21 AND '22? >> I BELIEVE 2021 WE'RE FINE. HOOD COULD PROBABLY TELL US ON 2021. >> DID YOU GET '21? >> I HAVEN'T REVIEWED IT YET. >> OKAY. >> I BELIEVE I'M COMPLIANT FOR 2021. >> OKAY. >> 2022 IS GOING TO BE VERY GOOD. LIKE I SAID, WE'RE AT 307 EMPLOYEES TODAY AND WE'RE HIRING PEOPLE EVERY DAY. >> ARE YOU [OVERLAPPING] HAVING THAT DIFFICULTY FINDING PEOPLE THAT OTHERS ARE TALKING ABOUT? >> PEOPLE ARE COMING, WE'RE HIRING A LOT OF PEOPLE. WE'RE NOT HAVING THAT PROBLEM. >> MAY NEED TO PUT A SEMINAR ON THE LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. >> WELL, WE COULD USE FIVE-AXIS MACHINE AS THE MILLING WORK CENTERS. THOSE MACHINE IS TOO HARD TO COME BY, AND WE DO ADVERTISE NATIONALLY TO GET THOSE GUYS TO COME IN AND WE'VE BEEN FAIRLY SUCCESSFUL. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE IN HIRING PEOPLE THIS YEAR. >> TELL US ABOUT THE LATE FILLING AND THE REASON FOR THE LATE FILING. >> THAT WAS TOTALLY MY FAULT. I KNOW THE FAST LANE SYSTEM. [NOISE] I'D HAD THE STUFF DONE, BUT I THOUGHT I'D SUBMITTED IT AND I DID NOT. IT WAS SITTING ON THE COMPUTER AND I DID NOT DO IT. IT'S MY FAULT. IT WAS TOTAL HUMAN ERROR. >> IN SAYING THIS [OVERLAPPING] >> AND I WASN'T MADE AWARE. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT UNTIL THEY MENTIONED IT AND I NEEDED TO FILE THE NEXT YEAR'S FILING. THAT'S THE REASON FOR IT. I REALIZE HOW THIS BOARD WORKS AND WE'LL ACCEPT ANY PENALTIES THAT YOU SHALL GIVE US. >> I UNDERSTAND. >> WE'RE AT YOUR MERCY. [LAUGHTER] BASICALLY. >> YOU'RE REALLY TIRED. [LAUGHTER]. >> I KNOW. >> AGAIN, NO DIRECTION FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THE SHERIFF, HE UNDERSTANDS AND ALL THE REST OF WHATEVER HE SAID. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, NO REAL DIRECTION. LET'S SEE. I SAY THAT I'M SITTING HERE. [NOISE] >> THE PARENT AND THE SCHOOL BOARD DIDN'T SAY. >> I'M LOOKING AT THE WRONG ONE, FORGIVE ME. THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PARISH AND BOTH RECOMMENDED NO FURTHER ACTION. IT'S THE SHERIFF THAT WAS LITTLE [NOISE] WEIRD IN HIS DEFERRAL. FORGIVE ME. I'M AT THE WRONG ONE IN FRONT OF ME. DO WE HAVE A MOTION THEN? >> MOTION NO PENALTY. >> MAYOR 2 MOTION WITH NO PENALTY, SECOND FROM MR. SLOAN. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [02:30:02] >> AYE. [BACKGROUND] >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU SIR. CONTINUE TO DO THE GOOD WORK. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE A SECOND CONTRACT FOR K&B MACHINE WORKS, CONTRACT 2018-0498, ALSO LOCATED IN TERREBONNE PARISH AND IT'S FOR THE 2020 REPORTING PERIOD ONLY. THE EXHIBIT A FOR THIS CONTRACT REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN 10 JOBS WITH $700,260 ON PAYROLL. THE ACTUAL JOBS AND PAYROLL CREATED WAS ZERO. THE PARISH AND THE SCHOOL BOARD SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS RECOMMENDING THE CONTRACT BE HONORED BY THE STATE AGENCIES WITHOUT PENALTY, AND THE SHERIFF SUBMITTED A RECOMMENDATION STATING HE UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFICULTIES OF MANY COMPANIES DURING COVID. HOWEVER, HE REQUESTS A DEFERRAL TO THE BOARD AND STRESSES CONCERNS REGARDING THE NON-COMPLIANCE DURING THE CONTRACTUAL PERIOD. >> CAME WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ALL OF THAT AGAIN, I WOULD [NOISE] ENTERTAIN A MOTION. >> MOTION NO PENALTY. >> SAME MOTION FROM NO PENALTY FOR MAYOR TUBBS, SECOND FROM MR. SLOAN. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD. HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU SIR. >> WE HAVE A REQUEST FROM THE COMPANY TO DEFER THE NON-COMPLIANCE FOR HOMESTEAD 2018-0424 [NOISE] AND THERE IT'S NON-COMPLIANCE FOR 2020 AND 2021 REPORTING PERIODS. >> WE'RE REQUESTING DEFERRAL? >> THE COMPANY IS REQUESTING DEFERRAL. >> MS. BOATNER. >> [NOISE] RHONDA BOATNER DDA CONSULTANTS REPRESENTING OLMSTEAD. THE COMPANY IS IN THE PROCESS OF A SHUTDOWN RIGHT NOW, SO THEY COULDN'T HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE COME TO THE COMPANY, SO WE'RE REQUESTING DEFERRAL TO THE NEXT MEETING. [NOISE] THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE DECEMBER MEETING. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE A MOTION TO DEFER IF MR. HART A SECOND FROM MAYOR TUBBS, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD OR FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >>THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [NOISE] >> NEXT, WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT NUMBER 2018-0226 FOR STERLING SUGARS LLC AND ST. MARY PARISH THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2020 REPORTING PERIOD. THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE CONTRACT REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN ONE JOB WITH 35,000 IN PAYROLL. THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED AND MAINTAINED WAS THREE JOBS WITH $125,275 IN PAYROLL. THE COMPANY IS NON-COMPLIANT DUE TO THE LATE FILING ONLY. THE FILING WAS DUE APRIL 30TH OF 2021, BUT NOT RECEIVED UNTIL JULY 27TH OF 2021. THE PARISH SUBMITTED A RECOMMENDATION STATING ST. MARY PARISH GOVERNMENT CONSIDER STERLING SUGARS TO BE IN GOOD STANDING AND REQUESTS NO FURTHER ACTION BE TAKEN. THE SCHOOL BOARD SUBMITTED A RECOMMENDATION STATING IN A UNANIMOUS DECISION TO ST. MARY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED A MOTION TO DEFER ANY DECISION REGARDING THE COMPANY'S NON-COMPLIANCE TO THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF COMMERCE, AND THE SHERIFF DID NOT RESPOND WITH A RECOMMENDATION. >> STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY PLEASE. >> MORNING. RUBEN RANGEL, SENIOR MANAGER ADVANCED CONSULTING. HERE ON BEHALF OF STERLING SUGARS LLC THIS MORNING. >> GREAT. >> ASHLEY GARY, THE CFO, SENDS HER REGRETS. THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF CANE HARVESTING SEASON RIGHT NOW. SHE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT UP THIS MORNING. BUT I'M HERE TO ANSWER REGARDING THIS ITEM. >> ALL WE HAVE IS A LATE FILING. WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE REASON FOR THE LATE FILING? >> IN OUR INTERNAL TRACKER FOR COMPLIANCE FILINGS, THE CLOCK FOR COMPLIANCE, IT WASN'T SET UP TO START RUNNING UNTIL THE GOVERNOR SIGNS A CONTRACT. IN THIS CASE, THIS HAPPENED TO BE A STEP WHERE THE FIRST YEAR COMPLIANCE WAS DUE PRIOR TO THE GOVERNOR SIGNATURE ON THE CONTRACT AND SO WE JUST HAD AN INTERNAL ISSUE AND THEN ONCE HAD ALERTED US SO THAT WE FILE THE COMPLIANCE. >> WE HAD COMPLIANCE BEFORE THE CONTRACT WAS SIGNED? >> YES. THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THE CONTRACT ON AUGUST 2ND AS YOU WOULD SEE ON THE AGENDA HERE, WE FILED THE COMPLIANCE ON JULY 27TH. >> HOW DO WE HANDLE COMPLIANCE WITHOUT THE CONTRACT? >> THERE WAS A CONTRACT. THE DUE DATE STARTS BASED OFF OF IT'S GENERALLY SPEAKING APRIL 30TH OF EACH YEAR, UNLESS THE CONTRACT IS EXECUTED AFTER. THE FACT IT'S