[00:00:01] IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE. [1. Call to Order – Jerald Jones, Chairman] THIS MORNING WE CALL THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. THIS IS ACTUALLY OUR DECEMBER MEETING WAS POSTPONED TO THIS DAY. AND WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. AND WE KNOW THAT WE'RE STARTING A LITTLE BIT EARLY, BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO HAVE OTHER MEETINGS SCHEDULED FOR LATER IN THE MORNING. SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO WORK THROUGH THE AGENDA AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE. I DON'T WANT TO INHIBIT, COMMENT OR INHIBIT CONTRIBUTION BY ANY MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE OR THE BOARD, BUT I WILL BE MOVING AS QUICKLY AS YOU ALL WILL ALLOW ME. SO WITH THAT, CAN WE CALL THE ROLL, MAKE SURE WE HAVE A QUORUM? GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. . WE HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU, MA'AM. [3. Approval of Minutes from October 26, 2022 meeting] TO THE BOARD, YOU HAVE BEEN, YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE MINUTES FROM OUR OCTOBER 26TH MEETING. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSER. I HAVE A SECOND FROM MAYOR TOUPS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSITION THERE BEING NONE? THE MOTION CARRIES AND WE HAVE MOVED UP INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION TO THE BEGINNING OF THE AGENDA, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL. [4. Industrial Tax Exemption – Kristin Cheng/Hud Usie] BUT IN ORDER TO COVER SOME OF THESE STICKY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN THIS SECTION, WE DID THIS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A QUORUM DURING THE DISCUSSION. SO KRISTIN AND HUTT, I'M SORRY, MS. CHENG AND MS. DUSAY, IF YOU ALL WALK US THROUGH THIS, I'D APPRECIATE IT. GOOD MORNING. WE HAVE TWO PRE EO APPLICATIONS, 2014-1263A UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION IN SAINT CHARLES PARISH AND 2015-1723 UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION IN SAINT CHARLES PARISH. THE SECOND APPLICATION WAS FILED LATE. OKAY WITH THE LATE FILING. AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER TO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, AS WELL AS THE AUDIENCE PRE EO APPLICATIONS WHEN THEY ARE FILED LATE, THERE IS A DISCRETION ON THE PART OF THE BOARD ON WHETHER TO APPLY A PENALTY FOR THAT OR NOT. POST EO AND EO STANDS FOR EXECUTIVE ORDER OF 2016. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NEW TO THIS GAME POST EO THAT WAS INCORPORATED INTO THE RULES. SO IT'S A MANDATORY PENALTY. BUT HERE FOR THE PRE EO SITUATION, IT IS DISCRETIONARY ON PART OF THE BOARD AND AS SUCH I WOULD INVITE SOMEONE FROM UNION CARBIDE TO COME TO THE TABLE AND WALK US THROUGH WHAT HAPPENED ON THIS SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT. AND AS YOU TAKE YOUR SEAT, I JUST ASK YOU THAT YOU PULL THE MICROPHONE UP CLOSE TO YOUR TO YOUR FACE SO THAT WE CAN BE SURE THAT THE COURT REPORTER CAN PICK UP YOUR COMMENTS AND MAKE SURE I CAN HEAR. SO IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. GOOD MORNING. RONA DAGO, SENIOR TAX LEADER AT DOW CHEMICAL. DOW, THANK YOU. WHICH IS WHERE UNION CARBIDE IS AS PART OF? IT'S THE PARENT TO UNION. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO WHAT TELL US WHAT HAPPENED HERE AND THE CAUSE FOR THE LATE FILING. BASICALLY, WE HAD A CHANGE IN PERSONNEL AND STRUCTURE AND TAX WHERE EVERYTHING LOCAL WENT TO CORPORATE AND WE HAD A CONSULTANT HELP US GET OURSELVES TOGETHER. AND WE WERE TWO AND A HALF MONTHS LATE WITH THE ONE FILING THE PAPERWORK. RIGHT. SO THIS WAS A CHANGE IN PERSONNEL ISSUE? YES, SIR. FELL BETWEEN THE CRACKS, SO TO SPEAK. YES. SIR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AGAIN, THIS IS UP TO THE BOARD. WE CAN APPROVE YOUR OPTIONS. OR ESSENTIALLY THIS. YOU CAN APPROVE BOTH CONTRACTS WITHOUT PENALTY. YOU CAN APPROVE THE FIRST CONTRACT WITHOUT PENALTY, THE SECOND ONE WITH A PENALTY. CUSTOMARILY, WE HAVE ATTRIBUTED A ONE YEAR PENALTY TO A LATE FILING. [00:05:02] OR YOU CAN APPROVE THE FIRST. YOU CAN DISAPPROVE BOTH OF THEM. YOU CAN, THOSE ARE YOUR KIND OF YOUR OPTIONS. SO WITH THAT, WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE BOTH CONTRACTS WITHOUT PENALTY. WE HAVE WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE BOTH CONTRACTS WITHOUT PENALTY. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? NOW, I'M GOING TO MAKE THE COMMENT. GIVEN THIS IS DISCRETIONARY, WE JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND WE ARE CERTAINLY SYMPATHETIC TO PERSONNEL CHANGES AND HOW THEY HAPPEN. AND WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF DOW TO THE STATE AS WELL AS THE PARISH. IT BECOMES DIFFICULT WHEN WE HAVE THE MOM AND POP GROUPS COME IN, ESPECIALLY POST EO, WHERE THE PENALTY IS MANDATORY AND THOSE MOM AND POPS DO NOT HAVE THE TAX MACHINERY THAT FRANKLY, DOW DOES OR UNION CARBIDE DOES. AND SO I SIMPLY WANT THE BOARD AND THE AUDIENCE AND UNION CARBIDE AND DOW, WHILE WE, THIS IS NOT A STATEMENT ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTION OF DOW TO THE COMPANY, BUT IT TROUBLES ME A LITTLE BIT THAT. THIS IS WHEN I DON'T LIKE THE RULES, JUST FRANKLY. AND HERE WE HAVE DISCRETION. WE HAVE THE POWER TO EXERCISE THAT DISCRETION. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD. I'M JUST MAKING SURE THE BOARD HAS SEEN BOTH SIDES OF THIS COIN AND CONSIDERED BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN. SO WITH THAT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE BOTH CONTRACTS WITHOUT PENALTY. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? THERE IS NO OPPOSITION. THE MOTION CARRIES. CHAIRMAN JONES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. MY NAME IS STACEY GAUTTREAUX AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS FOR US SOUTH FOR DOW. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR BUSINESS AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND TO YOUR BOARD MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON. WE HAVE. SORRY. WE HAVE 13 POST-EO APPLICATIONS. UNDER THE 2018 RULES. WE DO HAVE ONE REQUEST FOR DEFERRAL FROM THE COMPANY. THAT'S FOR 2021-0171 INDORAMA VENTURES OLEFINS, LLC IN CALCASIEU PARISH. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER INDORAMA VENTURES OLEFINS. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MOSS. 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. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. THAT MATTER IS DEFERRED TO THE NEXT MEETING. 2022-0056 ASH INDUSTRIES, INC IN LAFAYETTE PARISH, 2022-0358 ASH INVESTMENTS LLC, LAFAYETTE PARISH, 2022-0110 GEORGIA-PACIFIC, PORT HUDSON, LLC EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH 2022-0447 GREAT SOUTHERN WOOD, LA INC OF WELLS PARISH 2021-0624 LOUISIANA GREEN FUELS LLC, CALDWELL PARISH 2022-0260 MART CO LLC IN NATCHITOCHES PARISH, 2021-0141 NEIGHBORS LLC IN WASHINGTON PARISH 2022-0396 PCU, LLC IN RAPIDS PARISH 2022-0026 RELIABLE EDM LLC IN LAFAYETTE PARISH 2022-0044 SHINN TEC, LOUISIANA, LLC IN IBERVILLE PARISH, 2020 040 SORRY 2020-0049B SUPREME RICE, LLC ACADIA PARISH AND 2022-0049 TREVOR INDUSTRIES, LLC IN ORLEANS PARISH. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A DESIRE TO TAKE ANY ONE OF THESE UP INDIVIDUALLY, OR IS IT THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD TO TAKE THEM UP IN GLOBO? OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. IS THAT A MOTION TO APPROVE IN GLOBO? IS THERE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. NASSER. NOW, I HAVE A REQUEST TO SPEAK FROM MR. HARDIE SPENCE, JR. DO YOU WISH TO COME SPEAK, MR. SPENCE? FOR ASH INDUSTRIES? THANK YOU. YES, SIR. I BARELY MADE IT. I'VE BEEN AT A TRADE SHOW, ONE OF THE LARGEST IN NORTH AMERICA, AND WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND HUNT FOR OUR BUSINESS. WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS 32 YEARS. WE MANUFACTURE INJECTION MOLDED THERMOPLASTIC, MEDICAL DEVICES, ELECTRONIC DEVICES, AND CONSUMER GOODS ALL OVER FOR COMPANIES ALL OVER AMERICA. THERE'S VERY LITTLE IN LOUISIANA FOR US TO HUNT. [00:10:05] IT'S ASTOUNDING HOW MUCH MANUFACTURING IS DONE IN THE BREADTH OF THE UNITED STATES. AND SO WE GO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES. SO I'M STANDING IN THIS TRADE SHOW HALL AND I'M TALKING TO A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE, AND IT WAS A GREAT COUPLE OF DAYS. WE HAVE SOME FANTASTIC LEADS. ACROSS THE AISLE FROM ME WAS ROCKWALL, TEXAS. AND THEY STOOD THERE FOR TWO DAYS AND PEOPLE CROWDED AROUND THEIR BOOTH AND THEY BEGGED COMPANIES TO COME SET UP IN ROCKWALL. AND ON THE AISLE BEHIND ME WAS OHIO AND IDAHO AND IOWA AND OTHER PLACES IN TEXAS. ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. PEOPLE ARE BEGGING PEOPLE TO COME WORK THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK. I REALLY DO. I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER, MR. JONES. BUT I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK THIS PROCESS MAY BE LOOKING AT THIS WRONG. THIS IS A COMPETITION. I GREW UP IN LOUISIANA. WE'RE SEVERAL GENERATIONS DEEP IN THIS STATE. THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON, NO REASON FOR US TO BE HERE OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT IT'S MY HOME. IT'D BE REALLY EASY TO PICK UP, MOVE TO TEXAS. IT'D BE A LOT EASIER TO WORK THERE. MY TAXES WOULD BE LESS. I'D BE WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS. I'D HAVE A LOT MORE INCENTIVES. AND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS PROCESS, I THINK YOU NEED TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THESE REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN FOR THE BUREAUCRAT. A LOT OF THESE REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY SOFT HANDED ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE NO CONCEPT OF VALUE ADDED MANUFACTURING, WHO HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHO HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY'RE INTERPRETING THIS LAW. AND I THINK YOU MIGHT WANT TO START PUSHING BACK A LITTLE BIT. THIS PROCESS IS RIDICULOUS. WE'RE A SMALL COMPANY. WE REALLY ARE. WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING FOR 30 YEARS TO BUILD THIS BUSINESS, AND EVERY NICKEL WE INVEST IN THIS BUSINESSES TO CREATE A JOB IS TO CREATE A PROCESS, IS TO BRING CASH FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THIS COUNTRY BACK TO LOUISIANA AND GROW THE STATE I LOVE. SO THIS DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE ADVANCE NOTIFICATION AND ALL THE DETAILS HAVE TO BE ON THERE OR WE MAY NOT KNOW WHAT THE DETAILS ARE. WE'RE BUILDING A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY AND EVERY DAY SOMEBODY IS COMING TO ME WITH SOMETHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE PROCESSES THAT CUSTOMERS I HAVE NOT MET YET WILL REQUIRE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. THERE'S NO FLEXIBILITY IN THESE CHANGES. ONCE WE DO THE NOTIFICATION, THAT'S IT. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE ADDITIONS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY CUSTOMERS ARE GOING TO ASK ME. AND AFTER ADVANCE NOTIFICATION IS DONE, WE'RE DONE. WE'RE FINISHED ACCORDING TO THE STATE PROCESS. AND ADVANCED NOTIFICATION IS RESTRICTED TO 22 MONTHS. I JUST FOUND OUT THAT A COMMON ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER THAT WE MUST HAVE, THIS NEW BUILDING HAS BEEN DELAYED BY SEVEN MONTHS. I FOUND OUT THAT THE CITY OF LAFAYETTE CANNOT GET US A SEWER LINE INTO AN EXISTING ANCIENT CLAY SEWER LINE BECAUSE OF SOME COMPLEXITIES THEY HAVE. I CANNOT IMAGINE THE DELAYS AT LARGE. COMPANIES HAVE, LIKE UNION CARBIDE AND OTHERS, WHERE SOME LEAD TIMES ON MANUFACTURED GOODS THAT YOU NEED FOR A NEW PROCESSOR 18 TO 24 MONTHS. AND HERE YOU ALL ARE RESTRICTING US TO 24 MONTH ADVANCE NOTIFICATION. AND DUE TO THESE COMPLEXITIES AND THESE NEW RULES, MY COSTS ARE GOING UP. I DON'T HAVE EXPERT HELP. YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE EXPERT HELP. YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FIELD SALES GUY. YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE GUY WHO UNCLOGGED THE COMMODE AND THE GUY THAT SIGNS THE CHECKS. WE HAVE 112 PEOPLE, BUT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IS UTILIZED IN OUR FACILITY. AND WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR BUREAUCRATIC MONKEY BUSINESS. ANYWAY. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT THE PROCESS, BUT I WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD START FACING THE FACT THAT UNLESS WE OPEN UP THIS STATE AND UNLESS WE ADD JOBS, UNLESS WE ADD COMPANIES, UNLESS I CAN FIND CUSTOMERS AROUND THE CORNER, WE'RE GOING TO ALL STARVE TO DEATH WHILE EVERYBODY AROUND US IS DOING REALLY WELL. THIS IS A FIGHT, AND I NEED YOU ALL TO TURN THIS AROUND AND MAKE THIS A COMPETITIVE FIGHT THAT WE CAN WIN. AND LET'S DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR LOUISIANA. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. BEFORE YOU GO, I THINK, MR. SECRETARY, YOU HAVE SOME COMMENTS. I CAN'T SAY I AGREE WITH ALL THE POINTS THAT YOU'VE OUTLINED HERE AND CERTAINLY YOUR RIGHT TO EXPRESS YOUR OPINION. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I DO THINK WE COMPETE VERY FAVORABLY AGAINST TEXAS. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT OFFLINE. YOU REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEIR TAX STRUCTURE. WHILE IT MAY NOT BE A DIRECT INCOME TAX, YOUR PROPERTY TAXES, OTHER THINGS GO INTO THE MIX. BUT I DO WANT TO GO OVER TO YOUR POINT AROUND LOUISIANA. DIDN'T HAVE A BOOTH AT THAT SHOW, SIR, I'D LIKE TO COMPLETE THIS CONVERSATION, BUT I DO AGREE WITH YOUR POINT REGARDING AN ADVANCE NOTIFICATION. IN ADVANCE NOTIFICATION IS INDEED AN ESTIMATE. THERE ARE ELEMENTS, AS YOU'VE CORRECTLY DESCRIBED, THAT ARE UNKNOWN TO ME. [00:15:06] IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'RE BUILDING A HOUSE AND YOU SIGN THAT CONTRACT WITH A CONTRACTOR FOR X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS. AND THEN ALONG THE WAY YOU DECIDE THAT YOU WANT TO UPGRADE THE APPLIANCE PACKAGE AND THE MASTER BATHROOM OR WHAT HAVE YOU. THE INVESTMENT AT THE END WILL LIKELY BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS ENVISIONED ON DAY ONE, AND THE ADVANCE NOTIFICATION IS IMPORTANT TO US. FIRST OF ALL, IT IS THE SIGNAL FOR THE BUT FOR WHY SHOULD THE STATE AFFORD ANY TAX ABATEMENT? WELL, WHEN YOU SIGN THAT ADVANCED NOTIFICATION, YOU'RE SAYING YOU CONSIDERED OTHER OPTIONS AND YOU CHOSE LOUISIANA. AND IN RETURN FOR THAT, WE ARE WILLING TO ENTER INTO THIS PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP. SO THAT ALSO SIGNALS THE ASSESSOR AND OTHERS THAT THEY CAN INSPECT THIS PROPERTY AND SEE WHAT THE IMPROVEMENTS WERE THERE BEFORE THE PROJECT GOT STARTED. SO THERE'S LOTS OF RAMIFICATIONS TO THE ADVANCE NOTIFICATION. ONE OF THE MODIFICATIONS THAT WE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THE TAXPAYERS GOT DELIVERY OF THE SERVICES, THE JOBS, THE INVESTMENT PROMISED BY THE INDUSTRY. IT WAS TO INTRODUCE ANNEX A, THE CEA, THE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT, THE CONTRACT THAT YOU SIGN THAT SHOULD BE THE DOCTOR. THE DOCUMENT THAT GOVERNS THIS TRANSACTION BETWEEN THE APPLICANT AND THE STATE. SO ADVANCED NOTIFICATIONS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US. WE DO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR CORRECT POINTS THAT AT THE TIME OF THE SUBMISSION OF AN ADVANCE NOTIFICATION, THE BEST YOU CAN DO IS GIVE THE BEST INFORMATION YOU HAVE AND YOU'LL FIND OUT ABOUT THAT CLAY LYON SEWER CONNECTION THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE THAT COSTS MORE MONEY LATER. SO WE WILL LOOK INTERNALLY AT LED AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT PUTTING UP A ARTIFICIAL BARRIER TO ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT BECAUSE OF A REQUIREMENT THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE ON DAY ONE OF NOTIFYING US ABOUT THE PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM NEEDS TO BE ONE THAT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT AS YOUR BEST AVAILABLE INFORMATION, BUT YOUR REQUIREMENTS ARE ACTUALLY DICTATED IN THE FINAL DOCUMENTS AS YOU EXECUTE ANNEX A, WHICH IS THE COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT THAT WILL COME TO THE BOARD. BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE WILLING TO UNDERTAKE PROCESS IMPROVEMENT. WE REMAIN OPEN TO THAT. THANK YOU, MR. SECRETARY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY. I'VE NEVER BEEN CALLED A SOFT HANDED ATTORNEY BEFORE. IN ANY EVENT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ALL CONTRACTS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE HAVE 30 TIMELY PRE EO RENEWAL APPLICATIONS. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ ALL 30? I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S NECESSARY TO READ ALL 30. MS.. CHENG, WE HAVE, I THINK ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THE LIST OF CONTRACTS THAT ARE UNDER THE PRE EO RENEWAL SUMMARY. YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN THAT INFORMATION PREVIOUS TO THIS MEETING. IT'S ALSO IN THE AGENDA THAT'S HANDED TO THE PUBLIC. SO WITH THAT I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO TAKE A MOTION IN GLOBO. IF NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO PULL ANY ONE OF THESE CONTRACTS OUT AND SPEAK TO THEM SPECIFICALLY SEPARATELY, OBVIOUSLY WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MOSS TO APPROVE THEM IN GLOBO. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? HAVE A SECOND. DR. MCQUEEN, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, SIR. I DO HAVE A QUESTION. SURE. JUST ON THE PRE EXECUTIVE ORDER, THE ONE THAT WAS LATE. CAN WE DISCUSS THAT BEFORE WE DO APPROVE IN GLOBO? OKAY. YOU MEAN GOING BACK TO UNION CARBIDE? NO, IT'S THAT. IT'S UNDER THE 30 NEW PRE EO RENEWALS. IT'S WHICH ONE IS PRE EXECUTIVE LATE RENEWAL. THAT'S A SEPARATE SECTION. THAT'S A SEPARATE SECTION. OKAY. THAT'S A THAT'S THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM. YEAH. WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE YET. OKAY. I'M JUST JUMPING THE GUN. NO WORRIES. NO WORRIES. I DIDN'T WANT TO BE ACCUSED OF BEING SOFT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, SIR. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THESE IN GLOBO. AGAIN, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? BEARING ON ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OPPOSITION? [00:20:01] THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE POST, SORRY, ONE PRE EO LATE RENEWAL. WE DID RECEIVE A REQUEST FROM THE COMPANY TO DEFER TO MARCH. WE HAVE A 2014-1329 GEO HEAT EXCHANGERS LLC IN ALBERTVILLE PARISH. AND THEY WISH TO DEFER. YES, SIR. OKAY. WE HAVE ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER MOTION. DR. MCQUEEN, SECOND FROM MAYOR TOUPS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD HEARING? NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE. THE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING? NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. WE HAVE TO POST EO TIMELY RENEWALS 2016 1956 INTERLOCK LLC IN JEFFERSON PARISH AND 2016 1807 STABILITY LNG PORT ISLAND LLC IN WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH. THERE WAS ONLY ONE REPORTING YEAR OF NONCOMPLIANCE. FOR STABILITY, LNG PORT ISLAND, AND THAT WAS ALREADY HANDLED BY THIS BOARD. THERE WAS NO PENALTY. BECAUSE JUST AGAIN, A LEVEL SET. SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE. BASICALLY, WE HAVE IF YOU IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR AT YOUR TABLE, YOU'LL SEE THE ANNUAL COMPLIANCE COLUMN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, WHICH SUMMARIZES THEIR COMPLIANCE. CP MEANS COMPLIANT. YOU SEE IN REPORTING ERROR YEAR THREE FOR STABILITY LNG PORT ALLEN, THERE WAS A YEAR THREE, THERE WAS AN ISSUE OF NONCOMPLIANCE. BUT MISS JANE, WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IS THE BOARD DEALT WITH THAT AT THAT TIME. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. SO NOW THE ISSUE IS, DO WE RENEW THESE TWO CONTRACTS, ANY MOTION FROM MR. NASSER TO APPROVE SECOND FROM MAYOR TO ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING, NOT ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING ON THE MOTION CARRIES. WE HAVE EIGHT TRANSFER OF CONTRACT REQUESTS. WE DO HAVE A REQUEST FOR DEFERRAL FROM ORION INSTRUMENTS LLC 2013 0525 2014 0269 2015 0639 AND 2016 0763. SO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER ON ORION INSTRUMENTS. A MOTION FOR MR. MOSS. SECOND FROM MR. ST LABONTE. 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. THAT MATTER IS DEFERRED TO THE NEXT MEETING. NEXT WE HAVE SPECIALTY PRODUCTS. US LLC 2013-0249PT, 2015-03562, 2013-02062 AND 2014-0422PT IN ST. CHARLES PARISH, THOSE CONTRACTS ARE BEING TRANSFERRED TO MCUS3. LLC. AND A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. I HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MULLINS, SECOND FROM MR. FREIBERG. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? DURING NON ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. WE HAVE TWO REQUESTS TO CANCEL. THERE ARE TYPE CONTRACTS, ONE FROM BOURNE TECHNOLOGIES, 2020-0128. THE COMPANY REQUESTS CANCELLATION. IT'S AN ASCENSION PARISH AND OLMSTED LT8D 201-0424 COMPANY REQUEST CANCELLATION. THEY'RE LOCATED IN IBERVILLE PARISH. RIGHT. ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE CANCELLATIONS. MOTION FOR MR. MOSS. SECOND FROM MR. MULLEN. MUELLER. EXCUSE ME. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. WE HAVE FOUR SPECIAL REQUESTS, BUT WE HAVE A REQUEST TO DEFER. LE THREE WEST BATON ROUGE, LLC CONTRACTS 2016 1942 2017, 0443 AND 2017 0504. BUT ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER THE LA THREE WEST MOTION FAMILIAR TWO SECOND FROM MS.. FREIBERG. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD HEARING? NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. BY ANY OPPOSITION THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. THE NEXT SPECIAL REQUEST IS FROM SIERRA FRAC SAND LLC 2018 0502 LED RECEIVED. [00:25:04] A LETTER AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FROM SIERRA FRAC SAND LLC REQUESTING TO AMEND THE ITEP CONTRACT PERIOD TO COMMENCE ON ONE ONE 2023 INSTEAD OF ONE ONE 2021. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM SIERRA FRAC SAND. AND PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. GOOD MORNING. TROY VILLA, ATTORNEY FOR SIERRA FRAC SAND. THANK YOU, ANNE. GOOD MORNING. KIP AMICK. I'M MANAGER OF SIERRA FRAC SAND LLC. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. ALL RIGHT. I KNOW WE'VE HAD THE COMPANY BEFORE THE BOARD IN TIMES PAST ON A COUPLE OF ISSUES. WHAT HAVE WE BEFORE US TODAY? WELL, I'LL TRY TO KEEP IT SIMPLE, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. SEE, OUR FRAC SAND RECEIVED ITS ITEP CONTRACT SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR AS OF DECEMBER 15TH, 2022. JUST LAST MONTH. IT RELATES TO AN EXPANSION PROJECT THAT STARTED WITH AN ADVANCE NOTICE IN 2018. THE PROJECT WAS COMPLETED IN 2020. DECEMBER 2020 IT BECAME OPERATIONAL THEN THE APPLICATION WAS FILED UNDER THE RULES WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE COMPLETION OF IT. BUT IT TOOK US 18 MONTHS TO GET ALMOST 18 MONTHS TO GET TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL LAST AUGUST. THERE ARE A LOT OF DELAYS OUTSIDE OF SIERRA FRACS CONTRIBUTION TO THAT THAT GOT US THERE IN BETWEEN THAT BEGINNING OR IT BECAME OPERATIONAL, SIERRA FRAC STARTED PAYING THE TAXES THAT THEY WERE ASSESSED ON THE PROPERTY FOR THE EXPANSION UNDER PROTEST. WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH TO PROTECT OURSELVES ONCE THE ITEP CONTRACT CAME INTO EFFECT BECAUSE WE'RE AWARE OF THE RULE 525 THAT THE CONTRACT BECOMES EFFECTIVE AS OF DECEMBER 31 OF THE YEAR THE PROJECT IS COMPLETED OR BECOMES OPERATIONAL. WE PAID UNDER PROTEST BELIEVING THAT WAS GOING TO PROTECT US ONCE THE CONTRACT FINALLY GOT SIGNED. UNFORTUNATELY, IT DID NOT. THE SECOND CIRCUIT THE CASE GOT UP TO THE SECOND CIRCUIT DISTRICT COURT IN SHREVEPORT, DISMISSED OUR PETITION FOR A REFUND. THE SECOND CIRCUIT CLAIMED THAT IT'S THE TIME YOU PAY THE TAX IS WHETHER THE PROPERTY IS EXEMPT OR NOT. IT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FACT. AND THEY WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT WE KNOW OF NO AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE A RETROACTIVE ITEP CONTRACT. THE EFFECT OF THE RULE THAT IS IN EFFECT NOW WOULD BASICALLY LEAVE SIERRA FRACKED WITH A THREE YEAR EXEMPTION FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS BECAUSE WE'VE PAID OUR TAX. THE TAXING DISTRICTS HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FUNDS FOR THE YEARS AFTER IT BECAME OPERATIONAL, IN FACT, THE YEAR BEFORE IT BECAME OPERATIONAL. WE'RE ASKING FOR THE CONTRACT UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE CONSTITUTION FOR THE BOARD TO AMEND THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT TO PROVIDE THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE BEGINNING THIS YEAR, THE FIRST YEAR OF THE EXEMPTION TO GIVE US THE FIRST FIVE YEARS, THE FULL FIVE YEARS, I SHOULD SAY. THE BOARD APPROVED A FULL FIVE YEAR EXEMPTION, THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE PARISH COUNCIL, THE SHERIFF ALL APPROVED A FIVE YEAR EXEMPTION. BUT THE LETTER OF THE CONTRACT READS, BECAUSE OF THE DISMISSAL OF OUR REFUND SUIT BY THE SECOND CIRCUIT LEAVES US WITH JUST A THREE YEAR EFFECTIVE BENEFIT. SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO HAVE A RETROACTIVE APPLY TO ANY ANY PRIOR PERIOD. WE'RE LOOKING FOR A PROSPECTIVE CONTRACT THAT WOULD GIVE US THAT FULL BENEFIT THAT YOU ALL APPROVED. THANK YOU, MR. VELA. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, FROM MR. VILL OR MS.. AMICK. I KNOW THIS IS COMPLICATED, AND YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF SUMMARIZE. THANK YOU, MR. BILLOW, BUT IT'S STILL THESE ARE STILL A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE KIND OF WRAPPED INTO THIS. I KNOW MS.. PORTER, THE ATTORNEY FOR THE LED, HAS BEEN WORKING WITH SIERRA FRAC SAND, TRYING TO TO GET US TO THIS POINT WHERE THE BOARD CAN MAKE A REASONED DECISION. SO I WOULD ASK MS.. PORTER TO COME FORWARD, PERHAPS, AND. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TRY TO DO, ALTHOUGH THANKS LSO WAS KIND ENOUGH TO GRADUATE ME FROM HIS LAW SCHOOL. I TRY NOT TO BE THE LAWYER FOR THE BORED AND LET THE LED LAWYERS BE THE LAWYER FOR THE BOARD. SO I'M GOING TO ASK FOR SOME GUIDANCE FROM. OUR LEGAL COUNSEL ON THIS. SO IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH LED FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE. GOOD MORNING. ROBIN PORTER, EXECUTIVE COUNSEL FOR LED. RIGHT. AND GOOD MORNING, DREW TALBOT OF SPECIAL OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR LED. OKAY. SO I'D LIKE TO JUST READ INTO THE RECORD WHAT FROM RESEARCH THAT I HAVE UNDERSTANDING A LITTLE BIT, BASICALLY TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF THE BACKGROUND IN [00:30:03] THIS. SO SIERRA FRAC SAND STARTED CONSTRUCTION ON THE INITIAL INVESTMENT PRIOR TO FILING AN ITEP ADVANCE ITEP RULE 503 PROVIDES THAT IN ADVANCE MUST BE FILED PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF CONSTRUCTION OR INSTALLATION OF FACILITIES ON ALL PROJECTS FOR TAX EXEMPTION. THIS MEANS THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO ADVANCE ON RECORD ON JANUARY 1ST OF THE YEAR AFTER THE INITIAL INVESTMENT WAS PLACED INTO SERVICE, THE INITIAL INVESTMENT PROPERTY WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE ITEP EXEMPTION AND SIERRA FRACS INITIAL INVESTMENT PROPERTY APPROPRIATELY WENT ON THE TAX ROLLS. SO SUBSEQUENTLY THE COMPANY THEN FILED AN ITEP ADVANCE FOR THE EXPANSION PROJECT. THE EXPANSION PROJECT WAS COMPLETED AND PLACED INTO SERVICE AS DESCRIBED BY ATTORNEY VILLA ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2020, RENDERING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE TAX EXEMPTION CONTRACT AS DECEMBER 31ST, 2020. THE BOARD APPROVED THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE EXEMPTION ON AUGUST 24, 2022, AFTER THE BOARD AND LOCAL APPROVAL. SIERRA FRACS SIGNED THE EXHIBIT A ON NOVEMBER 26, 2020, TO CORRECT IT WAS APPROVED FOR A TEN YEAR EXEMPTION. SIERRA COMING NOW BEFORE THE BOARD TO REQUEST AN AMENDMENT TO THE EXHIBIT A TO ALTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE EXEMPTION START DATE. THERE'S CURRENTLY NO PROVISION IN THE ITEP RULES THAT ALLOW US TO MODIFY THE EFFECTIVE DATE AS REQUESTED. THEREFORE, OUR HANDS ARE TIED WITH THAT. IN OTHER WORDS, ALTERING THE EFFECTIVE DATE FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2021 TO THE LATER DATE OF JANUARY 1ST, 2023 WILL VIOLATE ITEP RULE 525 AND RULE 525 REQUIRES THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE TAX EXEMPTION CONTRACTS. TO BE DECEMBER 31ST OF THE YEAR IN WHICH THE EFFECTIVE OPERATION BEGAN. OUR CONSTRUCTION WAS ESSENTIALLY COMPLETED, WHICHEVER IS FIRST. SIERRA FRACS EXPANSION PROJECT WAS COMPLETED ON DECEMBER 17TH, 2020, WHICH RENDERED THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE EXEMPTION CONTRACT DECEMBER 31ST, 2020. IN COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 525. THE TAX EXEMPTION YEAR THEN BEGINS JANUARY 1ST OF THAT FOLLOWING YEAR 2021. ITEP RULES ARE PROMULGATED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE LOUISIANA CONSTITUTION. ARTICLE SEVEN, SECTION 21 F AND I QUOTE THE STATE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNOR, MAY ENTER INTO CONTRACTS FOR THE EXEMPTION ON SUCH TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS THE BOARD, WITH FULL APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNOR DEEMS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STATE. THE BOARD HAS GREAT LATITUDE AND DISCRETION TO PROMULGATE RULES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAMS, AND WE MUST ABIDE BY THESE RULES, REGARDLESS OF MAYBE WHAT A TAX COMMISSION RULE OR DICTA FROM THE SECOND CIRCUIT MAY STATE, THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION OF ITEP AND CORRESPONDING RULES DICTATE WHAT THE BOARD AND THE GOVERNOR HAVE DETERMINED OR IN BEST INTEREST OF THE STATE. WITH REGARD TO THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION RULES ENACTED PURSUANT TO THE LOUISIANA CONSTITUTION TRUMPS STATE STATUTES. SO CURRENTLY THE ITEP RULES REGARDING APPLYING THE TAX EXEMPTION RETROACTIVELY IS NOT ONLY LEGAL, BUT RETROACTIVE OVERRIDES THE LEGISLATURE OR TAX COMMISSION'S ACTION TO STRIP THE PROGRAM OF ITS RETROACTIVITY. SO TO GRANT SIERRA FRACS REQUESTS TO ALTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE EXEMPTION. ABSENT A RULE CHANGE OR A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WOULD CAUSE A DIRECT VIOLATION OF ITEP RULES. BASICALLY IN OUR HANDS ARE TIED HERE. ALL RIGHT. LET ME SEE IF I CAN ENCAPSULATE WHAT I THINK YOU SAID. OKAY. ESSENTIALLY, WE HAVE WHAT SIERRA ROXANNE IS SAYING. ALL RIGHT, GUYS. WE FAILED TO FILE OUR ADVANCE NOTIFICATION, BUT WE WENT AHEAD AND HAD TO START PAYING TAXES, PAID THEM IN PROTEST. NOW, WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD TAKE CARE OF US, BUT THE SECOND CIRCUIT UP IN THE MR. VILLA WILL ALLOW YOU TO COME AND CORRECT ME WHEN I'M WHEN I START GOING OFF THE RAILS HERE. SECOND CIRCUIT HAS HAS DISALLOWED THAT PAYMENT IN PROTEST. AND SO THE PAYMENT HAD TO BE MADE. AND SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE ARGUMENT IS, IS THAT NOW THAT WE'RE IN THIS SITUATION AND WE'VE HAD TO PAY TWO YEARS OF TAXES, [00:35:02] CAN WE SIMPLY FIX THIS BY EXTENDING THE CONTRACT FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS, BY ESSENTIALLY ESSENTIALLY MOVING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CONTRACT SO THAT WE CAN GET THE FULL BENEFIT OF THE TEN YEAR EXEMPTION? THE TEN. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S THE THAT'S THE WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS THE ASK. AND MR. VILLA CAN CORRECT ME WHERE I'M WRONG. BUT WHAT I UNDERSTAND YOUR RESPONSE IS, IS THAT THE RULES, I THINK SPECIFICALLY RULE 525 B SIMPLY ESTABLISHES THAT THE EFFECTIVE DATE SHALL BE DECEMBER 31 OF THE YEAR IN WHICH EFFECTIVE OPERATIONS BEGAN. AND IT'S YOUR CONTENTION, I BELIEVE, THAT THE RULE SIMPLY DOES NOT ALLOW US TO. WE CAN'T OVERRIDE THAT RULE AND AMEND CONTRACTS. IS MY AM I? YOU'RE FAIRLY STATING YOUR POSITION THEIR REQUEST TODAY. THERE IS NO WAY, BASED ON THE RULE TODAY THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GRANT THAT IT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THE ITEP RULE. WE WOULD HAVE TO AMEND, WE WOULD HAVE TO AMEND THE RULE, WHICH REQUIRES WELL, IF YOU IF YOU SO CHOOSE, IT WOULD REQUIRE A RULE PROMULGATION OR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. BUT AS IT STANDS TODAY, WE'RE WE'RE NOT ABLE OUR HANDS ARE TIED. IT WOULDN'T WE WOULDN'T WE WOULD BE VIOLATING THE RULE TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. AND I WANT FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND, UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT, CHANGING A RULE DOES NOT HAPPEN IN A MEETING. IT HAPPENS OVER THE COURSE OF SEVERAL MONTHS. AND SO I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO GO, WELL, LET'S JUST CHANGE THE RULE. NO, THAT'S SIMPLER SAID THAN DONE. SO WITH THAT, I HOPE I HAVE HELPED FOLKS KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TENSION BETWEEN SIERRA FRAC SAND AND THE LED RULES ARE. NOW, WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO ASK MR. VILLA TO COME BACK AND CORRECT MY WHERE WHERE I'M MISSING WHERE I'M MISSING HIS ARGUMENT. SO I AND FORGIVE ME FOR THE FOR THE MUSICAL CHAIRS, BUT WE HAVE NO BETTER WAY OF DOING THIS. THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO REPLY. YES. IN AUGUST. YOU SAID AT THIS HEARING THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF NOISE ABOUT THIS CONTRACT, THIS APPLICATION, BUT IN THE END, LOOKS LIKE THE TAXPAYER HAD DONE EVERYTHING CORRECT WITH RESPECT TO THAT. WELL, I THINK THE NOISE CONTINUES WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ADVANCE NOTICE ON A DIFFERENT PROJECT. RIGHT. WHEN SIERRA FRAC FIRST MOVED INTO THE STATE, THEY WANTED TO GET IT UP ON THAT ORIGINAL PLAN. THEY DIDN'T DO WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO BECAUSE OF SOME TECHNICALITIES IN THE WAY THE NEXT CODE, FOR INSTANCE, WAS SET UP. SO THEY DIDN'T GET THEY DIDN'T FILE AN ADVANCE NOTICE ON THAT. THEY NEVER FILED AN APPLICATION THAT'S NOT BEFORE YOU. THE ONLY THING BEFORE YOU IS THE THE EXPANSION. EXPANSION. WE DID EVERYTHING WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO THERE. WE FILED THE ADVANCE NOTICE TIMELY. WE DEMAND CONSTRUCTION. WE FINISHED CONSTRUCTION IN TIME. WE APPLIED. WE MADE APPLICATION IN TIME. WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT WAS NOT IN TIME, 18 MONTHS, 17 MONTHS TO GET TO THE BOARD TO EVEN HEAR IT WAS WAS A PROBLEM. WE HAD TO PAY UNDER PROTESTS IN THAT TIME PERIOD TO PROTECT OURSELVES. WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GET THE PROTECTION OF