[00:00:04]
>> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
[1. Call to Order – Jerald Jones, Chairman]
IT'S CALLED A MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY FOR OCTOBER 2023 TO ORDER.IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE TODAY.
MS. SIMMONS, WILL YOU CALL THE ROLL.
>> YVETTE COLA, GUIDE MECHANISE, WIKI FABRA.
>> MEN WELL FORHADO, STEWART MOSS.
>> REPRESENTATIVE VERSUS ST. BLOCK PROXY FOR PAULA DAVIS.
>> KENNETH HAVARD [OVERLAPPING] JARROW JONES.
SENATOR RED PULP FOR BRIGHT BRETT ALLAN.
>> REPRESENTATIVE STEWARD BISHOP.
>> PROXY FOR THE GOVERNOR. WE HAVE A FORUM.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD I'M GOING TO ASK A FAVOR OF YOU THIS MORNING.
I HAVE A FLIGHT I HAVE TO CATCH EARLY, AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH YOUR PERMISSION IS AMEND THE AGENDA TO MOVE THE ATYR MATTERS TO THE BEGINNING OF THE AGENDA AND HANDLE THE MATTERS ATYR TO THE END OF THE EXISTING AGENDA.
IF THAT'S OKAY, I WOULD ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION.
A MOTION, MR. SLOAN, SECOND FROM MR. MOSS.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE.
THE AGENDA IS AMENDED AND WE WILL TAKE UP ATYR MATTERS FIRST.
THANK YOU FOR THAT ACCOMMODATION [OVERLAPPING].
>> YOU CAN GIVE MINUTES FIRST.
>> ARE YOU GOING TO GO THROUGH THE MINUTES?
I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE CARE OF THAT REALLY QUICK.
WE HAVE THE MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 2023 MEETING.
[3. Approval of Minutes from Aug 23, 2023 meeting]
I'LL PRESUME YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM.DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THEM? MOTION, MR. NASSER SECOND.
MR. SIMEON, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE.
THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME STRAIGHT.
[7. Industrial Tax Exemption – Kristin Cheng/Hud Usie]
>> WE HAVE 14 POST DO 2018 RULES AND NEW APPLICATIONS.
20230322, ADA CARBON SOLUTIONS, RED RIVER LLC, RED RIVER PARISH.
20230059 APF RIVER PARTNERS, LLC, JEFFERSON PARISH, 20210609, BOLLINGER SHIPYARDS HOME LLC, TERREBONNE PARISH.
20230257, BUNGEE LOADERS CREW OAKLAND, USA, LC, JEFFERSON PARISH.
20230310 CF INDUSTRIES NITROGEN LLC, ASCENSION PARISH.
20220424 DELTA TREATMENT SYSTEMS LLC, LIVINGSTON PARISH.
20220426 FISHER MANUFACTURING SERVICES, LLC, CHANGE UP A WHOLE PARISH.
20230164 FISHER MANUFACTURING SERVICES, LLC CHANGE UP A WHOLE PARISH.20210539 FOSTER POETRY FORUMS, LLC, UNION PARISH.
2020-0526 PLASTER PACK PACKAGING INK REPEATS PARISH.
20200526-A, PLASTIC BAG PACKAGING INK REPEATS PARISH.
20220401, SULFUR SOLAR LLC CALC SHOE PARISH.
20200065-B, WEYERHAEUSER IN OIL COMPANY NAKED PARISH, AND 20220452 WEYERHAEUSER IN OIL COMPANY LINCOLN PARISH.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. I KNOW WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT WANT TO COMMENT ON ONE OR TWO OF THESE PRESENTATIONS, BUT LET'S GO AHEAD AND HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSER TO APPROVE THESE APPLICATIONS, SECOND FROM MR. SLOAN.
ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, I HAVE A REQUEST TO SPEAK FROM MS. LISA CARLIN CONCERNING APF RIVER PARTNERS. [OVERLAPPING]
[00:05:07]
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS LISA CARLIN.
I'M A CONCERNED CITIZEN AND I LIVE IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
AT THE AUGUST 23RD MEETING, I SHARED MY CONCERNS ABOUT AMERICAN PLANT FOOD RIVER PARTNERS, PUBLIC MESSAGING, ABOUT 100 PLUS PERMANENT FULL-TIME JOBS PAYING 100, 000-120,000 DOLLARS A YEAR, AND THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO YOU IN ITS I TAP APPLICATION, WHICH WAS 13 JOBS AVERAGING JUST $56,000 A YEAR.
THE PROJECTED ANNUAL PAYROLL, ACCORDING TO THE APRIL AND AUGUST BOARD PACKETS WITH 728,000, NOT 10-12 MILLION AS COMMUNICATED TO THE PUBLIC AND POSTED ON APF'S WEBSITE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
WHAT I SAID HERE AT THE MEETING WAS REPORTED ON FOX 8:00 LOCAL FIRST AND PUBLISHED IN THE LOUISIANA ILLUMINATOR, WHICH HAS AN X ACCOUNT, THAT'S THE OLD TWITTER, THAT HAD 8,823 VIEWS AND 24 REPOSTS THE SAME DAY.
GENERAL ON ARRAY CALLED THIS CORPORATE WELFARE ON HIS EX ACCOUNT, WHICH WAS VIEWED 5,967 TIMES AND RE-POSTED 91 TIMES.
IT WAS PUBLISHED IN CITY BUSINESS AND FURTHER DISSEMINATED VIA ITS X ACCOUNT, LINKEDIN AND FACEBOOK.
IT WAS COVERED BY THE LOUISIANA WEEKLY, LOUISIANA BUDGET PROJECT COMPANY MISLEADS LOCALS ON HIGH-PAYING JOBS.
IT WAS COVERED BY NEWSBREAK AND FLIP BOARD AND THE DAILY DIME AND THE TEXAS ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS, AND THERE MAY BE OTHERS I'M JUST NOT AWARE OF.
THE ARTICLES AND LINKS WERE SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY INDIVIDUALS, AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY, AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
A FEW DAYS AFTER THE FIRST CITY BUSINESS ARTICLE, A SECOND ARTICLE CAME OUT TITLED, "JEFFERSON PARISH RESIDENTS ANGERED AFTER CHEMICAL PLANT SLASHES JOB GOALS." THIS ARTICLE GOT CIRCULATED AROUND COVERED BY SPOT ON LOUISIANA, LAI IN BATON ROUGE, AND EVEN APPEARED IN LAKE CHARLES NEWS NOW, KTBS CHANNEL 3 IN SHREVEPORT, AND THE MADISON JOURNAL INTO LULA, WHICH IS UP THERE BY VICKSBURG.
A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT, GREG LAURA'S WROTE A COMMENTARY SAYING THAT, "CONDITIONS THAT CREATE JOBS, THINGS LIKE ADEQUATELY FUNDED EDUCATION AND MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE AND NOT COSTLY TAX INCENTIVES NEED TO BE PRIORITIZED IN LOUISIANA." THIS STARTED BEING A SUBJECT OF RADIO SHOWS.
GREG LAURA'S SAYS COMMENTARY HAD A FAR REACH.
IT WAS REPUBLISHED IN BITZ, WHICH IS CIRCULATED IN NORTHWEST LOUISIANA AND EVEN APPEARED IN THE LONG VIEW NEWS JOURNAL AND THAT'S LONG VIEW, TEXAS AND THERE MAY BE OTHERS I'M NOT AWARE OF.
ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, THE LOUISIANA ILLUMINATOR REPORTED THAT THE COMPANY THAT RENEGED ON 100 JEFFERSON PARISH JOBS STILL PROVIDES CONFLICTING NUMBERS.
AMERICAN PLANT FOOD RIVER PARTNERS HAD UPDATED ITS WEBSITE TO SAY THAT THE PROJECT WILL CREATE 13 DIRECT POSITION, SO THAT HASN'T CHANGED AND 15 CONTRACTOR POSITIONS WITH A WEIGHTED AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY OF MORE THAN $120,000 A YEAR.
THIS ARTICLE WAS REPUBLISHED IN CITY BUSINESS AND CIRCULATE IT ON ITS X ACCOUNT FACEBOOK PAGE AND LINKEDIN.
IT APPEARED ON KTB S3 IN SHREVEPORT AND WAS EVEN PUBLISHED IN THE VICTORIA ADVOCATE AND THAT'S VICTORIA, TEXAS, AND THERE MAY BE OTHERS THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF.
I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE MEETING.
I THINK AT THIS POINT THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS WELL INFORMED AND NOT HAPPY ABOUT AMERICAN PLANT FOODS PROMISES TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND THE INFORMATION PROVIDED TO YOU IN ITS INITIAL I TIP APPLICATION.
APF CERTIFIED THAT THAT APPLICATION INFORMATION WAS TRUE AND CORRECT WHEN IT WAS FIRST SUBMITTED BACK EARLIER THIS YEAR.
NOW THEY'RE MANIPULATING THE NUMBERS, ADDING IN CONTRACT OR SALARIES TO AGAIN INFLATE THE AVERAGE PERMANENT FULL-TIME SALARIES.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THIS HAS MADE A BAD SITUATION EVEN WORSE.
THERE'S A SENSE AMONG THE PUBLIC THAT IF THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DOES NOTHING, THEN THE BOARD IS CONDONING PUBLIC DECEPTION AND OPENING THE FLOODGATES FOR OTHER ITF APPLICANTS TO INFLATE THE NUMBER OF JOBS AND SALARIES TO TO GET THE SUPPORT OF THE PUBLIC AND THEN REDUCE THOSE NUMBERS IN ORDER TO GET THE I-TYPE EXEMPTIONS.
THE PUBLIC WANTS TO KNOW WHAT THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY IS GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT SO MUCH NOW ABOUT APS I-TYPE APPLICATION AS IT IS A APFS CONDUCT. THANK YOU.
'>> THANK YOU, MS. CARLIN, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MS. CARLIN? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE MISS NANCY PIERSON.
>> I'M NANCY PIERSON AND I AM PRESIDENT OF THE RIVER RIDGE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION.
RIVER RIDGE IS LOCATED RIGHT DIRECTLY ACROSS THE RIVER FROM WAGGAMAN.
OUR ASSOCIATION IS ASKING YOU TO NOT APPROVE THIS APPLICATION.
[00:10:07]
WE HAVE CERTAIN QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GOOD, THE BAD.THEY GET A TAX EXEMPTION AND WHAT GOOD ARE THEY BRING IT INTO JEFFERSON PARISH AS FAR AS JOBS? THOSE NUMBERS ARE IN QUESTION.
ARE THEY GOING TO BRING OTHER BUSINESSES INTO JEFFERSON PARISH? ARE THEY GOING TO DO BUSINESS IN JEFFERSON PARISH? AS FAR AS RESTAURANTS, GROCERY STORES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
IF THEY HAVE SO FEW EMPLOYEES, WHAT REVENUES ARE THEY GOING TO BRING IT INTO OUR PARISH TO NEGATE THE TAX EXEMPTION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE? IT WILL BE SHORT AND SWEET.
