Jul 14, 2023 Board of Commerce and Industry

WE GOT TO CALL TO ORDER.

[1.Call to Order – Jerald Jones, Chairman]

[00:00:11]

WE HAD TO POSTPONE THE LAST MEETING.

WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY CONVENIENCE DUE TO A RATHER LARGE EPA HEARING THAT WAS BEING HELD IN THIS ROOM THAT DAY, AND WE WERE TRYING TO AVOID SOME COMPLICATIONS.

SO I HOPE THIS WORKED REASONABLY WELL.

MISS SIMMONS, IF YOU WILL CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.

CALL] WE HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

[3.Approval of Minutes from April 26, 2023 meeting]

HOPE YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MOSS. SECOND FROM MR. HOLLINS. 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.

I THINK THE SECOND WAS FROM MR. ALLAIN. THAT JUST CAME FROM MY RIGHT SIDE.

FORGIVE ME FOR MY MISTAKE.

ALL RIGHT, MR. ROSENBERG.

[4.Restoration Tax Abatement Program – Travis Rosenberg]

I'M DOING WELL. GOOD.

WALK US THROUGH THE RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM, PLEASE.

THERE ARE THREE NEW RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENTS PROGRAM APPLICATIONS.

NUMBER 20220213 ASSOCIATED GROCERS, INC IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH 20200213 NORF2 SAINT LOUIS LLC IN ORLEANS PARISH AND 20210106 NS HOTEL PARTNERS MSY LLC IN ORLEANS PARISH.

I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAMS. MISS [INAUDIBLE] WITH THE MOTION SECOND FROM MR. MOSS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU, SIR. [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE.

NO, SIR. THAT CONCLUDES THE RTA AGENDA.

GREAT. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[5.Enterprise Zone Program – Joyce Metoyer]

GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE THE B TEAM IN FOR MS. METOYER. YES, SIR.

THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU'LL LEAD WELL.

ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM.

WALK US THROUGH IT. YES, SIR.

THERE ARE NINE NEW APPLICATIONS FOR THE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM.

BEFORE BEGINNING, THOUGH, THERE IS ONE AMENDMENT TO THIS AGENDA COVER PAGE ON THE FIRST ONE 20190309.

THEY ARE NOT SEEKING AN ESTIMATED INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT.

THEY ARE SEEKING ONLY THE SALES AND USE TAX BENEFIT.

THIS IS CAPITAL CITY PRODUCE? YES, SIR. OKAY.

20190309 CAPITAL CITY PRODUCE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

20190119 RAEFORD FORMS OF LOUISIANA LLC IN LINCOLN PARISH.

20200225 RUSTIC CONSTRUCTION LLC IN WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

20200203 TURNER INDUSTRIAL GROUP, LLC IN WEST BATON ROUGE.

20200206 TURNER INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE, LLC IN EAST BATON ROUGE, 20200201 TURNER INDUSTRIAL

[00:05:04]

20200204 TURNER INDUSTRIES GROUP, LLC IN CALCASIEU 20200202.

TURNER SPECIALTY SERVICES IN EAST BATON ROUGE AND 20200208 TURNER SPECIALTY SERVICES, LLC, IN CALCASIEU.

THAT CONCLUDES THE NEW APPLICATIONS FOR ENTERPRISE ZONE.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE.

MOTION MR. [INAUDIBLE] 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.

THERE ARE FIVE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM CONTRACT TERMINATION REQUESTS.

20160736 ASSOCIATED MARINE EQUIPMENT LLC IN SAINT JAMES.

THE EXISTING CONTRACT PERIOD 11/1/18 THROUGH 10/31/22 WITH A REQUESTED TERMINATION DATE OF 10/31/21.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET, SO NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED.

20170341 COMMUNITY CARE CENTER OF HOUMA, LLC IN TERREBONE 6/1/19 THROUGH 5/31/2024, WITH A REQUESTED TERM DATE OF 11/30/2021.

PROGRAM RETIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.

NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED.

20160818 NEW IBERIA HOLDINGS INC IN RAPIDES.

EXISTING CONTRACT PERIOD 11/13/18 THROUGH 11/12/23 WITH REQUESTED EARLY TERM DATE OF 12/22/2021.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.

NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED.

20160657 OUR LADY OF THE LAKE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, EAST BATON ROUGE.

ORIGINAL EXISTING CONTRACT PERIOD 05/01/2018 THROUGH 04/30/2023 REQUESTED TERMINATION DATE OF 10/31/20 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.

NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED.

20170643 RAIL LOGIX LACASSINE, LLC IN JEFFERSON DAVIS WITH AN EXISTING CONTRACT PERIOD OF 04/01/18 THROUGH 03/31/2023.

THE REQUESTED TERMINATION DATE OF 03/31/2021.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.

NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED.

THAT CONCLUDES THE CONTRACT TERMINATION REQUESTS.

MOTION TO APPROVE THESE TERMINATIONS.

MOTION BY MS. [INAUDIBLE]. [INAUDIBLE] SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? SEEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THAT CONCLUDES ENTERPRISE ZONES.

THANK YOU, SIR.

[6.Industrial Tax Exemption – Kristin Cheng/Hud Usie]

ONE IS REQUESTING DEFERRAL NUMBER 20161508 KOCH METHANOL, SAINT JAMES LLC IN SAINT JAMES PARISH.

AS A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE, I WILL BE RECUSING MYSELF FROM ANY VOTE CONCERNING THE KOCH METHANOL PROJECT, BUT WILL STILL FACILITATE ANY ACTION ON IT.

SO WE WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE DEFERRAL.

SO MOVED. I HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSAR, SECOND FROM MISS COLA.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE.

EXCUSE ME. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THE MATTER IS DEFERRED.

20141610-C MARATHON PETROLEUM COMPANY LP SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH AND 20151141-B VENTURE GLOBAL CALCASIEU PASS, LLC IN CAMERON PARISH.

OKAY. DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM MARATHON? GOOD MORNING. IF YOU WOULD JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.

LINDSAY [INAUDIBLE], ACCOUNTANT.

WHAT WE TRY TO DO WITH, ESPECIALLY ON THE PRE-EO PROJECTS, WHEN THEY COME IN AND THE TRACKS START

[00:10:01]

THIS PROJECT IS DONE IN PHASES AROUND OUR TURNAROUND SCHEDULE.

MOST OF OUR UNITS ARE ON A 6 TO 7 YEAR CYCLE.

SO ANNUALLY WE HAVE DIFFERENT TURNAROUNDS IN DIFFERENT UNITS.

SO I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE LEFT.

OUR ESTIMATE IS TO END IN 2027.

OKAY, GOOD.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF THE MARATHON PROJECT HERE? ALL RIGHT. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.

HAVE A MOTION. MR. [INAUDIBLE], A SECOND FROM MR. NASSER. 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 SO MUCH.

VENTURE WE NEED.

DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM VENTURE GLOBAL? GOOD MORNING, AND IF YOU'LL JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.

DUSTIN RICHARDS, AND I AM A SENIOR ACCOUNTANT AT THE COMPANY.

RIGHT. AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO IS UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE IN THE PROJECT AND WHAT WE HAVE LEFT AHEAD OF US.

WE ARE A MAJORITY OF THE WAY THERE.

WE PLACED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE FACILITY INTO SERVICE IN 2022.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE AGENDA HERE.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO DO ON THE COMMISSIONING PHASE OF OF THE PROJECT AND WE'RE WORKING EXPEDITIOUSLY, EXPEDITIOUSLY TO GET TO GET THAT DONE . AN EXACT TIMELINE, I DON'T KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ARE WORKING EXPEDITIOUSLY TO GET THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE FACILITY COMMISSIONED AND COMPLETE.

