>> IT'S OVER HERE. [1. Call to Order – Jerald Jones, Chairman] [00:00:02] >> GOOD MORNING. IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE ON A PRESENT AUGUST DAY IN SOUTH LOUISIANA. CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER OF THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY FOR THE AUGUST 2025 MEETING. MS. SIMMONS, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL TO ENSURE WE HAVE A QUORUM? >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. >> PRESENT. >> PRESENT. >> PRESENT. >> PRESENT. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> PRESENT. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> HERE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> HERE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> PRESENT. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> HERE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> HERE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> HERE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> HERE. >> LADY ODIN, CHARLES ROBBIE MILLER. >> HERE. >> DESIGNEE BRETT ROBINSON FOR KYLE RICKERT. >> PRESENT. >> THANK YOU. WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> THANK YOU, MS. SIMMONS. BEFORE WE PROCEED, I WAS FRANKLY SURPRISED TO SEE PARISH PRESIDENT MILLER HERE TODAY, BUT WE'VE ALL BEEN WATCHING WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT EMOTIONS ABOUT ALL THAT'S GOING ON DOWN IN TANGIB PARISH. BUT MR. PRESIDENT, IF YOU WOULD JUST GIVE US A SHORT REPORT, LET US KNOW WHAT WE'RE NOT HEARING ON THE NEWS, BUT WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU WERE HERE WITH US TODAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BASICALLY, I TOLD EVERYBODY I NEEDED TO GO DO SOMETHING NORMAL TODAY FOR A FUTURE A LITTLE WHILE. ROUGHLY 1:00 FRIDAY, THERE WAS A MAJOR FIRE STARTED AT SMITTYS, ONE OF OUR LONG-TIME HOMEGROWN BUSINESSES, THAT SUPPLIES OIL AND GREASE PRODUCTS AND ACTUALLY OEM FOR SOME OF YOU GUYS. THE FIRE WAS JUST TREMENDOUS, AND AN EXPLOSION STARTED. I CAN TELL YOU THE BIGGEST NEWS OUT OF IT IS NOT EVEN A SINGLE INJURY. THROUGH INCREDIBLE PLANNING AND TRAINING BEFORE THE FIRE, YOU MADE SURE NO ONE WAS INJURED. FOUGHT THE FIRE LAST NIGHT WAS THE FIRST NIGHT THAT THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY FLARE-UPS; NO WATER FOAM HAD TO BE PUT OUT LAST NIGHT. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE BECAUSE THEIR AIR DRAINS TO THE TANGIBO RIVER, OF COURSE, THERE WAS SOOT ALL OVER THE PLUME AREA OF THE PARISH. IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE EVENT AS FAR AS RESPONSE FROM ME, REALLY, I SHOULDN'T TRY AND LIST, BUT ALL OF THE FEDERAL PARTNERS IN ALL THE STATES. I DO WANT TO THANK THE EPA FOLKS ON THE GROUND ARE INCREDIBLE TO WORK WITH, AND THE DEQ STAFF, UNREAL, THE LOUISIANA STATE POLICE, HAZMAT. I'M SURE SOMEBODY HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH THEM. THOSE GUYS ARE PROBABLY THE BEST IN THE WORLD. THIS WHOLE GROUP HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE. WE'RE ABOUT TO BEGIN. THE ACTUAL PULLING OF THE PRODUCT FROM THE RIVER. THEY'VE BEEN ACCUMULATING IT THROUGH BOOM MOVEMENTS TO ACCUMULATE ENOUGH OF IT TO PICK IT UP, AND THEY HAVE A COMPLETE BERM BUILT AROUND THE FACILITY NOW. ANY FUTURE WATER, RAIN, OR ANYTHING THAT FALLS OR ANY PRODUCT THAT'S MOVING WILL BE CAPTURED ON THE GROUND ON THE SCENE AND NOT GET AWAY. IT'S BEEN I THINK IT'S ONLY WE'RE ONLY IN DAY 5 OR MAYBE DAY 6, BUT AS ANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS, IT'S BEEN QUITE A LONG 4,5,6 DAYS. BUT VERY PRODUCTIVE AFTER THE EVENT. AGAIN, I CAN'T, I MEAN, IT'S A DIVINE INTERVENTION THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED. IT'S PHENOMENAL IN THAT. WE THANK OUR LORD FOR TAKING CARE OF EVERYBODY, AND PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE FOLKS THERE. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, ROBBIE. I KNOW THAT WHAT WE DO HERE EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS IS ALWAYS ABOUT FINANCES AND ABOUT ALL THE REST OF THAT. BUT THE REALITY IS WE'RE DEALING WITH MANUFACTURING FACILITIES BY AND LARGE, AND THERE ARE REAL-WORLD CONSEQUENCES IN MANUFACTURING. WE, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE ALL WORKING ON THE PERIPHERY HERE ON THE BOARD, [00:05:01] THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ACTUALLY WORKING IN THESE COMPANIES, WORKING IN THE FACILITIES, I THINK, MR. MILLER'S POINT ABOUT SOMETIMES IS JUST IT'S CRITICAL TO HAVE THE LORD LOOKING AFTER YOU BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THESE FACILITIES IS BY INHERENTLY DANGEROUS, AS MOST MAJOR MANUFACTURING IS TODAY, AND ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN ON ANY GIVEN DAY. WE'RE THANKFUL FOR WHAT'S GOING ON IN TANGIBLE HO PARISH. WE'RE THANKFUL, I THINK, TO YOUR POINT, THE STATE AND FEDERAL RESPONSE HAS BEEN REMARKABLE, AND TO THOSE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT, AS WE ALL ARE, WE'LL GET THIS CLEANED UP AS WELL. BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN TANGIBBE HO PARISH AND OUR PRAYERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE NOW WITHOUT A JOB. THAT'S A WHOLE NEW STRESS THAT LAST THURSDAY, THEY DIDN'T THINK THEY WOULD HAVE. I'M THINKING OF THESE FOLKS. >> I DO WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ON THAT NOTE, THE 400 PEOPLE. OF COURSE, AND MORE, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME SUPPORT COMPANIES AND SO FORTH THAT MAY BE AFFECTED BY THIS. BUT THE LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION, IF THAT'S THE RIGHT NAME, STILL WORKED WITH OUR GO JOBS, WHICH IS OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE. ON MONDAY MORNING, THERE WAS A LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION MOBILE BUS, THERE WITH ALL OF THE POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RELIEF FOR THOSE WORKERS. MONDAY MORNING, THEY WERE ABLE TO GO START THAT PROCESS, AND THAT'S EVEN JUST THAT'S JUST AN INCREDIBLE RESPONSE OF ALL OF THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT LOUISIANA IS PROVIDING FOR THOSE FOLKS. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. [3. Approval of Minutes from June 25, 2025 meeting] WITH THAT, I BELIEVE EVERYONE HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 25TH, 2025, MEETING. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THOSE MINUTES. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MOSS. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MAYOR TOOPS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD CONCERNING THOSE MINUTES? HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. NOW, LET'S MOVE TO THE QUALITY JOBS PROGRAM. [4. Quality Jobs Program – Michaela Adegbe] MR. DAGB, WILL YOU WALK US THROUGH THAT, PLEASE, MA'AM? >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> THERE ARE FIVE NEW APPLICATIONS, 2024-0100 AZAL COLD NEW ORLEANS, LLC, ST. TAMMANY PARISH. 