BUT RIVER RIDGE IS ABOUT 36,000 RESIDENTS.
THE ASSOCIATION IS THE ONLY ASSOCIATION IN RIVER RIDGE.
WE DID HAVE A RESOLUTION TO ASK YOU TO NEGATE THIS REQUEST. IT'D BE SHORT AND SWEET.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MS. PIERSON? THANK YOU, MA'AM. WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM APF.
ASK THEM TO COME FORWARD BECAUSE I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS FROM THE LAST MEETING AS WELL AS THE MEDIA ACCOUNTS THAT HAVE BEEN SO I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE BOARD TO LET THE COMPANY RESPOND TO THESE COMMENTS.
>> I THINK YOU DESERVE THAT. GOOD MORNING.
I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR AMERICAN PLANT FOOD.
WE'RE EXCITED TO BE IN THE GREAT STATE OF LOUISIANA.
WE BEGIN THIS JOURNEY IN 2021.
LOOKING AT THE PROJECT THERE AT THE WAGGAMAN SITE, THAT CORNERSTONE OWNS.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY THERE BECAUSE WE'RE TAKING SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE RECYCLING, CUTTING DOWN ON POLLUTION, AND ACTUALLY CREATING SOMETHING THAT CAN BE VERY SUSTAINABLE FOR THE AMERICAN FARMER.
THERE'S A WASTE PRODUCT THERE THAT'S BEING PUT IN THE GROUND RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO TURN THAT INTO SOMETHING THAT'S VERY COMMERCIALLY ACCEPTABLE, ALL WHILE IT'S SUPPORTING THE US AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY AND PROVIDING FOOD SECURITY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
I'M AWARE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THE LAST MEETING.
OBVIOUSLY I SAT HERE AND HEARD SOME COMMENTS A FEW MINUTES AGO FROM SEVERAL CONTEXTS THAT CAME FORWARD.
BUT LET ME REMIND PEOPLE THAT LIKE WHAT MOST BIG IDEAS PROJECTS, YOU START OUT WITH A CLEAN PIECE OF PAPER AND YOU PUT THE PROJECT TOGETHER AND AS YOU GO THROUGH THE ENGINEERING, AND YOUR COST ESTIMATES, YOU ARE DETERMINING HOW YOU SHOULD MODIFY THE PROJECT SO THAT IT CAN MOVE FORWARD.
IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS IN PHASES.
WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS? WE'VE HAD THINGS LIKE INTEREST RATES THAT HAVE COME IN PLAY, WE'VE HAD INFLATION RAISE ITS HEAD.
LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT THE GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR WORLD.
THIS EVOLUTION AS PROJECT HAS BEEN ACTIVELY COMMUNICATED TO OVER 60 STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS IN JEFFERSON PARISH.
OUR APPLICATION TODAY IS ONLY ABOUT PHASE 1 OR THIS PROJECT.
THE JOB AND PAYROLL INFORMATION, INCLUDING IN THIS APPLICATION THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU, IS AGAIN, ON PHASE 1, 28 JOBS, APPROXIMATELY $3.7 MILLION IN ANNUAL PAYROLL.
WE DO HAVE EVERY INTENT TO FULFILL OUR DREAMS OF PUTTING THIS BIG FACILITY AND LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT.
HOWEVER, WE MUST DO IT IN PHASES.
LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE WELL AWARE OF HOW THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN BEING ROLLED OUT AND COMMUNICATED ON THE PHASE APPROACH.
BEFORE YOU TODAY ARE THE JOBS, THE PAYROLL, THE CAPEX ASSOCIATED WITH PHASE 1, AND OUR PROJECT HAS LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS ARE EXPECTING AND ASKING FOR THEM TO CONSIDER THIS OVER THE NEXT 60 DAYS.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE OR ANYONE ELSE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, BILICEK. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? MR. MUELLER?
IF YOU, FOR SOME REASON DON'T GET THE $3.6 MILLION DOLLAR A YEAR TAX BREAK FROM THIS BOARD, WILL YOU STILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE INVESTMENT?
>> WELL, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY LOOKING AT ALL FINANCIAL ASPECTS OF IT.
OF COURSE, THAT'S UP CONSIDERATION.
IT WON'T KILL US, BUT IT'LL HAVE A DRASTIC BOTTOM LINE EFFECT ON THE PROJECT.
EVERY DOLLAR WE'RE GOING THROUGH VALUE ENGINEERING, SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE YOU'VE GOT PAYROLL ISSUES, YOU'VE GOT CONSTRUCTION ISSUES. SO YES.
>> IT'S LOUISIANA COMPETING AGAINST ANOTHER STATE OR ANOTHER LOCALITY FOR THIS INVESTMENT?
>> WE ARE BASED IN TEXAS AND WE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE AS WELL.
THERE IS SOME UNIQUE ADVANTAGES OF WHY WE WANT TO BE HERE.
GREAT MISSISSIPPI RIVER IS A VERY BIG ARTERY FOR THE IMPORT OF FERTILIZER.
WE WOULD BE BUILDING THIS FACILITY RIGHT ON THE RIVER AND DISPLACING PROBABLY 1 MILLION TONS THAT'S IMPORTED FROM OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES.
WE'D BE BRINGING US JOBS HERE AND DISPLACING NOT ONLY A CARBON FOOTPRINT,
[00:15:04]
PRODUCT BEING BROUGHT IN, BUT CREATING JOB SECURITY, BUT ALSO MORE IMPORTANT FOOD SECURITY.>> BUT AT THE MOMENT THIS IS NOT A COMPETITION BETWEEN LOUISIANA AND ANOTHER POTENTIAL SITE WHERE YOU ARE CONSIDERING THE SAME INVESTMENT?
>> THERE SEEMS TO BE AN INFORMATION DISCONNECT AS WE HEARD SOME OF THE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC AND YOU HAVE ANY EXPLANATION OR CAN YOU ILLUMINATE MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF WHY THERE'S THIS PERCEPTION OF WHAT MAYBE APPEARS TO BE A BAIT AND SWITCH BUT I KNOW FROM WORKING OVER THE PAST YEAR WITH THE CORPORATION THAT THEY DIDN'T PUT OUT, IN MY VIEW, MISINFORMATION.
BUT SOME THINGS CHANGED ALONG THE WAY, AND I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT HAPPENED IN TERMS OF THE EXTERNAL AUDIENCE THAT'S TRYING TO GET SOME CLARITY AROUND THE ISSUES.
>> CERTAINLY AS WE STARTED ON THIS PROJECT, IT WAS A LARGER VOLUME AMOUNT OF PRODUCTION.
AS WE'VE LOOKED AT THE MARKET, WHAT IT CAN ABSORB WITHOUT CALLING MARKET DISRUPTION, WE FELT THAT 420,000 TON FACILITY WAS THE ADEQUATE NUMBER.
HENCE, WE DOWNSIZED THE NUMBER OF GRANULATORS THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED.
WE ALSO CHANGED WORKING WITH OUR POTENTIAL CAPITAL PARTNERS.
THEY SAID, LOOK, YOU NEED TO DO THIS IN PHASES.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE WENT TO THE PERMITTING PROCESS WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE CORE, PERMITTING AND ALL, OR WHAT HAVE YOU, WE SUBMITTED THAT FROM THE PROPER SCOPE OF THOSE PERMITS REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT BECAUSE THAT IS A PROCESS THAT STANDS ON ITS OWN FOR EACH OF THOSE PERMITTING APPLICATIONS.
WITH RESPECT TO I-TAP, AS WE GET TO THE IMMEDIATE PHASE THAT WE'RE INVOLVED RIGHT NOW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO COMMIT TO YOU TODAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT AS I'VE SHARED WITH THE BOARD, WE HAVE EVERY INTENTION AND DESIRE ON A MUCH LARGER PROJECT.
WE'RE JUST REQUIRED BASED ON OUR CAPITAL STRUCTURE TO SAY, LOOK, LET'S DO PHASE 1 FIRST.
THAT'S HOW WE GOT WHERE WE GOT TO.
>> OUTSIDE INTERESTS, LOOKED AT CORE PERMITS AND SAW LARGER NUMBERS AND THEN SAW I-TAP APPLICATION AND THERE WAS NOT AN ALIGNMENT THERE AND THEY WERE MAKING THE ASSUMPTION THAT THERE WAS A FULL COMMITMENT WHEN IN FACT THAT WAS NOT THE INTENTION THAT YOU HAD INITIALLY.
>> THAT IS CORRECT. THANK YOU.
>> THEN JUST FOR MY CLARIFICATION, THE OTHER COMMENT WAS AROUND THE MOVEMENT OF INDUSTRY INTO THE VICINITY.
BUT THIS IS A CO-LOCATION WITH CORNERSTONE WHO HAS A NUMBER OF ACTIVE INTERESTS ALREADY THERE.
IT'S NOT A NEW BEACHHEAD IN THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A CO-LOCATION WITH EXISTING INDUSTRY. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT. PLUS WE'RE BRINGING STATE OF THE ART TECHNOLOGY TO CONTINUE TO ADD THAT TO THE TRANSFORMATION OF THAT SITE TO A GREENER, MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SITE.
AGAIN, HELPING WITH FOOD SECURITY IN THE UNITED STATES, DISPLACING IMPORTS.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A COUPLE.
>> THE COMMENTS THAT WE'VE HEARD, BOTH THE LAST MEETING AND THIS MEETING SEEMED TO REVOLVE AROUND NOT ONLY THE DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED WITH THE REGULATORS, AS WELL AS LED AND A COMPARISON OF THOSE NUMBERS, BUT ALSO COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE COMPANY BEFORE THE LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITIES AND PUBLIC MEETINGS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY VOTE BY ANY PUBLIC ENTITY, UP OR DOWN, PRO OR CON, CONCERNING YOUR PROJECT TO THIS POINT?
>> SO THE MEETINGS THAT YOU'VE HAD UP TO THIS POINT, GIVE ME THE CONTEXT OF WHAT THOSE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN ABOUT?
>> WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A COMMUNITY BUSINESS, YOU NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, SO FROM DAY ONE, STARTING IN 2021, WE STARTED WITH OUTREACH, AND WE WENT TO THE CIVIC ASSOCIATION, THE PARISH COUNCIL.
WE WANTED TO TELL PEOPLE WHAT WE WERE DOING, WHY WE WERE DOING IT, AND WHAT IT MEANT FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE HAD OVER 60 OF THOSE OUTREACH MEETINGS, AND ALL OF IT WAS TO INFORM, HERE'S WHAT OUR CONCEPT HERE IS, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET DONE, HERE'S WHAT WE THINK WE CAN PROVIDE IN IMMEDIATE JOBS, CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND SO FORTH.
