Dec 12, 2024 Board of Commerce and Industry

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

[00:00:08]

IT'S GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE ON A CRISP DECEMBER MORNING.

I HAPPENED TO BE IN CLEVELAND, OHIO LAST MONDAY AND IT WAS MINUS THREE WITH 30 MILE PER HOUR WINDS.

SO TODAY FELT BALMY WHEN I WALKED OUT THIS MORNING COMPARATIVELY.

BUT I CALL THE DECEMBER MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY TO ORDER.

MISS SIMMONS, WILL YOU ROLL, CALL ROLL FOR US, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

STUART MOSS.

PRESENT. DAVID TOUPS.

PRESENT. DAVID AMOSS.

PRESENT. JOHN AUSTIN.

PRESENT. DAVID DOSS.

BARRY MELE.

PRESENT. SCOTT NIEMEYER.

REPRESENTATIVE VINCENT SAINT BLANC FOR DARYL DESHOTEL.

[INAUDIBLE] FRANKLIN FOIL.

KYLE POLOZOLA HERE.

JERALD JONES, PRESENT.

RONALD REMEDIES.

SENATOR BETH MIZELL, HERE.

REPRESENTATIVE JULIE EMERSON.

MICHAEL TANNER HERE AND [INAUDIBLE] BOURGEOIS.

PRESENT. GEORGE NASSAR, PRESENT.

ERWIN THOMPSON, THE THIRD.

HAROLD CALLAIS, PRESENT.

RIDGE MIGUEZ.

WESLEY WHEELIS.

LETTI ARDOIN PRESENT.

CHARLES ROBBY MILLER HERE.

KYLE RUCKERTT. WE HAVE A QUORUM.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

[3. Approval of Minutes from October 23, 2024 meeting]

I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.

MR. MOSS SECOND FROM SENATOR MIZELL.

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

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

THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

BEFORE WE MOVE INTO QUALITY JOBS, I WANTED TO GIVE A BRIEF REPORT FROM THE BOARD'S RULES COMMITTEE.

[Additional Item]

WE THEN RECEIVED OUR MARCHING ORDERS FROM SECRETARY BOURGEOIS TO MAKE THAT NOT JUST THE ISSUES COVERED BY THE EXECUTIVE ORDER, BUT ALSO TO TAKE A COMPLETE LOOK AT THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM.

I'M PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE RULES COMMITTEE HAS COMPLETED THAT WORK AND HAS SUBMITTED A BRAND NEW SET OF RULES, WHICH LITERALLY TAKES THE ITEP PROGRAM AND AND REWORKS IT FROM SOUP TO NUTS, AND IT WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE REGISTER, THE LOUISIANA REGISTER ON DECEMBER 20TH, AND THAT WILL BEGIN THE NOTICE PERIOD AND THE COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE PUBLIC. THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THOSE RULES ON JANUARY 30TH IN THIS ROOM.

AND I BELIEVE THAT MEETING IS AT 9:30 OR 1:30.

[INAUDIBLE] WE'LL MAKE SURE EVERYONE GETS NOTICE.

IT'S GOING TO BE ON JANUARY THE 30TH AT 10 A.M.

AT 10 A.M. I WAS NEITHER, NEITHER WAS CORRECT, 10 A.M.

ON JANUARY THE 30TH IN THIS ROOM.

AND THAT WILL BE TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE RULES THEMSELVES.

SO BUT WE I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE THAT WAS ROBBY MILLER, LETTI ARDOIN, STUART MOSS, KYLE POLOZOLA AND MYSELF AND THE REAL WORK ON THIS RULES, FRANKLY, WAS DONE BY STAKEHOLDER REPRESENTATIVES, INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES, LED STAFF, OTHER STAKEHOLDER REPRESENTATIVES WHO ACTUALLY DID THE HEAVY LIFTING OF READING THE RULES, GOING THROUGH RED LINES, DEBATING AND BELIEVE ME, GUYS, THERE WAS HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS OF DEBATE ON HOW RULES SHOULD READ.

SO I'M PERSONALLY VERY PROUD OF THIS WORK AND I BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE A STEP FORWARD.

WILL THEY BE PERFECT? PROBABLY NOT.

BUT WE WILL FIND OUT IN THEIR APPLICATION AND AS WE FIND THOSE IMPERFECTIONS, HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK THROUGH TO GET THOSE CORRECTED AS TIME MOVES FORWARD.

BUT AGAIN, MY PERSONAL THANKS TO THE RULES COMMITTEE, LED STAFF, AND ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS WHO TOOK PART IN THAT EXERCISE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

WE'RE AT WE WILL NO LONGER ONCE THOSE RULES BECOME EFFECTIVE AND THAT'S GOVERNED BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ACT.

BUT ONCE THOSE RULES ARE EFFECTIVE, WE WILL BE OPERATING THE ITEP PROGRAM UNDER THOSE SETS OF RULES AS WELL AS THE

[00:05:03]

BUT WE HAVE WE HAVE DONE SOME THINGS THAT WILL HELP STREAMLINE THAT OR GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INDUSTRY TO WORK IN A MORE STREAMLINED FASHION, AND WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT AT A LATER TIME.

ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING FROM THE ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE RULES COMMITTEE ON THAT SUBJECT? GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE THAT PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO GIVE THAT REPORT OUT.

NOW, LET'S MOVE TO THE QUALITY JOBS PROGRAM.

[4. Quality Jobs Program – Michaela Adegbe]

THERE ARE THREE NEW APPLICATIONS; 20210484 SYRAH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, CONCORDIA PARISH, 20220475 TECHNEAUX TECHNOLOGY SERVICES, LAFAYETTE PARISH, 20220355 WASKEY BRIDGES INC.

, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THESE QUALITY JOB APPLICATIONS.

WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MAYOR [INAUDIBLE], SECOND FROM SENATOR MIZELL.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS? OH, I'M SORRY, I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM WASKEY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE HAVE A RECUSAL ON WASKEY BRIDGES, THAT'S NUMBER 20220355.

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

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

THERE IS ONE RENEWAL APPLICATION 20190333 CLICK HERE PUBLISHING, LLC, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

HAVE A MOTION ON THIS RENEWAL.

A MOTION FOR MR. MOSS.

SECOND FROM MR. MILLER.

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 IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THERE IS ONE CHANGE OF COMPANY NAME ONLY 20210133 CURRENT COMPANY NAME BREEZE AIRWAYS, NEW COMPANY NAME BREEZE AVIATION GROUP, INC., DBA BREEZE AIRWAYS, JEFFERSON PARISH.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CHANGE OF NAME.

MOVED. MOTION.

THANK YOU. SECOND.

SECOND. 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.

ONE FULL TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP TO NEW COMPANY 20190517, CURRENT COMPANY PRO KEEP, NEW COMPANY PRO KEEP, INC., ORLEANS PARISH.

GREAT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? HAVE A MOTION FROM MAYOR [INAUDIBLE].

SECOND FROM MR. MILLER.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEY CHAIR I HAVE A RECUSAL.

OKAY, SO MR. CALLAIS WILL BE RECUSING HIMSELF.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? QUESTIONS? 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. THANK YOU.

MR. CHAIRMAN, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S MAYOR TOUPS AND NOT MAYOR TEBOW.

I'M NOT THE PARISH PRESIDENT OF POINTE COUPEE PARISH.

MAYOR TOUPS, I MY APOLOGIES TO SOMEONE.

I DON'T KNOW WHO I'VE OFFENDED, BUT MAYOR, I'VE CALLED YOU BY THE CORRECT NAME FOR YEARS.

BUT TODAY IT'S CHRISTMAS.

JUST GIVE ME A GIFT, GIVE ME A GIFT.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

MY APOLOGIES.

I THINK I'M BLUSHING NOW.

ALRIGHT. LET'S SEE.

MR. ROSENBERG, WOULD YOU WALK US THROUGH THE RTA PROGRAM, PLEASE?

[5. Restoration Tax Abatement Program – Travis Rosenberg]

20230002 CRESCENT CARE MIDCITY LLC, ORLEANS PARISH AND 20230086 FOR DUCHAMP OPERA HOUSE, LLC IN SAINT MARTIN PARISH.

GREAT. OF COURSE, THESE HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE LOCALS.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM THE BOARD? [INAUDIBLE] MOTION BY MR. SAINT BLANC. SECOND MR. CALLAIS. 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.

AND THERE IS ONE RENEWAL APPLICATION FOR 20170589 FOR FERN HILL INVESTMENTS LLC IN SAINT TAMMANY PARISH.

ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR.

[00:10:02]

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

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

THAT CONCLUDES THE RTA AGENDA.

THANK YOU SIR. APPRECIATE YOUR HELP.

ENTERPRISE ZONE.