OKAY. SO THIS IS A REPRESENTS A $7 BILLION INVESTMENT HERE.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OR CAN YOU TELL US TODAY WHAT IS LEFT TO BE DONE FROM AN INVESTMENT PERSPECTIVE, SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THAT. [CHUCKLING] WE'RE TALKING THE REMAINING SMALL PORTION TO GET THAT DONE.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

THAT WAS MY INSTINCT, BUT YEAH, I WANTED TO BE SURE I UNDERSTOOD.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A $20 BILLION PROJECT.

NO, SIR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT'S EVEN IN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY, BUT IT IS THESE DAYS, SO.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE INVESTMENT THAT VENTURE CAPITAL HAS MADE IN LOUISIANA.

$7 BILLION IS NOTHING TO [INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

ABSOLUTELY. WITH THAT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OKAY, MR. ALLAIN. OKAY.

SO ON THIS PROJECT, DID YOU ALSO APPLY FOR QUALITY JOBS CAPITAL PORTION? WE DID. OKAY, AND YOU WERE GRANTED THAT? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT, GREAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MR. MOSS. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU AGAIN. NEXT WE HAVE FIVE NEW APPLICATIONS FOLLOWING THE 2018 RULES.

20220014 INTERNATIONAL MEZZO TECHNOLOGIES INC EAST.

BATON ROUGE PARISH.

20220453 LOTTE CHEMICAL, LOUISIANA LLC.

CALCASIEU PARISH.

20220344. SYNGENTA CROP PROTECTION, LLC.

IBERVILLE PARISH.

20230078 UCORE NORTH AMERICA LLC.

RAPIDES PARISH, AND 20210139-B W.R.

GRACE AND CO.-CONN.

CALCASIEU PARISH.

ALL RIGHT.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THESE 2018 RULES APPLICATIONS? FROM MS. [INAUDIBLE], MOTION TO APPROVE.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND SECOND FROM MISS COLA? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT, WE HAVE TWO LATE RENEWALS FOLLOWING THE PRE EXECUTIVE ORDER RULES.

THE FIRST IS 20150189-A EPIC PIPING LLC IN LIVINGSTON PARISH.

THE INITIAL CONTRACT EXPIRATION WAS 12/31/2022.

LATE RENEWAL REQUEST DATE IS APRIL 18TH OF 2023.

[00:15:03]

DEVIN LAMBERT, ACCOUNTING CONTROLLER.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, AND MIRANDA BROWN.

I'M WITH [INAUDIBLE] CONSULTING.

ALL RIGHT AS IS OUR CUSTOM ON LATE RENEWALS, WE'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THE BECAUSE YOU ARE SUBJECT TO A POTENTIAL PENALTY FROM THE BOARD. WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE CIRCUMSTANCES GIVING RISE TO THE LATE FILING.

SO WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST? I'LL GO. SO WHEN WE WERE PREPARING THEIR PROPERTY--PULL THE MICS A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YOU.

SORRY. GREAT, THANKS. WHEN WE WERE PREPARING THEIR PROPERTY TAX RENDITIONS EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE DISCOVERED THAT THIS CONTRACT HAD NOT BEEN RENEWED.

SO WE WENT THROUGH OUR DATABASE AND IT APPEARS IT WAS A CLERICAL ERROR.

IT WASN'T IN OUR SYSTEM, SO IT DIDN'T PROMPT US TO FILE THE RENEWAL WHEN IT WAS DUE, BUT WE HAVE SINCE DONE A FULL AUDIT OF OUR SYSTEM AND CONFIRM THAT THERE'S NO OTHER ISSUES.

SO IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

UNDER THE. THIS IS FOR THE BOARD.

JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, THIS IS A PRE-EO APPLICATION.

SO UNDER POST-EO, WE HAVE RULES THAT DICTATE WHAT THE PENALTIES WILL BE.

THE PENALTIES FOR PRE-EO ARE PURELY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE OPTIONS FOR THE BOARD, WE CAN APPROVE THE RENEWAL, THE FIVE YEAR RENEWAL WITH A PENALTY.

WE CAN APPROVE IT WITHOUT A PENALTY.

WE CAN APPROVE IT WITH A PENALTY OR WE CAN DENY THE REQUEST FOR RENEWAL.

SO AS I'M FOND OF SAYING, THE WORLD IS OUR OYSTER UNDER THE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN OUR CUSTOM TO APPLY A ONE YEAR PENALTY ON THE LATE RENEWALS.

SO WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? I'D MOVE TO RENEW WITH A ONE YEAR PENALTY.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH A ONE YEAR PENALTY.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND. DR. THOMPSON.

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.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE 20151723 UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION.

SAINT CHARLES PARISH CONTRACT EXPIRATION DATE 12/31 OF 2022 LATE RENEWAL REQUEST DATE MARCH 9TH OF 2023.

DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM DOW OR UNION CARBIDE? GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING. [INAUDIBLE], SENIOR TAX LEADER.

GOOD MORNING. DAVID CAVELL, DIRECTOR OF STATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.

RIGHT. THANK YOU.

TELL US WHAT WE HAVE HERE.

SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

THIS PARTICULAR APPLICATION IS A RENEWAL APPLICATION.

THE BOARD APPROVED OF THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION IN JANUARY OF 2023.

THE APPLICATION RENEWAL DEADLINE LAPSED IN DECEMBER OF 2022.

ACCORDING TO OUR CONSULTANTS, THERE WAS NO WAY FOR US TO GO INTO THE SYSTEM AND SUBMIT A RENEWAL APPLICATION UNTIL THE BOARD HAD APPROVED THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE IN YOUR PACKETS YOU SHOULD HAVE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM SAINT CHARLES PARISH GOVERNMENT.

THEY'RE IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT, OF THIS RENEWAL APPLICATION.

THEY WERE IN SUPPORT OF THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION BACK IN JANUARY OF 2023 OR JANUARY 2023 , AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE'VE MET ALL OF OUR OBLIGATIONS FOR THIS CONTRACT AS WELL. SO WHEN YOU SAY THERE'S NO WAY TO APPLY FOR THE RENEWAL BEFORE THE CONTRACT IS EXECUTED.

SO I GUESS THE QUESTION BECOMES, CAN YOU RENEW SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT YET COME INTO FRUITION, APPROVED BY THE BOARD? I KNOW THERE WAS SOME DEBATE LAST TIME AROUND WITH REGARDS TO WHETHER OR NOT A CONTRACT CAN BE RENEWED WITH OR WITHOUT THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE.

WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING THAT THIS PARTICULAR RENEWAL APPLICATION DID NOT RECEIVE BOARD APPROVAL, SO THERE WAS NO WAY FOR US TO GO INTO THE SYSTEM AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION RENEWAL. OKAY, AND WE'VE HAD THIS SITUATION BEFORE FOR THE SAME REASONS WITH WITH YOU GUYS.

IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK IT WAS IN REGARDS TO THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE.

WE WERE WAITING ON THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE, AND THAT WAS THE DEBATE LAST TIME AROUND.

[00:20:01]

IS THERE ANY ANYTHING FROM THE STAFF, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE STAFF ON THIS? FASTLANE DOES NOT PROHIBIT YOU FROM FILING ANY ADDITIONAL FORMS AFTER AN APPLICATION HAS BEEN FILED.

SO THEY COULD HAVE FILED THEIR REQUEST FOR RENEWAL PRIOR TO, AND THIS APPLICATION EVEN GOING TO THE BOARD.

OKAY, I MIGHT ADD.

PLEASE PULL THE MIC A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YOU.

I PERSONALLY DO NOT FILE THE COMPLIANCE, BUT I HAVE ACCESS TO FASTLANE.

I TRY TO GO AND CREATE ONE COULD NOT DO IT.

I HAVE ALSO REVIEWED THE RULES.

I THINK SOMEONE QUESTIONED ME ABOUT THE RULES.

I'VE PERSONALLY REVIEWED THE RULES AND THE RULES STATE YOU CAN'T.

THE FILING OF THE PCR AND THE AFC.

I'M SORRY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOSE THE ACRONYMS FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME.