BUT WE'RE STUDYING THAT RIGHT NOW.
MEANWHILE, WE'RE TAKING A WASTE PRODUCT THAT'S BEING PUT IN EPA APPROVED WELLS THAT WE HAVE CREATED A PROCESS WHERE WE CAN CLEAN THAT UP AND TURN THAT INTO COMMERCIALLY VIABLE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> MR. BILICEK, I DON'T NEED TO HEAR THE MESSAGE, I NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS.
[00:20:02]
THE PROCESS UP TO THIS POINT HAS BEEN INFORMATIONAL TO THE COMMUNITY, AND WHAT I THINK I HEAR YOU SAYING, BUT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT DURING THE TIME YOU'VE BEEN DOING THESE INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THE PROJECT ITSELF HAS EVOLVED.>> IS THAT MY FAIRLY ACCURATE?
>> WHAT I THINK I HEAR YOU SAYING TODAY IS YOU ARE GOING TO DEVELOP THIS PROJECT IN MULTIPLE PHASES.
HOW MANY PHASES ARE YOU ANTICIPATING?
>> IF YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH ALL THREE PHASES, WILL YOUR JOB NUMBERS, PAYROLL NUMBERS, CAPITAL EXPENDITURE NUMBERS, FORGIVE ME FOR THE LIGHTS THEY'RE BOTHERING ME, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE BOTHERING ANYBODY ELSE OR NOT, WILL THOSE NUMBERS COINCIDE WITH THE NUMBERS ORIGINALLY COMMUNICATED TO THE COMMUNITY?
>> IF YOU GO THROUGH ALL THREE PHASES.
>> WE LAID OUT THE SCOPE, THAT IS CORRECT.
>> PRESTON HUD, YOU ALL STOPPED ME WHEN I START LYING HERE.
AS I APPRECIATE THIS, I TELL PROCESS.
YOU COME BEFORE THE BOARD AND THE BOARD EITHER THUMBS UP OR THUMBS DOWN YOUR APPLICATION.
THEN AT THAT POINT, YOU THEN GO TO EACH LOCAL GOVERNING ENTITY WITHIN THE PARISH OR WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE WORKING.
AT THAT POINT, YOU MAKE COMMITMENTS THAT YOU WILL BE HELD TO.
>> I'VE BEEN DOING THIS LONG ENOUGH.
I OUGHT TO KNOW THAT I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE.
THE COMMITMENTS THAT MATTER FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE AND FROM A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE ARE THE COMMITMENTS YOU HAVE MADE TO THIS BOARD AND YOUR APPLICATION AND THAT WE WILL VOTE ON TODAY AND WILL ALSO BE THOSE COMMITMENTS THAT YOU WILL MAKE TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ONCE YOU WALK OUT OF THIS MEETING ASSUMING YOUR APPLICATION IS APPROVED?
>> THOSE COMMITMENTS OF A STAGE 1 ARE THE COMMITMENTS THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY MAKING TO THE COMMUNITY. IS THAT FAIR?
>> THAT IS ACCURATE. YES, SIR.
>> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT WE HAD HERE, BUT I WANTED TO BE SURE I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYTHING ELSE FROM YOU, MR. BELL? CHECK MR. LEONARD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HEARING NONE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL OF THESE IN GLOBAL.
IF YOU WISH TO PULL ANY ONE OUT AND HANDLE THEM INDIVIDUALLY, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.
OTHERWISE, ARE YOU READY TO VOTE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED? THERE ON THE MOTION CARRIES. NEXT.
>> NEXT WE HAVE 16 PRE IO RENEWAL APPLICATIONS TO OR REQUESTING TO BE DEFERRED.
2010 0198-D, SABINE PASS LNG LP IN CAMERON PARISH, AND 20110659-F, SABINE PASS LIQUEFACTION, LLC AND CAMERON PARISH.
>> WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER THOSE TWO APPLICATIONS.
MR. SLOAN IS MOTION SECOND FROM MAYOR TUBES, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NON THOSE MATTERS ARE DEFERRED TO THE NEXT MEETING.
>> 20150293-A BASF CORPORATION ASCENSION PARISH, 20150991 BASF CORPORATION ASCENSION PARISH, 20152048 BASF CORPORATION CONCORDIA PARISH, 20151323 DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 2016 0708 [INAUDIBLE] INK IT REVEAL PARISH,20160175-B, HOOD CONTAINER OF LOUISIANA LLC, WEST FELICIANA PARISH, 201615406 INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY DE SOTO PARISH, 201615406-A INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY DE SOTO PARISH, 20161492 POD PACK INTERNATIONAL, LLC, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 201614904, RAIN CII CORBIN, LLC, ST. BERNARD PARISH, 201511206-B UTLX MANUFACTURING LOC REPEATS PARISH, 20120041-B,
[00:25:05]
UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION, ST. CHARLES PARISH, 201412603-A, UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION, ST. CHARLES PARISH AND 20160666-A, WESTLAKE VINYLS COMPANY LP ASCENSION PARISH.>> WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE PRE IO RENEWALS.
MOTION OF MR. MOSS, SECOND MR [INAUDIBLE].
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE.
>> NEXT WE HAVE ONE LATE PRE IO RENEWAL APPLICATION, 20161405 [INAUDIBLE] PARISH, INITIAL CONTRACT EXPIRATION DATE 12TH 31 OF 2022.
LATE RENEWAL REQUEST DATE AUGUST 23RD OF 2023.
>> ALL RIGHT. I HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT HAVE ASKED TO SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE BEFORE WE DO THAT, LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND HAVE THEM SPEAK FIRST AND THEN WE CAN CLEAR ALL THAT UP AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR MOTION BASED ON WHAT WE LEARNED.
FIRST, MR. RODNEY BRAXTON FOR LINDY
>> YES. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I REPRESENT THEM WITH SOUTHERN STRATEGY.
WE'RE GOING TO REPRESENT LINDY.
TO MY LEFT AND STACY HARDY WHO IS ALSO WITH LINDY LOCALLY AND WE BROUGHT IN SOME FOLKS FROM THE CORPORATE OFFICE, TOM DALTON AND BOYD, WHO ARE ALSO HERE WHO MADE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COULD ADDRESS IT.
WE'RE HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF OUR RENEWAL APPLICATION.
WE KNOW THAT IT WAS FILED LATE, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE BOARD HAS SEVERAL OPTIONS.
WE WOULD LIKE TO GET THE FULL FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION.
WE HAVE MET EVERY MEASURE IN TERMS OF INVESTMENT IN JOBS, ETC, OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, LINDY HAS INVESTED GREATER THAN A BILLION DOLLARS IN LOUISIANA.
WE EXPECT TO INVEST IN ANOTHER HALF A BILLION OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
WE JUST WANT TO BE HERE MAKE OUR CASE.
HOPEFULLY THAT YOU WILL SEE BECAUSE OF OUR INVESTMENT AND JOBS AND OUR COMMITMENT THAT YOU WILL SEE YOUR WAY CLEAR TO GIVE UP THE FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION.
I'LL LET STACY. STACY WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING I WOULD LIKE HER?
>> SORRY IF YOU PULL THE MIC A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YOU, PLEASE.
THAT WAY THE COURT REPORTER WILL HEAR YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEARLY.
>> HI, I'M STACY HARDY AND THE COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA.
I HANDLE ALL NEW BUSINESS AND EXISTING BUSINESS FOR LINDY IN LOUISIANA.
OTHER THAN BEING THE DIRECTOR, I'M ALSO A LOCAL LOUISIANA AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE.
I WENT TO ALICE SHOE AND I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROGRAM AND WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS TO LOUISIANA.
LINDY, AS RODNEY HAS STATED, HAS SPENT CLOSE TO A BILLION DOLLARS IN INVESTMENT OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.
OVER THE NEXT 3-7 YEARS, WE EXPECT TO SPEND ANOTHER HALF A BILLION DOLLARS IN LOUISIANA.
LOUISIANA IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF LINDY.
JUST AS RODNEY STATED, WHEN WE DO A PROJECT, WE DO A PROJECT AND WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO A PROJECT, WE DO THE PROJECT.
WE'RE ASKING AS LINDY AS I'M SORRY, AS RODNEY STATED FOR THE FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL SO WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AS WE PROCEED.
>> ALL RIGHT. WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT LED TO THE LATE FILING.
>> WELL, I CAN MAKE SOME COMMENTS ON IT.
IF THOSE COMMENTS PROVED TO BE UNSATISFACTORY, WE HAVE MUCH MORE QUALIFIED PEOPLE HERE TO DO THAT.
HOWEVER, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THERE WERE PROCESSES IN PLACE PREVIOUSLY INVOLVE MORE THAN ONE DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD FOLLOW THESE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT PAPERWORK WAS FILED IN A TIMELY FASHION.
LATE LAST YEAR, THERE WAS SOME TRANSITIONING AND THE FOLKS THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MISSED IT FRANKLY, AND I HATE TO USE THE WORD FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS, BUT THAT'S LITERALLY WHAT HAPPENED.
ONCE WE DISCOVERED IT IN DOING THIS TRANSITION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY FOCUSED ON WAS MAKING SURE THAT THE PROCESSES WERE IN PLACE SO THAT STUFF LIKE THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE FUTURE.
BUT IT'S SIMPLY WAS A MISTAKE.
I KNOW THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE THING THAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, BUT IT'S THE REALITY OF IT.
BUT I WON'T MAKE IT CLEAR AS I SAID BEFORE, AS FAR AS THE INVESTMENTS AND THE JOBS, ETC, AND WHAT GOES INTO THE HOTTEST PROGRAM.
NOT TO SAY THAT FILING THAT EXTENSION ALL TIME, IT'S NOT.
BUT THE MONEY AND THE INVESTMENT IN THE JOBS WE'VE MET OUR BENCHMARK AS FAR AS THAT'S CONCERNED AND CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND WE'LL ALSO DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.
[00:30:03]
>> MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND MR. BRAXTON.
SOMEBODY DIDN'T DO THEIR JOB OR SOMEBODY LEFT THEIR JOB AND THERE WAS A VACANCY AND IT WAS OVERLOOKED?
>> THAT DID HAPPEN. THERE WAS A VACANCY FOR TIME.
I CAN DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY DID OR DID NOT DO THEIR JOB BECAUSE THEY COULD HAVE BEEN FILING OTHERS AND JUST MISS THIS ONE.
IT WASN'T A QUESTION OF NOT DOING THEIR JOB, BUT THIS ONE WAS MISSED.
THERE'S NO LONGER A VACANCY THERE, THERE WAS A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE.
QUITE FRANKLY, AS SOON AS WE DISCOVERED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN, WE FILED IT BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL AUGUST AND WHEN THAT OCCURRED.