[6. Enterprise Zone Program – Joyce Metoyer]

VERY GOOD. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? FROM MR. NASSAR.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM MR. POLOZOLA.

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.

WE HAVE FIVE CONTRACT TERMINATION REQUESTS.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 717 D OF THE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM RULES, A BUSINESS MAY SUBMIT A REQUEST TO TERMINATE THEIR ENTERPRISE ZONE CONTRACT IF ONE, THE CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN IN EFFECT FOR AT LEAST 30 MONTHS, TWO THE BUSINESS HAS MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDES TIMELY FILING OF ALL PROGRAM FORMS, DOCUMENTS AND APPROPRIATE FEES.

THE FOLLOWING CONTRACTS WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AND THE CONTRACT HOLDERS LISTED BELOW HAVE SUBMITTED A REQUEST TO TERMINATE THE ENTERPRISE ZONE CONTRACT. THE CONTRACTEES UNDERSTAND BOARD DECISION IS FINAL AND CONTRACTS CANNOT BE REINSTATED OR REACTIVE OR REACTIVATED.

20190309 CAPITAL CITY PRODUCE, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 1/3/2020-1/2/2025, THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 7/3/2022.

20160670 FTC HOTELS LLC, DOING BUSINESS AS SPRINGHILL SUITES, SAINT TAMMANY PARISH.

THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 1/1/2020-12/31/2024, THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 12/31/2022.

20200110 LOUISIANA FISH FRY PRODUCTS LIMITED, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 4/3/2020-4/2/2025, THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 10/3/2022.

20190451 OCHSNER CLINIC FOUNDATION, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 7/30/2020-7/29/2025, THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 7/29/2025.

AND 20200066 OCHSNER CLINIC FOUNDATION, JEFFERSON PARISH.

THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS 3/2/2020 TO 3/1/2025, AND THE REQUESTED TERM DATE IS 3/1/2023.

ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THESE CONTRACT TERMINATIONS? A MOTION FOR MR. MOSS SECOND, MR. CALLAIS, 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 IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

THAT CONCLUDES ENTERPRISE ZONE.

THANK YOU MA'AM. GOOD MORNING, MISS JOHNSON.

[7. Industrial Tax Exemption – Kristin Johnson/Hud Usie]

AND WHERE'S THE OTHER HALF OF THE TEAM? HE COULDN'T MAKE IT TODAY.

OKAY, WELL, WE GOT THE A TEAM.

ALL RIGHT. HE'S WATCHING ON VIDEO.

HUD YOU'RE MISSED.

ALL RIGHT.

IF YOU WILL WALK US THROUGH FIRST THE POST EO 2018 RULES.

RIGHT. WE HAVE TEN POST EO 2018 RULES APPLICATIONS.

WE DO HAVE ONE REQUESTING DEFERRAL AND THAT'S 20230489, ARROW AVIATION COMPANY LLC IN SAINT MARTIN PARISH.

WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER ARROW AVIATION COMPANY.

MOTION FOR MR. MILLER, SECOND FOR MR. NASSAR. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE BEING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? YES THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIRMAN.

SPEAK INTO THE MIC. [INAUDIBLE] I RECUSE MYSELF FROM THE ARROW MATTER, THE ET GATHERING MATTER, AND THE SHINTECH MATTER.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GET TO THE SHINTECH AND ET IN A MOMENT.

BUT THOSE RECUSAL WILL BE NOTED FOR THE RECORD.

[00:15:03]

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD OR QUESTIONS FOR ARROW? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THE ON THE DEFERRAL OF ARROW? APPARENTLY NOT.

EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT ME ODD.

HAVE I MISSED IT? WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

AM I RIGHT? THANK YOU, MISS SIMMONS.

EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT ME STRANGE FOR SOME REASON.

KEEP ME STRAIGHT. THANK YOU.

I KNEW I WAS RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

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

THE MATTER IS DEFERRED.

NOW, LEAD US TO THE BALANCE.

WE HAVE 20220534 BOLLINGER HOUMA SHIPYARDS IN TERREBONNE PARISH.

20220535 BOLLINGER QUICK REPAIR LLC IN JEFFERSON PARISH.

20210492 COASTAL CHEMICAL CO LLC IN VERMILION PARISH.

20230097 ET GATHERING AND PROCESSING LLC IN DE SOTO PARISH.

20220131 HOWELL FOUNDRY LLC IN WEST FELICIANA PARISH.

20220367 MANUFACTURING PROPERTIES LLC IN WEST FELICIANA PARISH.

20220043 SHINTECH LOUISIANA LLC, IBERVILLE PARISH.

20220075 THE PROCTER AND GAMBLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN RAPIDES PARISH.

AND 20220075-A, THE PROCTER AND GAMBLE MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN RAPIDES PARISH.

LET'S SEE, WE HAVE BEFORE WE ASK FOR A MOTION ON THESE, WE HAVE A REQUEST TO SPEAK FOR MR. CRAIG ROUSSEL. MR. ROUSSEL, WOULD YOU COME FORWARD, PLEASE? AND IF YOU WILL STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANIES, PLEASE.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CRAIG ROUSSEL I'M THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF BOLLINGER SHIPYARDS.

WE FILED TWO APPLICATIONS EARLIER THIS YEAR, ONE FOR OUR FACILITY IN HOUMA AND ONE FOR OUR FACILITY IN HARVEY, LOUISIANA.

THE DEADLINE TO FILE WAS 3/31.

WE I'M SORRY YEAH 3/31, WE MISSED THAT DATE.

WE STARTED THE APPLICATIONS IN MARCH.

WE WERE WAITING ON SOME FINANCIAL INFORMATION TO COMPLETE THEM.

WE DID SET A CALENDAR REMINDER TO REMIND US, BUT IT POPPED UP ON GOOD FRIDAY, AND, HONESTLY, WAS EATING CRAWFISH AND NOT REALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE ITEP APPLICATIONS THAT DAY, SO I WON'T LIE ABOUT THAT.

IMMEDIATELY WE REALIZED OUR ERROR.

WE FILED THEM FIRST THING MONDAY MORNING, SO WE WERE ABOUT EIGHT HOURS LATE ON ACTUALLY MEETING THE FILING DEADLINE.

WE WOULD ASK FOR THE BOARD'S CONSIDERATION NOT TO IMPORT, NOT TO PUT IN THE ONE YEAR PENALTY FOR BEING EIGHT HOURS LATE AFTER A LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND.

CERTAINLY IT WAS OUR FAULT AND WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT.

BUT WE'D ALSO LIKE TO ASK FOR ANY, YOU KNOW, CONCESSION WE POSSIBLY CAN GET IN REGARDS TO IT.

LET ME LET ME BE SURE I UNDERSTAND.

SO THE DUE DATE FELL ON A SUNDAY? THE DUE DATE WAS ACTUALLY 3/30 BECAUSE 2024 WAS A LEAP YEAR, AND APPLICATIONS ARE DUE 90 DAYS FROM THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, WHICH WAS 12/31 OF 23.

OKAY, SO THE DUE DATE DID FALL ON 3/30, WHICH WAS A SATURDAY.

OKAY. SO THE DEADLINE FELL ON A WEEKEND? YES. MR. CHAIRMAN, WHEN WAS THE APPLICATION FILED? IT WAS FILED ON MONDAY, APRIL 1ST.

WOULDN'T THAT BE THE DUE DATE? IF IT WAS ON A WEEKEND OR WEEKENDS, A LEGAL HOLIDAY? I DON'T THINK OUR RULES ACCOUNT FOR BUSINESS DAYS.

IT'S CALENDAR DAYS.

I THINK THE STATUTES.

OKAY. THERE ARE STATUTES THAT GOVERN LEGAL HOLIDAYS THAT APPLY ACROSS THE REVISED STATUTES.

EXACTLY. IF SOMETHING IS ON A SATURDAY, IT'S REALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO FILE IT ON THAT DATE, THEY'D HAVE TO FILE IT THE DAY BEFORE, WHICH WAS GOOD FRIDAY, WHICH MEANS THEY'D HAVE TO FILE IT THE DAY BEFORE THAT, THE 28TH.

SO, I MEAN, I KIND OF.

IS IT REALLY LATE? OKAY, LET'S DO THIS.

LET'S DO THIS, GUYS.

I THINK AND WE DON'T HAVE WE DON'T HAVE OUR LEGAL STAFF HERE TODAY.

THEY'RE AT A MANDATORY CLE.

SO I THINK THERE'S A REAL QUESTION HERE.

A IS IT LATE? AND B AND GUYS, JUST SO YOU'LL KNOW, I MEAN, THE WAY THE RULE IS READ, IF YOU LOOK UNDER SECTION 503 ON YOUR AGENDA, IF YOU'RE A DAY LATE, IT'S A YEAR PENALTY.