IT'S TWO FORMS THAT'S REQUIRED TO BE ABLE TO VISIBLY SEE IT IN THE FASTLLANE AS I APPRECIATE IT THE COMMENTS FROM MISS KRISTIN LAST TIME AND THE RULES SAY THOSE ARE FILED AT A LATER COULD BE AT THE LATEST DATE EVEN AFTER SIGNATURE.

AGAIN, I TRIED PERSONALLY TO GO IN AND FILE IT CAN CAN DO IT AND OUR CONSULTANTS SAID THEY COULDN'T DO IT.

NOW, I THINK THEY COMMUNICATED WITH KRISTIN AND THEY DID FILE THAT EARLY THE TWO FORMS EARLY TO BE ABLE TO GET THE RENEWAL.

SO WE ACTUALLY FILED THOSE TWO FORMS BEFORE WE GOT THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE TO BE ABLE TO VISIBLY SEE AND APPLY THE RENEWAL.

SO THEY WERE EXCUSE ME, THEY WERE FILED AFTER THE BOARD APPROVED IN JANUARY.

CORRECT, BUT BEFORE THE CONTRACT WAS ACTUALLY EXECUTED BY THE GOVERNOR? CORRECT. WELL, HERE AGAIN, FROM THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY RULES THAT DICTATE WHAT THE PENALTY IS.

SO AGAIN, TO MY EARLIER COMMENTS, WE HAVE THREE OPTIONS.

WE CAN RENEW WITHOUT PENALTY UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, OR WE CAN APPROVE WITH A PENALTY OR WE CAN DENY THE RENEWAL ALTOGETHER.

GIVEN WHAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY, WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? MR. FAVALORO, YOU'RE SITTING AT THE TABLE.

DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? JUST A PORTION OF THE PROCESS.

I'D LIKE TO ORATE TO THE BOARD, IF I COULD.

OH, ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE WITHIN A CERTAIN TIME FRAME AFTER A PROJECT IS COMPLETED.

THIS APPLICATION DID NOT GET COMPLETED UNTIL THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE [INAUDIBLE] TO WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE EXEMPTION? IT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR THE DECEMBER BOARD OF 2022, BUT THAT BOARD WAS POSTPONED AGAIN.

FASTLANE DOES ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO FILE SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR RENEWALS AND ALL THE FORMS, REGARDLESS IF THE CONTRACT WAS ACTUALLY EXECUTED OR APPROVED BY THE BOARD.

NOW, THEY'RE TELLING ME THAT THEY TRIED AND COULDN'T AND WERE UNABLE TO.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

KRISTIN? WE WEREN'T CONTACTED TO BE TOLD THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO.

OKAY. READY FOR MOTION.

ALL RIGHT. [INAUDIBLE], WAS THERE ANY COMMUNICATION WHEN YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL OUT THOSE APPLICATIONS TO THE STAFF? I ACTUALLY TRIED AFTER THE LAST BOARD MEETING.

I DON'T DO COMPLIANCE, BUT I HAVE ACCESS TO FASTLANE, AND THE FIRST TIME THAT MY CONSULTANTS CONTACTED THE BOARD WAS SOMETIME IN, I THINK FEBRUARY, WHICH WE WERE APPROVED IN JANUARY FOR THE ORIGINAL FIVE YEARS.

THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? RENEW WITHOUT PENALTY.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO RENEW WITHOUT PENALTY.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? I WILL SECOND.

HAVE A SECOND FROM DR.

THOMPSON. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. I'M SORRY, MR. NASSAR. I HAD A QUESTION.

I SEE WHERE WE RECEIVED THE LETTER FROM PARISH PRESIDENT IN SUPPORT OF THE RENEWAL.

DID YOU ALL COMMUNICATE WITH ANY OF THE OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES CONCERNING THIS? YES, SIR. WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH THE SUPERINTENDENT AS WELL AS WITH THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.

WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY CORRESPONDENCE FROM THEM.

THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING IF Y'ALL HAD COMMUNICATED WITH THEM OR NOT.

I GUESS THE QUESTION BECOMES, WERE THEY SUPPORTIVE OF RENEWAL WITHOUT PENALTY? I DO BELIEVE COREY FAUCHEUX, THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THERE IN SAINT CHARLES PARISH, WOULD HAVE RECEIVED ANY OBJECTIONS IF THEY WERE IF THEY WOULD HAVE OBJECTED TO

[00:25:03]

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? HEARING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.

NEXT, WE HAVE ONE TIMELY RENEWAL FOLLOWING THE POST EXECUTIVE ORDER 2017 RULES 20170070 MAUSER USA LLC.

ASCENSION PARISH.

NOW FOR THE BOARD'S INFORMATION, AS YOU LOOK AT YOUR AGENDA PACKET, THEY HAVE WE HAVE AN ANNUAL COMPLIANCE RECORD THERE AND YOU WILL NOTE THAT THEY WERE NON-COMPLIANT EACH YEAR, BUT THOSE NON-COMPLIANCES HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH IN PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS.

SO THAT'S REALLY NOT RELEVANT TO WHAT THE ISSUE IS TODAY.

THE ISSUE IS, ARE WE, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DISPOSITIVE OF WHETHER WE RENEW OR NOT.

SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THOSE NON-COMPLIANCES HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH IN PRIOR MEETINGS.

THIS IS UP FOR THE FIVE YEAR RENEWAL.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE OR NOT? MOTION TO APPROVE. MOTION TO APPROVE FROM SENATOR ALLAIN.

I'M SORRY. NOT YET.

NO, MA'AM, I DON'T UNLESS WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

I DON'T NEED YOU UNLESS WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? MR. [INAUDIBLE]. OH, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. OKAY.

HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. [INAUDIBLE]. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS 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.

NEXT, WE HAVE ONE TIMELY RENEWAL FOLLOWING THE POST EXECUTIVE ORDER 2018 RULES 20161915.

EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION.

WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION FROM MR. [INAUDIBLE]. I'M SORRY, MISS [INAUDIBLE].

OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MS. [INAUDIBLE] AND A SECOND FROM MR. MOSS.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT, WE HAVE TO CHANGE IN LOCATIONS.

TRITON WEST LLC 20131332-PT PREVIOUS LOCATION 8931 PADFIELD STREET, HOUSTON, LOUISIANA, 77055 SAINT CHARLES PARISH NEW LOCATION 16122 RIVER ROAD NORCO, LOUISIANA, 70079.

SAINT CHARLES PARISH.

THE OTHER IS TRITON WEST LLC.

20161204-PT PREVIOUS ADDRESS 8931 PADFIELD STREET, HOUSTON, LOUISIANA, 77055 SAINT CHARLES PARISH NEW LOCATION 15536 RIVER ROAD NORCO, LOUISIANA 70079 SAINT CHARLES PARISH.

THE FIRST QUESTION I HAVE, WHERE IS HOUSTON, LOUISIANA.

IT WAS A TYPO WHEN THEY ENTERED IT IN THERE.

[CHUCKLING] OKAY. SO IT WAS JUST CLEANING UP.

WHAT IS? OKAY, SO IT IS THEIR HOUSTON ADDRESS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CORRECTING IS CHANGING IT FROM HOUSTON TO NORCO.

CORRECT, IT'S STILL THE SAME SITE.

IT WAS JUST INCORRECTLY STATED FROM THE START.

I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE I HAD NOT VISITED THAT MUNICIPALITY JUST YET.

OKAY. GOT IT.

ALL RIGHT. A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE.

I'M RECUSING MYSELF FROM THE TRITON VOTES.

OKAY. MR. HOLLIS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSION OR THE VOTE ON BOTH OF THE TRITON CONTRACTS.

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS 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.

NEXT WE HAVE 12 TRANSFER OF TAX EXEMPTION CONTRACTS.

SEVEN ARE REQUESTING TO BE DEFERRED.

EXCUSE ME. WE DIDN'T HAVE A MOTION ON THAT.

WE DIDN'T KNOW.

SORRY. THE VOICES IN MY HEAD SAID WE DID.