I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO RECORD THIS OR HAVE THE COURT REPORTER READ IT BACK BECAUSE I'LL BE BACK NEXT MONTH TO SAY THE SAME THING FOR A DIFFERENT PROJECT AND ESSENTIALLY IT HAPPENED TWICE.
WE'VE RECTIFIED THE SITUATION AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR COMMITMENT TO THE STATE.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROCEDURES WE HAVE IN PLACE THAT PREVENT US FROM EVER HAPPENING AGAIN AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE WE HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD TO MR. BRAXTON OR MISS HARDY? PULL YOUR MIC DOWN STEWART.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO APPROVE THE RENEWAL.
>> IS THAT A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH A PENALTY OR WITHOUT A PENALTY? WITHOUT A PENALTY. HOLD ON A SEC, WE'LL GET TO QUESTION THE COMMENTS.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM MR. ST. BLOCK MUELLER.
>> WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CASES LIKE THIS IN THE PAST.
EVERYBODY WHO COMES UP HERE WITH A LATE RENEWAL HAS AN EXPLANATION.
AND OUR PRECEDENT AS A BOARD HAS BEEN TO DO A ONE-YEAR PENALTY FOR EACH YEAR THAT IT'S LATE.
I'M SYMPATHETIC TO YOUR PLATE, BUT MY CONCERN IS IF WE SET A PRECEDENT HERE, THEN EVERYBODY WHO MAKES A PAPERWORK MISTAKE OR HAS SOME BACK-OFFICE MALFUNCTION IS GOING TO FEEL ENTITLED TO THE SAME COURTESY FROM THIS BOARD, AND THEN WE MIGHT AS WELL DO AWAY WITH THE PENALTIES AND THIS PROCESS.
I WOULD MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO APPROVE WHERE THE ONE-YEAR PENALTY.
>> MAY I COMMENT, MR. CHAIRMAN? I'M SORRY. THAT WAS ME.
>> I RECOGNIZE AND RESPECT WHAT MR. MUELLER SAID AND SO I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THIS.
I THINK THAT EACH INSTANCE CAN START TO STAND ON ITS OWN MERIT.
THAT'S NUMBER 1, AND THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE MADE, A COMMITMENT I THINK, SHOULD CARRY SOME WEIGHT, I BELIEVE.
BUT I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST TO YOU THAT IF YOU CHANGE OR STICK TO THE PRECEDENT, THEN THE AGENDA SHOULD OFFER UP ONLY TWO OPTIONS.
IT GIVES YOU THE DISCRETION TO GIVE THE FIVE-YEAR EXTENSION.
I THINK THAT THEY ARE [INAUDIBLE] AGAIN, RESTAURANT ITS OWN LAWS.
WE BELIEVE THAT YES, WE MADE A MISTAKE.
OTHER PEOPLE CAN CLAIM THAT, BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT OUR LONG-TERM INVESTMENT AND COMMITMENT TO THIS, WE'VE LITERALLY CHANGED THE MARKET IN TERMS OF HYDROGEN.
UNLESS SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE HERE, AND I GET IT.
THEY MAY NOT RESONATE WITH YOU AND IT DOESN'T CHANGE YOUR FEELING ABOUT IT, BUT IT IS AN OPTION THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE BOARD.
>> I UNDERSTAND, AND I'M NOT QUESTIONING YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE LOUISIANA OR YOUR INVESTMENT.
I THINK IN MY VIEW, WE CAN MAKE EXCEPTIONS, AND IF THERE HAD BEEN A HURRICANE THAT WIPED OUT YOUR SERVERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SOME ACT OF GOD.
THEN I MIGHT TAKE A DIFFERENT VIEW JUST THINKING FOR MYSELF.
BUT THIS WAS HUMAN ERROR AND IN CASES ARE PRECEDENT AS A BOARD HAS BEEN WHEN HUMAN ERROR HAPPENS, WHICH HAPPENS, WE'VE BEEN IMPROVING WITH ONE YEAR PENALTY.
>> I'LL MAKE THIS APPLICATION, IT MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR STAFF.
IT WAS DUE BY DECEMBER 31ST, 2022 AND THEIR REQUEST WAS RECEIVED AUGUST 23RD, 2023.
NOW, THERE WAS A REQUEST, MR. MUELLER FOR A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
MR. MOSS OR MR. ST. BLOCK, WOULD YOU ACCEPT A SUBSTITUTE MOTION? NO. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD?
[00:35:06]
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITHOUT PENALTY.ALL OPPOSED. NO. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT IS UNCLEAR VOTE.
I'M NOT GOING TO CALL FOR A ROLL CALL.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE TWO POST EXECUTIVE ORDER 2018 RULES TIMELY RENEWALS, 2018-0072 CORTEC, LLC, TERREBONNE PARISH, AND 2017-0492, LOUISIANA SUGARCANE CO-OPERATIVE, INC, ST. MARTIN PARISH.
>> THESE ARE POST 2018 RULES. STRAIGHT RENEWALS.
YOU'LL NOTICE THERE ARE NONCOMPLIANCE INFORMATION IN THE PACKET.
HOWEVER, ALL THOSE NONCOMPLIANCE IS WE'RE DEALT WITH AT THE TIME THAT THEY AROSE.
SO FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, THOSE HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH.
SO WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD ON THESE RENEWABLES? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION FROM MR. SLOAN? SECOND, MR. ST. BLOCK.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE, MOTION CARRIES.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE TO CHANGE IN NAME ONLY REQUEST.
BURSON CHEMICALS LLC CONTRACTS 2020-0094 AND 2020-0094-A AND LIVINGSTON PARISH, CHANGING THEIR NAME TO AURORAE M. DENHAM SPRINGS, LLC.
>> MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CHANGE IN NAME, MR. POPE, SECOND BY MR. SIMEON.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AND THE OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE IN LOCATION ONLY REQUEST CORTEC LLC 2018-0072 AND 2018-0072-A AND TERREBONNE PARISH.
PREVIOUS LOCATION 196 EQUITY DRIVE HOUMA, LOUISIANA 70360, CHANGING IT TO 220 EQUITY BOULEVARD HOUMA LOUISIANA 7036.
>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CHANGE OF LOCATION MOTION MADE MR. MUELLER? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE IS NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
>> WE HAVE ONE CANCELLATION REQUEST, BOLLINGER ALGIERS, LLC IN 2015-1877-PT AND ORLEANS PARISH COMPANY IS REQUESTING CANCELLATION.
>> MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CANCELLATION FROM MR. NASSER, SECOND FROM MR. MOSS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE IS NONE.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. SPECIAL REQUESTS.
>> WE HAVE THREE SPECIAL REQUESTS.
THE FIRST ONE IS FROM LOUISIANA GREEN FUELS, LLC CONTRACT 2021-0624.
LOUISIANA GREEN FUELS, LLC IS REQUESTING TO AMEND THEIR EXISTING EXHIBIT A AGREEMENT FOR CONTRACT 2021-0624 ITE TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL YEAR TO THE PROJECT IN ORDER TO ACCOUNT FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR OF ASSETS COMING INTO SERVICE EARLIER THAN ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED WHEN FILING THE FRONT-END APPLICATION AT THE END OF 2022.
>> BASICALLY THEY'RE MOVING UP OR THEY'RE MOVING OUT?
>> ESSENTIALLY THEIR EXEMPTION IS GOING TO START SOONER BECAUSE THEY COMPLETED PART OF THEIR PROJECTS.
>> GOT IT. WE DON'T GET THAT VERY OFTEN.
I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM MR. NASSER, SECOND, MR. SIMEON.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
[00:40:03]
>> THE NEXT ONE IS PCS NITROGEN FERTILIZER LP CONTRACTS 2022-0103, AND 2022-0104.
PCS NITROGEN FERTILIZER LP IS REQUESTING TEAM TO AMEND THEIR EXISTING EXHIBIT A AGREEMENT, SECTION 4.02A FOR CONTRACTS 2022-0103, AND 2022-0104 TO EXTEND THE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATE FROM MARCH 31ST, 2027 TO MARCH 31ST, 2030.
>> NOW, AS I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION FROM THE PACKET, THIS IS BASICALLY BASED ON ISSUES ARISING IN THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS.
>> DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM PCS? PLEASE COME FORWARD.
THANK YOU. YOU STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.
>> YEAH. MY NAME IS ADAM DIAMOND.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY AFFAIRS FOR PCS NITROGEN.
>> TELL US WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
>> I THINK YOU JUST HIT IT RIGHT ON THE HEAD.
UNLIKE THE PREVIOUS COMPANY, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT LESS EFFICIENT.
>> [LAUGHTER] I REALIZED AS SOON AS I SAID THAT I JUST SLAPPED EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT [LAUGHTER]
WE'VE HAD MARKET CONDITION CHANGES, SEVERAL UNANTICIPATED CHALLENGES RESULTING FROM SUPPLY CHAIN DELAYS, HIGHER INFLATION, INTEREST RATES, UNANTICIPATED RESOURCE AVAILABILITY CONSTRAINTS, ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAS BASICALLY PUSHED THIS PROJECT BACK A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WHAT WE ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED.
>> HAS CONSTRUCTION STARTED NOW?
>> CONSTRUCTION, WE'VE DONE SOME INITIAL CONSTRUCTION.
WE'VE INVESTED OVER $100 MILLION SO FAR ON FRONT END ENGINEERING.
WE'RE STILL MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR PERMIT APPLICATIONS WITH DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
>> HAVE YOU REACHED FINAL INVESTMENT DECISION YET?
>> ARE YOU WAITING ON PERMITTING AND [OVERLAPPING] SOMETHING?
>> WE'RE WAITING ON PERMIT, WE'RE LOOKING AT MARKING CONDITIONS.
IN ESSENCE, [NOISE] WE'VE SLOWED THE PROJECT DOWN A LITTLE BIT, IN TERMS OF MAKING THAT FINAL INVESTMENT DECISION, DUE TO ALL OF THESE CHANGES IN THE MARKET?
>> HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU IN YOUR PERMITTING?
>> WE ARE [NOISE] CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'LL GET OUR PERMIT WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH, SO WE CAN START CONSTRUCTION BY THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE HAVE A MOTION ON PCS FOR NITROGEN FERTILIZER, LPS REQUESTS TO EXTEND THEIR PROPOSED COMMENCEMENT OF OPERATION DATE.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. SIMEON TO APPROVE.
SECOND FROM MR. HOLLAND'S, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? [NOISE] ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE NON-COMPLIANT CONTRACTS FOLLOWING THE POSTERIOR 2017 RULES.
WE HAVE THREE CONTRACTS FOR PACKAGING CORPORATION OF AMERICA AND BEAUREGARD PARISH, THAT ARE NON-COMPLIANT.
CONTRACT 20161623, WAS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2019 REPORTING PERIOD.
THE EXHIBIT AGREEMENT REQUIRED 532 JOBS WITH $55,633,240 IN PAYROLL.
THE ACTUAL JOBS RETAIN WAS 573, WITH $54,975,874 IN PAYROLL.