THAT'S HARSH TO ME.

BUT IT IS THE RULE AND AND I'M AND SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO.

MR. CHAIR. YES.

[INAUDIBLE] YEAH.

I MEAN I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY FOR THE RECORD TOO, I THINK BOLLINGER HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC EMPLOYER WITHIN THE STATE AND, YOU KNOW, HAS A NUMBER OF

[00:20:09]

I THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY WORTH SOME CONSIDERATION AS WELL.

I WOULD I WOULD OBVIOUSLY AGREE WITH WITH THE, THE SENTIMENT THAT THE DIFFICULTY IS, IS THAT WE'VE BEEN OPERATING UNDER THESE RULES SINCE 2018 AND, AND THE WORD SHALL IN THE REGULATIONS ARE PRETTY, PRETTY EXTREME.

IT'S A SHALL.

AND BECAUSE I DON'T, I WE HAVE LAWYERS ON THIS ON THIS BOARD, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO BE THE LAWYER FOR THE BOARD.

YOU'RE NOT MY CLIENT.

AND AND THE LED HAS LAWYERS.

AND I'M GOING TO ASK THAT THE BOARD DEFER UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT THE LAWYERS CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE IS THERE IS THERE A WAY TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION, GIVEN THE EXTREME NATURE OF THE PENALTY IN LIGHT OF THE SHORT DURATION OF THE OF THE OF MISSING THE DATE? IN THAT WAY, THAT WAY, OUR LAWYERS CAN ADVISE US IS THERE A POSSIBILITY HERE TO [INAUDIBLE] AND AGAIN, TO MR. POLOZOLA'S POINT, THE ANSWER MAY BE IT WASN'T DUE UNTIL MONDAY.

IT MIGHT NOT BE LATE AT ALL.

I JUST DON'T SEE HOW THEY COULD HAVE FILED IT ON SATURDAY.

POLOZOLA IS RIGHT, THE STATUTES ARE FAIRLY CLEAR, LEGAL HOLIDAYS ARE LEGAL HOLIDAYS AND AND AND THEY RUN ACROSS ALL RULES AND REGS WITHIN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, AT LEAST AS I APPRECIATE THOSE STATUTES.

BUT I'M NOT THE LAWYER FOR THE BOARD.

SO I THINK IF I THINK THE I THINK THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THIS IF, IF, IF AND IF THE BOARD AGREES BUT IF WE COULD DEFER IT UNTIL THE FEBRUARY MEETING AND GIVE STAFF AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THIS AND LOOK AT THE THE STATUTES THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE JUST WAIVE IT.

I SECOND THE MOTION. OKAY.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO WAIVE THE PENALTY.

I SUPPORT THAT.

OKAY. HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? I WANT TO I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IF IT AND THAT IS IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO DO THAT, IT IS AT LEAST BY A CLEAR READING OF THE RULES, PERHAPS VIOLATING THE RULES OF THIS BOARD.

AND THAT MAY LEAD TO A PROBLEM WITH OTHER COMPANIES WHO HAVE BEEN SIMILARLY SITUATED SINCE 2018.

AND AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BOARD'S DECISION IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE ARE, BUT I DON'T RECALL AT LEAST ANY TIME THAT THIS PENALTY WAS WAIVED UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M RIGHT, DOESN'T MEAN BUT THAT'S MY MEMORY.

SO IF IF THAT IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO PASS THIS, THE MOTION THAT'S BEEN MADE, THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE, MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE LET'S LET THE LAWYERS TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND COME BACK AND GIVE US SOME, SOME GUIDANCE ON IT.

BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE BOARD.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SUBSTITUTE MOTION IN ORDER TO DEFER.

OKAY. WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DEFER.

MR. CALLAIS, WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? OKAY. YES.

MR. RUCKERT, WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DEFER.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? SECOND. OKAY, WE HAVE A SECOND.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE MOTION TO DEFER? ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, MR. ROUSSEL ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM YOU? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND ANYTHING YOU DO WILL GREATLY APPRECIATE.

WE LOVE WORKING IN THE STATE.

YEAH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THE RULES ARE, IT FEELS PARTICULARLY HARSH AND I GET IT.

WE JUST WE JUST NEED TO BE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW.

WE UNDERSTAND.

ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO DEFER SAY AYE.

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

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, WE HAVE THE REMAINING.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO DEFER ON ARROW AVIATION, BOLLINGER SHIPYARDS, AND BOLLINGER QUICK REPAIR SHIPYARDS.

EXCUSE ME. QUICK REPAIR LLC.

WE HAVE THE REMAINING APPLICATIONS WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THE REMAINING APPLICATION.

HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. NASSAR TO APPROVE.

SECOND FROM MAYOR TOUPS.

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

[00:25:02]

NEXT WE HAVE THREE POST EO 2024 EMERGENCY RULES APPLICATIONS.

20240454 CF INDUSTRIES BLUE POINT LLC IN ASCENSION PARISH.

20240171 CORTEC LLC, WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

AND 20240110 KLEINPETER FARMS DAIRY, LLC IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THESE THREE APPLICATIONS? I HAVE A MOTION FOR MR. MOSS. MR. CHAIRMAN, I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM CF INDUSTRIES AND CORTEC, PLEASE.

OKAY. NOTE THOSE THAT RECUSAL ON THOSE TWO CONTRACTS, APPLICATIONS.

I MEAN, SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR MR. MOSS. DO I HAVE A SECOND? FROM MR. MELE? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE IS NONE.

ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES.

WE HAVE EIGHT PRE EO RENEWALS, TIMELY RENEWALS.

20150156-C-T LOUISIANA INTEGRATED POLYETHYLENE JV, LLC.

CALCASIEU PARISH.

20150264-C MATHESON TRI-GAS, INC.

CALCASIEU PARISH.

20110659-G-PT SABINE PASS LNG, LP.

CAMERON PARISH.

20110659-H-PT SABINE PASS LNG, LP.

CAMERON PARISH.

20110659-G SABINE PASS LIQUEFACTION, LLC.

CAMERON PARISH.

20110659-H SABINE PASS LIQUEFACTION, LLC.

CAMERON PARISH.

20150156-C SASOL USA CORPORATION, CALCASIEU PARISH.

AND 20150945-B SHELL CHEMICAL COMPANY, LP.

ASCENSION PARISH.

ALL RIGHT. BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN ANY MOTIONS, I HAVE A REQUEST TO SPEAK FROM MISS NINA STOFBERG OF SASOL, IF YOU WILL COME FORWARD, PLEASE.

MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM TWO MATTERS SASOL AND SHELL CHEMICAL, PLEASE.

ALL RIGHT. WE NOTE THOSE RECUSALS FOR SASOL AND SHELL CHEMICAL.

THANK YOU. MRS. STOFBERG, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU, SIR, AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS NINA STOFBERG, I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE AND TAX FOR SASOL'S INTERNATIONAL CHEMICALS BUSINESS.

I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK TWO THINGS OF YOU.

FIRSTLY, TO THANK YOU AND THANK THE BOARD FOR ITS TIME AND ASK FOR OUR AND OUR JOINT VENTURES.

APPROVAL OF OUR FIVE YEAR ITEP RENEWAL PACKAGE.

AND THEN SECONDLY, TO ANSWER THIS BOARD'S CALL FOR A RETURN ON ITS ITEP INVESTMENTS.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

FOR A BIT OF BACKGROUND, SASOL IS AN INTERNATIONAL CHEMICAL AND ENERGY COMPANY HEADQUARTERED IN JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA.

WE SAFELY AND SUSTAINABLY SOURCE PRODUCE AND MARKET A RANGE OF HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS IN 22 COUNTRIES GLOBALLY TO SHOW A RETURN TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS.

OUR JOINT VENTURE, LOUISIANA INTEGRATED POLYETHYLENE, OR LIRP, IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SASOL AND LYONDELLBASELL IN OUR LAKE CHARLES FACILITY AND HOW SOME OF OUR PROJECT ASSETS.

THE RENEWAL APPLICATION IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS ABOUT THREE OF OUR PROJECT ASSETS THE ETHANE CRACKER, THE LINEAR LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE UNIT, AND THE ETHYLENE OXIDE ETHYLENE GLYCOL UNIT.

PRODUCTS ON THESE UNITS GO INTO THINGS THAT WE USE EVERY DAY LIKE MEDICAL STERILIZATION, CLOTHING, COSMETICS, PACKAGING, DISINFECTANTS AND MANY MORE.

OVER A DECADE AGO SASOL AND LOUISIANA ENTERED INTO A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND AS WITH ANY GOOD AGREEMENT, THESE PARTNERSHIPS SHOULD BENEFIT BOTH PARTIES.