THAT. THAT'S BEEN A TRIED AND TRUED STRATEGY IN VERY VARIOUS FORMS OF OF TAXES THAT DIDN'T PAN OUT. THE SECOND CIRCUIT SAID, NO, IT'S THE TIME THE CONTRACT IS SIGNED. YOU DON'T HAVE YOU DON'T HAVE AN EXEMPTION UNTIL THEN. SO AT THE TIME THE TAX WAS PAID, IF IT'S NOT EXEMPT, YOU HAVE NO CLAIM FOR IT. SO WE DISMISS YOU. BUT THEY ALSO WENT FURTHER TO SAY, YOU DON'T YOU CAN'T HAVE A RETROACTIVE ITEP CONTRACT. SO MY POINT IS THAT THE RULE IS NOT INVALID IN IN A LOT OF CASES, IT'S JUST NOT COMPLETE. IT DOESN'T CONTEMPLATE EVERY SCENARIO THAT THAT COULD COME UP IN. THE SECOND CIRCUIT ALLUDED TO THAT SAID THIS COULD BE A TRAP FOR THE UNWARY. IF YOU HAVE A CONTRACT THAT DOESN'T GET APPROVED UNTIL LATER IN THE YEAR. AND THERE'S ANOTHER DELAY IN GETTING THE CONTRACT SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR AND APPROVED BY THE LOCALS, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. AND THEY HAVE FOUND THAT PAYMENT UNDER PROTEST IS NOT AN OPTION THAT'S GOING TO PROTECT THE TAXPAYER. WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE AND IT WAS NOT. AND I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T EVEN MAKE THIS COMMENTARY, BUT I JUST CAN'T I CAN'T HELP MYSELF. I READ THE SECOND CIRCUIT OPINION AND WITH AND. GOOD JUDGES ON THE SECOND CIRCUIT. BUT I'M AFRAID THAT LITIGATION MISSED SOME IMPORTANT GUIDANCE FROM LED BECAUSE IT LED WAS NOT A PARTY TO THAT LAWSUIT. AND I THINK SOME OF THE DICTA THAT CAME IN THAT OPINION WAS A RESULT OF NOT GETTING VALID. EXPLANATION OR PERHAPS CONTRIBUTION FROM. LED ON HOW THE RULES WORK. AND BECAUSE FRANKLY I JUST DISAGREE I DON'T THINK IT'S A TRAP FOR THE UNWARY. WE WE HAVE HAD I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN SITTING ON THIS BOARD FOR. [00:40:06] LIKE 1200 YEARS. OR AT LEAST IT SEEMS LIKE THAT. LIKE THAT. AND AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE FIGURE OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE IT FROM FROM FROM BIG COMPANIES TO SMALL COMPANIES AND TO AND FRANKLY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS SITUATION HAS EVER RISEN ITS HEAD. AND SO I'M I'M SYMPATHETIC TO SIERRA FRAC SAND, FRAC SANDS SITUATION. BUT THIS THIS IS THE STRUGGLE I HAVE, AND I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE BOARD. WHEN WE WHEN WE SET RULES, AS YOU KNOW, MR. VILLA, WHEN WE GO THROUGH A RULE MAKING IT FOR FOR THIS BOARD, AS FOR ANY ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, IT'S A PROCESS. WE HAVE TO FIRST OF ALL, THIS BOARD HAS TO ADOPT THE RULE, THEN IT HAS TO GO TO A LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. AND THAT LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAS TO SAY GRACE ON THAT RULE. THEN IT HAS TO GO TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THEN IT HAS TO GO TO THE GOVERNOR. AND AND SO THAT WHEN THE RULES ARE SET, THE RULES ARE SET. AND AND IN MY MIND, AT LEAST, WHAT SIERRA FRAC SAND IS ASKING THIS BOARD TO DO IS SAY, WELL, LISTEN, WE KNOW THAT'S WHAT THE RULE SAYS, BUT THIS SITUATION CALLS FOR A DIFFERENT RESULT. AND I MIGHT BE SYMPATHETIC TO THAT, EXCEPT WHAT THAT SMACKS OF NOW IS ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS APPLICATION OF THE RULE. WELL, AND THAT THAT'S ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. AND THAT'S MY CONCERN THAT MY MY PERSONAL CONCERN IS WHEN WE START DEVIATING FROM THE RULE SAYING, WELL, THAT'S JUST NOT AN UNFAIR THAT'S AN UNFAIR RESULT IN APPLICATION OF THESE FACTS. AND WE START OPENING OURSELVES TO THOSE. BECAUSE ONCE YOU OPEN THAT DOOR, ONCE ONCE WE OPEN THE DOOR AND SAY, LISTEN, DEPENDING ON THE FACTS WILL DETERMINE WHETHER WE APPLY THIS RULE OR NOT. THAT BECOMES PROBLEMATIC. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S JONES'S CONCERN. I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND I APPRECIATE THE RULES. IN FACT, YOU KNOW, I PREFER TO HAVE THE RULES TO KNOW WHAT THE RULES OF THE GAME ARE BEFORE WE GO IN. WE KNEW THOSE RULES GOING IN. WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO TRY TO MITIGATE WHAT THAT EFFECT WOULD BE. THE COURTS HAVE SAID, NO, SORRY, THAT'S NOT A VIABLE OPTION FOR YOU. SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS NOT THAT YOU UNDO THE RULE, BUT THE CONSTITUTION GIVES YOU WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S APPROVAL NOW THE AUTHORITY TO SET THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT. SO WE'RE SAYING YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY TO DO THAT ISN'T RELINQUISHED BY THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A SET OF RULES BECAUSE YOU AND THE GOVERNOR, WE'D HAVE TO GET THE GOVERNOR. THAT'S WHERE I DIFFER FROM YOU. I THINK WHAT WE HAVE DONE PURSUANT TO THE EXCUSE ME, PURSUANT TO THE CONSTITUTION, WE HAVE SET A SET OF RULES AND SAID THESE ARE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH WE'RE GOING TO OPERATE. AND AND I THINK AND BUT ONCE WE SET THE RULES. WE ABIDE BY THE RULES UNTIL THEY ARE AMENDED. AND SO, AGAIN, THAT'S JONES. EXCUSE ME JUST A SECOND. THE CHAIRMAN HAS REQUESTED A COMMENT. GO RIGHT AHEAD. DON PEARSON, SECRETARY LEDDY. SURE. JUST TRYING TO BE CLEAR ON BACKGROUND AND JUST AS A CAVEAT ON THE FRONT END, AS I DO UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE THAT OUR HANDS ARE TIED HERE TODAY, BUT BUT IN THE BACKGROUND OF THIS GREAT COMPANY, GREATLY APPRECIATE THE INVESTMENTS THEY'VE MADE AND THE ACTIVITIES THEY'VE CONDUCTED IN IN NORTHWEST LOUISIANA. I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT. BUT WE FILED THE ADVANCE AND WE KNOW THAT. THE PROJECT WAS PLACED INTO SERVICE ON THE 17TH OF DECEMBER 2020. AND THEN YOU SPOKE ABOUT A DELAY. AND I RECALL THAT SIERRA CAME TO THE BOARD AND ASKED TO BE ON THE AGENDA AND I THINK WITHDREW AND DEPARTED. AND, YOU KNOW, THE. WE GET A BLACKOUT PERIOD THERE WHERE WE DON'T GET INFORMATION NECESSARILY AND THEN IT COMES BACK. THE. EXHIBIT A IS PROVIDED AUGUST 24TH. THE BOARD ACTS NOVEMBER 22, AND WE COMPLETE OUR HANDSHAKE. THE DISRUPTION AND THE DELAY IN THE PROCESS. I'M NOT CLEAR ON ON THAT. WE'VE HAD COVID, WE'VE HAD OTHER DISRUPTIONS TO THE PROCESS. BUT CAN YOU WHAT WAS THIS PERIOD OF TIME IN WHICH THERE WAS NOT CONSUMMATION OF THE DOCUMENTS BETWEEN FRAC AND SENI? THERE WERE. A FEW INSTANCES. ONE, THE PAYMENT UNDER PROTEST, I THINK THROUGH THE STAFF ARE A LITTLE BIT OF A LOOP. MISS CHANG CAN TESTIFY TO IT. SHE WAS ACTUALLY ASKED TO PROVIDE A DEPOSITION OR AN AFFIDAVIT, I SHOULD SAY, IN SUPPORT OF THE TAXING DISTRICTS AND THE ASSESSOR TO DISMISS OUR PETITION. [00:45:09] SO SHE GOT DRUG INTO THIS INVOLUNTARILY, UNFORTUNATELY. AND I THINK THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED A LITTLE BIT OF A DELAY. THE OTHER THE OTHER THING WAS IN HER DEPOSITION, SHE STATED THAT ONE. SIERRA HAD DONE HAD SUBMITTED EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO. THEY HAD WHATEVER FOLLOW UP THEY NEEDED FROM STAFF. WE HAD GOTTEN IT TO THEM. SO AS OF AUGUST OF 2021, THE ONLY THING MISSING WAS THE MILEAGE VERIFICATION FROM THE ASSESSOR. AND THAT CRITICAL PATH ITEM WAS. WHAT'S HOLDING UP OUR APPLICATION? WE ACTUALLY FILED A RULE TO GET THE ASSESSOR TO. TO SUBMIT IT BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THAT HE WAS PROHIBITED FROM DOING IT BECAUSE OF THE LITIGATION, BECAUSE HE'S NAMED IN THE LITIGATION. WE DISAGREE WITH THAT. ANYWAY, BY NOVEMBER BEFORE THERE WAS A HEARING ON THAT IN SHREVEPORT, HE SUBMITTED THE MILLEDGE VERIFICATION, I THINK IT WAS NOVEMBER 15TH AND MS.. CHANG CAN CAN VERIFY THAT. THAT WAS ONE THAT WAS ONE DELAY. AT THAT POINT THE PROPERTY WAS ON THE TAX ROLLS. YOU ALL THE LED KNEW ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY KNEW WE HAD PAID UNDER PROTEST. THEY WERE ASKED TO GIVE AN AFFIDAVIT. WE THEN WERE TOLD WE HAD TO COMPLY WITH RULE 517 UNDER THE ITEP RULES, WHICH WAS SINCE THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN ASSESSED, YOU NEED TO GET THE ASSESSOR TO AGREE TO REMOVE IT FROM THE ROLLS IF YOUR CONTRACT GETS GRANTED. AND YOU NEED TO ASK ALL THE LOCAL DISTRICTS TO DO THE SAME THING. WE DIDN'T THINK RULE 517 APPLIED, BUT WE WENT THROUGH THAT PROCESS BECAUSE WE KNEW IT WASN'T GOING TO MOVE OUT OF LED. UNTIL THAT HAPPENED, THAT TOOK SIX MONTHS. WE HAD TO COORDINATE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, WITH THE PARISH COUNCIL, WITH THE SHERIFF, WITH SOME OF THOSE. WE GOT FAIRLY QUICKLY. THE SCHOOL BOARD DELAYED UNTIL MAY OF 2022 TO GIVE US THEIR LETTER. AND THEN THE ASSESSOR, WHO HAD INITIALLY REFUSED TO GIVE IT, FINALLY GAVE A LETTER IN JULY. IT WASN'T QUITE EXACTLY WHAT WE HAD ASKED FOR, BUT TOM BOURGEOIS AT THE TIME MET WITH TAM, AND TAM SAID, I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO MOVE THIS ON TO THE BOARD UNDER SPECIAL REQUESTS. AND IF YOU REMEMBER IT, LAST AUGUST, WE WERE HERE UNDER SPECIAL REQUEST. SO IT WAS KIND OF A CONFLUENCE OF ALL THOSE THINGS THAT GOT TO BE A DELAY. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY COVID ASPECT. I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY THERE. I KNOW THE MILLAGE VERIFICATION WAS ONE. I KNOW THE LITIGATION MAY HAVE PLAYED A PART OF IT. THEN THAT COMPLIANCE WITH RULE 517 GET THE PROPERTY OFF THE TAX ROLLS IF IT GETS GRANT, IF IT GETS GRANTED, WAS ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS KIND OF UNIQUE. I DON'T THINK IT WAS EVER, EVER SORT OF BROUGHT UP BEFORE. BUT IN ANY EVENT, BOSSIER PARISH HAD TAKEN WHATEVER APPROACH THEY WERE TAKING AS FAR AS ASSESSING PROPERTY AND EVERYTHING ELSE. WE WERE ASSESSED PROPERTY ON THIS EXPANSION BEFORE WE EVEN FINISHED COMPLETION OF IT, AND I MENTIONED THAT IN AUGUST WE ENDED UP PAYING TAX ON IT FOR 2020 BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE AN EXEMPTION 21 AND 22 BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A CONTRACT YET. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, MR. SECRETARY, BUT THOSE ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT I CAN EXPLAIN AND MAYBE YOUR STAFF CAN CAN ELABORATE ON THAT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THAT MORE DETAILED BACKGROUND. MY SENSE OF IT IS AND THERE WAS A DELAY IN THE PROCESS WHICH IS DELAYING THE. PROPOSED TERM OF THE TAX EXEMPT STATUS. BUT I FEEL LIKE IN PART, IN PART THAT FRACK CHOSE TO GO AND WORK THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM AND DO OTHER WHAT THEY BELIEVED. RIGHT OR WRONG, I DON'T KNOW. NECESSARY ACTIVITIES THAT PLACE A PORTION OF THIS DELAY ON THE CORPORATE SIDE OF OF THE PROCESS. IT'S AGAIN JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE BACKGROUND. SURE WE'RE STILL BY RULES HANDS TIED. BUT THERE WAS SOME PARTICIPATION PERHAPS IN THE DELAY THAT WAS INITIATED BY SIERRA. WELL, I'LL I'LL RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH THAT. WE PAID UNDER PROTEST TO PROTECT EVERYTHING, PROTECT OUR RIGHTS HERE, HOPEFULLY, AND TO PROTECT THE TAX, THE TAXING DISTRICTS. THEY WERE NOT GOING TO BE SHORT ANYTHING. THE MONEY WAS IN ESCROW THE WHOLE TIME. WE COULD HAVE IGNORED THE TAX NOTICES. WE COULDN'T UNDO THE TAX NOTICES. WE COULD HAVE IGNORED THEM AND RISK THAT THE PROPERTY WOULD GO ON A TAX SALE. SO WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD TO PROTECT WHAT WAS GOING TO HOPEFULLY BE A CONTRACT THAT WAS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE. DECEMBER 31, 2020, WHEN IT WENT LIVE AND WE WEREN'T GOING TO BE OUT ANY OF THE BENEFIT THAT THE ITEP PROGRAM OFFERS US THE FULL FIVE YEARS. IT'S WHAT YOU ALL YOU ALL APPROVED. SO I'M JUST HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT WHAT YOU ALL APPROVED BY RULE IS NOT GOING TO GIVE THIS TAXPAYER A FULL FIVE YEARS HERE. [00:50:03] AND WHILE THE RULE IS NOT WRONG, IT'S JUST NOT COMPLETE. IT DOESN'T DEAL WITH THE SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A NATURAL DELAY IN BOARD APPROVAL AND IN GETTING THE CONTRACT SIGNED. AND THERE'S A CONFLUENCE HERE OF TAX LAW, PROPERTY TAX LAW, WHAT THE ASSESSORS HAVE TO DO AND WHAT LED WANTS TO DO WITH THIS INCENTIVE. AND THEY DON'T ALL LINE UP IN THE RULES VERY CLEANLY RIGHT NOW. AND THE SECOND CIRCUIT'S RULING DICTA OR NOT, SORT OF EMPHASIZES THAT THAT THAT MAY BE A TRAP, BUT THIS IS WHAT THE ASSESSOR MUST DO. HE MUST ASSESS AS OF THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY ON JANUARY ONE OF THAT YEAR. SO IF IT'S NOT EXEMPT, IT'S NOT EXEMPT. AND THE TAX COMMISSION HAS PASSED A RECENT RULE THAT'S GOING TO EMPHASIZE THAT TOO. IT HAS EMPHASIZED THAT. I THINK THEY'RE JUST STATING WHAT THE LAW IS AND WHAT THE SECOND CIRCUIT RECOGNIZED. SO IF THE RULES PROVIDE FOR US TO FILE OUR APPLICATION WHEN WE DID, AND THAT'S TIMELY, IT'S GOING TO CREATE THIS SITUATION IN ANOTHER IN OTHER OTHER OTHER APPLICANTS POSSIBLY IN THE FUTURE. SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. WE'VE WE'VE SORT OF SAID ALL WE CAN SAY ON IT. I APPRECIATE IT. MR. VILLA, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? FIRST OF ALL, DO I HAVE A MOTION? I DON'T EVEN HAVE A MOTION ON THE BOARD. I'M ASKING FOR COMMENTS. I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF. WE HAVE THE ISSUE NOW IS DO WE GRANT THE SPECIAL REQUEST THAT WE MOVE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CONTRACT FROM? AND GET MY DATES CORRECT HERE FROM JANUARY ONE, 2021 TO JANUARY ONE, 2023. THAT IS THE REQUEST. DO I HAVE A MOTION? I HAVE A MOTION. GO RIGHT AHEAD. I JUST WANT TO GET SOME LEGAL CLARITY HERE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TAKE AN ACTION THAT WOULD VIOLATE ONE OF OUR RULES. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN PUT A MOTION LIKE THAT ON THE TABLE, THAT IT'S NOT A QUALIFIED CONSIDERATION. SO YOUR POINT IS, IS THAT WE CAN'T EVEN ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO GRANT THE REQUEST. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TO DO THAT. SO I WOULD HATE TO BRING THAT BEFORE THE BOARD IT. UH, WOULD WOULD BE ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS LIKE IT FALLS ON JONES, THEN. ALL RIGHT, WE WILL MOVE ON. OKAY. HAVING SAID THAT, ANYBODY FAMILIAR WITH THE TUCK RULE IN NFLX? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. SO, YES, YOU ABOUT WHEN WHEN A QUARTERBACK THROWS THE BALL AND WHAT'S THE FORWARD PROGRESS OF HIS HAND? THAT HADN'T ALWAYS BEEN THE RULE. THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE RULE IN THE NFL AT SOME POINT BECAUSE WE HAD A BIG PLAY BACK IN THE SUPERBOWL, BACK IN THE PREHISTORIC TIMES, AND THEY DECIDED, YOU KNOW, WE NEED WE NEED TO WE NEED TO CLARIFY THE RULE. AND SO THIS MAY BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT AS WE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE RULES, THIS THIS AGAIN, THIS IS AN UNUSUAL SITUATION. IT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT SOMETHING WORTHY OF DEBATE AND DISCUSSION IN THE FUTURE. SO. CHAIRMAN. YES, SIR. AND JUST BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS, JUST TO LEAVE US WITH SOME CLARITY, MY APPRECIATION IS THE CONTRACT WILL REMAIN IN PLACE. THAT SIERRA FRAC SAND ON THIS EXPANSION WILL ENJOY THREE YEARS, HOPEFULLY A FIVE YEAR RENEWAL. SO EIGHT YEARS OF VALUE FOR THE EXEMPTION. THEY JUST WEREN'T ABLE TO REARRANGE THE TERMS OF THE EXEMPTION. CORRECT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. PORTER. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM WE HAVE ON OUR AGENDA IS NON COMPLIANCE POST NON COMPLIANCE. AND THESE THERE ARE EIGHT UNDER THE 2017 RULES. WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT 2017 0070 FOR MAUSER USA LLC AND ONE CONTRACT FOR 2017 023 FOR TALENT INDUSTRIAL IN ASCENSION PARISH. THEY WERE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2018, 2019 AND 2020 REPORTING PERIODS. TALON INDUSTRIAL LLC IS THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING WITH MOUSER ELLIS MOUSER USA LLC, BEING THE MANUFACTURER LOCATED WITHIN THE BUILDING. THESE CONTRACTS COVER ONE PROJECT AT THE SAME PROJECT SITE AND SHARE AN EXHIBIT, A AGREEMENT OUTLINING THE REQUIRED ANNUAL JOBS AND PAYROLL TO BE CREATED AND MAINTAINED BY MOUSER. ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM MOUSER, USA? [00:55:05] IN 2018. THEY WERE REQUIRED TO CREATE 28 NEW JOBS WITH 1,650,000 IN PAYROLL. IN 2019, THEY WERE REQUIRED TO CREATE 28 NEW JOBS, WITH 1006 1,683,000 IN PAYROLL FOR THE 2019 REPORTING PERIOD AND 28 NEW JOBS WITH 1,716,000 IN PAYROLL FOR THE 2020 REPORTING PERIOD. THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WERE 17 JOBS WITH 1,269,399. FOR 20 1823 JOBS WITH 1,197,431 IN 2019 AND 22 JOBS IN WITH ONE 1,269,928 FOR THE 2020 REPORTING PERIOD. WE DID RECEIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE LOCALS. THE PARISH COUNCIL SUBMITTED A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT. THERE'S A PENALTY PENALTY OF A ONE TIME FINE FOR MILES OR USA AND NO PENALTY FOR TALENT. AND THE COUNCIL ALSO RECOMMENDS A FUTURE PENALTY EQUAL TO THE PERCENTAGE OF PAYROLL SHORTFALL FOR ANY ONE YEAR OF NONCOMPLIANCE. FOR THE REMAINING CONTRACT YEARS, THE ASCENSION SCHOOL BOARD AND SHERIFF REQUESTED THAT THERE BE NO PENALTY FOR EITHER COMPANY. ALL RIGHT. I'LL GET TO YOU ALL IN JUST ONE MOMENT TO KIND OF SET THE TABLE FOR THE BOARD. AGAIN, WE HAVE A SITUATIONS WHERE THIS IS POST EXECUTIVE ORDER BASICALLY NONCOMPLIANCE WITH THE CONTRACT SIGNIFICANTLY. AND AND AS YOU KNOW, ONCE THE EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS PASSED AND THE 2018 RULES WERE PASSED, WE REQUIRED LOCAL GOVERNMENT INPUT INTO THE. INTO THESE CONTRACTS, INTO THE EFFICACY OF THE ABATEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE APPLICANT. AND SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, WHEN WE HAVE COMPLIANCE ISSUES, WE ALSO ASK THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR OPINION AS TO HOW WE WE SHOULD HANDLE THE NONCOMPLIANCE. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS INPUT IS NOT CONTROLLING, BUT IT IS SIMPLY A RECOMMENDATION FROM THEM. SO SIGNIFICANTLY FOR BOTH MOUSER AND TALENT INDUSTRIAL. THE THE POLICE JURY HAS APPARENTLY WORKED OUT A A. DEFAULT PAYMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'VE WORKED OUT AN OUTSIDE ARRANGEMENT THAT IS NOT PART OF OUR PURVIEW THAT SATISFIES THEM THAT THE PENALTY IS IS TAKEN CARE OF. ESSENTIALLY, THEY SETTLED THE PENALTY ISSUE. THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SHERIFF HAVE BOTH ON ON ALL OF THESE CONTRACTS BASICALLY SAID TAKE NO ACTION. IN OTHER WORDS, DO NOT PENALIZE THESE COMPANIES FOR THE NONCOMPLIANCE. AGAIN, THAT IS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. IT'S NOT CONTROLLING. WE DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE ALL UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE ARE ON THESE. SO WITH THAT, I DO WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT THE BASIS FOR THE NONCOMPLIANCE WAS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD TO UNDERSTAND. SO IF THAT. YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. YEAH. WILLIAM FISH, FINANCE MANAGER FOR MOUSER PACKAGING. OKAY. AND DARRYL HUNTER, PLANT MANAGER FOR MOUSER. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JUST TELL US WHAT HAPPENED ON WITH WITH THE ISSUES HERE. WELL, THE FACILITY WAS BUILT IN 2017 AND STARTED FULL OPERATION IN 2018. THE THROUGHOUT 2018 YEARS, 2018 AND 2020, WE WERE PLAGUED BY CHRONIC POWER OUTAGES FROM THE UTILITY, FROM ENTERGY, THE LOCAL UTILITY, APPROXIMATELY WE ABOUT 10 TO 15 OUTAGES PER YEAR. THIS FACILITY IS A BLOW MOLDING OPERATION AND BLOW MOLDERS ARE HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON ELECTRICITY TO PROVIDE THE HEAT IN ORDER TO PRODUCE THE PRODUCT. AND AN OUTAGE, EVEN A SHORT OUTAGE OF ELECTRICITY COULD RESULT IN A MUCH LONGER OUTAGE ON THE BLOW MOLDER ITSELF. AND DARRYL, IF YOU. YES. SO PRETTY MUCH WHAT HAPPENS IS EVERY HOUR THE MACHINE IS DOWN. IT TAKES A SET AMOUNT OF TIME FOR EVERYTHING TO HEAT BACK UP IN ORDER FOR THE PLASTIC TO LIQUEFY. PRETTY MUCH. SO IF WE'RE DOWN AN HOUR, TAKES ABOUT 3 TO 4 HOURS FOR EVERY HOUR THAT WE'RE DOWN. SO AN EXTENDED OUTAGE OF 4 HOURS OR POTENTIALLY MORE WOULD IN MANY CASES RESULT IN HAVING TO SEND THE EMPLOYEES HOME BECAUSE THERE [01:00:05] WAS NO WORK FOR THEM TO DO. SO THAT WAS A FACTOR THAT IMPACTED THE THE AMOUNT OF WAGES WE WERE ABLE TO PAY THROUGHOUT THOSE YEARS. WE ALSO RAN INTO AN ISSUE WITH THE THE ORIGINAL BLOW MOLDER THAT WAS INSTALLED IN THAT FACILITY HAD A MAJOR FAILURE IN AUGUST OF 2019, LEADING TO SEVERAL WEEKS OF DOWNTIME, ACTUALLY ROUGHLY ABOUT A MONTH OF DOWNTIME. SO THAT AGAIN IMPACTED THE AMOUNT OF WAGES WE WERE ABLE TO PAY FOR THAT SITE. THE COMPANY MADE A DECISION TO REPLACE THAT BLOW MOLDER WITH A NEW THREE $3.6 MILLION BLOW MOLDER THAT WE GOT FROM OUR PARTNERS IN GERMANY THAT WAS INSTALLED IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER OF 2020. AND DURING THAT TRANSITION, AGAIN, WE HAD WE HAD SIGNIFICANT DOWNTIME THAT ALSO IMPACTED THE AMOUNT OF WAGES WE WERE ABLE TO PAY OUT. WE DID INCUR COVID ABSENCES IN 2020 AS WELL, WHICH WERE WHICH WAS ALSO A FACTOR. SO THERE WERE SEVERAL FACTORS, SOME OF WHICH WERE OUT OF OUR CONTROL, SOME OF WHICH WERE WITHIN OUR CONTROL THAT IMPACTED THE OUTPUT OF THE FACILITY AND THEREFORE THE AMOUNT OF WAGES WE WERE ABLE TO PAY AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE SHORTFALLS THAT WE INCURRED IN THOSE YEARS. BUT I JUST WANTED TO. STATE THAT SINCE THEN WE HAVE GOTTEN PAST THOSE ISSUES IN THE FACILITY IS ACTUALLY BECOME QUITE SUCCESSFUL CONTRIBUTOR TO MOSER'S PROFITABILITY. WE'VE ACTUALLY GROWN OUR WORKFORCE WERE DURING 2022, WE ACTUALLY AVERAGED HEAD COUNT OF ABOUT 35 HEADS AT THE FACILITY, WHICH IS ACTUALLY WELL ABOVE THE TARGET OF 28. WE'VE GROWN IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL WAGES PAID. WE ACTUALLY EXCEEDED $2 MILLION IN WAGES IN 2022 FOR THE FIRST TIME VERSUS THE 1.4 MILLION OR SO THAT WE HAD IN 2018. SO THAT'S ABOUT AN ANNUAL GROWTH OF ABOUT 12% IN JUST IN WAGES. SO WHICH IS OVER AND ABOVE OUR INFLATION. SO I MEAN, SO THAT GROWTH IS AN INDICATION THAT WE ARE ADDING HEADS. WE ARE YOU KNOW, WE WERE RUNNING THE FACILITY CLOSE TO FULL CAPACITY IN 2022. IT WAS A RECORD YEAR FOR THE FACILITY IN 2022, WE ACTUALLY SOLD 147,000 UNITS COMPARED TO AN OUTPUT OF 114,000 UNITS IN 2018. SO THAT'S AN ANNUAL GROWTH RATE OF ABOUT 7% OVER THE OVER THAT FOUR YEAR PERIOD. AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST ALSO WANTED TO EMPHASIZE, YOU KNOW, MILES IS VERY, VERY COMMITTED TO THE THIS FACILITY, THAT LOW MOTOR INVESTMENT THAT I TOLD YOU IN 2020. THAT'S JUST PART OF AN OVERALL INVESTMENT OF ABOUT $10 MILLION THAT WE PUT INTO THIS FACILITY. SO IT'S IT'S WE VERY MUCH BELIEVE IN THAT THIS LOCATION IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IS THE RIGHT LOCATION FOR THIS FACILITY. AND WE'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD STRONG CUSTOMER BASE IN THIS IN THIS REGION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SERVICE. AND, YOU KNOW, WE YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE PUTTING, YOU KNOW, PUTTING MONEY INTO THIS FACILITY. WE'RE BRINGING PEOPLE ON BOARD TO WORK HERE. AND WE FEEL THAT THE THE START UP STRUGGLES THAT WE HAD FOR THE FIRST FEW YEARS ARE ARE BEYOND US. AND THAT WE ARE NOW WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL BEAT THE TARGETS THAT HAVE BEEN SET UP FOR THIS ITEP PROGRAM GOING FORWARD. QUESTION HAVE THE ISSUES WITH YOUR ELECTRICAL PROVIDER BEEN RESOLVED? THEY HAVE BEEN IMPROVED, BUT NOT COMPLETELY RESOLVED. BUT ENERGY OF ASCENSION IS DEFINITELY WORKING ON IT. THEY UNDERSTAND OUR STRUGGLES. THEY ALL PUTTING THINGS IN PLACE TO REDUCE THE POWER OUTAGES. GREAT. GOOD DEAL. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. GO RIGHT AHEAD. ABOUT THE DEFERRED OR THE DEFAULT PAYMENT AND WHETHER OUR ACTION TODAY WOULD AFFECT THAT. I MEAN, WOULD THAT VOID THOSE PAYMENTS OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S A DONE DEAL THAT'S INDEPENDENT OF US. YES. I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. CHAIRMAN. YES, SIR. MR. HOLLEY, REFRESH MY MEMORY, PLEASE. THERE'S TWO YEARS OF LATE FILINGS IN THE PAST. HAVE WE IMPOSED A ONE YEAR PENALTY, EVEN THOUGH IT WENT BEYOND ONE YEAR, AND IN THIS CASE, TWO YEARS? IF THERE'S WE'RE NOT ON THOSE TWO CONTRACTS YET. THESE WERE FILED TIMELY. WE'RE NOT ON THOSE TOO LATE FILING. WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT TO THAT ONE YET. SO FAIR QUESTION, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE YET. SO DON'T LET ME FORGET THAT YOU'VE ASKED IT AND BE SURE TO ASK IT AGAIN. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? [01:05:03] MR. CHAIRMAN? YES, SIR. YOU USE ANOTHER CORPORATION AND ANTIGEN STUFF. AND YOU SAID THAT SEVERAL TIMES AND I'M SITTING HERE SAYING YOU HAVE TO COME DOCUMENT THE TIMES AND WHAT YOU LOST. AND YOU ENTITLED A.G. INTO THIS. AND. I'M LISTENING. YOU JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT WENT OUT. BUT HOW DO I KNOW HOW MANY TIMES IT WENT? AND WOULD IT COST YOU? I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT REALLY TRYING TO THING, BUT. IT'S NOT PREPARING US. IT'S ILL. IT'S NOT BEING PREPARED. RIGHT. BECAUSE I CAN GET ANY TIME GO UP HERE AND SAY THINGS WITHOUT DOCUMENT. IF YOU LOST X AMOUNT OF MONEY, I WANT TO KNOW IF IT COSTS YOU. WHEN THAT ELECTRICITY WENT OUT. BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE OTHER INDUSTRY ANTIGEN HERE SINCE YOU USED THE WORD ENTERGY. HOW DO YOU KNOW? WHAT IS THAT? YOU KNOW, YOU SAYING THAT IT WENT OUT HOW MANY TIMES? WE WE DID RENT IT WENT OUT. WE WERE ESTIMATING 10 TO 15 OUTAGES PER YEAR. 10 TO $15. OKAY. YOU SAID SEVERAL HOURS. OKAY. 10 TO 15. OCH, WHAT DID IT COST YOU? WHAT THING? BECAUSE. YOU'RE NOT PREPARED. YOU KNOW, AND JUST BE PREPARED. THAT'S ALL I ASKED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HERE WE VOTING ON SOMETHING THAT ON YOUR JUST SAYING IT HAD THE OUTAGES. BUT IF YOU'D HAVE CAME HERE AND SAID THIS, THESE OUTAGES, THIS IS THE TIME, THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE LOST. WE WE CAN WORK ON OBTAINING THAT DOCUMENTATION. WE DID REACH OUT. I'M NOT. BUT IF I KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON IT TODAY BUT. YOU KNOW HOW WE HAVE ANOTHER COMPANY, A.G.. THAT'S. NOW IT'S YOUR SAY SO, BUT WE GOT TO GIVE THEM, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S COSTING YOU MONEY, MAN. LOOK, WE'RE HERE TO TO DO IT, BUT PLEASE DOCUMENT THIS. YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S A. IT'S A PROCESS. AND WE ALIVE OVER HERE. AND IF IF IF A COMPANY CAN COME UP HERE AND SAY WE HAD TEN OR 12 OUTAGES. AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT THOSE AND HOW MUCH MONEY IT LOST, WHAT IT COSTS YOU. WITHOUT THE OTHER. COMPANY OF ENTERGY NOT HERE TO SAY, WELL, IS THAT DOCUMENTED HOW MANY OLOGISTS, YOU KNOW. SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AND BECAUSE WE HAVE A JOB HERE AS BOARD MEMBERS. AND IT'S WHEN I WALK OUT OF HERE AND ENTERGY CALLS YOU. NO, I'M A STATE. REPRESENTATIVE, AND I'LL GET A CALL. YOU KNOW, AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I DID. BUT IF YOU JUST GAVE ME THE FACTS AND FIGURES. REAL NUMBERS AND MAKE IT A LOT EASIER. SO JUST THE NEXT TIME AND EVERYTHING DOCUMENTED. FASHION WHEN IT COMES TO. WELL, UTILITIES AND STUFF HAS TO BE DOCUMENTED. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, MR. BLUNT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? DO WE HAVE A MOTION? AGAIN, WE HAVE THE POLICE JURY HAS RESOLVED ANY DEFAULT ISSUES WITH THE COMPANY. THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SHERIFF HAVE RECOMMENDED TAKE NO ACTION. IN OTHER WORDS, DO NOT PENALIZE THEM FOR THE COMPLIANCE ISSUES. WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? THAT THE PENALTY NOT BE IMPOSED. I'M SORRY. MOVE THAT PENALTY NOT BE IMPOSED. MR. HOLLEY, WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MS.. FREIBERG. NO PENALTY. APPROVE THE APPLICATION OR EXCUSE ME, MOVE AHEAD WITHOUT PENALTY FOR THESE NONCOMPLIANCE ISSUES. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD ON THAT MOTION? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE MOTION? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING? NONE. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. GOOD LUCK TO YOU. MAY. WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE STATE AND CONTINUE YOUR GOOD WORK. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT. RIGHT. TRAJECTORY NOW. THANK YOU MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT. NEXT, WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT 2018 0244 FOR SUGAR FIELD SPIRITS LLC AND ANOTHER CONTRACT 2018 [01:10:05] 0245 FOR SUGAR FIELD PROPERTIES LLC, BOTH IN ASCENSION PARISH THAT ARE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD. SUGAR FIELD PROPERTIES IS THE OWNER OF THE BUILDING ONLY AND IS AN AFFILIATE OF SUGAR FIELD SPIRITS. THE CONTRACTS COVER ONE PROJECT AT THE SAME SITE AND SHARE IN EXHIBIT A AGREEMENT OUTLINING THEIR REQUIRED ANNUAL JOBS AND PAYROLL TO BE CREATED AND MAINTAINED BY SUGAR FIELD SPIRITS. THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE CONTRACTS REQUIRES SUGAR FIELD SPIRITS TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN FOUR NEW JOBS WITH 90,000 IN PAYROLL. THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WAS FOUR, WITH $179,076 IN PAYROLL. THEN THE FILING IS NON-COMPLIANT DUE TO THE LATE FILING, ONLY THE COMPLIANCE WAS DUE APRIL 30 OF 2022, BUT NOT RECEIVED UNTIL JUNE 28, 2022. THE PARISH, THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE CITY EACH SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS RECOMMENDING THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY NOT PENALIZE EITHER CONTRACT. AND THE SHERIFF SUBMITTED A LETTER RECOMMENDING NO PENALIZING ACTION ON THESE TWO CONTRACTS. WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM SUGAR FILLED SPIRITS AND SUGAR FILLED PROPERTIES. I. TO STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. MY NAME IS THOMAS SALTO. PULL THE MIKES A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YOU, PLEASE. THANK YOU. THAT BETTER? YEAH. MY NAME IS THOMAS SALTO. I'M THE OWNER, AND I DON'T KNOW. JANE, ENTER FOR YOUR FIELD. I UNDERSTAND. SO BASICALLY, WE HAVE A LATE FILING. WHAT HAPPENED ON THE LATE FILING? SO, FIRST OF ALL, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE LATE FILING. I'M THE I DO ALMOST EVERYTHING FOR THE BUSINESS. I'M ALSO A NEWBORN INTENSIVE CARE DOCTOR. AND I GOT OVERWHELMED AND JUST MISSED THE FILING. WE WE'VE RECTIFIED THAT, TAKING STEPS TO MAKE THAT NOT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. I'VE HIRED A CONSULTING GROUP, ADVANTAGE CONSULTING TO TO HELP ME WITH FILINGS. I HAD 45 CHAINSAWS IN THE AIR JUGGLING THEM, AND I DROPPED ONE. AND I APOLOGIZE. APOLOGIES AREN'T NECESSARY. WE HAVE WE HAVE COMPLIANCE ISSUES. WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL THE TIME. AND WE UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY SMALL COMPANIES THAT DEAL WITH THIS. OBVIOUSLY, YOU HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION WITHIN THE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE POLICE, JURY AND SHERIFF HAVE ALL INDICATED THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE SUPPORTIVE OF YOUR COMPANY. SO WITH THAT, AGAIN, WE HAVE A LATE FILING. MR. HOLLY, YOUR QUESTION AGAIN? WELL, THE QUESTION WAS THE QUESTION WAS WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD IMPOSE A ONE YEAR PENALTY IF IT WAS LATE IN ONE YEAR OR IF IT WENT BEYOND ONE YEAR, WOULD IT BE A TWO YEAR PENALTY, WHICH I DON'T THINK APPLIES HERE, DOES IT? BECAUSE IT'S ONLY A ONE YEAR PENALTY. BUT I DO NOTE THAT AND I STAND CORRECTED IF I'M WRONG, THE THE INITIAL ITEP CONTRACT CALLED FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES AND WAGES. AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, YOU HAVE EXCEEDED THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. YEAH. AND AND THIS YEAR, I THINK WE'RE WE'RE WE SHOULD I DON'T HAVE MY FINAL NUMBERS YET, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE WELL EXCEEDED THAT WE'LL HAVE FIVE OR SIX EMPLOYEES PLUS SEVERAL PART TIME BARTENDERS AS WELL AS PROBABLY ABOUT 250,000 IN IN SALARY FOR THIS YEAR. SO WE'RE WE'RE A GROWING BUSINESS. I MEAN, WE OPENED RIGHT BEFORE COVID LIKE JANUARY OF 20. GREAT TIMING. YEAH, GREAT TIMING. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A IT'S BEEN A A UPHILL BATTLE AT TIMES, BUT THE COMMUNITY'S REALLY GOTTEN BEHIND US. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS. WE WE HOPE TO TO BE A REALLY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS FOR LOUISIANA SOON. RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE HEARD THAT. IT'S YOUR QUESTION, MR. HALL. YES, SIR. AND WITH THAT, I WOULD MOVE THAT THIS BOARD NOT IMPOSE A PENALTY FOR THE SHORT LATE FILING. WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. MOSS. A MOTION FOR MR. HALL'S SECOND FROM MR. MOSS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING? NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? OH, I'M SORRY, MR. MUELLER. I JUST I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. I MEAN, I'M EXTREMELY SYMPATHETIC TO YOUR SITUATION AND AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I'LL VOTE, BUT I JUST WE HAVE A PRECEDENT THAT WE'VE SET, AND I JUST WONDERED IF THIS AFFECTS THAT PRECEDENT AND PUTS US IN ANY JEOPARDY IF WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN A DIFFERENT CASE. [01:15:01] I DON'T THINK YOU ALL HAVE BEEN PENALIZING FOR LATE FILINGS ON NONCOMPLIANCE. IT'S THAT'S THE PRECEDENT FOR LATE RENEWALS. BUT FOR PREVIOUS PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS, YOU ALL HAVE NOT TYPICALLY PENALIZED. WELL, AND LET ME SINCE SINCE WE'RE DOING ALL THIS ON THE RECORD, LET'S MAKE SURE LET ME MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER. COMPLIANCE ISSUES, RENEWAL. RENEWAL IS A VERY OBJECTIVE. DEAL COMPLIANCE IS IS IS SOMETHING ELSE. WHETHER SOMEONE IS A COMPLIANCE THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT, YES, THERE IS A BLACK AND WHITE RULE AND DID YOU COMPLY WITH IT OR NOT? BUT THE REASON THAT WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS ON COMPLIANCE ISSUES IS, IS THERE CAN BE MITIGATING FACTORS THAT IMPACT COMPLIANCE. ONE ONE THING WE'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER OR TWO THINGS WE'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER IS, NUMBER ONE, COVID HAD AN IMPACT ON ON PEOPLE'S OPERATIONS. NUMBER TWO, WORKFORCE AVAILABILITY HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO PUT PEOPLE ON THE PAYROLL. SO SO COMPLIANCE IS IN, AT LEAST IN MY WAY OF THINKING, IS MUCH DIFFERENT FROM. DID YOU FILE YOUR RENEWAL IN A TIMELY MANNER OR NOT? SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND COMPLIANCE IS TRULY A CASE BY CASE ANALYSIS. SO IT'S NOT. ALWAYS MAKES ME NERVOUS. PEOPLE USE PRECEDENT AS AS THE RIGHT AS THE WORD BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY NOT A PRECEDENTIAL SITUATION. LATE FILINGS VERSUS LATE RENEWALS. RIGHT. EXACTLY RIGHT. THANK YOU, BUT APPRECIATE THE QUESTION. MR. MUELLER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR. SAY I. ANY OPPOSITION THERE BEING NONE. PLEASE CONTINUE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOUR WORK. AND DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE FROM ASCENSION PARISH? BUT PLEASE SEND A MESSAGE BACK TO US. WE THANK YOU