THE FILING IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE PAYROLL PORTION ONLY.
NONE OF THE LOCALS REPLIED WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
NEXT IS CONTRACT 20161851 THAT WAS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2018 REPORTING PERIOD.
THE EXHIBIT AGREEMENT REQUIRE THE COMPANY RETAIN 565 JOBS WITH $55,281,785 IN PAYROLL.
THE ACTUAL JOBS RETAINED WAS 556, WITH $56,191,520 IN PAYROLL.
THIS FILING IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE JOB PORTION ONLY.
THE PARISH DID NOT RESPOND WITH A RECOMMENDATION, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD NOR THE SHERIFF GRANTED AN EXEMPTION FOR THE INITIAL APPLICATION, SO THEY DO NOT APPLY.
LAST, WE HAVE CONTRACT 20170177, THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR BOTH 2019, AND 2020 REPORTING PERIODS.
THEY EXHIBIT AGREEMENT REQUIRED THE COMPANY RETAIN 554 JOBS, WITH $55,281,785 IN PAYROLL.
[00:45:03]
FOR 2019, THE ACTUAL JOBS RETAINED WAS 576, WITH $55,298,358 IN PAYROLL.THE FILING IS NON-COMPLIANT DUE TO THE LATE FILING ONLY.
THE FILING WAS DUE AUGUST 23RD, 2020, BUT NOT RECEIVED UNTIL JULY 11TH, 2021.
THE PARENTS DID NOT RESPOND WITH A RECOMMENDATION, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD NOR THE SHERIFF GRANTED AN EXEMPTION FOR THE INITIAL APPLICATION, SO THEY DO NOT APPLY.
OR 2020 REPORTING PERIOD, THE ACTUAL JOBS RETAIN WAS 586, WITH $61,539,134 IN PAYROLL.
THIS FILING IS ALSO NON-COMPLIANT DUE TO THE LATE FILING ONLY.
IT WAS DUE APRIL 30TH, 2021, BUT NOT RECEIVED UNTIL JULY 11TH, 2021.
THE PARENTS DID NOT RESPOND WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD NOR SHERIFF GRANTED AN EXEMPTION.
>> LET ME SEE IF I CAN SUMMARIZE THIS IN A WAY THAT MAKES SOME SENSE.
FOR THE FIRST CONTRACT, THEY MET THEIR PAYROLL OBLIGATION, DID NOT MEET THEIR JOBS OBLIGATION.
THE SECOND CONTRACT, THEY MET THEIR JOBS APPLICATION, BUT DIDN'T MEET THEIR PAYROLL OBLIGATION.
>> OPPOSITE. THE FIRST CONTRACT, THEY DIDN'T MEET THE PAYROLL SECOND, THEY DIDN'T MEET THE JOB.
>> THAT'S WHY IT TAKES ALL OF Y'ALL TO KEEP ME STRAIGHT.
BUT THE THIRD CONTRACT, THEY SIMPLY FILED IT LATE.
>> THEY MET THEIR JOBS AND PAYROLL OBLIGATIONS.
>> THE PARISH OF BEAUREGARD APPARENTLY DOESN'T CARE.
>> I'M SORRY, BUT THAT'S MY INTERPRETATION WHEN I SEE NO RESPONSE.
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, MR. SECRETARY? I'M ABOUT TO GIVE YOU MY JOB [LAUGHTER]
>> PLEASE RETAIN THE CHAIRMANSHIP, SIR.
NOW I REALLY MORE OF WANT TO MAKE AN OBSERVATION HERE FOR THE BOARD, AND THERE'S SOME MEMBERS HERE TODAY THAT DON'T ALWAYS ATTEND OUR MEETINGS.
BUT WHEN THEY SAY THIS IS OUT OF COMPLIANCE, THAT DRAWS YOUR ATTENTION, THAT CAUSES SOME CONCERN.
IT IS THE STAFF'S RESPONSIBILITY TO POINT OUT THAT IT'S NOT MEETING THE STANDARD.
THAT BECOMES MAYBE AN AMBER FLASHING LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD.
FOR THE BOARD, I THINK THE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO LOOK AT [NOISE] A LITTLE BIT OF EACH OF THESE INDIVIDUALLY, AND IN SOME CASES YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME VERY SEVERE DIVERGENCE FROM WHAT THE COMMITMENT WAS, AND WHAT THE PROGRAM PRESENTED.
BUT IN THESE CASES HERE, YOU'RE SEEING REALLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE MISS ON SOME OF THESE JOB COUNTS, AND WHERE FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SCIENCE, THE REAL VALUE TO THE STATE, AND TO THE PARISH, AND OTHERS THAT FEED THE ECONOMY, IS TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL, ON THE SALARIES.
THAT'S THE REAL MONEY THAT'S MOVING INTO OUR ECONOMY, AND EVALUATE MORE THAN JUST A STATEMENT OF BEING OUT OF COMPLIANCE, AND JUST TALK ABOUT WHETHER IT'S DRASTICALLY OUT OF COMPLIANCE, AND MOSTLY, WERE WE AT RISK OR AT BEING SEVERELY IMPACTED BY SALARY REDUCTIONS? SO IF THESE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN HALF OR SOMETHING, I THINK THERE'LL BE A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD.
BUT THESE ARE ALL LIKE HORSESHOE.
YOU CAN GET THEM PRETTY CLOSE TO THE PIN, AND I THINK THAT SHOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED.
THAT'S JUST A SIDEBAR COMMENT, SIR.
OR IS PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITHOUT PENALTY? WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITHOUT PENALTY FOR MR. RAY SEC FROM DR. THOMPSON.
ANY QUESTIONS OR FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? [NOISE] THERE BEING NONE THE MOTION CARRIES.
>> [NOISE] NEXT, WE HAVE NON-COMPLIANT CONTRACTS FOLLOWING THE POSTERIOR 2018 RULES.
WE HAVE TWO CONTRACTS AND NUMBER 20180149, AND 20180149-A.
FOR DIVERSIFIED FOODS AND SEASONINGS, LLC AND ST. TAMMANY PARISH, THAT ARE BOTH NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2022 REPORTING PERIOD.
THE EXHIBIT A FOR BOTH CONTRACTS REQUIRES THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN 44 JOBS WITH $1,245,200 IN PAYROLL.
THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WAS FOUR JOBS WITH $179,124 IN PAYROLL.
THE PARISH SUBMITTED A LETTER STATING, ST. TAMMANY PARISH DEFERS TO THE STATE FOR ANY ACTION DEEMED APPROPRIATE,
[00:50:02]
REGARDING DIVERSIFIED FOODS NONCOMPLIANCE FOR ALL PARTICIPATING YEARS.THE SCHOOL BOARD SUBMITTED A LETTER STATING THE SAME TIME MANY PARISH SCHOOL BOARD DIFFERS ANY DECISION OR ACTION ON DIVERSIFIED FOODS, NON-COMPLIANCE TO LOUISIANA BOARD OF COMMERCE.
THE SAME TIME, THE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD DOES NOT WISH TO TAKE ANY DIRECT ACTION AGAINST THE COMPANY FOR 2022, AND THE SHERIFF SUBMITTED A LETTER STATING, GIVEN THE SPECIFICS OF THE NOTICES IN QUESTION, WE SHARE A LENIENT MINDSET TOWARDS THE CHALLENGES OF MEETING THE BENCHMARKS, AND REPORTING TIMELINES, DUE TO THE WIDESPREAD EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, GIVEN THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE UNDER THIS PROCESS, AND THE PARTICULARS FOR EACH OF THE CONTRACTS AND QUESTION, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL ELECT TO DEFER JUDGMENT ON THE ABOVE MATTERS TO THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY.
>> THANK YOU. ARE YOU HERE TO JUST SPEAK ON BEHALF OF DIVERSIFIED? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR POSITION [OVERLAPPING].
>> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, RUBEN WRANGLE WITH ADVANCED CONSULTING.
DIVERSIFIED FOODS, I THINK IT'S LIKE A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE COME BEFORE YOU FOR NONCOMPLIANCE BEING THAT THEY ENTERED INTO THERE I TYPE CONTRACT PRIOR TO 2020 IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
DESPITE THEIR BEST EFFORTS, THE ONGOING ITEM, [NOISE] JOBS AND PAYROLL COMMITMENTS, JUST AREN'T ATTAINABLE AT THIS TIME.
THE COMPANY HAS MADE A DECISION TO EXIT THE PROGRAM.
WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT LOCAL TAXING BODIES, AND THE COMPANY ACTUALLY FILED A CONTRACT CANCELATION REQUESTS BACK IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
THE REASON THAT IT HASN'T COME UP FOR YOU YET IS SIMPLY BECAUSE THE PRIOR YEAR COMPLIANCE FILINGS HAVE BEEN MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE QUEUE.
WITH THIS 20TH TO COMPLIANCE BEFORE YOUR DAY, I WOULD EXPECT ON THE NEXT AGENDA, YOU WOULD PROBABLY SEE THE DIVERSIFIED FOODS CANCELLATION FOR THIS ITEM.
>> SO IT'S NOT GOING TO PROCEED WITH PROJECT AT ALL?
>> IT IS IT IS PROCEEDING, BUT THEY WON'T CONTINUE TO HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS HIGH-TECH CONTRACT TO EXEMPT THE 80%.
>> AS I UNDERSTOOD THE LETTERS FROM THE POLICE JURY AND SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SHERIFF.
THEY ALL DIFFER TO THE BOARD, BUT I HEARD UNDERTONES OF LENIENCY.
>> YEAH. THEIR DECISION WAS SET TO FIRE, BUT NONE OF THEM WANTED TO TAKE DIRECT ACTION THEMSELVES. NO PENALTY FROM NOW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WHAT'S PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? WE CAN APPROVE WITHOUT PENALTY, WHICH APPARENTLY THESE LOCAL ENTITIES DO NOT FEEL STRONGLY ENOUGH ABOUT AND CONCURRING OR IMPOSING A PENALTY.
>> I HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSER TO APPROVE WITHOUT PENALTY. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> OKAY. DO I HAVE A SECOND? A 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.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
>> NEXT WE HAVE ONE CONTRACT, 2020-00044 FOR EI WILLIAMS INDUSTRIES LLC AND WEBSTER PARISH, THAT IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2022 REPORTING PERIOD.
THE EXHIBIT A REQUIRED THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN 28 JOBS WITH 1 MILLION IN PAYROLL.
THE ACR FILING WAS NEVER RECEIVED, SO THE NON-COMPLIANCE LETTERS WERE SENT OUT.
THE WEBSTER PARISH SCHOOL BOARD NOR SHERIFF RESPONDED WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
SINCE THE LETTERS WENT OUT AND THE AGENDA WAS SAID, THE COMPANY DID SUBMIT THEIR ACR FILING ON OCTOBER 13TH.