IN SHORT, SASOL AGREED TO MAKE ITS LARGEST CAPITAL INVESTMENT IN ITS HISTORY OF $12.9 BILLION IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. WE ALSO AGREED TO CREATE HUNDREDS OF JOBS.

IN RETURN, THE STATE AGREED TO A TEN YEAR, 100% ABATEMENT OF OUR AD VALOREM TAXES ON THESE ASSETS. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU TODAY IS THAT THE STATE OF LOUISIANA'S RETURN ON INVESTMENT FAR

[00:30:06]

WE HAVE DELIVERED 900 DIRECT JOBS IN LOUISIANA.

85% OF THESE JOBS ARE LOUISIANA RESIDENTS.

THAT'S 900 FULL TIME, QUALITY MANUFACTURING JOBS WITH AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $120,000 EACH.

WE HAVE DELIVERED MORE THAN 6,500 CONSTRUCTION JOBS ANNUALLY DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF OUR PROJECT.

WE'VE DELIVERED MORE THAN $4.3 BILLION OF SPEND WITH LOUISIANA BUSINESSES.

WE'VE DELIVERED MORE THAN $200 MILLION OF SALES TAX PAYMENTS TO STATE AND LOCAL.

WE HAVE DELIVERED MORE THAN $40 MILLION OF INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, MOSTLY IN THE CITY OF WESTLAKE.

THESE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT HAS ALSO HAD ECONOMIC RIPPLES IN OTHER INDUSTRIES.

WE HAVE PAID AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PAY AT VALOREM TAXES OF ABOUT $10 MILLION PER YEAR.

OUR MOST RECENT ESTIMATE OF OUR 2024 AD VALOREM TAXES FOR SASOL AND [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE $14 MILLION TO CALCASIEU PARISH IN 2024.

WE HAVE INVESTED MORE THAN $9 MILLION IN COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED SOCIAL IN SOCIAL INVESTMENT INITIATIVES.

THAT INCLUDES A $1 MILLION INVESTMENT IN A STEM CHILDREN'S MUSEUM IN LAKE CHARLES THAT WILL OPEN NEXT YEAR, AND MORE THAN $1 MILLION IN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, MCNEESE UNIVERSITY AND SO [INAUDIBLE] OUR TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

BEFORE I CLOSE, I DO HAVE A FORECAST TO LEAVE THE BOARD WITH BY 2057 WHEN OUR FACILITIES ARE STILL RUNNING AND I'LL BE WELL INTO MY RETIREMENT, AND MANY OF THESE NEW HIRES WILL BE WELL INTO THEIR CAREERS WITH SASOL.

DR. JIM RICHARDSON ESTIMATES THAT THE STATE'S RETURN ON ITS INVESTMENT ON THE SASOL PROJECT WILL BE 2 TO 1.

AND THAT WAS ON OUR ORIGINAL NUMBERS.

AS I SAID BEFORE, ANY GOOD BUSINESS ARRANGEMENT SHOULD BENEFIT BOTH PARTIES.

WHAT I HOPE TO HAVE DEMONSTRATED TODAY IS THAT THIS ONE DOES.

THE STATE MADE A GOOD INVESTMENT.

THE RETURNS ARE ALREADY THERE, AND ON BEHALF OF OUR MORE THAN 2,000 LOUISIANA EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS AT OUR LAKE CHARLES FACILITY, WE THANK YOU FOR THE INVESTMENT.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE LED STAFF FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND HELPING US WITH ALL OUR QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL OF YOU A SAFE AND HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS STOFBERG.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? MR. MOSS? I SPEAK BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE IN MY BACKYARD AND I KIND OF LAUGHED AND LOOKED AT THIS, AND SEVEN OF THE EIGHT THAT ARE UP FOR THE RENEWALS ARE SITTING RIGHT THERE IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA.

BUT I HAVE WORKED WITH MISS CUSIMANO FOR MANY YEARS NOW AND FOR THE BOARD THEY REALLY HAVE BEEN A GREAT CORPORATE NEIGHBOR.

THEY HAVE PUT MONEY BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, YOU'VE SEEN IT.

I LIKE GOING THROUGH LAKE CHARLES NOW BECAUSE I LIVE IN SULFUR.

BUT SEEING THE NEW CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, THE STEM CENTER, SITTING RIGHT THERE AT THE BASE OF I-10 BRIDGE, THAT IS A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT TO THE CITIZENS.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD CORPORATE NEIGHBOR.

THANK YOU, KIM, FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU SIR. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? QUESTIONS? MRS. VILLA? I'LL JUST ADD, IF SECRETARY BOURGEOIS WAS HERE, I'M SURE SHE'D SAY THE SAME THINGS I'LL SAY OTHER THAN I WAS HERE ACTUALLY, 12 YEARS AGO WHEN SASOL WAS STARTING UP AS A PROJECT IN THE STATE.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT LED STAFF THAT'S HERE IN THIS ROOM THAT WAS ALONGSIDE ME.

AND TO SEE WHERE YOU GUYS HAVE COME AND HOW COMMUNITY INVOLVED YOU ALL HAVE BEEN IS REALLY A TESTAMENT TO YOUR COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE, NOT JUST TO THE LAKE CHARLES IN THAT PARISH, BUT ALSO TO THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.

AND I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY THANK YOU FOR THAT AND YOUR ONGOING, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT AND GROWTH THAT YOU'VE HAD IN THAT REGION.

SO THANK YOU FOR FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO LOUISIANA AND YOUR INVESTMENT THAT YOU'VE MADE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I'VE GOT TO SECOND ALL OF THAT.

BUT ONE THING, ONE THING I'VE GOT TO I'VE GOT A PILE ON JUST A LITTLE BIT ON SASOL ITEP CONTRACT WAS PRE EXECUTIVE ORDER,

[00:35:05]

AND THEY'VE STILL PAID OVER $200 MILLION IN TAXES EVEN THOUGH EVEN WITH 100% EXEMPTION.

SO THE PROGRAM WORKED.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT WAS A GREAT BET THAT LOUISIANA MADE ON SASOL.

AND Y'ALL HAVE BEEN A FANTASTIC PARTNER.

AND THE ONE THING I LOVE, AND I'M GOING TO SAY THIS TO ALL THE OTHER COMPANIES OUT THERE, IF YOU'LL LOOK AT SASOL'S NUMBERS, THEY ALWAYS OVERDELIVERED IT'S SOMETIMES MORE ART THAN SCIENCE, BUT YOU GOT TO LEARN THE TALENT OF UNDER PROMISING AND OVER DELIVERING AND THEY'VE DONE THAT IN SPADES.

SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT FOR THE 6,500 CONSTRUCTION JOBS OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS, FOUR YEARS.

EACH YEAR 6,500 CONSTRUCTION JOBS EACH YEAR FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

NOT COUNTING THE 900 PERMANENT EMPLOYEES.

SO TO SAY THAT SASOL HAS BEEN HAS HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON CALCASIEU PARISH, AS WELL AS THAT ENTIRE REGION OF THE STATE, IS IS OBVIOUSLY AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THE REST OF THE JOURNEY.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT I RECALL WHEN THIS ALL FIRST CAME UP AND I RECALL THE OPPOSITION THAT Y'ALL FACED AND AND SOME OF IT WAS AGGRESSIVE.

AND THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF SOMETIMES THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO STEP UP AND HAVE FAITH IN THE COMPANIES THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN AND PARTNERING WITH AND YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR.

AND THE ONLY THING I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW BUT I'M NOT ASKING TODAY BUT IF YOU EVER DECIDE YOU WANT TO SHARE IT WITH ME, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

WHEN THE EXEMPTION ROLLS OFF, I'D LOVE TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THE TAX PAYMENTS TO CALCASIEU PARISH WILL BE.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION AS WELL.

DUBAI OF LOUISIANA BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME WEALTH OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THERE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENED.

AND, AND AND Y'ALL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SASOL, BUT JUST LOOK UP THE, THE, THE FIVE LINES ABOVE SABINE PASS IF YOU ADD THOSE NUMBERS UP, THAT'S ABOUT $3 BILLION OF INVESTMENT THERE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON IN A MINUTE.

SO KUDOS TO TO THAT PART OF THE STATE FOR THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND OKAY, THERE'S MORE I COULD SAY, BUT I WON'T.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL.

SASOL IS A GOOD MARKETING PROGRAM FOR LED.

EXCELLENT. ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY. WITH THAT I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO.

I'M SORRY. MOVE.

HAVE A MOTION MR. CALLAIS.

SECOND. WE HAVE MULTIPLE SECONDS.

I'LL GIVE IT TO MR. MOSS BECAUSE HE LIVES IN THE PARISH.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

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

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND AGAIN, IS THERE ANYONE HERE FROM SABINE PASS? RHONDA. NO RHONDA YOU DON'T COUNT.