2023-0322, ARC SOLUTIONS RED RIVER, LLC, RED RIVER PARISH, 2023-0174, CAMERON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, CATO PARISH, 2023-0022, MODULE X SOLUTIONS, LLC, CATO PARISH, 2025-0182 WOODSIDE ENERGY USA SERVICES INC, CATO PARISH. >> VERY GOOD. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MOTION FROM MR. MOLE, SECONDED BY MR. NASSER, MR. ST. B? ONE THING I WANT YOU TO PAY ATTENTION TO IS THE AGENDA, WHICH YOU WANT TO NOTICE THE LAST ALL THESE INVESTMENTS ARE CRITICAL. BUT YOU JUST DON'T SEE 15 BILLION VERY OFTEN. TO THE FOLKS FROM WOODSIDE, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE IN LOUISIANA. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS INVESTMENT IN LOUISIANA. AS I SAY, EVERY COMPANY THAT COMES IN HERE AND INVESTS IS HUGE AND HAS AN IMPACT ON THE PARISHES WHERE THEY EXIST, BUT WE JUST DON'T GET TO SEE 15 BILLION, REALLY 16 BILLION, VERY OFTEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? IF NOT, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >> TWO RENEWAL APPLICATIONS, 2020-0252, LOUISIANA SUGAR REFINING, LLC, ST. JAMES PARISH, 2020-0274, STEWART ENTERPRISES, JEFFERSON PARISH. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE FROM MR. MASSER MOTION, SECOND? I DIDN'T SEE YOU THERE. WE HAVE A SECOND FROM ALL OUR LEGISLATORS. [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? EXCUSE ME FROM THE BOARD. HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [00:10:03] >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. MOTION CARRIES. I KNOW I JUST MESSED UP THE RECORD. OR MAISEL REPRESENTATIVE ST. BLAU, BOTH SECONDED. >> INDUSTRIES. >> THERE WE GO. NOW, SPECIAL REQUESTS. >> ONE, FULL TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP TO NEW COMPANY, 2014 0785, CURRENT COMPANY NAME GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INC, NEW COMPANY GENERAL DYNAMICS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INC, BOGER PARISH. >>> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS TRANSACTION FROM MAYOR TOOPS? A SECOND. SECOND FROM MR. MIGUEZ. 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 NO ERROR. >> THIS CONCLUDES QUALITY JOBS. THANK. >> THANK YOU, MS. DAGB. LET'S MOVE TO THE RESTORATION TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM. [5. Restoration Tax Abatement Program – Travis Rosenberg] >> MR. ROSENBERG, WILL YOU WALK US THROUGH, PLEASE? >> YES, SIR, GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> THERE ARE SIX NEW APPLICATIONS, 20 200-24-2219 NORTH PETERS, LLC, ORLEANS PARISH, 202-03-0284 ATELIER CAMELBACK, LLC, ORLEANS PARISH, 2018 0489 A, LIBERTY STREET COTTAGES, LLC, ORLEANS PARISH, 2018 OH 489, LIBERTY STREET COTTAGES, LLC, ORLEANS PARISH. 202-04-0285 MCM DEVELOPMENT LLC, ORLEANS PARISH, AND 202-04-0532 MEAD, LLC, AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. MOTION. >> YES. >> MR. CAL, I'M SORRY. I WAS GOING COMPLETELY BLANK ON YOUR LAST NAME. I APOLOGIZE. MATURITY IS NOT ALL IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE, Y'ALL. IT'S JUST DONE. [LAUGHTER] DO WE HAVE A MOTION? DO WE HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. NASSER? DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. MOLE, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?. GREAT. ALL RIGHT. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. >> THERE IS ONE RENEWAL APPLICATION, 2017 0233, FOR BRENTWOOD ACQUISITION, SHREVEPORT INC., AND CATO PARISH. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE. A MOTION FROM MR. ST. BLAU. SECOND. SECOND. I'M SEARCHING FOR A SECOND. SECOND FOR MR. CAL. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. BEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> THIS CONCLUDES THE RTA AGENT. >> THANK YOU, MR. ROSENBERG. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, MS. MATORIA. [6. Enterprise Zone Program – Joyce Metoyer] >> THERE ARE SIX NEW APPLICATIONS FOR THE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM. 2021-0096 ASH INDUSTRIES INCORPORATED, LAFAYETTE PARISH, 2021-0466 BWC TERMINAL HOLDINGS, LLC, JEFFERSON PARISH, 2020-0374 LA HERMANA, MAYOR, LLC, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 2022-0335 REDTICK ARMATURE WORKS INCORPORATED, WEST FOLSOMIA, 2022-0526 FORT SOUTH LLC, CATO PARISH, AND 2015-0259 SHELL CHEMICAL LP, ST. CHARLES PARISH. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE ENTERPRISE ZONES, MR. ST. BLAU. SECOND FROM MR. NASSER. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? >> YES, SIR. >> PLEASE COME FORWARD. RIGHT THERE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> MY NAME IS JUSTIN VITO. I'M A RESIDENT OF ORLEANS PARISH. I'M REPRESENTING MY NEIGHBORHOOD AIR QUALITY GROUP, WHICH IS CALLED JOIN FOR CLEAN AIR, WHICH STANDS FOR JEFFERSON, ORLEANS, IRISH CHANNEL, NIGHBORS FOR CLEAN AIR. [00:15:01] I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO PWC'S APPLICATIONS FOR THE EZ TAX BREAK. ACCORDING TO THE LDEQ ADVANCED REPORT, BWC TERMINALS HOLDINGS, LLC HAS FOUR DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS PENDING FOR ENTERPRISE ZONE TAX CREDITS. SUBMITTED BETWEEN MARCH 2019 AND FEBRUARY 2024, WITH ESTIMATED PROJECT START DATES RANGING FROM SEPTEMBER 2022 TO FEBRUARY 2024. WE DON'T KNOW WHICH APPLICATIONS ARE BEING VOTED ON TODAY. APPLICATION NUMBERS, I HAVE ALL THE NUMBERS WRITTEN OUT HERE. THERE ARE SIMILAR DESCRIPTIONS FOR ALL FOUR PROJECTS, AND WE ARE CONCERNED THAT BWC IS DOUBLE-COUNTING EMPLOYEES. WE BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THEIR EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY IN HIGHER-PAYING JOBS, WORK ACROSS MULTIPLE BWC FACILITIES. THE APPLICATION FOR THE BWC HARVEY FACILITY CLAIMS THAT THERE ARE 69 EXISTING FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AT THAT FACILITY ALONE, AND 217 EXISTING FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN TOTAL AMONG THE FOUR FACILITIES. THESE NUMBERS SEEM INFLATED. WE HAVE NO GUARANTEE THAT THE FIVE NEW EMPLOYEES WILL LIVE IN LOUISIANA, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT THE COMPANY HEADQUARTERS ARE IN HOUSTON. BOC TERMINALS ARE CURRENTLY ADVERTISING SIX JOBS ON THE WEBSITE, BUT ONLY ONE IS BASED IN LOUISIANA. >> BWC [NOISE] HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN MISLEADING WITH LED. THEY HAVE BEEN DECEPTIVE IN LEADING THE AGENCY TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE A MANUFACTURING FACILITY WHEN THEY ARE IN FACT A STORAGE FACILITY. THEY USE INDUSTRIAL CODES THAT ARE MISLEADING, WHILE WITH THE OTHER STATE AGENCY, THE LDEQ ON ALL OF THEIR AIR PERMIT APPLICATIONS, IT STATES ON THEIR FIRST PAGE, THIS