THE JOBS AND PAYROLL FOR THE 2022 FILING WHERE 30 JOBS WITH $1,265,759 FOR 2022.
>> I'M SORRY, GIVE ME THOSE NUMBERS AGAIN.
>> THIRTY JOBS WITH $1,265,759.
>> THE PAYROLL AND JOBS WERE MET, BUT THEY WERE STILL NON-COMPLIANT BECAUSE IT WASN'T FILED UNTIL OCTOBER 13TH.
>> GOT IT. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOHN SANTOS, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER WITH EI WILLIAMS.
>> OKAY. TELL US WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
>> WE FELT THAT WE WERE INITIALLY INTENDING TO FILE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION IN HOUSE.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD LIKE IN OTHER CASES, SOME TURNOVER, QUITE A BIT OF TURNOVER OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.
THIS DOCUMENTATION GOT PUSHED TO THE SIDE UNTIL WE GOT NOTIFICATION THAT WE WERE LATE.
AT WHICH TIME WE HIRED DIEDER CONSULTING TO MANAGE THE PROCESS FOR US.
WE KNOW GOING FORWARD, WE WON'T EVER BE LATE WITH OUR FILINGS AGAIN.
AS WAS MENTIONED, WE DID MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS AND EXCEEDED THEM, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO SO.
WE WILL MORE AND MORE ARE FOCUSING ON GROWING OUR BUSINESS AND NOW HAVE PASSED ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE PORTION OF THIS FUNCTION
[00:55:02]
TO OTHER CONSULTING FIRM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T EVER MISS THIS AGAIN.>> OKAY. HAVE YOU COMMUNICATED WITH THE LOCAL ENTITIES AS TO WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE COMPANY AND ARE YOU STAYING IN CONTACT WITH THEM?
>> NOT THE TAXING AUTHORITIES, BUT RATHER THE NWPID, THE DISTRICT THAT WE DEAL WITH.
WE CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM CONSTANTLY.
>> OKAY. WHAT IS PLEASURE OF THE BOARD? WE HAVE A MOTION APPROVE WITH NO PENALTY FROM SECRETARY PIERSON.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE TWO CONTRACTS FOR FISHER MANUFACTURING SERVICES, LLC AND TANGIBLE WHOLE PARISH THAT ARE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2022 REPORTING PERIODS.
THEIR EXHIBIT A FOR CONTRACT 2019-086 REQUIRED THE COMPANY CREATE AND RETAIN ONE JOB WITH 20,000 AND PAYROLL.
THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WAS ONE WITH $49,110 ON PAYROLL.
THE FILING IS NON-COMPLIANT DUE TO BEING LATE ONLY.
THE FILING WAS DUE APRIL 30TH, 2023, BUT NOT RECEIVED UNTIL MAY 8TH, 2023.
THE PARISH AND SHERIFF DID NOT RESPOND WITH RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD DENIED THE EXEMPTION AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION AND DOES NOT APPLY.
THEIR EXHIBIT A FOR CONTRACT 2021-0266 REQUIRED THE COMPANY CREATE AND RETAIN ONE JOB WITH 20,000 IN PAYROLL.
THE ACTUAL JOBS CREATED WAS TWO WITH $54,134 IN PAYROLL.
THE FILING IS NON-COMPLIANT DUE TO BEING LATE ONLY.
IT WAS DUE APRIL 30TH, 2023, BUT NOT RECEIVED UNTIL MAY 8TH, 2023.
NONE OF THE LOCALS RESPONDED WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEY WERE LITERALLY LESS THAN 10 DAYS LATE?
>> OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. SLOAN TO APPROVE WITH NO PENALTY. HAVE A SECOND.
MR. WALSH REPRESENTING GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AS A SECOND.
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.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE TWO CONTRACTS FOR MARK CO. LLC.
MARK CO. AND NATCHITOCHES PARISH IS NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2020 AND THE 2021 REPORTING PERIODS.
THE EXHIBIT A, REQUIRED THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN 14 JOBS WITH 656,000 IN PAYROLL.
THE ACTUAL JOBS AND PAYROLL CREATED FOR THE 2020 REPORTING PERIOD WAS SEVEN JOBS WITH 350,656 IN PAYROLL.
THE ACTUAL JOBS AND PAYROLL CREATED FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD WAS ZERO JOBS WITH ZERO IN PAYROLL.
THE PARISH COUNCIL ORIGINALLY DENIED THE EXEMPTION, SO THEY WERE NOT REQUESTED TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK FOR THIS NON-COMPLIANCE, AND WE RECEIVED LETTERS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SHERIFF STATING FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT OUR BOARD IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF TAKING NO ACTION ON 2018-0296-ITE.
MR. MARTIN CAME TO OUR BOARD MEETING AND EXPLAINED THE COMPLEXITIES OF THE EXEMPTION AND WHY THEY WERE FOUND NON-COMPLIANT.
OUR BOARD UNDERSTOOD AND VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE TO TAKE NO ACTION.
THE SHERIFF ISSUED A LETTER STATING I'M WRITING IN SUPPORT OF MARK CO. MAINTAINING THEIR TAX EXEMPTION STATUS.
IN MY OPINION, MARK CO. REMAINS A VITAL PARTNER IN NATCHITOCHES PARISH AND IS COMMITTED TO INVESTING IN ITS PEOPLE.
AS SUCH, MARK CO. REMAINS A VITAL PARTNER.
IN REFERENCE TO THE ABOVE-MENTIONED TAX EXEMPTIONS FROM MARK CO.
I'M IN FAVOR OF THE EXEMPTIONS REMAINING IN PLACE AND NO FURTHER ACTION BEING TAKEN IN THIS MATTER.
THE NEXT CONTRACT IS 2019-0393 FOR MARK CO. IN NATCHITOCHES PARISH, AND THEY'RE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD.
THEIR EXHIBIT A REQUIRED THE COMPANY CREATE AND MAINTAIN FIVE JOBS WITH $193,393 IN PAYROLL.
THE ACTUAL JOBS AND PAYROLL CREATED FOR THE 2021 REPORTING PERIOD WAS ZERO JOBS WITH ZERO DOLLARS IN PAYROLL.
THE PARISH COUNCIL DENIED THE EXEMPTION AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION, THE SCHOOL BOARD PASSED A MOTION TO APPROVE TAKING NO ACTION ON MARK CO. HI-TECH NONCOMPLIANCE CONTRACT 2019-0393, AND THE SHERIFF ADDRESSED THIS CONTRACT IN THE SAME LETTER THAT I READ PREVIOUSLY STATING THAT HE IS IN
[01:00:03]
FAVOR OF THE EXEMPTIONS REMAINING IN PLACE AND NO FURTHER ACTION BEING TAKEN IN THIS MATTER.>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE SOMEBODY HERE FROM MARK CO.
>> PLEASE COME, SIR. THANK YOU.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE.
I'M CHAIRMAN, CEO, AND CFO OF ROYAL MARTIN.
WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR 100TH YEAR HERE IN LOUISIANA.
ROYAL MARTIN IN 2000 THAT I WAS A PART OF.
I'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 41 YEARS.
WE BUILT THE FIRST PLYWOOD PLANT THAT HAD BEEN BUILT IN 1996 IN 14 YEARS.
WE CELEBRATED OUR 25TH YEAR IN NATCHITOCHES PARISH IN 2021.
I DON'T LIKE TO BE NON-COMPLIANT.
BUT WE'LL HAVE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.
THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY USES A PARTICULAR METHODOLOGY THAT SECRETARY PIERSON AND I HAVE DISCUSSED IT AT LENGTH.
THAT IS NOT EXACTLY THE WAY WE OPERATE.
WE ARE 52, 53 WEEK ACCOUNTING PERIOD, WHICH MEANS I ALWAYS END ON A SUNDAY.
THAT MEANS SOMETIMES PAYROLLS GET PAID IN A NEXT CALENDAR YEAR AND THAT DOESN'T JIVE WITH YOUR METHODOLOGIES.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, I LIKE TO LOOK AT MY ES IV FOR DATA FOR JOB COMPLIANCE.
ALSO, I WANT TO POINT OUT TOO, THAT MARCO AT CHOPIN HAS ABOUT A $40 MILLION PAYROLL PER YEAR.
IN 2021, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WE'RE COMPLIANT ON ALL OF OUR PAYROLL DOLLARS IN 2020 AND 2021 BECAUSE IT WAS COVID.
WE EXPANDED DURING COVID, WHICH IS MY FAULT, AND JOB CREATION DURING COVID WAS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING BECAUSE PEOPLE GOT PAID TO STAY HOME AND ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS TO CHECK A BOX AND SAY THAT I APPLIED FOR A JOB TO QUALIFY.
WELL, WE WOULD GET HUNDREDS OF APPLICATIONS SHOW UP FOR THE JOB FAIR AND FOUR PEOPLE WOULD SHOW UP.
I HAD SUPERVISORS, WE HAD ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF OVERTIME, AND WE RAN AS AN ESSENTIAL BUSINESS THROUGH 2020 AND 2021.
WE MAINTAIN AND IN FACT, I WOULD ARGUE.
I'VE NEVER MET YOU BEFORE, BUT I'VE HEARD YOUR NAME A LOT.
I'VE GOT A CPA AND CERTIFIED INTERNAL AUDIT TO THE PREPARES THESE FOR US.
I THINK WE CREATED THE JOBS IN 2020, BUT I DON'T WANT TO ARGUE BECAUSE OUR ES IV WAS A LOT MORE THAN THAT.
2021 WAS VERY DIFFICULT BUT WITH OVERTIME, WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS WORKING ON WEEKENDS.
WE MANAGED TO SURVIVE AND THEY WORKED SO HARD THAT I PAID EVERYBODY $1,000 FOR EVERY YEAR OF SERVICE FOR ROYAL MARTIN DURING 2021 ON NOVEMBER THE 22ND.
THAT'S WHY I'M POSITIVE OUR PAYROLL WAS MUCH GREATER.
YOU GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAD WORKED FOR 25 YEARS KEPT IT A SECRET.
THEY GOT TO $25,000 CHECK THAT DAY WITHOUT KNOWING IT SO I KNOW WE COMPLY WITH THE PAYROLL.
IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT YEAR FOR US.
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW ABOUT 740 PEOPLE THAT WORK AT CHOPIN.
THIS CONTRACT IS FOR OUR TIMBER MILL.
IT'S A SMALL PIECE OF THE OVERALL PLANT.
WE DOUBLED THE SIZE OF IT IN 2018 AND CREATED A NEW LOG PRODUCT FOR THE STATE OF LOUISIANA CALLED A CANTERWOOD-TYPE PRODUCT WHICH WE HAD OVER IN ALABAMA SO THAT'S WHY THE NUMBERS APPEAR SMALL BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF PAYROLL.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT THE NATCHITOCHES PARISH COUNCIL.