[00:30:01]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KEEPING US BETWEEN THE DITCHES HERE, ESPECIALLY ME.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CHANGE IN LOCATION, MR. FAJARDO AND SECOND, FOR MS. [INAUDIBLE]. MY APOLOGIES TO THE BOARD AND TO THE FOLKS IN ATTENDANCE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, GIVEN THE MOTION? THERE IS NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE IS NONE NOW. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION? THAT WAS THE WEAKEST AYE. JUST BECAUSE YOU SAID IT THE FIRST TIME DOESN'T MEAN.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOW LET'S MOVE TO THE TRANSFERS.

WE HAVE 12 CONTRACT TRANSFERS.

SEVEN ARE REQUESTING DEFERRAL.

THEY'RE ALL FOR CHAMPIONX, LLC CONTRACTS 20140461, 20150207, 20150246, 20150247, 20160707, 20160762 AND 20160768. ALL RIGHT.

IS THERE A MOTION TO DEFER ON THIS ONE, I UNDERSTOOD? YES, TO DEFER. OKAY. SO, I WOULD ENTERTAIN THE MOTION TO DEFER.

A MOTION FROM MR. HOLLINS. SECOND FROM MISS [INAUDIBLE].

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? EXCUSE ME 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 THAT MATTER IS DEFERRED TO THE NEXT MEETING.

TRITON WEST LLC 20130142-A AND 20161204-T NEW OWNER EQUILON ENTERPRISES, LLC, DBA SHELL OIL PRODUCTS US (SOPUS).

SAINT CHARLES PARISH.

TRITON WEST LLC 20131332-PT, 20140589-PT AND 20140590 NEW OWNER SHELL CHEMICAL LP IN SAINT CHARLES PARISH AND MR. HOLLINS I PRESUME YOU'LL BE RECUSING YOURSELF FROM THESE VOTES AS WELL.

OKAY. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE TRANSFERS.

MOTION FROM MS. COLA, SECOND FROM MR. NASSER.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT WE HAVE TEN CONTRACT CANCELLATION REQUESTS.

AMERCHOL CORPORATION 20150355 AND 20160838.

COMPANY REQUESTS CANCELLATION LOCATED IN SAINT HELENA PARISH.

BLUE RUNNER FOODS INC 20200520 COMPANY REQUESTS CANCELLATION LOCATED IN ASCENSION PARISH.

CAJUN TRADITIONS FOOD PROCESSORS LLC 2020 0216 COMPANY REQUESTS CANCELLATION IN ACADIA PARISH.

DRAKE SPECIALTIES, LLC 20210565 COMPANY REQUESTS CANCELLATION LAFAYETTE PARISH.

PEPPERS UNLIMITED OF LOUISIANA INC CONTRACTS 20161917, 20170621 20180500 AND 20190509 COMPANY REQUESTS CANCELLATION SAINT MARTIN PARISH AND TALLY HO INVESTMENTS, LLC 20200217 COMPANY REQUESTS CANCELLATION IN ACADIA PARISH.

ALL RIGHT. A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE CANCELLATIONS? MOTION, MR. FAJARDO.

SECOND. MR. [INAUDIBLE], 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.

NEXT, WE HAVE A SPECIAL REQUEST FROM CORNERSTONE CHEMICAL COMPANY CONTRACT 20170416, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A WANT TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER THIS UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING.

WOULD ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION TO DEFER.

HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MOSS. SECOND FROM MISTER [INAUDIBLE].

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; THAT MATTER IS DEFERRED TO THE NEXT MEETING.

NEXT, WE HAVE THREE SPECIAL REQUESTS FOR LOUISIANA SUGAR CANE COOPERATIVE INC CONTRACTS 20170492, 20170492-A AND 20170492-B AND THESE ARE ALSO BEING REQUESTED TO BE DEFERRED UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING. AUGUST IS GOING TO BE BUSY, Y'ALL.

ALL RIGHT. MOTION TO DEFER.

[00:35:04]

OKAY. SENATOR ALLAIN WILL BE RECUSING HIMSELF FROM THE LOUISIANA SUGAR CANE COOPERATIVE CONTRACT DISCUSSIONS AND VOTE, BUT DO HAVE A MOTION TO DEFER FROM MR. NASSAR. SECOND FROM MR. MOSS. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD.

THERE IS NONE.

ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE. ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

NEXT WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT THAT IS NOT FOLLOWING THE 2017 ITEP RULES.

THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD.

IT IS CONTRACT 20180076 FOR KEROTEST MANUFACTURING CORP.

IN AVOYELLES PARISH.

THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE 2021 YEAR REQUIRED THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN 185 JOBS WITH $634,890 IN PAYROLL FOR THE NEW JOBS ONLY.

155 JOBS WERE TO BE RETAINED AND 30 TO BE CREATED AS NEW.

THE ACTUAL JOBS FOR THE REPORTING YEAR WERE 86 JOBS, WITH $4,085,963.40 IN PAYROLL.

THE PARISH, THE SCHOOL BOARD NOR THE SHERIFF RESPONDED WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE TOWN OF MANSOURA ISSUED A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BCNI, STATING AT THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING, MAYOR PICKETT AND THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN DECIDED TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO CANCEL THE CONTRACT.

MOTION WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY AND AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING THE BOARD ASKED THAT WE CONFIRM THAT THE TOWN DID HAVE MILLAGE INCLUDED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THROUGH THE TAX BILL THAT THE COMPANY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TOWN'S MILLAGE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

SEE YOU HERE AT THE TABLE.

WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY? MY NAME IS BILL SHOCKEY.

I'M A LAWYER HERE IN BATON ROUGE, SHOCKEY AND ASSOCIATES, AND WE SERVE AS CONSULTANTS TO KEROTEST ON THIS PROJECT.

NO, YOU WOULD RATHER HEAR FROM A COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE THAN A PAID MOUTHPIECE LIKE ME.

MR. CHRIS, THE COMPANY IS HEADQUARTERED IN PITTSBURGH.

THE MAJOR OPERATIONS, 80 OR 90% OF THE COMPANY'S OPERATIONS ARE HERE IN LOUISIANA, IN MANSOURA, WHICH IS IN AVOYELLES PARISH.

MR. CHRIS WHITE, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT AND CFO, BOTH TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW SMALL THE MANAGEMENT TEAM IS, INJURED HIS BACK EITHER SUNDAY OR MONDAY, AND HE'S LAID UP AND COULDN'T MAKE THE TRIP, AND SO HE CALLED ME.

I KNOW YOU'D RATHER HEAR FROM A COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT. TO GET IT STRAIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION, THOUGH, BUT THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT. I HAVE NO PREJUDICE AGAINST LAWYERS.

[CHUCKLING] I UNDERSTAND, BUT I DO, AND I'M A LAWYER AND I'M PREJUDICED AGAINST LAWYERS.

SO I WAS SURPRISED BY HUD'S COMMENT ABOUT THE JOBS THAT WERE REPORTED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE FIGURE WAS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE 86 OR SOMETHING YOU REPORTED.

86 JOBS. THE PROBLEM IS THE SHEET I'M LOOKING AT IS SHOWING ZERO JOBS AND ZERO SALARIES.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THE NUMBERS [INAUDIBLE].

SO THAT'S BECAUSE THE WAY THE EXHIBIT AGREEMENT WAS WRITTEN IS THEY HAVE TO MAINTAIN A TOTAL OF 185 JOBS.

BUT THAT 185 IS SPLIT BETWEEN 155 BEING RETAINED AS EXISTING PRIOR TO THE PROJECT STARTING AND THEN 30 BEING CREATED NEW AFTER THE PROJECT STARTED, AND THE PAYROLL OF 634,000 IS ASSOCIATED WITH ONLY THE NEW JOBS.

THEY DON'T HAVE A SET PAYROLL FOR THE RETENTION ONLY, SO THEY DIDN'T MEET THE 155 RETAINED JOBS, WHICH IS WHY THE SUMMARY SHOWS ZERO ZERO.