FOR FILING, FOR GETTING THE MESSAGE TO YOUR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TO LET US KNOW WHAT THEY THINK. THAT IS IMMENSELY HELPFUL. SO THE PARISHES AND THE ENTITIES THAT THAT JUST SAY I DEFER TO THE BOARD KIND OF RANKLES ME A LITTLE BIT. SO THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT NEXT, WE HAVE NON COMPLIANCE FOLLOWING THE POST CODE 2018 RULES. WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT NUMBER 2018 0413 FOR GRAHAM PACKAGING COMPANY LP AND WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH. THAT IS NON COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD. THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE CONTRACT REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN 55 JOBS WITH $2,402,400 ON PAYROLL. THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WAS 44 JOBS, WITH 3,000,234 $852 IN PAYROLL. THE FILING IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE JOBS PORTION ONLY. THE PARISH SUBMITTED A RECOMMENDATION STATING, UPON CONSIDERATION OF THE FOREGOING AND PUBLIC DISCUSSION HELD THIS DAY THAT THE WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL DEFERS TO THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY TO REQUEST NO CHARGES OR PENALTIES IMPLIED DUE TO THE EXPLAINED CIRCUMSTANCES AND AMEND THE ORIGINAL ITEP APPLICATION BASED ON WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH RESOLUTION THREE OF 2021. THAT RESOLUTION IS IN REFERENCE TO AMENDING THE EXHIBIT A AGREEMENT WHICH WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THIS BOARD. HOWEVER, THE AMENDMENT WAS PROSPECTIVE BEGINNING WITH 2022, SO IT DOESN'T APPLY TO THIS FILING. THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SHERIFF DID NOT RESPOND WITH A RECOMMENDATION. DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM GRAHAM PACKAGING? ANYONE HERE FROM GRAHAM PACKAGING. WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? WE HAVE. WE HAVE THE POLICE JURY OF THE PARISH BASICALLY TAKING NO FURTHER ACTION. THE SHERIFF AND THE SCHOOL BOARD BASICALLY SAYING NOTHING, WHICH IN MOST SITUATIONS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THEY DON'T CARE. THEREFORE, THAT'S A THAT BASICALLY AMOUNTS TO A TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION. HOWEVER, GRAHAM HAS NOT APPEARED. I'M GOING TO ASK. I'M GOING TO ASK THE BOARD TO DEFER THE MATTER AND GIVE GRAHAM ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR. BECAUSE I THINK I THINK WE STILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT. HAP THAT THAT TOOK PLACE HERE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE NOT CREATED THE NUMBER OF JOBS, BUT THEY'VE BLOWN THE TOP OUT OF THE PAYROLL. I MEAN, I. THAT'S TROUBLESOME. I WANT TO. I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON. WE HAVE THE MOTION TO DEFER GRAHAM PACKAGING TO THE NEXT MEETING. DO I HAVE A SECOND ON THAT, MR. MOSS? ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? [01:20:02] THERE BEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR. SAY I. AND HE OPPOSED THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. MISS CHENG OR MISS. WOULD YOU ALL CONTACT THEM AND JUST LET THEM KNOW? YES, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT. 2019 01204 MK ENVIRONMENTAL INC IN CALDWELL PARISH. THEY WERE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2020 AND 2021 REPORTING PERIODS. THE EXHIBIT A REQUIRES THAT THE COMPANY RETAIN 17 EXISTING JOBS AND 987,000 IN PAYROLL IN 2020. THE ACTUAL JOBS THAT WERE RETAINED WAS 14 JOBS WITH 1,013,980 IN PAYROLL. AND IN 2021 THEY RETAINED 15 JOBS WITH 1,121,985 IN PAYROLL. THE POLICE JURY RESPONDED WITH RESOLUTIONS RECOMMENDING THAT NO PENALTY BE TAKEN AGAINST MK ENVIRONMENTAL FOR THE 2020 YEAR AND NO PENALTY BE TAKEN AGAINST MK ENVIRONMENTAL FOR THE 2021 PROJECT YEAR. A LETTER WAS ALSO RECEIVED FROM THE POLICE JURY PRESIDENT MARK BLACK STATING CALDWELL PARISH POLICE JURY IS IN SUPPORT OF CONTINUING THE EXEMPTION FOR MK ENVIRONMENTAL. THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SHERIFF DID NOT RESPOND. DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM MK ENVIRONMENTAL? VERY GOOD. WHICH STATES YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. MY NAME IS MARK GUERIN. I'M THE MANAGER FOR THE MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN CALDWELL PARISH. GREAT. FIRST OF ALL, TELL US WHAT YOU MANUFACTURE. WE ARE A MANUFACTURER OF SPECIALIZED ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION EQUIPMENT. IT'S GROUND AND SOIL WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT. SO THINGS THAT LIKE YOU WOULD USE AT UNDERGROUND STORAGE, TANK FACILITIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WE MANUFACTURE EQUIPMENT THAT GOES GLOBALLY AND WE BUILD IT IN CALDWELL PARISH. GOOD. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE HERE A SITUATION WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE IN 2021 YOU MET SALARY EXPECTATIONS BUT FELL SHORT ON THE JOB. TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. CORRECT. SO WE FELL SHORT ON JOBS FOR TWO YEARS CONSECUTIVELY, WHICH I THINK SHE ACKNOWLEDGED. AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'VE ALREADY STATED THE THREE THINGS THAT WE'RE FIGHTING. RIGHT. SO IT'S WE'RE DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC, WE'RE DEALING WITH WORKFORCE. WE CANNOT FIND REPLACEMENTS TO COME TO WORK. AND I FORGOT WHAT THE THIRD ONE YOU JUST MENTIONED A SECOND AGO, AND I WANTED TO RETAIN IT AND I'VE ALREADY FORGOTTEN IT. BUT WE HAD PEOPLE THAT LEAVE OUR COMPANY AND IT'S NOT BY OUR WANTING. I MEAN, WE'RE WE'RE STRUGGLING TO FIND EMPLOYEES. WE CANNOT GET ENOUGH PEOPLE TO COME TO WORK. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE REPORTING PERIOD, I MEAN, IT'S CORRECT, BUT IT'S NOT A TRUE REFLECTION OF THE ENTIRE YEAR. IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE THAT. THAT'S CORRECT. AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN WE REPORTED IT, WE WERE BELOW IT. BUT THE THE JOBS WERE YOU KNOW, WE REPLACED THESE EMPLOYEES IN JANUARY OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR. AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT A PERCENTAGE OF THE TIME THAT WE WERE BELOW THE NUMBER, IT IT'S NOT 100%, BUT IT'S NOT BUT IT'S NOT 50% EITHER. I MEAN, LIKE WE WERE WE HAD THE NUMBER FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME OF THE YEAR, WHICH IS THE REASON FOR THE THE THE SALARY NUMBER. CORRECT. WHICH WERE NUMBERS WHICH WE WERE ABLE TO EXCEED REGARDLESS OF THAT. RIGHT. AND I BELIEVE AND I DON'T SUBMIT THE REPORT PERSONALLY FOR OUR COMPANY, BUT IT WAS FORWARDED TO ME WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SUBMIT FOR 2022. AND WE WERE WE EXCEEDED THE NUMBER WE'RE SUPPOSED TO EXCEED AND EXCEEDED THE PAYROLL BY 400 AND SOMETHING THOUSAND, WHICH IS 20,000 PER EMPLOYEE. MORE. SO 400,000. IF YOU HAVE 400 EMPLOYEES, MAYBE NOT SIGNIFICANT, BUT 400,000. WHEN YOU HAVE 17 EMPLOYEES, AS IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT, IT'S 20,000 MORE PER EMPLOYEE THAN WHAT THAN WHAT WE WERE ASKED TO MAINTAIN. I'M CURIOUS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. HAVE YOU FOUND IN CALDWELL PARISH THAT BY INCREASING THE SALARIES, IT'S MADE YOUR JOB ATTRACTION ANY BETTER? NO. AND THAT'S A THAT'S A NEW PHENOMENON WE'RE SEEING. AND IT IS THE MOST WE'VE BEEN IN CALDWELL PARISH SINCE 2005. AND LARGELY SPEAKING, WE'RE THERE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I WAS LIVING AT THE TIME WHEN WE OPENED THE FACILITY. AND I THOUGHT WHEN WE OPENED THERE, THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT BECAUSE THERE'S NO INDUSTRY IN CALDWELL PARISH AND WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO KILL IT LIKE WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO EVERYBODY'S GOING TO WANT TO WORK FOR US. AND IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. LIKE, WE GO THROUGH CYCLES OF COMPETING WITH OFFSHORE. WE GO THROUGH CYCLES OF COMPETING WITH PIPELINE WORKERS AND GAS WELLS AND PEOPLE THAT WOULD RATHER GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND MAKE TRIPLE THE RATE AND WORK HALF THE YEAR AND THEN COME BACK AND HUNT. AND IT MAKES IT I. IT'S NOT WHAT WE WOULD HAVE EVER EXPECTED WHEN WE OPENED IN CALDWELL PARISH. IT'S NOT WHAT WE WOULD HAVE EVER EXPECTED. BUT IT'S BEEN UNBELIEVABLY HARD. AND THERE IS A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF COMPANIES OPERATING IN OUR PARISH, AND IT'S HAS BEEN UNBELIEVABLY HARD TO MAINTAIN QUALITY EMPLOYEES, REPLACE EMPLOYEES AT ALL, MUCH LESS [01:25:03] REPLACE EMPLOYEES AT THEIR OF THE CALIBER THAT WE WOULD HOPE TO GET AND TO BE ABLE TO. YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR US TO GROW OUR BUSINESS BECAUSE OF IT, QUITE FRANKLY. SO FOR 2022, YOU'VE MET YOUR NUMBERS. HOW DO YOU WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO? WE HAVE HAD TO DOUBLE DOWN. AND IT'S INTERESTING AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL BECAUSE YOU ASKED. I WANT TO TELL YOU WE'VE HAD TO GO HIGHER. ENGINEERS AND COLLEGE GRADUATE PEOPLE TO DO SHOP LEVEL POSITIONS BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND ANY ENGINEERING JOBS, BUT THEY'RE WILLING TO COME BUILD EQUIPMENT FOR US AND GET THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR AND HOPE THAT THEY CAN HAVE AN ENGINEERING JOB DOWN THE ROAD. INTERESTING. SO BECAUSE WE CAN'T FIND SKILLED CRAFTSMEN, RIGHT. PEOPLE WITH WITH WITH THE BACKGROUND THAT WE NEED. SO WE'VE WE'VE MADE THE DECISION TO WE'RE GOING TO HIRE COLLEGE GRADUATES AND TRAIN THEM TO BE TECHNICIANS AND TEACHABLE PEOPLE. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT. AND WHERE MAYBE WE NEED THREE OR FOUR OR FIVE COLLEGE LEVEL POSITIONS TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE TRENDING CLOSER TO HALF AT THIS POINT OF OUR STAFF IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN IT. AND WHICH IS ALSO WHY YOU SEE OUR PAYROLL HAVE TO GO UP BECAUSE IT'S THE IT'S THE ONLY CHOICE WE HAVE. I HAVE PEOPLE COME TO WORK TO MEET OUR CUSTOMERS DEADLINES. THE BOARD IS PROBABLY WONDERING, JONES, WHY ARE YOU ASKING THESE QUESTIONS? WELL, THE REASON IS BECAUSE WE'RE STARTING TO WE'RE STARTING TO HEAR THIS NARRATIVE FROM COMPANIES ABOUT THE INABILITY TO FILL THESE SLOTS, EVEN PAYING THEM MORE. AND I'M I'M FRANKLY VERY CURIOUS TO FIND OUT HOW COMPANIES ARE ADDRESSING IT. SO I APOLOGIZE FOR GETTING INTO YOUR BUSINESS. NO, I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING BECAUSE THERE'S YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD I'VE BEEN HERE IN THE ENTIRE MEETING. I'VE LISTENED TO ALL THE COMMENTS AND EVERYTHING. EVERY SINGLE PERSON HAS RESONATED WITH ME EXCEPT FOR POWER OUTAGE. BUT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. AND WE HAVE APPLIED FOR EVERY. STATE OF LOUISIANA INITIATIVE. THAT WE CAN FIND TA TA TA TA TO HELP OUR COMPANY. WHETHER IT BE AN ENTERPRISE ZONE. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE ONE THAT WAS A RURAL JOBS AND THANK YOU. IT WAS QUALITY JOBS. WE WERE LITERALLY ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE STREET FROM SOME MAP SOMEONE DREW. AND IF YOU CAN FIND A MORE IF YOU CAN FIND A BETTER EXAMPLE THAN WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL IS DOING IN A RURAL COMMUNITY FOR AN INDUSTRIAL JOB, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT. BUT BECAUSE WE'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD, WE DON'T GET AND NO ONE CARES. WE DON'T. WE DON'T GET THE QUALIFICATION. SO IT'S IT'S AND AND WHEN I SAY THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD, I MEAN THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE WERE LEASING PROPERTY FROM THE CALDWELL PARISH INDUSTRIAL BOARD, BUT WE'RE ON BUT WE'RE ON THE WRONG LOCATION. THEY DIDN'T PUT IT MAKES NO SENSE. THEY DIDN'T PUT THEIR OWN INDUSTRIAL PARK INSIDE THE SAME INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT YOU CANNOT GET NATURAL GAS OR INTERNET. WELL, BUT BECAUSE WE CHOSE TO SUPPORT. I KNOW IT'S COMICAL. LOOK, IT'S APPROACHING 20 YEARS OF STRESS AND I AGREE IT IS COMICAL, BUT IT'S LIKE YOU CAN SEE THE STRESS IN MY VOICE ASSOCIATED WITH IT BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT. IT'S UNBELIEVABLY DIFFICULT. IT'S IT'S IT'S CRAZY THAT WE CAN'T GET INTERNET. AND IF A CLOUD GOES BY, WE CAN'T HOLD A MEETING WITH A CLIENT BECAUSE, HEY, SORRY, WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE WEATHER TO GET BETTER. WELL, HOPEFULLY THAT'S GOING TO GET BETTER. CORRECT. INTERNET ISSUES MAY GET, BUT WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU ALL HAVE ALLOWED US TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE THINGS THE STATE IS TRYING TO DO TO INCENTIVIZE US TO STAY HERE. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AGAIN, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PARISH TO TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION, NO RESPONSE FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD OR THE SHERIFF. WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MAKE A MOTION. WE TAKE NO ACTION. TAKE NO ACTION TO HAVE A MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. MS.. FREIBERG, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT. ST BLOCK, I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU SOMETIME, AND I GOT SOLUTIONS FOR YOU THAT WILL. THAT'S YOU UP IN THE. I HEAR THIS ALL THE TIME AND WE SOLVED A LOT OF SOLUTIONS AND WE HAVE A. LOUISIANA HAS A PEOPLE PROBLEM. MM HMM. OKAY. AND WE SOLVING A LOT OF IT AND SEE ME. I LIKE. I'LL COME UP AND SEE YOU. I'LL DO WHAT YOU CAN TO KEEP YOU HERE, TO DO WHAT WE GOT TO DO. BUT I. GOT. YOU GOT TO BE CONNECTED WITH THE PEOPLE. YOU GOT TO BE CONNECTED WITH GETTING WORKFORCE FOR YOU. I HAVE SOME SOLUTIONS AND WE'LL BE THERE AND YOU CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK IT OVER. YES, SIR. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WAS WITH. JUST TALK TO ME. YES, SIR. OKAY. THANKS. APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT. [01:30:01] ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION THERE BEING NONE? THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU WHAT YOU'RE DOING UP IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE. YES. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. THAT CONCLUDES THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PORTION. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON. GETTING CLOSE TO THE END, FOLKS. DON'T GIVE UP. [5. Quality Jobs Program – Michaela Adegbe] ALL RIGHT, MR. DUGGLEBY. GOOD MORNING. PLEASE WALK US THROUGH THE QUALITY JOB APPLICATIONS WE HAVE FOR NEW APPLICATIONS. 2020 0423 AQUAS CORPORATION, LAFAYETTE PARISH, 2020 20327 CABOT CORPORATION. EVANGELINE PARISH, 2020 0413 INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY. DESOTO PARISH 2020 0253 VENTURE GLOBAL. LNG INC. PLAQUEMINES PARISH. IN JUST SO NO ONE. I KNOW WE'RE LATE IN THE MEETING, BUT I WANT PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THAT NUMBER ON VENTURE GLOBAL. WE DON'T GET TO SEE $14 BILLION VERY OFTEN, BUT THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT. ALL RIGHT. ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE APPLICATIONS FOR MR. MOSS. HAVE A SECOND FROM MAYOR TOUPS. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD HEARING? NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSITION THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT HAVE ONE RENEWAL 2018 0087 LASALLE LUMBER COMPANY LASALLE PARISH WRITE A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM MR. MOSS. SECOND FROM DR. MCQUEEN. 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. HAVE ONE CHANGE OF COMPANY NAME. 2013 1171 CURRENT COMPANY NAME NGL ENERGY OPERATING LLC. NEW COMPANY NAME. NGL SHARED SERVICES LLC. EAST FELICIANA PARISH. I HAVE A MOTION FOR MR. MOSS TO APPROVE. SECOND FOR MAYOR TOUPS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSITION THERE BEING NONE? THE MOTION CARRIES ONE REQUEST TO ADD AN AFFILIATE OR LLC MEMBER TO SCHEDULE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CONTRACT. 2019 0206 CONTRACT NAME CALCASIEU PASS OPERATIONS LLC. NEW AFFILIATES AND OR LLC MEMBERS. TRANS CAMERON PIPELINE LLC AND CP MARINE OFFLOADING LLC. CAMERON PARISH. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MOSS TO APPROVE. SECOND FROM DR. MCQUEEN. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE 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. THIS CONCLUDES QUALITY JOBS. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANKS. [6. Restoration Tax Abatement Program – Becky Lambert] AS LAMBERT. SHE'S CHANGED. FRANK FAVERO, TRAVELER. IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. GLAD I'M GLAD YOU'RE. THE B TEAM IS HERE. OKAY. THAT'S THE BEST ACKNOWLEDGMENT I'VE EVER GOTTEN. GOOD. GOOD. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, MR. PAVEL. WALK US THROUGH IT, PLEASE. THANK YOU. RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT FOR NEW APPLICATIONS 2018 0431 1148 SOUTH PETERS STREET DEVELOPMENT, LLC IN ORLEANS PARISH, 2020 0227 KIMBALL PROPERTIES LLC IN EAST BATON ROUGE. 20210591 LUDLUM PROPERTIES IN WASHINGTON PARISH. 202104292 GRETNA LLC IN JEFFERSON PARISH. THAT CONCLUDES THE NEW APPLICATIONS. JUST AS A REMINDER TO THE BOARD UNDER THE RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, THESE MATTERS GO TO THE LOCAL ENTITIES BEFORE THEY COME TO THE BOARD. SO. ANY MOTION ON THESE. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR MR. MOSS TO APPROVE. SECOND, FROM THE. MR. FABBRO. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD BEING NONE? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? [01:35:01] AND NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSITION THERE BEING NONE? THE MOTION CARRIES. THERE ARE FOUR RTA RENEWAL APPLICATIONS 2015 20252 TEN LAUREL STREET, LLC IN ORLEANS AND EXCUSE ME, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. 2015 1065 JEFFERSON STREET MARKET, LLC IN LAFAYETTE PARISH. 2014 0903 VANTAGE HEALTH PLAN INC AND AFFINITY HEALTH GROUP, LLC IN WASHINGTON PARISH IN 2016 1399 VANTAGE HEALTH PLAN INC AND AFFINITY HEALTH GROUP, LLC IN WASHINGTON PARISH. THAT CONCLUDES THE RENEWALS. MOTION FROM MR. MOSS TO APPROVE SECOND FROM MR. TOUPS ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS 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. THAT CONCLUDES RESERVATION TAX. THANK YOU, SIR. OH, I KNOW. [7. Enterprise Zone Program – Joyce Metoyer] TONY, HOW ARE YOU THIS MORNING? I'M GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? WALK US THROUGH ENTERPRISE ZONE, PLEASE. WE HAVE THREE NEW APPLICATIONS, 2020 0051 ASH INDUSTRIES, INC., LAFAYETTE PARISH, 2019 051 FOR ASSOCIATED GROCERS, INC., EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 2019 0421 WEST V BRIDGES INC.. EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. WE HAVE A MOTION. SO MOVE MOTION FOR MR. NASSER'S SECOND FROM MR. MOSS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OPPOSITION THERE BEING NONE? THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT I HAVE TERMINATIONS. 2018 0310 CHALMETTE REFINING, LLC, ST BERNARD PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS NOVEMBER ONE OF 2018 THROUGH 1031 OF 2023. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS APRIL 30, 2021. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2018 0045. HUNT FOREST PRODUCTS LLC GRANT PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS JANUARY ONE OF 19 THROUGH 1231 OF 2023. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 630 2021. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2019 0173. JACKSON HARDWOOD, LLC. EAST FELICIANA. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 517 OF 19 TWO 516 OF 2024. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS NOVEMBER 16, 2021. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS OR ANTICIPATED. 2015. 2061. LOUISIANA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. ORLEANS PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS JANUARY ONE OF 18 THROUGH 1231 OF 2022. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS JUNE 30 OF 2020. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2015 1094 MONSANTO COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES SAINT CHARLES PARISH, THE EXISTING CONTRACTORS. JULY 16 OF 2015 THROUGH JULY 15 OF 2020. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS JANUARY 15 OF 2018. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET NO ADDITIONAL JOBS OR ANTICIPATED 2016 1606 RRD AMERICA LLC, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 1015 OF 16 THROUGH 1014 OF 2021. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS DECEMBER 31 OF 2020. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET NO ADDITIONAL JOBS OR ANTICIPATED. 2018 0100 RANDOLPH MCCORMICK REALTY INCORPORATED, ST LANDRY PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS MARKED APRIL I'M SORRY, APRIL ONE, 2018, THROUGH MARCH 31 OF 2023. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS OCTOBER 20 OF 2022. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2016 0703 SUPREME BRIGHTON OLA TWO SUBTENANT LLC ORLEANS PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS JULY EIGHT, 2016, THROUGH JULY SEVEN, 2021. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS JANUARY ONE, 2020. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2017 ZERO 620 SYNGENTA PROPERTY. SYNGENTA CROP PROTECTION LLC. ABBEVILLE PARISH, JANUARY ONE OF 19 THROUGH 1231 OF 23 IS THE EXISTING CONTRACT. TERM DATE. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS JUNE 30, 2021. [01:40:03] THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2015 2049 WOMEN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS JUNE 2016 THROUGH JUNE 19 OF 2021. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS DECEMBER 19 OF 2018. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. 2016 0706 CALICO POWER LLC, ST MARY PARISH. THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS OCTOBER NINE OF 2017 THROUGH OCTOBER EIGHT OF 2022. THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS APRIL 8TH OF 2020. THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET. NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED. THANK YOU, MA'AM. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL IN GLOBO. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND. MR. MUELLER. FOR THE RECORD, THE CHAIR WILL BE RECUSING HIMSELF FROM ANY VOTE ON MONSANTO COMPANIES SUBSIDIARIES. 2015 1094. OTHERWISE, I'LL CONTINUE TO FACILITATE THE VOTE ON THIS MATTER. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANYBODY WANT TO TAKE ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALLY? HEARING NON ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OPPOSITION THERE BEING THE MOTION CARRIES? WE ARE AT THE END OF THE AGENDA. OR IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD TODAY? THE SECRETARY HAD TO LEAVE FOR THE JOINT LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE ON THE BUDGETING MEETING, SO HE HAD TO GO DO WHAT ADMINISTRATORS [9. Secretary Remarks – Secretary Don Pierson] DO SO HE APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING TO LEAVE THE MEETING EARLY. SO WE WILL HAVE NO COMMENTS FOR HIM. WITH NO OTHER BUSINESS, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR MR. HOLLY. A SECOND FROM MR. MOSS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEK. WE WILL SEE YOU IN MARCH. MARCH, THE BEGINNING OF MARCH. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.