SORRY. WELL, OBVIOUSLY YOU COUNT, BUT WOW, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IT FROM FROM THE COMPANY, BUT I.

BUT AGAIN, GUYS OKAY RHONDA, I DESERVED IT.

GO AHEAD. RHONDA BOATNER, DIDIER CONSULTANTS.

ANDREA CARTER WAS NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE COMPANY, BUT SHE CERTAINLY WOULD BE HAPPY TO COME BACK IN FEBRUARY TO MAKE COMMENTS IF NEEDED, BECAUSE THAT'S AN JUST LIKE SASOL.

THEY ARE A GOOD CORPORATE PARTNER AND THEY HAVE INVESTED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

YEAH, YEAH. NO, IT'S THEY'RE AMAZING STORIES COMING OUT OF THAT PART OF THE THAT PART OF THE PARISH.

AND THEY MAY HAVE NUMBERS FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO TELL YOU WHAT, WHEN THESE ASSETS START ROLLING OFF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PAYING.

EXACTLY. YEAH, EXACTLY.

THANK YOU, MISS BOATNER. PLEASE, PLEASE PASS ALONG OUR APPRECIATION TO THE COMPANY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON.

IT'S 2017 RULES RENEWALS, TIMELY RENEWALS.

THERE'S ONE DEFERRAL, AND THAT'S 20180164.

AIR LIQUIDE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES US, LLC, IN ALLEN PARISH.

OKAY. I WILL BE RECUSING MYSELF FROM THE AIR LIQUIDE MATTER, BUT I WILL FACILITATE A VOTE FOR DEFERRAL.

[00:40:04]

[INAUDIBLE] MR. POLOZOLA, AND I WILL BE RECUSED.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOVE. WE HAVE A MOTION FOR MR. MILLER. SECOND FROM MR. NASSAR. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS 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.

THE AIR LIQUIDE MATTER IS DEFERRED.

WE HAVE SEVEN REMAINING TIMELY 2017 RENEWALS.

THAT'S 20180030 CORTEC LLC, WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

20180030-A CORTEC, LLC, WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

20180030-A-PT CORTEC PROPERTIES LLC, WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH.

20180072-A CORTEC, LLC, TERREBONNE PARISH.

20180072-A-PT CORTEC PROPERTIES, TERREBONNE PARISH, 20180245.

SUGARFIELD PROPERTIES LLC IN ASCENSION PARISH AND 20180244 SUGARFIELD SPIRITS LLC IN ASCENSION PARISH.

ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION, MAYOR TOUPS.

MR. CHAIRMAN. YES? I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM ALL OF THE CORTEC MATTERS, ALL FIVE.

OKAY. NOTE THAT RECUSAL.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND FROM MR. MOSS.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? 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 ONE POST EO 2017 RULES LATE RENEWAL APPLICATION.

AND THAT'S 20180081 MELE PRINTING INC IN SAINT TAMMANY PARISH.

THEIR INITIAL CONTRACT EXPIRATION DATE WAS 12/31/23, AND THE LATE RENEWAL REQUEST DATE WAS 1/18 OF 24.

OKAY. MR. MELE IS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD, SO HE WILL NEED TO RECUSE HIMSELF FROM ANY ACTION ON THIS MATTER.

BUT, MR. MELE, DO YOU WANT TO WOULD YOU COME TO THE TO THE FRONT HERE AND ADDRESS THE BOARD AS TO WHAT HAPPENED ON THIS LATE RENEWAL? WELL, WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES.

OH, OKAY. FANTASTIC.

FANTASTIC. YEAH.

RIGHT. WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE? GOOD MORNING. EXCUSE ME.

MY NAME IS JIMMY GOULD, AND I'M THE PLANT MANAGER OF MELE PRINTING AND REPRESENTING MELE, UNFORTUNATELY, THE CEO WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND.

OKAY. AND JAKE NICKENS, SUMMIT CREDITS.

PULL THE MIC A LITTLE BIT CLOSER, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

SORRY. JAKE NICKENS, SUMMIT CREDITS.

ALL RIGHT, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED HERE? UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE IN A TRANSITION OF SWITCHING CONSULTANTS, AND PREVIOUS CONSULTANT DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS CORRECTLY.

AND OUR NEW CONSULTANT IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE A FEW DAYS LATE AND SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION, AND WE WOULD ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO WAIVE ANY PENALTIES AND APPROVE THE APPLICATION.

OKAY. I [INAUDIBLE].

DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANTED TO SAY? JUST FROM THE TIME FROM A TIMING STANDPOINT THE COMPANY, SINCE THEY STARTED USING THE ITEP PROGRAM.

THEY USED A PRIOR CONSULTANT AROUND THE END OF 23, THEY TRANSITION AWAY FROM USING THEM, AND WE SIGNED ON IN EARLY 24, AND AS SOON AS WE NOTICED THE ERROR, WE QUICKLY FILED THE RENEWAL.

IT ENDED UP BEING ABOUT 18 DAYS PAST THE DATE, SO.

SO THIS WAS A SITUATION THEN? IT SOUNDS LIKE, WHERE THERE WAS A TRANSITION BETWEEN AN OLD CONSULTANT AND NEW CONSULTANT, AND WAS WHEN DID THE OLD CONSULTANT, WHEN WAS THAT CONTRACT TERMINATED? OFFICIALLY IN THE FIRST QUARTER OR I'M SORRY, THE LAST QUARTER OF 23.

OKAY. SO PRIOR TO THE FILING DATE? YES. IS THAT RIGHT? SO THERE WASN'T ANYBODY WATCHING? NO. NOBODY FROM A CONSULTANT PERSPECTIVE WATCHING THESE FILING DEADLINES.

RIGHT. OUR FIRM STARTED WORKING WITH MELE PRINTING ON A NEW PROJECT AND AT THE END OF 23.

BUT WE WEREN'T REALLY TOUCHING ANY OF THEIR PREEXISTING.

THEY HAD A ANOTHER CONSULTANT THEY'RE WORKING WITH FOR THAT.

AND HE ESSENTIALLY RETIRED AT IN AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND IT WASN'T UNTIL 2024 BEFORE ALL THOSE CONTRACTS WERE ROLLED INTO OUR AGREEMENT.

OKAY. OKAY.

TO THE BOARD THIS THIS SITUATION IS FRANKLY, VERY ANALOGOUS TO THE BOLLINGER SITUATION THAT WE DEALT WITH EARLIER IN THE CONTRACT, BECAUSE THE

[00:45:02]

AND I WOULD SUGGEST THE SAME RESOLUTION THAT WE DEFER THIS MATTER BECAUSE I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM THE LED LAWYERS AS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MANAGE THIS NO, NO, THEY'RE APPARENTLY THE GOVERNOR EXPECTED THEM AT A CLE TODAY, SO.

SO THAT THAT SO ANYWAY, THAT'S THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE, WE TREAT THIS ONE THE SAME WAY WE TREATED THE TWO BOLLINGER SITUATIONS.

DEFER TO THE FEBRUARY MEETING AND GIVE STAFF AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IS THERE A WAY TO TO AVOID THE HARSHNESS OF THIS PENALTY, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO DEFER.

WE HAVE A MOTION, MR. AUSTIN. SECOND FROM MR. MILLER. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THERE IS NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE.

THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT.

YOU BET. NEXT WE HAVE THREE 2018 RULES TIMELY RENEWALS.

AND THAT'S 20190444 ADDP PROPERTY LLC LAFAYETTE PARISH.

20190003-A C AND C MARINE AND REPAIR, LLC, PLAQUEMINES PARISH.

AND 20190173 JACKSON HARDWOOD LLC.

EAST FELICIANA PARISH.

ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE RENEWALS? I HAVE A MOTION FOR MR. SAINT BLANC.

I HAVE A SECOND MR. AUSTIN, 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.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON FROM THOSE ONE THING THAT I KNOW, THE BOARD THE BOARD FEELS FRUSTRATION, I'M SURE THE PUBLIC DOES AS WELL, IS WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT RULES.

BELIEVE ME, FOR STAFF, THAT'S A THAT'S A PROBLEM AS WELL.

WE'VE GOT PRE JBE EXECUTIVE ORDER WE GOT 17 RULES, 18 RULES, 24 EMERGENCY RULES, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 24 NEW RULES.

AND THE ONE THING THAT THE RULES COMMITTEE TOOK INTO ACCOUNT AS WE WERE WORKING THROUGH THE ITEP PROGRAM OUR GOAL WAS TO PUT EVER BE ABLE TO PUT EVERYONE BACK INTO ONE SYSTEM OF RULES.