WHICHEVER OCCURS LATER AND IN THIS INSTANCE IT WAS BASED OFF OF WHEN THE CONTRACT WAS SENT TO THE COMPANY FOR EXECUTION. THAT'S HOW IT'S WRITTEN IN THE EXHIBIT A AGREEMENT. THE COMPANY HAD ASSETS PLACED IN THE SERVICE, THAT APPLICATION WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD, AND THEN A CONTRACT WAS ISSUED. IF THAT OCCURS AFTER APRIL 30TH OF A GIVEN YEAR, WE GO BUY WHICHEVER ONE OF THOSE OCCURS LATER. [NOISE] >> I GUESS CONCEPTUALLY I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HOW CAN YOU BE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH A CONTRACT THAT HASN'T BEEN SIGNED. [02:35:02] >> BUT IT'S SIGNED BY THE COMPANY. >> BUT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. YOU DON'T HAVE AN AGREEMENT UNTIL YOU HAVE TWO SIDES AGREE. THIS ISN'T YOU-ALL I'M ASKING MY QUESTION TO THE WRONG PEOPLE I KNOW. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN BE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WHEN THE CONTRACT HAS NOT BEEN EXECUTED BY THE STATE. THAT'S SOMETHING MR. PIERSON WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT BECAUSE THAT JUST CONCEPTUALLY MAKES NO SENSE TO ME. >> NOT A CONTRACT. >> IT'S NOT A CONTRACT. IN ANY EVENT, THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR ANOTHER DAY APPARENTLY. >> THAT SOUNDS VERY LAWYERLY. [LAUGHTER] THEIR STAFF REPORTING APPROPRIATELY TO YOU [OVERLAPPING] ISSUE AND THEN MS. PORTER AND I WILL WORK TO RESOLVE THIS. >> LET'S FIGURE OUT. THERE'S SOMETHING NOT RIGHT ABOUT THAT AND IT MAY BE MY LACK OF UNDERSTANDING THAT'S USUALLY THE CASE BUT I WOULD LIKE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. BUT IN ANY EVENT I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION BY DR. THOMPSON FOR NO ACTION, A SECOND FROM MR. ST. BLANC. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU. >> NEXT WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT 2019-0204 FOR TOMAKK GLASS PARTNERS LLC AND CADDO PARISH THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD. THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE CONTRACT REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN 50 JOBS WITH 2,100,000 IN PAYROLL. WHEN THE COMPLIANCE WAS INITIALLY DETERMINED THE COMPANY HAD NOT FILED ANY COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTATION. IT WAS DUE MAY 30TH OF 2022. THE PARISH SUBMITTED A RECOMMENDATION STATING THE PANDEMIC HAD A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND TOMAKK SUFFERED AS A RESULT. ACCORDINGLY THE PARISH OF CADDO UNDERSTANDS TOMAKK'S EXPLANATION AND SUPPORTS THEIR CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE ITEP PROGRAM. WE WOULD LIKE TO DEFER ANY DECISION OR ACTIONS REGARDING THIS MATTER TO THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY WITH CONSIDERATION THAT THE PARISH OF CADDO FULLY ENDORSES TOMAKK'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM. THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE SHERIFF AND ALL THE CITY RESPONDED WITH RECOMMENDATIONS. SINCE THE NON-COMPLIANCE NOTICES WERE INITIALLY SENT OUT FOR FAILING TO FILE, THE COMPANY HAS SINCE SUBMITTED COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTATION ON OCTOBER 19TH OF 2022, AND I DID REVIEW IT AND THE NUMBERS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD WAS 28 JOBS WITH $1,346,428 IN PAYROLL. >> SOMEONE HERE FROM TOMAKK? STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> HELLO, MR. CHAIRMAN AND BOARD. MY