OKAY. SO LET ME LET'S GET OUR DATA CORRECT.

THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT.

SO DID NOT DID NOT RETAIN THE ORIGINAL 155.

WERE THE 30 NEW JOBS ADDED? CORRECT. IF YOU MAY RECALL, WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.

WE TOOK A HIT BACK IN 2020 [INAUDIBLE] WITH LOTS OF OTHER COMPANIES, AND SO IT'S BEEN QUITE A CHORE TO GET BACK TO GROUND ZERO SO WE CAN MEANING WHERE WE WERE PRIOR TO 2020 IN ORDER TO PROGRESS FROM THERE.

THE JOBS I HAVE REPORTED TO ME IN THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE IS THE COMPANY HAS 127 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. THAT'S IN THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE WHICH WAS FILED.

GOT IT, AND THE PAYROLL REPORTED FOR THOSE EMPLOYEES WAS $4,547,339.

ADMITTEDLY, WE FALL SHORT ON BOTH THE NUMBER OF JOBS AND THE PAYROLL, BUT WE'RE CLOSE IN TERMS PARTICULARLY ON THE PAYROLL.

OF COURSE, THE CONTRACT PROVIDES YOU'RE IN DEFAULT IF YOU DON'T ACHIEVE 90%, AND IF WE LOOK AT THAT BENCHMARK, WE'RE ONLY 4.6% OFF IN TERMS OF THE

[00:40:10]

NOW, THE AND AGAIN, LET ME STOP YOU THERE, BECAUSE I HAVE TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT JOBS RETAINED.

DID WE CREATE THE 30 NEW JOBS AT ALL OR IS THAT OFF THE TABLE? WELL, IF YOU I WOULD SAY IT'S OFF THE TABLE IN THE SENSE OF WE DON'T HAVE MORE PEOPLE EMPLOYED TODAY THAN WE HAVEN'T MET.

THAT'S MY SIMPLISTIC WAY OF LOOKING AT IT, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T MISSING SOMETHING.

DESPITE BEST EFFORTS, WE DON'T HAVE THE 185 EMPLOYEES ON PAYROLL.

OKAY. OKAY, I'M WITH YOU.

THE PAYROLL HAS EDGED UP FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS BECAUSE DESPITE NOT ACHIEVING THE EMPLOYEE THRESHOLD BECAUSE OF HIGHER WAGES BEING OFFERED TO INDUCE HIRES AND AND INFLATION AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

THERE ARE FOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES WHICH HAVE A SAY IN THIS, IF YOU WILL, THE SHERIFF, THE POLICE JURY, THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE TOWN OF MANSOURA, BECAUSE THE PLAN IS ACTUALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE TOWN OF MANSOURA.

THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE POLICE JURY AND THE SHERIFF HAVE ALL CHOSEN TO DO NOTHING TO TO RIDE IT OUT.

THEY HAD NO RESPONSE.

IT'S ONLY THE TOWN OF MANSOURA WHO HAS ASKED FOR, IF YOU WILL, THE DEATH PENALTY.

I MEAN, THEY'RE ASKING FOR CANCELLATION OF THE CONTRACT.

IF WE YES, THEY HAVE A STAKE, BUT IF WE LOOK AT THE ASSESSMENT AND I HAVE 20 COPIES HERE, I CAN PASS OUT IF YOU LIKE, BUT THE ASSESSMENT FROM THE ASSESSOR FOR THE 2018 EXPANSION OF KEROTEST PLANT SHOWS THAT THE TOTAL TAXES EXEMPTED ARE $62,474 FOR THE YEAR 2020.

ONE OF THAT, THE TOWN OF MANSOURA WOULD HAVE COLLECTED $5,068 OR 8.1% THEREOF.

THEY ARE THE MINOR PLAYER IN THE IN THIS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES.

THE RESOLUTION, WHICH WAS ADOPTED AT THE FEBRUARY 13TH MEETING THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU IN WHICH THE TOWN OF MANSOURA ASKED FOR CANCELLATION OF THE CONTRACT WAS WAS DONE WITH NO NOTICE TO KEROTEST AND NO OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD, WHICH ARE JUST BASIC FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES THAT WE AND OUR AMERICAN SYSTEM TEND TO OBSERVE.

THERE'S APPARENTLY SOME SORT OF DISCONNECT BETWEEN KEROTEST AND THE TOWN ADMINISTRATION.

I WAS INVOLVED IN GETTING THE LOCAL APPROVAL BACK IN 2018, BUT THERE'S BEEN A COMPLETE TURNOVER IN THE TOWN ADMINISTRATION SINCE THEN.

A DIFFERENT MAYOR AND FOUR OF THE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN ARE DIFFERENT.

I'M NOT A LOCAL GUY.

I DON'T HAVE POLITICAL STROKE THERE.

I'VE TRIED TO SEEK OUT SOMEBODY FOR THEM WHO CAN, BUT NEVERTHELESS, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THEY CAN'T EVEN GET AN AUDIENCE WITH THE TOWN OF MANSOURA IN ORDER TO STATE THEIR MEANING KEROTEST REPRESENTATIVES, TO STATE THEIR CASE, ETCETERA.

I WOULD SUGGEST THAT GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE'RE CLOSE, ADMITTEDLY, WE'RE, HAVING ACHIEVED OUR JOBS AND PAYROLL REQUIREMENTS, THAT WE'RE RECOVERY IS STILL ONGOING FROM COVID PEOPLE TRYING TO GET BACK TO GROUND ZERO AND IMPROVE FROM THERE, AND THAT ONLY THE SMALLEST STAKEHOLDER, THE TOWN OF MANSOURA, IS WANTING TO EXACT THEIR POUND OF FLESH OR OUNCE OF BLOOD.

I WOULD SUGGEST THAT CANCELLATION IS A PENALTY FAR BEYOND THE DEFAULT, IF YOU WILL.

IT'D BE LIKE IMPOSING THE DEATH PENALTY FOR SOME CRIMINAL OFFENSE WHERE SOMEBODY WAS GOOD INTENTIONED BUT COMMITTED AN INTENTIONAL VIOLATION OF THE LAW.

I MEAN, IT SAID CLOSE ONLY COUNTS IN HAND GRENADES AND HORSESHOES.

RIGHT, AND I WOULD I WOULD SUGGEST, HOWEVER, THAT IN YOUR DISCRETION OR YOUR INDULGENCE, YOU WOULD PERMIT CLOSE TO COUNT THIS TIME.

WE? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, 2021 WAS A TOUGH YEAR FOR A LOT OF COMPANIES.

WE'VE HAD MANY COME ACROSS WITH 2020 AND 2021 BEING DIFFICULT YEARS TO MAINTAIN, MUCH LESS GROW THEIR THEIR NUMBERS, BUT AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE A DYNAMIC WHERE AT LEAST FROM THE CHAIR'S PERSPECTIVE AND THIS IS JUST ONE PERSON'S OPINION, BUT WHEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHOOSES NOT TO RESPOND.

THAT TELLS ME THAT THEY EITHER DON'T CARE OR ARE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER THIS BOARD IS WILLING TO DO BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, WHEN A LOCAL ENTITY EXPRESSES ITS OPINION, I THINK UNLESS THERE'S A COMPELLING REASON TO DO SO, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON THIS BOARD TO FOLLOW THAT RECOMMENDATION.

SO WITH THAT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

[00:45:01]

SURE. SURE. CHAIR, I KNOW THIS WAS A CONVERSATION LAST TIME.

IS ANYONE FROM THE MUNICIPALITY HERE? ANYBODY HERE FROM TOWN OF MANSOURA? APPARENTLY NOT. OKAY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO BE MADE AT THIS POINT? WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? I'M GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

I'M NOT MAKING THE MOTION.

I'M GONNA MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

Y'ALL CAN TELL ME WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT THAT WE IMPOSE A PENALTY OF TERMINATING THE CONTRACT FOR THE MUNICIPALITY OF MANSOURA, BUT APPROVE WITHOUT ANY PENALTY FOR THE OTHER ENTITIES.

HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM.

NO, I'LL TAKE THAT.

WILL YOU MAKE THAT MOTION, MR. MUELLER? ALL RIGHT.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MUELLER. A SECOND FROM MR. NASSAR. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS 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, MR. SHOCKEY.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT, [INAUDIBLE] OR MISS CHENG? SORRY. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE ADDITIONAL NONCOMPLIANCE UNDER THE 2018 RULES.

WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT FOR ALLIANCE COMPRESSORS LLC IN NATCHITOCHES PARISH FOR THE 2018 AND 2019 REPORTING PERIODS. THE EXHIBIT A REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN FIVE NEW JOBS WITH $150,000 IN NEW PAYROLL.

IN 2018, THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WAS 15 JOBS WITH $159,215 IN PAYROLL AND IN 2019, THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WAS 15 JOBS WITH $402,278 IN PAYROLL. THIS CONTRACT IS NON-COMPLIANT DUE TO THE LATE FILING ONLY.

BOTH FILINGS WERE DUE AUGUST 23RD OF 2020, BUT NOT RECEIVED UNTIL JUNE 25TH OF 21.

THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD SHERIFF AND CITY COUNCIL DID NOT RESPOND WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE FROM ALLIANCE COMPRESSORS? GOOD MORNING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.

I'M DAVID [INAUDIBLE]. I'M THE ENGINEERING MANAGER FOR THE FACILITY.

RIGHT. LATINA HARRIS, CONTROLLER.

THANK YOU, AND APPARENTLY YOU'VE MET JOBS AND SALARIES GOALS, BUT JUST WE HAVE A LATE FILING.

TELL US WHAT LED TO THE LATE FILINGS.

THE IT PROGRAM WAS MANAGED WITH A COMBINATION OF LOCAL AT ALLIANCE RESOURCES AND OUR CORPORATE RESOURCES FOR THEIR TAX DEPARTMENT.

THERE WAS A RETIREMENT AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL AND THAT TRANSFERRED ALL OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PLANT, AND IN THAT TRANSFER, IT WAS JUST MISSED.

WHEN IT CAME BACK TO THE PLANT.

WE REALIZED THE COMPLEXITY OF THE PAPERWORK AND THE FILINGS, AND WE WE HIRED CONSULTANTS TO HELP US THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND THAT'S WHEN THE ERROR WAS DISCOVERED IN THE MIDST.

THEY'VE SINCE TURNED IN THE LATE FILINGS AND GOT US UP TO DATE WITH THE REMAINDER OF THE FILINGS AND WE CONTINUE TO RETAIN THEM FOR MANAGING THIS PROJECT.

SO THERE WILL BE NO FUTURE LATE FILINGS.

GOT IT. OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE SUBSEQUENT FILINGS WERE NOT LATE.

JUST GOOD FOR YOUR INFORMATION.

SO EVERYTHING AFTER 2019 HAS BEEN TIMELY.

YES. GREAT. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE NO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ANY LOCAL ENTITY.

SO AGAIN, FROM THE CHAIR'S PERSPECTIVE, THAT MEANS THEY DON'T CARE, AND AND I GENERALLY DON'T REWARD FOLKS THAT DON'T TELL ME WHAT THEY THINK.

SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE WITHOUT PENALTY.

A MOTION FROM MR. HOLLINS SECOND FROM MR. MOSS. 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.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL CONTRACT.

20170616 FOR ALLIANCE COMPRESSORS IN NATCHITOCHES PARISH, IT'S NONCOMPLIANT FOR THE 2019 REPORTING PERIOD.

THE EXHIBIT A REQUIRED THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN 15 JOBS WITH $450,000 IN PAYROLL.

[00:50:06]

THIS CONTRACT IS NON-COMPLIANT DUE TO THE LATE FILING ONLY.

THE FILING WAS DUE AUGUST 23RD OF 2020, BUT NOT RECEIVED UNTIL JUNE 25TH OF 21.

AGAIN, THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, SHERIFF AND CITY COUNCIL DID NOT RESPOND WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.

I PRESUME THE SAME SITUATION FOR THOSE CONTRACTS AS WELL.

THAT IS CORRECT, AND THEY HAVE BEEN COMPLIANT SINCE THEN.

CHRIS, GREAT.

THANKS. THERE'S AN ITEM BELOW THERE.

WE DID THE FIRST TWO.

FIRST TWO. YEAH, NO WORRIES.

YEAH, WE'RE ON THE THIRD ONE, ACTUALLY.

OKAY. MOTION FROM MR. MOSS FOR APPROVE WITH NO PENALTY.

A SECOND FROM MR. HOLLINS.

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.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT 20190285 FOR FRY MASTER LLC IN CADDO PARISH.

THEY'RE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD.

THE EXHIBIT A FOR THIS CONTRACT REQUIRES THE COMPANY TO RETAIN 346 EXISTING JOBS AND $19,578,440 IN PAYROLL. THE ACTUAL JOBS RETAINED WERE 336 EXISTING JOBS AND $18,606,909 IN PAYROLL. THIS CONTRACT IS NON-COMPLIANT DUE TO NOT MEETING REQUIRED RETAIN JOBS AND PAYROLL.

THE PARISH OF CADDO SUBMITTED A LETTER STATING THAT THEY 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 SUPPORTS SORRY, FULLY ENDORSES FRY MASTER'S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM.

CADDO SCHOOL BOARD, CADDO SHERIFF AND THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT DID NOT RESPOND WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.

ALL RIGHT. SOMEONE HERE FROM FRY MASTER.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS KYLE WILLIAMS AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AT FRY MASTER.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

RUBEN RANGEL, SENIOR MANAGER WITH [INAUDIBLE] CONSULTING.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

SO WE'RE IN 2021 AND WE'RE FALLING SHORT ON JOBS AND PAYROLL.

YES, SIR. I THINK I KNOW WHERE THIS STORY IS GOING, BUT HELP ME.

YES, SIR. YES, SIR.

WELL, AS YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE HOW FAMILIAR EVERYONE IS WITH FRY MASTER, BUT WE'RE A MANUFACTURER OF COMMERCIAL FRYERS AND HOT HOLDING CABINETS.

WE SELL PRIMARILY INTO THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY, AND WHEN COVID HIT, YOU KNOW, THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY TOOK A BIG HIT, AND AS A RESULT, OUR OUR MANUFACTURING WAS GREATLY REDUCED.

AS WE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC, OUR ORDERS STARTED TO PICK UP, BUT WE STARTED HAVING SEVERE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND SO CRITICAL PARTS THAT ARE REQUIRED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE FRYER AND THE HOT HOLDING CABINETS WE WERE SHORT OF, AND SO IT GREATLY HAMPERED OUR ABILITY TO FILL THOSE ORDERS.

I WILL SAY ON A POSITIVE NOTE, AS WE LOOK TOWARD 2022 AND NOW INTO 2023, OUR BUSINESS HAS REBOUNDED, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES HAVE EASED QUITE A BIT, AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL MEET OUR OUR PAYROLL AND OUR JOBS NUMBER; IN FACT, I GOT A PRELIMINARY LOOK AT 2022 AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL REBOUND AND RECOVER.

SO I'M CONFIDENT THAT WILL BE A MORE FAVORABLE POSITION THIS TIME NEXT YEAR.

HOW MANY TOTAL EMPLOYEES DOES FR MASTER HAVE IN CADDO PARISH? YES, SIR, IT'S A LITTLE OVER 500.

OKAY. YES, SIR.

WE HAVE TWO FACTORIES IN SHREVEPORT THAT SUPPORT THE PRODUCTION OF OUR FRYERS AND OUR HOT HOLDING CABINETS. MAKE A MOTION THAT WE NO PENALTY.

OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSER TO APPROVE WITH NO PENALTY.