UNFORTUNATELY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTY OF DOING THAT MADE THAT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE.

BUT THERE IS A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WORKING UNDER THE OLD THE PRE 2024 RULES.

UNDER THE NEW RULES, PRESUMING THEY ARE ADOPTED, WHICH I TRUST THEM TO BE, THEY ARE GOING TO PROVIDE THAT ANYONE OPERATING UNDER THE PREVIOUS RULES AT YOUR CHOICE CAN SIGN AN AMENDED CONTRACT WITH LED, WHICH WILL TAKE YOU OUT OF THE JOBS AND PAYROLL REQUIREMENTS OF THE 17 AND 18 RULES.

AND THAT WILL THAT, TO ME, WILL REMOVE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE OLD RULES AND THE NEW RULES.

WE'LL STILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF MATTERS ON THE AGENDA, BUT I THINK THIS WILL PUT PUT THE COMPANIES UNDER THOSE OLD RULES MORE CLOSELY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE OPERATING UNDER THE NEW RULES.

I HOPE THAT WAS CLEAR, BUT I THINK GETTING RID OF THE JOBS AND PAYROLL REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE OLD RULES WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT ASSISTANCE TO FOLKS OPERATING UNDER THOSE RULES.

MRS. JOHNSON, AND MY OWN POINT THERE, DID I MISSTATE ANYTHING? NO. THAT'S CORRECT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT IT'S NOT UNTIL THE RULES ARE FINAL.

EXACTLY. YEAH. YEAH, YEAH.

DON'T DON'T FLOOD MRS. JOHNSON'S EMAILS WITH REQUESTS TO START AMENDING.

WE STILL GOT TO GET THE NEW RULES FINALIZED, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT'LL THAT'LL BE IN VERY SHORT ORDER.

AND WE'LL MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE OPPORTUNITIES OUT THERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT I'VE JUST DESCRIBED.

FAIR ENOUGH. YEAH.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

LET'S MOVE ON AND FINISH.

WE HAVE THREE TRANSFER OF TAX EXEMPTION CONTRACTS.

CF INDUSTRIES NITROGEN LLC 20220290, IS BEING TRANSFERRED TO BLUE POINT NUMBER ONE LLC IN ASCENSION PARISH.

TOMAKK GLASS PARTNERS LLC 20190204 IS BEING TRANSFERRED TO GLAZ-TECH INDUSTRIES, INC.

IN CADDO PARISH.

AND VEOLIA NORTH AMERICA VEOLIA NORTH AMERICA REGENERATION SERVICES LLC 20170649 IS BEING TRANSFERRED

[00:50:10]

ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THESE TRANSFERS? MOTION MR. NASSAR.

SECOND FROM MAYOR TOUPS.

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

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

WE HAVE ONE CANCELLATION OF CONTRACT REQUEST FOR PLASTIPAK PACKAGING, INC.

20200526-A.

LED REQUEST CANCELLATION UPON BEING INFORMED BY THE PARISH ASSESSOR OF 100% OF TAXES BEING BILLED AND PAID FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF THE EXEMPTION, THE 2022 YEAR.

PER SECTION 517 B OF ITEP RULES, THE ADDITION IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXEMPTION PER SECTION 531 C OF ITEP RULES.

THE LOUISIANA BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY MAY TERMINATE OR OTHERWISE MODIFY THE CONTRACT, AND THIS IS LOCATED IN RAPIDES PARISH.

OKAY, WE HAVE YET ANOTHER SITUATION WHERE THE HARSHNESS OF THE COLD APPLICATION OF THE RULES APPEARS DIFFICULT, BUT I THINK THE RULES IN THIS SITUATION MAY GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY.

MR. LEONARD, DO YOU CAN YOU COME FORWARD? GREAT IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE PLASTIPAK, PLEASE.

HI, I'M KEVIN MEYER, I AM THE GLOBAL TAX DIRECTOR FOR PLASTIPAK PACKAGING.

GREAT. AND MR. LEONARD, GO AHEAD AND PUT YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

LEONARD, ADVANCED CONSULTING.

OKAY. TELL US WHAT HAPPENED SO THE BOARD CAN UNDERSTAND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THIS.

WE MISTAKENLY, WE WERE USING A DIFFERENT VENDOR, AND WE MISTAKENLY ADDED THE EXEMPT ASSETS TO THE PROPERTY TAX RETURN.

AND UPON GETTING THE INVOICE, WE PAID THE BILL, AND AFTER FILING THAT PROPERTY TAX RETURN AND PAYING THE BILL, WE SWITCHED TO A NEW VENDOR WHO NOTICED THE ERROR AND INFORMED US OF THE ERROR AT THAT TIME.

WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH CONTINUING TO HAVE THE PARISH HAVE THE BILL THAT WE PAID.

WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO GET THE NINE REMAINING YEARS EXEMPTION HONORED ON OUR BEHALF.

AND I'M NOT I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY NINE, BUT IT'S REALLY FOUR WITH THE POSSIBILITY FOR RENEWAL OF FIVE.

OKAY. ALRIGHT.

MR. LEONARD, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? JUST THAT THE APPLICATION, THE ADVANCE NOTIFICATION AND THE APPLICATION HAD BEEN TIMELY FILED.

AND THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE EXEMPTION WAS DECEMBER OF 22, TAXES WERE PAID IN 23.

SO THE ASSETS WERE TECHNICALLY UNDER AN EXEMPT CONTRACT AT THE TIME THAT THEY PAID.

YEAH. SO IF I CAN PUT ALL THAT INTO ENGLISH FOR THE BOARD.

ESSENTIALLY, ESSENTIALLY THEY GOT A TAX BILL AND THEY PAID IT, AND UNDER OUR RULES THEN THAT THAT GIVES US LED THE ABILITY TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT.

HOWEVER, THE RULES ALSO SAY THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MODIFY, NOT JUST TERMINATE, BUT WE CAN MODIFY THE THE CONTRACT.

AND I THINK THE DISCUSSION THAT HAS GONE ON BETWEEN THE PLASTIPAK FOLK AND LED STAFF IS RATHER THAN DESTROY, AGAIN A MISTAKE, DESTROY THE CONTRACT FOR THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT, WE SIMPLY REDUCE THE TERM OF THE THE INITIAL FIVE YEAR FROM 5 TO 4 YEARS, SO THEY CAN ENJOY THE REMAINING FOUR YEARS OF THE EXEMPTION, AND THEN, ASSUMING THEY MEET QUALIFICATIONS, THEY CAN COME BACK FOR RENEWAL OF THE ADDITIONAL FIVE.

SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? FROM MR. DOSS. YOU SAID IT VERY WELL, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU.

I TRY SO HARD.

SECOND FROM MR. MOSS, DO WE HAVE 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.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SIR.

AND LAST LASTLY, WE HAVE FIVE 2017 RULES NONCOMPLIANCE ISSUES FOR 20161675 GUIN MACHINE, INC.

IN BIENVILLE PARISH.

THEY WERE NON-COMPLIANT FOR THE 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 AND 2022 REPORTING PERIODS.

THEY DID MEET THE JOB AND PAYROLL REQUIREMENTS, BUT THEY WERE LATE FILING FOR EACH YEAR.

[00:55:03]

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

MY NAME IS CHRIS GUIN.

I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY.

AND SO ESSENTIALLY, WE HAVE LATE FILINGS, BUT OTHERWISE THE CONTRACTS ARE COMPLIANT.

IS THAT CORRECT, MISS JOHNSON? YES, SIR. AND SO JUST TELL US WHAT HAPPENED ON THE LATE FILINGS, IF YOU WILL, MR. GUIN. OKAY. SO I JUST GOT THROWN INTO THIS, LIKE IN THE LAST DAY OR SO, MY CPA WAS SUPPOSED TO HE WAS TO BE HERE WITH US, AND HE BAILED OUT YESTERDAY.

SO TELL HIM THE CHAIRMAN CALLED HIM A CHICKEN.

TELL HIM THAT THE CHAIRMAN CALLED HIM A CHICKEN.

YEAH. YEAH.

AND I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS.

THAT'S ALL RIGHT. RELAX.

YEAH. AND MY SON'S GOT, WE'RE IN TRANSITION OF MY TWO SONS TAKING OVER THE COMPANY TOO, AND I'M, THEY'RE KICKING ME OUT, BASICALLY.

SO ANYWAY, HE HE WAS WE WERE COMING TOGETHER, AND HE HAD A LAST THING WITH HIS FAMILY THAT HE JUST COULDN'T COME.

I'M JUST GOING TO KIND OF READ OUT HOW HE IS, AND I THINK THE FACTS, THIS IS THE FACTS THAT WE KNOW.

AND HOPEFULLY I'LL GET IT.

ALL RIGHT. THAT'S FINE.