NAME IS CLAY HARGETT I'M A PRESIDENT AND PARTNER AT TOMAKK GLASS. >> THANK YOU. >> I'M JUSTYN DIXSON PRESIDENT OF NORTH LOUISIANA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP. >> THANK YOU, JUSTYN. TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON. >> I GUESS I CAN START WITH THE REASON WHY WERE LATE AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE REALIZED WE WEREN'T GOING TO BE COMPLIANT. WE'RE RELATIVELY NEW TO THE ITEP PROCESS, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY ADVOCATES FOR THE PROCESS. TO ECHO WHAT YOU HAVE SAID EARLIER MR. CHAIRMAN IT HAS REALLY INCREASED OUR COMMUNICATION WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THAT. AS SOON AS WE REALIZED THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE COMPLIANT AND I REALIZED IT WAS OUT OF MY WILL HOUSE, I WEAR MANY HATS AT THE COMPANY LIKE MANY OTHER BUSINESS PEOPLE. I REACHED OUT TO SOME EXPERTS AND WITH THE NORTH LOUISIANA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AS WELL AS ADVANTOUS CONSULTING HERE IN BATON ROUGE TO SEE WHAT PATHWAY WE WOULD HAVE THROUGH THIS. I EMPLOYED THEIR HELP AND WE FILED LATE WITH OUR NUMBERS IN A POST-COVID ECONOMIC MODEL. THAT'S THE STORY AS TO WHY WE WERE LATE AND ALSO NOT COMPLIANT. >> HELP ME UNDERSTAND. THIS IS A 2019 APPLICATION AND THE CONTRACT WAS SIGNED IN I PRESUME '20. DO YOU KNOW? >> I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE CONTRACT WAS SIGNED. >> BUT EFFECTIVELY WAS THIS YOUR FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION UNDER THE CONTRACT 2021? >> WE OPERATED IN 2020 AND 2021. WE EFFECTIVELY STARTED THE COMPANY AT THE TAIL END OF 2019. [02:40:03] OUR FIRST SALE WAS IN 2020 RIGHT AS COVID WAS HITTING. >> WHAT IS IT YOU MAKE? >> WE MAKE FABRICATED GLASS FOR RESIDENTIAL AND ARCHITECTURAL APPLICATIONS LIKE THE WINDOWS IN THIS ROOM AND OUR MODEL IS BUSINESS TO BUSINESS SO WE SUPPLY GLAZING BUSINESSES LIKE CAPITAL GLASS HERE IN BATON ROUGE. THEY BUY OUR PRODUCTS AND SELL THEM TO CONTRACTORS AND HOMEOWNERS AND THAT THING. >> HOW MANY TOTAL EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE? >> I CAN ESTIMATE 30, 28 WAS DEFINITELY ACCURATE ON OUR FILING. I BELIEVE WE'VE HIRED A FEW FOLKS SINCE THEN. >> ESSENTIALLY WE HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU KNEW YOU WEREN'T GOING TO BE COMPLIANT AND LIKE MANY PEOPLE FILING THEIR FIRST TAX RETURN, WHAT THE HECK? [LAUGHTER] WELL, I'LL FILE IT. [OVERLAPPING] I KEEP PAYING SO I WON'T FILE IT. [LAUGHTER] >> IT WAS MORE AS IF I REALIZED THE LEVEL OF EXPERTISE IT WOULD TAKE TO NAVIGATE THESE WATERS OF NOT BEING COMPLIANT WERE ABOVE MY PAY GRADE AND I WAS RAISED TO LISTEN TO FOLKS THAT KNOW A WHOLE LOT MORE ABOUT SOMETHING THAN I DO I WOULD'VE GOTTEN HERE OTHERWISE SO I HIRED SOME EXPERTS TO HELP ME THROUGH THIS. I BELIEVE THAT I CAN BE A LOT MORE PRUDENT NEXT YEAR OR THIS YEAR IN 2022 EVEN IF WE ARE NON-COMPLIANT BECAUSE I REALIZED THERE ARE MANY BUSINESSES IN THE SAME BOAT. >> UNDERSTOOD. YOUR ACTUAL NUMBERS THEN ARE AND HELP ME HERTZ'S SINCE THEY'RE NOT ON MY SHEET GIVE IT TO ME AGAIN. >> THEY ARE 28 JOBS WITH $1,346,428 ON PAYROLL. >> YOUR GOAL IS 50 AND YOU SAY NOW YOU'RE AT 35 OR SO? >> WE'RE AT 30. >> THIRTY. >> I KNOW HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS AND YOU ESTIMATE THE NUMBER, HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT THE 50? >> WELL, WE ELICITED KNOWLEDGE-SHARING FROM SOME OTHER PLANTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL OUTSIDE OF OUR MARKET WHEN WE STUDIED THE MARKET. WE'RE A GREENFIELD STARTUP, WE'RE ON YEAR 3. WE LOOKED AT THE AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT AND PRODUCTION LINES WITHIN OUR FACILITY, SO FORTH PRODUCTION LINES AND ROUGHLY 20 OR SO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT. WE DID SOME BACK-OF-THE-ENVELOPE MATH AND COMPARED THAT TO SOME COMPANIES THAT HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE INDUSTRY THAT HAVE SHARED KNOWLEDGE WITH US. BUT THESE WERE ALL PRE-COVID ECONOMICS, OF COURSE. THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE NUMBER FOR OUR MODEL. >> IS IT A NUMBER THAT YOU THINK IS ATTAINABLE? >> I BELIEVE IT IS. AS TO WHEN I COULDN'T TELL YOU. CERTAINLY, WE WOULD HAVE A DELAYED TIMELINE TO GET THERE IF WE CAN GET THERE. RIGHT NOW, THE MODEL THAT YOU SEE AT 28-30 EMPLOYEES DEMONSTRATES OUR SURVIVABILITY IN TERMS OF THE LEVEL THAT'S SUSTAINABLE FOR US CONSIDERING THE CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS. WE'VE BEEN SURVIVING ON OUR OWN CASH-FLOW SINCE NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR AND SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT RIGHT AT AROUND 30 EMPLOYEES. IF WE SEE ANY MAJOR CHANGES IN SUPPLY CHAIN, EMPLOYABLE WORKFORCE, GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES THAT DRIVE FUEL PRICES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IT COULD POTENTIALLY HELP US TO THRIVE. BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JUST IN THE FIGHT, BUT WE ARE SUCCESSFUL AND WE'VE PROVEN THAT WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL WHERE WE ARE AT THIS LEVEL. >> I'M GOING BACK TO OUR EARLIER CONVERSATION, I JUST SEE WHEN YOU FILE YOUR REPORT FOR NEXT YEAR, FOR 2022, WE'RE GOING TO BE BACK HERE AGAIN. MAYBE THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN, BUT HERE AGAIN, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR HOW AND WHEN YOU ARRIVED AT THE 50, THE WORLD CHANGED IN 20. HOW ANYBODY NAVIGATES UNDER THE NEW SITUATION AS THE RULES HAVE CHANGED AND WE'RE ALL HAVING TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE UNDER THEM. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM THE BOARD? >> YES. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION FROM MR. SLOAN. HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. ST. BLANC. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? [02:45:03] THERE BEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? MOTION CARRIES. >> THANK YOU. >> GOOD LUCK TO YOU. THANK YOU. [NOISE] LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ANYTHING ELSE FROM YOU GUYS? >> NO, THAT CONCLUDES OUR TALK. >> THANK YOU-ALL. ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD OTHER THAN THAT. WE HAVE MR. PIERSON TO PROVIDE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN HIS WORLD. [9. Secretary Remarks – Secretary Don Pierson] >> I'LL MAKE MY REPORT BRIEF IN ORDER TO DECREASE YOUR EXPOSURE TIME FOR POTENTIAL FROSTBITE. >> YEAH. [LAUGHTER] >> VERY PLEASED TO REPORT THAT LAFAYETTE REGION WITH 11.5 MILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION BY SCHLUMBERGER, RETAINING 1,376 JOBS AND ADDING AN ADDITIONAL 44 JOBS OVER TIME, AS WELL AS THE JOHN DEERE PLANT IN THE LAFOURCHE PARISH, GIVEN US A NICE WIN IN A RURAL COMMUNITY, ALMOST $30 MILLION AND 70 NEW JOBS. WE'VE CONTINUED TO WORK DILIGENTLY AGAINST SECURING FEDERAL DOLLARS