THE NATCHITOCHES PARISH COUNCIL PUT US ON AN AGENDA THAT THEY DIDN'T PUT ON THE WEBSITE.
THEY POSTED IT ON THE DOOR THAT DAY, WHICH I DON'T GO BY AND CHECK THE DOOR OF THE COURTHOUSE.
SORRY, AND I MISSED THE MEETING AND SO THEY GOT MAD AT ME AND DENIED IT.
BUT I CAME BACK AND SAID PUT ME ON AGAIN.
THEY PASSED IT, BUT THEY SEND IT TO THE BOARD LATE.
THEY ACTUALLY DID APPROVE THE EXTENSION.
THEY JUST DIDN'T GET IT IN LATE SO THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE.
ANYWAY, I HAVE LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM THE SHERIFF,
[01:05:03]
AS I SAID BEFORE, AND I GOT A UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.I WAS VERY PROUD OF THAT AND TO CONTAIN.
CHAIR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 740 JOBS.
OUR BASELINE WAS 678 SO MY MATH, WE WERE OVER ALMOST 60 PLUS.
>> YOU MAY HAVE JUST ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
I WAS GOING TO ASK, HOW HAVE YOU RECOVERED FROM THE COVID DEBACLE?
>> PRETTY WELL. WHERE ARE THE LARGEST SINGLE PLOW AND PLANT IN NORTH AMERICA AND THE SAFEST FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS?
>> WE'VE HEARD A LOT FROM PEOPLE IN YOUR POSITION THAT THOSE TWO OR THREE YEARS WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND WORKERS.
I'M CURIOUS, ARE WE GETTING PAST THAT NOW?
>> WE ARE. THE EDUCATION LEVEL OF OUR APPLICANTS IS POOR AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT WITH RAPID PARISH SCHOOL BOARD AND NATCHITOCHES PARISH SCHOOL BOARD.
WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A LOT OF HELP FOR THEM AND THEN THE TECHNICAL COLLEGES.
ABOUT TECHNICAL COLLEGE IS ALEXANDRIA AND NATCHITOCHES.
IN RAPID PARISH, THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED IF YOU'RE A D SCHOOL, THE KIDS GO TO SUMMER SCHOOL, WHICH I THINK IS OUTSTANDING, AND THEY'RE GOING TO CATCH UP BRIGHT KIDS.
NATCHITOCHES IS ALSO LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL.
THOSE KIDS NEED TIME AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH STUDYVILLE, THAT'S MY COUSIN OWNS THAT.
SHE IS TRYING TO HIRE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE FLOODING INTO THAT PROGRAM TRYING TO GET THEIR KIDS CAUGHT UP.
>> GOOD. WE'VE OBVIOUSLY DONE A GOOD JOB WITH THE LOCALS.
WE BASICALLY HAVE A SITUATION HERE WHERE WE HAD COVID RELATED ISSUES.
WE HAVE THE LOCALS RECOMMENDING TAKE NO ACTION.
I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM MR. NASSER TO APPROVE THE EXEMPTION WITHOUT PENALTY.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD?
>> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT.
>> I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BEING A PREVIOUS SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER FOR 28 YEARS AND KNOWING THE CHALLENGES IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM NOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE COVID.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR COMPANY FOR WORKING WITH THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS AND READYING OUR CHILDREN FOR THE WORKFORCE BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT, PROBABLY 60% OF OUR KIDS WON'T GO TO COLLEGE.
>> WE NEED TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU.
>> HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT OUR WOOD WORKS PROGRAM? IN 2007 WE GOT THE BESE BOARD TO APPROVE AN AGRICULTURAL CURRICULUM THAT TEACHES KIDS ABOUT THE FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY.
WE HAVE ABOUT 140 IN CLASSES STATEWIDE IN 18 SCHOOLS.
MR. BARTON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
YOUR FAMILY IS THE LARGEST LANDOWNER IN THIS STATE THAT LIVES HERE, AND YOU CAN EMPLOY OVER 3,000 PEOPLE, AT LEAST?
>> WELL, WE EMPLOY 1,400 OR SO DIRECTLY BUT WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF LOGGERS AND TRUCK DRIVERS AND MAINTENANCE PEOPLE, YES.
>> WELL, BY MY COUNT, YOU HAVE INVESTED BETWEEN $25 AND 50 MILLION INTO JUST HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE.
ON BEHALF OF LOYAL FLAGSHIP ALUMNI, THANK YOU AND THANK YOUR FAMILY AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THERE'S NOT A HIGHER EDUCATION MEETING I GO TO WHERE YOU'RE NOT THERE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR SIX YEARS.
WE ARE ALL IN LOVE WITH HIGHER EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE.
>> YOU HAVE CHANGED AND MOVED THE NEEDLE FOR THE SPORT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BY THE WAY MY DAD WAS ON THIS BOARD IN 1980-84.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT TOO.
A LOT OF TIMES I SPEAK FROM MY HEART AND I WORKED WITH ROYAL MARTIN WITH THE COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGES.
WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD AND THEY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE AND WE CONTINUE.
I BECAME A LEGISLATURE, BUT PERSONALLY, NOT TOO MANY TIMES THAT PERSON THAT HAD A PROBLEM WHEN I WAS IN BUSINESS AND A LUMBERYARD, ROYAL MARTIN TOOK CARE OF ME.
I GOT IT ALL THROUGH BECAUSE OF A CO-OP THAT WENT BANKRUPT ON ME AND ROYAL MARTIN STAYED WITH ME.
THEY'LL LIVE IT SOME LUMBAR TO ME.
[01:10:02]
I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT.HERE I SIT ON A BOARD TODAY AND BE ABLE TO APPROVE SOMETHING.
NOT ONLY THAT IT HELP ME PERSONALLY, BUT THE STATE OF LOUISIANA OWES THIS COMPANY A LOT BECAUSE YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENED IN COLBERT AND EVERYTHING.
I WANT TO THANK HIM PERSONALLY FOR DOING WHAT HE DID FOR ME AND A SMALL LUMBER YARD VOLUNTEER, LOUISIANA. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MR. SAMBLOW. ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
FROM ALL OF US, MR. MARTIN, THANK YOU FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE STATE.
>> THAT CONCLUDES THE I TECH PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
>> LET'S MOVE ON TO THE CONSIDERATION OF
[8. Tax Equalization (Pool Corporation & Subsidiaries)-Susan Bigner]
THE TAX EQUALIZATION REQUESTS FOR RENEWAL OF CONTRACT.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS SOMETHING WE DO NOT SEE VERY OFTEN.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT THE STATE HAS THAT IS JUST NOT EXERCISED VERY OFTEN, AT LEAST NOT THAT THIS BOARD SEES, AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO GIVE YOU THE SHORT VERSION OF THIS WITHOUT GOING INTO GREAT DEAL OF EXPLANATION.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, THE GOVERNOR HAS THE AUTHORITY THROUGH LED IF IT IS TRYING TO BRING A COMPANY TO THE STATE TO BASICALLY OFFER THEM A TAX EQUALIZATION SYSTEM SO THAT THEY ARE EQUAL WITH THE STATE WITH WHOM WE ARE COMPETING SO THAT BY COMING HERE AND RATHER THAN GOING TO SAY TEXAS OR MISSISSIPPI.
THEY RECEIVE TAX TREATMENT COMPARABLE TO WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE RECEIVED HAD THEY GONE TO THE OTHER STATE.
BUT IN ANY EVENT, POOL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES ARE IN THAT PROGRAM NOW, AND THEY ARE UP FOR A FIVE-YEAR RENEWAL OF THAT PROGRAM AND THAT IS WHAT IS BEFORE US NOW TO APPROVE OR NOT APPROVE THAT RENEWAL.
MR. PIERSON, IS THAT A REASONABLY FAIR DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM?
>> THAT'S CORRECT, SIR, AND IT IS, AS YOU STATED, RARELY INVOKED, BUT IT'S A VERY SUBSTANTIAL COMPANY, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR LOUISIANA, AND IT'S BEEN VERY STRONG EMPLOYER IN THE ST. TAMMANY REGION.
>> GREAT. WE ARE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE FOR MR. SAINT BLAUNT, SECOND FROM MR. SLOAN.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS 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. NOW, LET'S GO TO THE BEGINNING OF THE AGENDA.
[4. Quality Jobs Program – Michaela Adegbe]
LEAD US THROUGH THE QJ PROGRAM. PLEASE, MA'AM.>> WE HAVE 12 NEW APPLICATIONS.
20210399; CSP DIRECTOR LLC, BEAUREGARD PARISH, 20210427; CONTROL WORX LLC, CALCASIEU PARISH, 20210447; CONTROL WORX LLC, ASCENSION PARISH, 20210304; HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20210305; HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. ASCENSION PARISH, 20210517; INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY, WASHINGTON PARISH, 20220495; KOPPERS UTILITY AND INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS INC. VERNON PARISH, 20220449; NIAGARA BOTTLING, LLC, TANGIPAHOA PARISH, 20210420; PHI AVIATION, LLC, TERREBONNE PARISH, 20210306; SEA LEVEL CONSTRUCTION INC. LAFOURCHE PARISH, 20210302; UOP LLC, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, AND 20210303; UOP, LLC, CADDO PARISH.
>> THANK YOU. ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE APPLICATIONS, MAYOR TUBES.
[01:15:06]
SECOND FROM MR. MOSS.ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS 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.
>> HAVE ONE CHANGE OF PROJECT PHYSICAL LOCATION 20151137; BROWN AND ROOT INDUSTRIAL SERVICES, LLC OF DELAWARE AND BR INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS, LLC.
PREVIOUS ADDRESS 2600 CITY POLICE COURTS SUITE, 500 BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA 70808, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH NEW ADDRESS IS 4171 SN LANE, SUITE 1100, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, 70809 EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
>> ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CHANGE OF PHYSICAL LOCATION MOTION FROM MR. SIMEON.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS 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.
>> THIS CONCLUDES QUALITY JOBS.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT.
[5. Restoration Tax Abatement Program – Travis Rosenberg]
>> GOOD MORNING, MR. ROSENBERG. HOW ARE YOU?
>> THERE ARE 19 NEW APPLICATIONS.
2022003641101; A LINE STREET, LLC, ORLEANS PARISH, 202301353401; JEFFERSON HIGHWAY IN JEFFERSON PARISH, 202301243401; JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, LLC, JEFFERSON PARISH, 202301343401; JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, LLC IN JEFFERSON PARISH,202301363401; JEFFERSON HIGHWAY, LLC, JEFFERSON PARISH, 202202934; BATES REAL ESTATE, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20230010; FOR HIGHLAND MOON PROPERTIES, LLC, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20220250; FOR RBR-GOVERNMENT LP, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20220251; RBR-GOVERNMENT, LP, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20220252; FOR RBR-GOVERNMENT, LP, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20220253; RBR-GOVERNMENT, LP, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20220254; FOR RBR-GOVERNMENT, LP, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
220255; RBR-GOVERNMENT, LP, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20220256; RBR-GOVERNMENT, LP, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20220257; RBR-GOVERNMENT, LP IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20220258; FOR RBR-GOVERNMENT, LP, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20220261; FOR RBR-GOVERNMENT LP, IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 20210433; FOR ROSELAWN PROPERTIES, INC. LAFAYETTE PARISH, AND 20210510; FOR SUMMIT NOLA FOR LLC IN ORLEANS PARISH.