HAVE A SECOND FROM MS. COLA. 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.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT 20190361 FOR KENNEDY RICE MILL LLC IN MOREHOUSE PARISH THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD.

THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE CONTRACT REQUIRED THE COMPANY TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN FIVE JOBS WITH $0 IN PAYROLL.

THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WAS 15 JOBS WITH $185,770 IN PAYROLL.

THE CONTRACT IS NON-COMPLIANT DUE TO THE LATE FILING ONLY.

[00:55:04]

THE PARISH AND SCHOOL BOARD DID NOT RESPOND WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE SHERIFF SUBMITTED A LETTER STATING THE MOREHOUSE PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES NOT ASK THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY TO PENALIZE KENNEDY RICE DRIERS LLC IN ANY MANNER FOR THE MATTER SET FORTH IN THE NOTICE OF NONCOMPLIANCE.

THE MOREHOUSE PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE RECOGNIZED THAT KENNEDY HAS SURPASSED ALL REQUIREMENTS AND THAT THE NONCOMPLIANCE IS FOR NOT FILING TIMELY.

WE THEREFORE DO NOT SUPPORT IMPOSING PENALTIES THAT MIGHT ADVERSELY IMPACT THEM.

IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.

YES. ROBERT MCGEE, CFO FOR KENNEDY RICE MILL.

RIGHT, AND.

TELL US WHAT HAPPENED ON THE LATE FILING, PLEASE.

OUR IN-HOUSE CPA THAT WAS ORIGINALLY FILED THE APPLICATION RETIRED SUDDENLY IN JULY.

THIS APPLICATION WAS PASSED ON TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

THE DEADLINES WERE NOT CLEARLY STATED.

WE MISSED BY 11 OR 12 DAYS.

I BELIEVE WHEN WE WERE NOTIFIED WE WERE OUT OF COMPLIANCE.

WE FILED THE SAME DAY.

SO WE HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATE.

[INAUDIBLE] MOTION AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.

ALL RIGHT, MR. HOLLINS.

MR. HOLLINS HAS A MOTION TO APPROVE WITHOUT PENALTY.

TO APPROVE WITHOUT PENALTY.

I HAVE A SECOND FROM MISS COLA.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSITION.

MOTION CARRIES.

GOOD DEAL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE TWO CONTRACTS 20170492 AND 20170492-A FOR LOUISIANA SUGAR CANE COOPERATIVE IN SAINT MARTIN PARISH THAT ARE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD.

THE EXHIBIT A FOR CONTRACT 20170492 REQUIRES THE COMPANY TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN 20 JOBS WITH $1,650,000 IN PAYROLL. THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WAS 21 JOBS, WITH $1,167,652 IN PAYROLL.

THE REASON FOR THE NONCOMPLIANCE IS DUE TO THE PAYROLL PORTION ONLY.

THE OTHER EXHIBIT A FOR CONTRACT 20170492-A REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN SIX JOBS WITH $222,850 IN PAYROLL.

THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED FOR THAT CONTRACT WAS ZERO JOBS AND $0 IN PAYROLL.

THE PARISH RECOMMENDS THAT THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ADOPT NO REMEDIAL ACTION FOR THE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS.

NO RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND THE SHERIFF SUBMITTED A LETTER STATING, I HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO TAKE NO ACTION AND ENFORCE NO PENALTIES FOR THESE VIOLATIONS. I TRUST THAT THE BOARD WILL RESPECT AND APPROVE MY RECOMMENDATION.

WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM THE LOUISIANA SUGAR CANE COOPERATIVE.

STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.

SHAWN KIDDER, CONTROLLER.

YES, SIR, AND JAKE [INAUDIBLE].

SUMIT CREDITS. RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE TWO CONTRACTS HERE.

THE FIRST ONE, YOU MADE THE JOBS COUNT BUT MISSED IT ON SALARIES, AND THE SECOND ONE MISSED IT ON JOBS AND SALARIES, AND THIS IS FOR BOTH FOR 2021. TELL US [INAUDIBLE].

CAN I ADDRESS BOTH AT THE SAME TIME? ABSOLUTELY. I'M SURE THE SAME STORY.

YEAH. OUR ORIGINAL ADVANCE INDICATED WE CREATE 20 NEW JOBS FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT, WHICH HAS BEEN DONE IN PHASES.

SO THE FIRST APPLICATION INCLUDED INCORRECTLY SOME LABOR DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR H-2B WORKERS AND CONTRACT WORKERS, WHICH SHOULD BE EXCLUDED, BUT THAT WAS NOT CORRECT.

LET ME STOP YOU THERE SO I CAN MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

SO YOU HIRED PEOPLE THAT DID NOT QUALIFY UNDER THE--YOU HAD EMPLOYEES THERE WHOSE SALARIES DON'T QUALIFY UNDER THE RULES? CORRECT, BUT THEY WERE INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION INCORRECTLY.

OKAY. SO WE DID CREATE 20 JOBS.

SO MOVING TO THE NEXT APPLICATION, WE PUT SIX INCORRECTLY BECAUSE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ZERO BECAUSE WE HAD ALREADY MET OUR GOAL AND SO THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ZERO, INCORRECTLY PUT AGAIN.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF AMENDING BOTH THOSE APPLICATIONS.

WE HAVE MET WITH LOCALS ON THAT.

THEY HAVE SUPPORTED US IN THE AMENDMENT.

THEY'VE ALSO SUPPORTED US IN NO ACTION ON THE NONCOMPLIANCE.

THE AMENDMENTS WILL BE UP FOR REVIEW AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IN AUGUST HERE.

SO ONCE THAT'S ALL, HOPEFULLY IT'S TAKEN CARE OF, WE'LL HAVE NO ISSUES GOING FORWARD.

[01:00:06]

I UNDERSTAND. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD OR IS THERE A MOTION THAT WE WANT TO MAKE? [INAUDIBLE]. OKAY.

SENATOR ALLAIN WILL BE RECUSING HIMSELF FROM ANY VOTE OR ANY CONSIDERATION OR ANY DISCUSSION.

WHAT DO WE HAVE A MOTION? MOTION FROM MS. COLA TO APPROVE WITHOUT PENALTY.

ALL RIGHT, AND WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. [INAUDIBLE]. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS 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, SIR. THANK YOU ALL.

APPRECIATE IT. LAST WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT NUMBER 20190093 FOR NEIGHBORS LLC IN OUACHITA PARISH THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD.

THE EXHIBIT A FOR THE CONTRACT REQUIRED THE COMPANY TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN TEN JOBS WITH $300,000 IN PAYROLL.

THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WAS THREE WITH $337,081 IN PAYROLL.

THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD NOR SHERIFF SUBMITTED RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE CITY OF WEST MONROE SUBMITTED A RECOMMENDATION STATING TO DEFER ANY DECISION OR ACTION ON THE NONCOMPLIANCE TO THE BOARD.

ALL RIGHT. WILL YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.

MERANDA HYMAN, CFO.

OKAY, GREAT, AND ROBERT WEGE WITH SUMIT CREDITS.

THANK YOU, ROBERT. ALL RIGHT.

TELL US WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN 2021.

AGAIN, AS EVERYONE HAS KIND OF STATED, COVID, I MEAN, WE HAD THE JOBS AVAILABLE.

WE HELD INTERNAL JOB FAIRS.

WE HAD 16 PEOPLE SHOW UP.

WE WORKED WITH LOCALS AND ATTENDED THEIR JOB FAIRS.

WE JUST COULD NOT GET THE PEOPLE.

WE'VE INCREASED WAGES AND EVERYTHING TO TRY TO PROMOTE JOBS.

WE ACTUALLY WORKED WITH THE TEMPORARY SERVICES AS WELL.

WE HAVE A LOT OF TEMP LABOR.

I BELIEVE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH ABOUT 250 TEMPORARY LABORS IN 2021, AS SHE INDICATED, WE ONLY DID ADD THREE EMPLOYEES. HOWEVER, WE DID MEET THE PAYROLL AND LOOKING FORWARD INTO 2022, PRELIMINARILY, I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE ADDED 15 EMPLOYEES WITH $356,000 IN PAYROLL.