WITH TWO ETA AWARDS TOTALING $3.6 MILLION. ALSO PLEASED TO SEE THE DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY BRING FOUR MILLION DOLLARS OVER TO LOUISIANA. WE CONTINUE TO WORK VERY DILIGENTLY IN PREPARATION FOR THE AWARD BY THE US TREASURY OF MORE THAN $74 MILLION, WHICH WILL BE PART OF THE STATE SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT INITIATIVE, [NOISE] I HERE THAT REFERRED TO AS SSBCI. THAT PROCESS IT'D BE MANAGED BY YOUR SISTER BOARD THE LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION THAT MEETS HERE AND IS WORKING TO BRING THOSE FUNDS INTO VENTURE CAPITAL, INTO SOME LOW AND MODERATE MICRO LENDING PROGRAMS AND REINFORCING THE STATES LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM, AGAIN, PROVIDING SOME TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS OUR STATE. WE'RE WRAPPING UP IN PREPARATION FOR VETERANS DAY, NOVEMBER 11TH. WE'VE PROVIDED TWO CHAMBERS ACROSS THE STATE ALSO SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THEM TO HELP BE PROMOTING OPPORTUNITIES TO DO BUSINESS WITH VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE AS WE APPROACH THE 11TH OF NOVEMBER. HAD THE MILITARY AFFAIRS COUNCIL FOR OUR STATE MEET RECENTLY ON THE 19TH OF OCTOBER AND REVIEW THE STATUS OF OUR MILITARY BASES AND OTHER DEFENSE DEPARTMENT RELATED ACTIVITIES. WE ARE NOW ALSO WORKING, JUSTYN DIXSON WILL BE PLEASED TO KNOW ON OUR LOUISIANA COMPETES REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND PROGRAM, WHICH WILL DEPLOY ABOUT EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS FOR SITE IMPROVEMENTS ACROSS THE STATE. WE'RE APPROACHING THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT RULES PROCESS TO HELP GET THOSE FUNDS DEPLOYED FAIRLY SOON. I'LL CURTAIL MY REMARKS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST TO YOU TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH LED. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO SEND OUT SPAM AND SO WE CAN'T JUST ADOPT WHOLESALE BOARD MEMBERS AND PUT YOU ON OUR MAILING LIST, YOU HAVE TO OPT IN. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE LED STAKEHOLDER UPDATES, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE SSBCI UPDATES, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN RURAL REVITALIZATION UPDATES, I'D ASK YOU TO JOIN SENATOR LEE AND SENATOR ANDREW LUNA AND OTHERS BY SENDING IN ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS OR TO MYSELF, AND WE'LL BE SURE TO GET YOU UP ON THIS. THIS IS PUBLIC INFORMATION BUT ITS SPEED TO MARKET FOR YOU TO KEEP YOU ABREAST OF THINGS THAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING AT LED AND IN OUR STATE. SUBJUGATING QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE, MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT'S MY REPORT. >> THANK YOU, MR. PIERSON, IT'S GOOD TO SEE THINGS HAPPENING. FINALLY, AT YOUR PLACE SHOULD BE A SHEET OF PAPER WITH THE SCHEDULE MEETINGS FOR NEXT YEAR. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET THAT AND PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR SO THAT THESE MEETINGS TAKE PRECEDENCE. IF THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER,I DO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. WE HAVE A MOTION, MR. SIMEON, SECOND, MR. SLOAN. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. HAPPY THANKSGIVING. WE'LL SEE YOU ALL IN DECEMBER. [NOISE] * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.