>> AS YOU KNOW, WITH RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENTS, THESE CONTRACTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN TO THE LOCAL ENTITIES AND HAVE BEEN APPROVED BEFORE COMING TO LED.
I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM MR. NASSER'S SECOND FROM MAYOR TUBES.
I HAVE A QUESTION FROM MR. SOLOMON.
>> CAN YOU REPEAT THE APPLICATION NUMBER FOR BATES REAL ESTATE? JUST FOR THE RECORD, I MAY HAVE HEARD YOU SAY THREE INSTEAD OF EIGHT, THAT LAST DIGIT.
>> YES, SIR. THE APPLICATION NUMBER IS 20220298.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE.
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE.
[01:20:02]
THE MOTION CARRIES. WE HAVE A SPECIAL REQUEST.>> WELL, I WAS ANTICIPATING PRESENTING THE RENEWAL APPLICATION FIRST.
>> THERE WAS A MISCOMMUNICATION WHEN COMPILING THE AGENDA.
>> THERE IS ONE RENEWAL APPLICATION FOR 20161634 FOR KOPEC PROPERTIES, LLC IN WASHINGTON PARISH.
>> AGAIN, IS THAT NUMBER 20161643 OR 34.
WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR RENEWAL FOR MR. NASSER SECOND, FROM MAYOR TUBES.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
>> NOW LET'S GO TO SPECIAL REQUESTS.
>> THERE IS ONE TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP REQUESTS FOR CONTRACTS 20170016.
FORMER OWNER IS MONROE DEVELOPMENT, LLC, TO THE NEW OWNER, VANTAGE HEALTH PLAN INC. IN WASHINGTON PARISH.
>> WE ARE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> THERE ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
>> THAT CONCLUDES THE RCA AGENT.
>> THANK YOU, MR. ROSENBERG. APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.
[6. Enterprise Zone Program – Joyce Metoyer]
>> I HAVE 10 APPLICATIONS FOR ENTERPRISE ZONE.
2020-0424 COLONIAL OAKS CARE CENTER OF METAIRIE, LLC, JEFFERSON PARISH.
2020-0183 COMMUNITY CARE CENTER OF THIBODAUX, LLC, LAFAYETTE PARISH.
2020-0464 CONRAD SHIPYARD, LLC, ST. MARY PARISH.
2021-0212, GULF COAST HOTEL GROUP, LLC, CALCASIEU PARISH.
2019-0412, HOWELL FOUNDRY, LLC, WEST FELICIANA PARISH.
2020-0404 JACKSON FOR MANAGEMENT SERVICES, LLC, LAFAYETTE PARISH.
2020-0184 KINTER, LLC, CALCASIEU PARISH.
2019-0009, MCELROY METAL MEAL INCORPORATED, BOSSIER PARISH.
2016-0995, SUMO LOGIC, LLC, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH AND 2020-0448 WERISH NIGHT MEDICAL CENTER INCORPORATED, CADDO PARISH.
>> RIGHT. WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE ENTERPRISE ZONE APPLICATION.
MR. SAM BLONG AND THE SECOND FROM MR. SLOAN.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? NO ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.
>> THERE ARE THREE TERMINATIONS.
2018-0055, ALLIES COMPRESSORS, LLC NATCHITOCHES PARISH.
THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 215 OF '18 TO 214 OF 2023.
THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 214, 2022.
THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.
NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATING.
2016-0639 EXCEL CONTRACTORS INCORPORATED, DBA EXCEL CONTRACTORS INCORPORATED, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 613,18 TO 612, 2023.
THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 612, 2021.
THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET.
NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED.
2015 1284, EXCEL GROUPS SERVICES INCORPORATED, ASCENSION PARISH.
THE EXISTING CONTRACT PERIOD IS 613,'18 TO 612, 2023.
THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 612, 2021.
THE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN MET, NO ADDITIONAL JOBS ARE ANTICIPATED.
>> VERY GOOD. ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE TERMINATIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE BEING NONE. MOTION CARRIES.
>> VERY GOOD. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD?
[01:25:02]
HEARING NONE. SECRETARY PIERSON, BRINGS US UP TO DATE.[10. Secretary Remarks – Secretary Don Pierson]
>> I WILL, SIR AND I'LL TRY TO MOVE THROUGH THIS FAIRLY QUICKLY.
MR. MARTIN DIDN'T HAVE A SECRET AS TO THOSE EMPLOYEE BONUSES, AS THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING AND ONE THAT IS TELEVISED AND IS [LAUGHTER] NOW WIDELY KNOWN, WHATEVER COMMENTS I MAKE HERE.
IN THAT REGARD, I'M PLEASED TO MAKE SOME OF THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS AROUND OUR PROGRAMS. BUT JUST BACK FROM LAFAYETTE WHERE WITH LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CO-HOSTED A STATEWIDE SMALL BUSINESS SUMMIT.
LAFAYETTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WAS WELL ATTENDED.
THE GOVERNOR MADE THE OPENING REMARKS AND WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND THE BETTER PART OF THE DAY INTRODUCING OPPORTUNITY TO SMALL BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STATE WITH OUR PROGRAMS. CERTAINLY ONE OF THE KEY PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE MOVING ON RIGHT NOW IS OUR STATE SMALL BUSINESS CREDIT INITIATIVE.
AS YOU'LL RECALL, WHERE THE US TREASURY AWARDED US UP TO $113 MILLION.
SINCE APRIL, WE'VE BEEN PROMOTING THAT PROGRAM ACROSS THE STATE.
WE'VE HAD ROAD SHOWS, WE CALL VISITS INTO THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS LOUISIANA.
IN NEW ORLEANS, BATON ROUGE, LAKE CHARLES, NAGADESH, LAFAYETTE, ALEXANDRIA, MONROE, SHREVEPORT, TIPICO, AND NOT ONLY MAKING THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE BY COMING TO THE VARIOUS REGIONS AROUND THE STATE, BUT ALSO NUMEROUS EVENTS THAT INCLUDED THE LOUISIANA BANKERS ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS.
TO DATE, WE'VE GOTTEN MORE THAN $6 MILLION INTO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AVAILABLE TO PUSH OUT.
WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO GROW THE INVENTORY OF EXISTING BANKS THAT ARE CALLED PREFERRED LENDERS, WHERE THEIR BOARDS HAVE ADOPTED THE RULES AND REGULATIONS REQUIRED BY THE US TREASURY.
BUT WE THINK OUR COVERAGE IS AROUND 50% OF THE STATE RIGHT NOW IN 32 PARISHES.
BUT WE STILL HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE EFFORT TO RECRUIT MORE BANKS INTO THESE PROGRAMS AND ALSO TO LAUNCH THE VENTURE CAPITAL AND SEED FUNDING THAT'S NOW MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS IMPORTANT PROGRAM.
OVER IT WITH OUR OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE, THEY'VE SPENT THE LAST FEW MONTHS HOLDING STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS AND SOME WORKSHOPS AND WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE ON OCTOBER 19TH.
WE'LL BE POSTING THAT ON OUR WEBSITE AND MAKING IT AVAILABLE IN DISTRIBUTION.
MONDAY, WE WERE NOTIFIED BY THE EDA OF A PHASE 1 AWARD FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WIND ENERGY HUB HERE IN LOUISIANA.
THIS OPENS THE DOOR TO COMPETE FOR A PHASE 2 AWARD, WHICH COULD HAVE SOME SIGNIFICANT FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR US AS A STATE AND TO DEVELOP THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY AND GROWING INDUSTRY HERE IN AMERICA.
WILL PROVIDE FOR YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THAT AS IT DEVELOPS.
ALSO RELATIVE TO OUR MILITARY ACTIVITIES, WE'RE CONTINUING TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTALLATIONS PLAY IN LOUISIANA.
BUT REALLY PLEASED THAT ON THE 16TH OF NOVEMBER WE'LL BE IN VERNON PARISH CUTTING THE RIBBON ON ONE OF OUR FIVE TECHNOLOGY CENTERS THAT WE HELPED ESTABLISH ON THOSE PUBLIC SCHOOL CAMPUSES IN VERNON PARISH.
THOSE ARE ARRAYED AROUND FORT JOHNSON, FORMERLY FORT POLK, WITH ABOUT A $7.5 MILLION INVESTMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD TECHNOLOGY CENTERS ON TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAMPUSES, TWO MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUSES, AND ONE HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS.
THOSE ARE LOCATIONS WHERE STUDENTS CAN GATHER FOR INFORMATION INSTRUCTION.
THEY HAVE A FULL COMPLEMENT OF WI-FI AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY ENABLED OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
REALLY AN EXCITING ENHANCEMENT FOR VERNON PARISH AND KEEPING FORT JOHNSON STRONG.
OBVIOUSLY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
IT HIGHLIGHTS BOTH THE ETA AWARD, OTHER ETA AWARDS AND THIS SEVEN-AND-A-HALF MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE SECURED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
THE ACT OF EFFORT THAT THE DEPARTMENT TAKES TO SECURE EXTERNAL FUNDING FROM PARTICULARLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WASN'T ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
IT'S BEEN A NEW AND EVOLVING INITIATIVE IN THE DEPARTMENT AND WE'LL SHOW YOU SOME OF THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE HAD, AND NOT ONLY IN THE YEAR OF 2023 BUT A RECAPTURE OF SOME RECENT INFORMATION RELATIVE TO THOSE SUCCESSES AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS WITH OUR ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT TO YOU AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
[01:30:03]
CHAIRMAN, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT, UNLESS THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS OR SOME TOPICS PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS.>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SECRETARY? HEARING NONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
LADIES GENTLEMEN, THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
I WOULD REMIND THE BOARD THAT OUR DECEMBER MEETING IS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE MONTH THAN AS NORMAL, BUT HOPE IT IS ON YOUR CALENDAR.
WE HAVE SOME IMPORTANT MATTERS COMING UP AT THAT DATE AND TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT MAY VERY WELL BE THE LAST MEETING OF THIS BOARD AS PRESENTLY CONSTITUTED.
BECAUSE WITH THE NEW GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR ELECT LANDRY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS TO THIS BOARD.
DECEMBER MAY BE OUR LAST TIME TOGETHER AS A GROUP.
I URGE YOU TO BE HERE AND LET'S CELEBRATE DECEMBER AND THEN AT THE LAST MEETING.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? BEING NONE, MOTION TO ADJOURN.
[NOISE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.