THERE WAS AN ERROR OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CPA AND US.

HE DOES ALL OUR FILING, AND HE DOES ALL OUR DOCUMENT FILES, ALL OUR FEES AND ALL THIS STUFF, HE HANDLES ALL THAT STUFF.

THE PERSON THAT WAS HANDLING THAT BACK THEN IS NOT THERE NOW.

OF COURSE. AND HE IT WASN'T UNTIL NOVEMBER WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED, NOVEMBER 2023.

SO THE SO THE ALL THE LATE FILINGS, WE DIDN'T FIND OUT UNTIL IT WAS ALL IT WAS OVER WITH.

WOW. SO I'VE GOT THE EMAILS HERE THAT ALL THE DOCUMENTATION OF THAT.

AND AS FOR WHY THE COMPANY IS BEING INFORMED OF THE NONCOMPLIANCE NOW, THERE WAS A DELAY IN COMPLIANCE PROCESSING, AND WE HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO FULLY PROCESS THE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTATION RECENTLY.

SO THAT IS WHERE WE ARE.

THAT'S THE FACTS.

I DO WANT TO NOTE TWO THINGS.

WE MET AND EXCEEDED THE CRITERIA OF, OF ALL, YOU KNOW, THE CRITERIA OF THE PROGRAM.

AND IT'S BEEN A REALLY BLESSING FOR OUR COMPANY.

WE'RE A SMALL COMPANY.

WE'RE IN A SMALL TOWN.

I SAY WE'RE STRATEGICALLY LOCATED FROM A WALMART IN FIVE DIRECTIONS.

SO WE HAVE A FOUR WAY STOP.

THERE WON'T BE ANY GOLD BRICKS BEING LAID IN OUR TOWN [INAUDIBLE] BUT WE DO EMPLOY A LOT OF RURAL PEOPLE THAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAVE TO DRIVE AN HOUR TO GO TO WORK.

AND SO WE ARE VITAL TO THE COMMUNITY.

PROBABLY THE I GUESS WE ARE THE BIGGEST EMPLOYER AS FAR AS EMPLOYEES IN THE COMMUNITY THERE.

WE'RE STILL A VERY SMALL COMPANY.

BUT WE ARE GROWING, MY SONS ARE TAKING IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL.

AND SO WE WE JUST WE WE JUST ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

AND THE WAY THIS PLAYED OUT, IT WASN'T ANYTHING PURPOSELY.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE DOING ANYTHING WRONG.

WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT.

AND SO IT'S JUST KIND OF CAUGHT ME BLINDSIDED, YOU KNOW, REALLY AND TRULY.

I'M SURE IT DID DO THINGS WRONG.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO RUN A COMPANY TOO, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S LIKE, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S IT'S A FAMILY DEAL.

AND ALSO THE NON-COMPLIANCE DUE TO LATE FILING WAS BROUGHT TO ALL OUR LOCAL GOVERNING AUTHORITIES.

THEY'VE ALREADY FILED THREE VOTED YOU KNOW TO...

WE DID GET RESOLUTIONS FROM RESOLUTIONS AND LETTERS FROM ALL OF THE LOCAL BODIES, THE POLICE JURY AND SCHOOL BOARD HAD RESOLUTIONS STATING NOT TO TAKE ANY ACTION AND NOT PENALIZE THEM, AND SO DID THE SHERIFF.

ALL RIGHT, MR. GUIN, I THINK WE UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION, OBVIOUSLY, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BELIEVES IN YOUR COMPANY AND DOESN'T WANT TO SEE YOU PENALIZED.

SO I WOULD I WOULD TAKE A MOTION? MOTION FROM MR. SAINT BLANC.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

JUST JUST ONE SECOND. I'LL GET TO YOU.

LET ME GET A MOTION THEN WE'LL LET LET US ASK QUESTIONS.

WE HAVE A MOTION FOR MR. SAINT, SECOND FOR MR. MOSS. NOW, MR. MELE, YOUR QUESTION.

SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU FOR BEING COMPLIANT.

SO THAT'S GREAT. AND WITH ALL ASPECTS OF.

I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HARDLY HEAR.

I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR COMPANY FOR BEING COMPLIANT.

THE WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS ON THE FIVE YEAR, IT WASN'T ONE YEAR WAS EACH YEAR THERE WAS A DELAY IN

[01:00:02]

SO WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER BY LED? I MEAN, I'VE HEARD YOU SAY THAT THE CPA AND IT'S THE CPA, AND SO SO I ASKED THIS QUESTION, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SUPPORT YOUR BUSINESS.

I MEAN, I THINK YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, ALL EVERYTHING THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED.

BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO AVOID SUCH, IT SOUNDS LIKE A COMMUNICATION THING.

WERE YOU, YOU KNOW, JUST THE WHY? JUST JUST THE CPA.

SO EVERY YEAR, PER THIS EXHIBIT A OF THIS CONTRACT, IT REQUIRES THAT THE COMPLIANCE IS FILED BY APRIL 30TH AND LED DOES SEND EMAILS AFTER THAT IS MISSED TO LET THEM HAVE TIME TO FILE STILL, AND THAT'S WHY THESE WERE FILED.

BUT THEY WOULD STILL BE CONSIDERED LATE.

IF THEY WERE NOT FILED THEY WOULD JUST BE NON FILINGS.

SO THEY DID FILE LATE, BUT IT WAS PAST THE DEADLINE THAT'S STATED IN THEIR AGREEMENT.

AND YOU THANK YOU.

AND YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU OR SOMEBODY WITHIN AUTHORITY WOULD RECEIVE THE NON-COMPLIANT NOTICES.

CORRECT. AS FAR AS I'M QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT YOU WERE RECEIVING THE INFORMATION, EVEN THE NON-COMPLIANT.

MEANING, IF THAT IF, IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ADDITIONAL MESSAGE THAT SAID, HEY, IT'S COMING UP.

YEAH. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN CONFUSING TO ME, THIS THE PROGRAM IT'S BEEN GREAT FOR US.

I CAN SEE THAT.

ALLOW US TO GROW AND HELP FOR THE COMMUNITY.

BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN CONFUSING TO ME.

AND YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND, WITH A SMALL COMPANY YOU WEAR MANY HATS AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY FOUR COMPANIES IN THAT BUILDING, AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THEM.

AND AND IT THINGS GET CONFUSING, YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF OFFICE STAFF, YOU KNOW IT WAS ME AND MY WIFE IN 2018 AND I'M NOT A BEAN COUNTER. I MEAN I WORK YOU KNOW, I RUN MACHINES, I DO THAT THAT THAT'S MY THOUGHT PROCESS.

SO I YEAH IT ALWAYS BE SOMETHING DONE BETTER.

I COULD HAVE DONE BETTER, EVERYBODY COULD HAVE DONE BETTER MAYBE I DON'T KNOW I DON'T REMEMBER, IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO.

AND NOW I'M LIKE I SAY NOW IT'S KIND OF LIKE I'M TRYING TO CATCH UP FROM FOUR FIVE.

I DIDN'T KNOW THE SERIOUSNESS OF IT WHEN YOU DRIVE 4.5 HOURS TO BATON ROUGE AND YOU COME IN HERE AND YOU'RE OVERWHELMED, I MEAN, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS DOING ANYTHING WRONG.

AND LIKE I SAY, WE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE, IT WAS A BIG DEAL TO LIKE NOVEMBER 2023.

YEAH. AND THAT'S WHEN WE WERE LIKE, OH, THIS IS KIND OF SERIOUS SOUNDING, YOU KNOW? AND WE JUST WORK, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SO SIR.

I WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK GENERALLY SPEAKING, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD DOESN'T USUALLY GO AGAINST WHAT THE LOCALS OR THE LOCALS RECOMMEND, YOU KNOW BUT JUST AS A MATTER OF LIKE FORM, YOU KNOW, NOW WE KNOW THE SERIOUSNESS, NOW WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A TIME.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE EVERY OTHER YEAR, EVERY YEAR IT'S BEEN LATE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S ONCE OR TWICE, YOU KNOW.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO GO AGAINST THE LOCALS, I BELIEVE.

YOU KNOW, OF COURSE THE BOARD IS GOING TO VOTE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A SPECIAL MENTION FROM MY PERSONAL, YOU KNOW, MY PERSPECTIVE HERE AS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD IS LIKE, IT'S LIKE, I GET IT, I UNDERSTAND, BUT LIKE, COME ON LIKE, AT A CERTAIN POINT YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU GET A NEW CPA, YOU KNOW, LIKE, OR WHATEVER IT IS, LIKE, YOU GOTTA YOU JUST YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE RULES.

I AGREE WITH YOU IN THAT FACT.

BUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE MISCOMMUNICATION WITH ME AND THE CPA WHEN WHEN YOU ENTRUST IN SOMEONE THAT'S A PROFESSIONAL IN DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES AND YOU ENTRUST YOUR WHOLE BUSINESS WITH THIS GENTLEMAN YOU TRUST IN HIM TO, YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT I'M PAYING HIM FOR.

THAT'S WHAT I PAY HIM TO KEEP ME FROM MAKING MISTAKES AND TO, YOU KNOW, AND I, I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD MADE THAT BIG OF A MISTAKE, BUT YEAH, YEAH, WE WON'T BE A PROBLEM FROM NOW ON, THAT'S FOR SURE.

I HOPE YOU NEVER SEE ME AGAIN.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE WANTED TO HEAR.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE WANTED TO HEAR.

[INAUDIBLE] BUT YOU ARE CORRECT.

I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT LIKE I SAY, WE DIDN'T KNOW AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, FROM YEAR TO YEAR, I DON'T REMEMBER I DO NOT REMEMBER WHAT THE CORRESPONDENCE WAS, BUT I'M BUT I READ THE, YOU KNOW, I READ THE CORRESPONDENCE WHEN IT REALLY, OKAY, 2023 NOVEMBER, EVERYTHING WAS OVER WITH BY THEN, AND AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT...

I THINK HE'S REFERRING TO WHEN IN 2023, WHEN THE NONCOMPLIANCE NOTICES WERE EVENTUALLY SENT TO THE LOCALS.

[01:05:05]

AND THAT'S WHY THEY WERE FILED LATE EVERY YEAR, BUT STILL FILED.

I THINK MR. COWLEY IS CORRECT, GIVEN THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

I THINK WE HAVE A MOTION SECOND TO APPROVE THIS WITHOUT ANY PENALTY.

WE I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE OUR MOTION AND SECOND, IS THAT RIGHT, MISS SIMMONS? OKAY, SO THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I WOULD MAKE IS NOT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH GUIN MACHINE, BUT BUT THIS ISSUE OF OF FILING DEADLINES, WE WE'VE TRIED TO MAKE THAT MUCH SIMPLER IN THE NEW RULES GOING FORWARD. WE TO MR. MELE'S POINT, I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN THIS PROGRAM IS VERY VALUABLE, BUT I THINK IT HAS BEEN NEEDLESSLY COMPLICATED. AND WE HOPE THAT UNDER THE NEW RULES, IT WILL I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT'S GOING TO BE UNCOMPLICATED, BUT IT WILL BE LESS COMPLICATED.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN ULTIMATELY MOVE TO WHERE, I MEAN, I WANTED IT TO BE A POSTCARD, BUT I WAS I WAS OVERRULED ON THAT.

BUT BUT HAVING SAID ALL OF THAT, I THINK, I THINK THE GOOD NEWS IS, OBVIOUSLY YOUR COMMUNITY SUPPORTS YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT, ESPECIALLY IN PART OF THE STATE THAT DOESN'T GET TO SEE THE THE $3 BILLION IN DEVELOPMENT.

YEAH, BIENVILLE DOESN'T GET TO SEE THAT.

SO SO WITH THAT I WILL ENTERTAIN A VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE RENEWAL WITHOUT PENALTY.

THIS IS NOT A RENEWAL. I'M SORRY.

IT WAS JUST NONCOMPLIANCE.

YES, SIR. BASICALLY, NO NO PENALTY.

ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

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

THANK YOU. MR. GUIN HAVE A SAFE TRIP HOME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR.

THANK YOU. ALRIGHT.

[9. Secretary Remarks – Secretary Susan Bourgeois]

I'LL BE BRIEF, I APOLOGIZE FOR FOR JOINING YOU ALL SO LATE IN THE MEETING.

I WAS ON A ZOOM WITH OUR PARTNERS FROM META, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY PART OF WHAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT TODAY, THE EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT LAST WEEK, THE SIGNIFICANCE TO OUR STATE, NOT JUST IN THAT ONE PROJECT.

YOU KNOW, MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY FOR TEN MONTHS NOW ABOUT THE NEED FOR A NARRATIVE CHANGE IN LOUISIANA, AND THAT WAS A GIANT LEAP TOWARDS A NARRATIVE CHANGE IN LOUISIANA, WHAT WE ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK.

AND WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST DIALOG GOING ON WITH THE COMPANY, NOT JUST ABOUT THEIR PROJECT, WHICH IS AMAZING, BUT WHAT ELSE THEY CAN BRING TO BEAR IN LOUISIANA TO CHANGE SOME OF OUR OUTCOMES. SO I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING FOR MISSING THE FIRST 45 MINUTES OF OUR MEETING BUT THAT IS IS WHY.

AND I DID WANTED TO AND I WANT TO SAY PUBLICLY AGAIN, WE I'VE SAID IT EVERY CHANCE I GET FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE SUCCEEDED IN THAT PROJECT BECAUSE THIS WAS AN ALL OF LOUISIANA APPROACH TO WIN THIS THING.

IT WAS ACROSS ALL FORMS OF GOVERNMENT.

IT WAS THE LEGISLATURE.

IT WAS THE ADMINISTRATION, IT WAS THE PSC.

IT WAS ACROSS THE BOARD FROM A PUBLIC POLICY PERSPECTIVE, EVERYONE WAS PULLING ON THE ROPE, BUT AS IMPORTANTLY, THE PRIVATE SECTOR WAS DOING THE SAME THING AND IT JUST SHOWS THE KIND OF SUCCESS LOUISIANA CAN HAVE WHEN WE DO IT THAT WAY.

SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE PARTNERS WHO MADE THAT POSSIBLE.

REALLY REMARKABLE.

THE SECOND PIECE I WANT TO TELL YOU IS THAT WE ARE WELL UNDERWAY IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

HOPEFULLY YOU'VE ALL HEARD ABOUT THE THE INSISTENCE OF OURS TO HAVE THAT.

WE HAVE ENGAGED THROUGH OUR PARTNERS AT THE COMMITTEE OF 100.

WE HAVE ENGAGED A PARTNERSHIP OF STRATEGIC PLANNERS BETWEEN MCKINSEY GIVING US A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE, RESEARCH, AND REALLY LEADING PARTNERING WITH EMERGENT, A LOUISIANA FIRM, TO DO BOTH THE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION SIDE OF THE PLAN, BUT ALSO SORT OF LAY THE LOUISIANA NUANCES ON THE REALITY OF A MCKINSEY PLAN.

AND WE THINK THAT WILL BE A VERY USEFUL PRODUCT WITH AN AGGRESSIVE TIME FRAME OF A FEBRUARY DELIVERY OF THAT PLAN, SO STAND BY.

WE HAVE ALREADY DONE SIX REGIONAL WORKSHOPS.

WE HAVE TWO MORE, MONROE AND SHREVEPORT ON MONDAY, AND THAT WAS THE LAUNCH OF OF JUST STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND WE GO FROM THERE.

BUT AGAIN, VERY AGGRESSIVE TIME FRAME ON THAT.

AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANT TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, WE WE TRACK THINGS NOW IN THE DEPARTMENT AND I THINK WE ALWAYS HAVE, BUT IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT TO ME, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND SO EVERY WEEK I GET A REPORT ON OUR ACTIVE PROJECTS.

AND SO JUST THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE AT THIS TABLE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO HEAR THIS.

WE HAVE A GRADING SYSTEM, AS ANYBODY DOES IN A BUSINESS WHERE A AND B ARE OUR PRIORITY.

SO THE LIST I'M ABOUT TO GIVE YOU IS OF OUR A, B PROJECTS, JUST THE PROJECTS THAT RANK A B, WE WORK THEM WEEKLY, SOME DAILY.

WE HAVE A PIPELINE OF RIGHT NOW 186 ACTIVE A B PROJECTS MORE THAN 31,000 POTENTIAL NEW JOBS, MORE THAN 16,000 RETAINED JOBS AND MORE THAN $80 BILLION IN POTENTIAL CAPEX.

[01:10:02]

THE ANNOUNCEMENT LAST WEEK WAS JUST THE BEGINNING AND JUST REALLY GRATEFUL FOR FOR ALL OF YOU, OUR PARTNERS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND OTHERS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR WHO ARE INVESTING YOUR TIME AND INTEREST IN MAKING SURE WE SUCCEED AT LED SO THE STATE CAN SUCCEED.

SO THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.

THANK YOU, MISS BOURGEOIS.

A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING, AND WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WHAT IT'S BRINGING TO LED AND TO THE STATE.

ANY OTHER ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM ANY BOARD MEMBERS? HEARING NONE. ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

WE HAVE A MOTION, MR. CALLAIS.

SECOND, MR. MOSS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE.

WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.