WELL, GOOD, BECAUSE THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

DID YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE IN HIRING BETWEEN 2021 AND 2022? WE DID. YES, SIR. OKAY. AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AT SOME EXPENSE, BECAUSE WE HAD TO RAISE SALARIES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, BUT YES, WE DID.

RIGHT, INTERESTING.

OKAY, AND 2023, YOU'RE MAINTAINING THE JOBS SO FAR? WE ARE ON AVERAGE OF ABOUT 80 EMPLOYEES TOTAL.

RIGHT. YES. OKAY.

MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE WITH NO PENALTY.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSER. SECOND? SECOND FROM MR. HOLLINS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

GOOD LUCK. ALL RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR BUSINESS FOR THE BOARD, BUT WE HAVE INSTEAD OF THE B TEAM, WE

[8.Secretary Remarks – Secretary Don Pierson]

JUST FOR THE RECORD, UNDERSECRETARY.

UNDERSECRETARY. I'VE BEEN CALLED MANY THINGS.

[CHUCKLING] OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, ANNE VILLA, AT THE PLEASURE.

THE SECRETARY WOULD LIKE TO FIRST EXTEND HIS REGRETS FOR NOT BEING HERE TODAY, BUT EXPRESSES HIS SINCERE GRATITUDE TO THE CONTINUED WORK OF THE BCNI BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF. WE RECOGNIZE THIS SOMETIMES CAN BE A HEAVY LIFT FOR EVERYBODY, BUT WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH SUFFICIENT DETAILS ON THE APPLICATIONS AND ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE.

SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THE BCNI TEAM DOES YEOMAN'S WORK ON MANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT MINISTER FOR THE BOARD.

THERE'S A LOT OF HARD WORK THAT GOES INTO REVIEWING THOSE APPLICATIONS PRIOR TO SUBMITTING THEM TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL, AND WE JUST WANT TO EXTEND OUR SINCERE THANKS FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO LED AND THE BOARD.

ADDITIONALLY, TO THE MANY BUSINESSES WHICH CONTINUE TO GROW AND INVEST IN LOUISIANA, WE THANK YOU.

WE JUST FINISHED OUR FISCAL YEAR 23 AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE MOMENTUM IN THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS AND INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN LOUISIANA.

THE METRICS ARE STILL BEING VETTED, BUT I'M CERTAIN THE SECRETARY WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE THOSE WITH YOU NEXT MONTH AT AUGUST'S BOARD MEETING, WHICH SEEMS TO BE A LENGTHY ONE VERSUS THE ONE TODAY.

JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE'VE HAD THREE 60 INSIGHTS.

A GLOBAL SOFTWARE COMPANY ANNOUNCED ITS RELOCATION OF ITS HEADQUARTERS FROM DELAWARE TO NEW ORLEANS.

THEY'LL BE CREATING AT LEAST 50 NEW DIRECT JOBS AT AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $85,000.

THEY CURRENTLY HAVE LOCATIONS IN THE US, CANADA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM, AND THEY SERVICE MORE THAN 300 BRANDS ACROSS A VARIETY OF INDUSTRIES WORLDWIDE.

[01:05:11]

CAPITAL CITY PRODUCE ANNOUNCED THE $22 MILLION EXPANSION OF THEIR BATON ROUGE DISTRIBUTION FACILITY HERE, AND THEY'RE RETAINING THEIR CURRENT 258 JOBS, AND THEY ESTIMATE TO HAVE A NEW 81 NEW INDIRECT JOBS FOR A TOTAL OF 126 NEW JOBS IN THE CAPITAL REGION.

SSE STEEL FABRICATION ACQUIRES THE STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY FOR SAINT BERNARD EXPANSION, AND THEY ARE EXPECTED TO CREATE NEW JOBS THERE AS WELL, AND THEIR TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES AT THE PLANT AND WILL CONTINUE TO ADD A FLEET OF WELDING, COLLABORATIVE ROBOTS AND CO-BOTS FOR THEIR FACILITY BUT THEY WILL CREATE 18 NEW DIRECT JOBS.

AMAZON DISTRIBUTION FACILITY IS COMING TO ABBEVILLE IN 2024 AND THEY'RE GOING TO BEGIN OPERATIONS IN 24.

AS I SAID, IN THEIR FACILITY, THERE IS GOING TO BE THE LAST MILE FACILITY.

IT'S EXPECTED TO INCREASE, HAVE AN ECONOMIC BOOST TO THE REGION, CREATING NEW JOBS DURING AND AFTER CONSTRUCTION.

THE FACILITY RECENTLY, LOUISIANA, HAS TAKEN A NUMBER ONE PLACE RANKING FOR THE TECH TALENT PIPELINE CATEGORY.

THE STATE MOVED UP FROM SECOND PLACE IN 2022 TO THE TOP SPOT, WHICH RECOGNIZES AN IMPRESSIVE AND PROACTIVE FOCUS THAT WE HAVE HAD ON EXPANDING THE SKILLED TECH WORKFORCE THROUGH PROGRAMS THAT ARE QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY DELIVERING RESULTS.

SO THAT WAS A NICE WIN FOR US AT THE STATE LEVEL.

SO NATCHITOCHES RECENTLY WAS NAMED THE LOUISIANA DEVELOPMENT READY COMMUNITY.

OUR TEAM WORKS WITH COMMUNITIES TO HELP THEM ESTABLISH GOALS AND STRATEGIES FOR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WOULD MOVE THE PARISH FORWARD THROUGH JOB CREATION AND INVESTMENT, AND THEY WERE OUR 56 PRETTY CERTAIN PARISH OR MUNICIPALITY TO RECEIVE THE STATE CERTIFICATION, AND ALSO JUST TO CONTINUE OUR OUTREACH REGARDING OUR STATE SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT INITIATIVE, WHICH IS OVERSEEN BY THE SISTER BOARD OF LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AND OUR LED TEAM. SO WE HAVE CURRENTLY HAVE 14 PARTICIPATING LENDERS THAT ARE WORKING ON OUR PROGRAMS OF MICRO LENDING, AND WE HAVE TWO, WE HAVE I'M SORRY, WE HAVE FOUR ADDITIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE BEING VETTED RIGHT NOW AND COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME PREFERRED LENDERS AND THOSE OF YOU ON THIS BOARD AND ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND YOUR SMALL BUSINESSES, THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO HAVE MICRO LOAN LENDING, COLLATERAL SUPPORT, LENDING.

WE ALSO HAVE THE SMALL BUSINESS LOAN GUARANTEE THAT WE HAVE AS WELL AS WE HAVE OUR VENTURE CAPITAL AND SEED CAPITAL FUNDING AND THE STATE'S POSED TO RECEIVE AT LEAST UP POTENTIALLY UP TO $113 MILLION FOR THIS PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS.

WE CONTINUE TO HAVE OUTREACH WORKSHOPS.

THE NEXT WORKSHOP IS GOING TO BE IN MONROE AND IT'S GOING TO BE HOSTED BY ORIGIN BANK ON JULY 20TH AND THEN ON JULY 26TH IN THIBODAUX, HOSTED BY SELECT, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OUTREACH PROGRAMS THERE AS WELL, AND THEN IN OCTOBER OF 2024, WE HAVE OUR LOUISIANA SMALL BUSINESS SUMMIT.

THIS IS GOING TO BE THE THIRD ONE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE HOLDING.

IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE CAJUNDOME, AND SO JUST LOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION TO BE COMING FORTHCOMING ON THAT OUTREACH.

SO IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST LET ME KNOW AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ENTERTAIN THOSE SITTING IN ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY.

THANK YOU, MISS VILLA. APPRECIATE IT.

ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. [INAUDIBLE], SECOND FROM MR. FAJARDO ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

WE ARE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

WE'LL SEE YOU IN AUGUST.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.