FACILITY DOES NOT MANUFACTURE A PRODUCT. AS A RESIDENT, I CAN TELL YOU THAT BWC ARE HORRIBLE NEIGHBORS. THEY DO NOT CONTROL THE EMISSIONS OF THE FACILITY FROM THE LOADING AND UNLOADING OF BARGES. OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN INUNDATED WITH NOXIOUS FUMES FOR GOING ON FIVE YEARS NOW. THEY'RE NOT MANUFACTURING A PRODUCT. IF YOU GIVE THESE APPLICATIONS TODAY, I THINK ALSO WOULD BE PREMATURE, CONSIDERING THEIR EXPANSIONS THAT THEY'RE APPLYING FOR. THE PERMITS ARE CURRENTLY PENDING, AND NOT LIKELY TO BE GRANTED BY THE LDEQ, CONSIDERING THE MASSIVE OUTCRY BY THE PUBLIC ABOUT THESE UNCONTROLLED EMISSIONS. I REQUEST THAT THE BOARD, AT LEAST THE VERY LEAST, POSTPONE THIS DECISION SO THAT THE LED CAN DO DUE DILIGENCE AND PROPERLY SCRUTINIZE ALL THE CLAIMS MADE BY BWC IN THESE APPLICATIONS. THANK YOU. >> HELP ME WITH THE PRONUNCIATION OF YOUR LAST NAME AGAIN. I'M WANT TO BE SURE. >> VITTITOW. >> VITTTITOW. V-I-T-T-I-T-O-W, IS THAT CORRECT? >> CORRECT. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. VITTITOW. I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF YOUR OBJECTIONS. BUT WHAT I'M HEARING IS, IS THAT YOUR GROUP DOES NOT CONSIDER THEM A GOOD NEIGHBOR, AND THEREFORE, THEY SHOULD NOT BE APPROVED FOR THE ENTERPRISE ZONE BENEFITS THAT THEY'RE SEEKING ON THIS AGENDA ITEM. >> I DID SAY THAT THAT'S NOT MY MAIN POINT. MY MAIN POINT IS THAT PREVIOUSLY, WITH THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTIONS, THE ITEP, THE COMPANY HAS BEEN MISLEADING, AND ESSENTIALLY NOT PLAYING BY THE RULES, ESSENTIALLY CHEATING THE LOUISIANA TAXPAYERS, AND NOW THEY'RE BACK FOR ANOTHER HANDOUT. LOOKING AT THESE DETAILS, IT'S VERY CONVOLUTED. I'D LIKE THE LED TO PROPERLY SCRUTINIZE THESE APPLICATIONS AND MAKE SURE THAT THE STIPULATIONS OF THE EZ ARE ADHERED TO, PARTICULARLY WITH MULTIPLE EMPLOYEES BEING COUNTED AMONG THE DIFFERENT FACILITIES FOR THE VARIOUS APPLICATIONS. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. MS. MATOI, DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSE? >> NO BENEFITS ARE ISSUED UNTIL THE EMPLOYEE CERTIFICATION REPORTS ARE ACTUALLY PROCESSED, AND I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT PROCESSES THAT. THE WAY THE FORM IS LAID OUT, I REALIZE THIS IS DOWN IN THE WEEDS, BUT WE LOOK AT THE ENTIRE STATE, AND THEN WE LOOK AT THAT SITE. EVERY PERSON IS CHECKED, AND THEY VALIDATED WHATEVER THAT CRITERIA IS FOR THAT PROGRAM FOR WHATEVER THEY ARE CLAIMING IT FOR. I'M THE ONLY PERSON WHO DOES THAT. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE DOUBLE DIPPING IN THEIR JOBS. THEY DON'T GET ANYTHING UNTIL THEY'VE PROVED THIS. THEY DON'T GET ANY TYPE OF BENEFITS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A MANUFACTURER TO BE EASY. [00:20:03] MAYBE I TAP, BUT NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A MANUFACTURER. THEIR NAICS CODE APPROVED WAS APPROVED, AND I CHECKED IT WITH LWC. >> OBVIOUSLY, THE POINT IS, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD GRANT AN EASY BENEFIT, WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING THEY HAVE QUALIFIED FOR IT, BUT THEY DO NOT GET THE BENEFIT UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY PROVE THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE ON BOARD AND WORKING, IS THAT? >> AT THAT SITE, NOT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE. THEY HAVE TO BE AT THAT PARTICULAR SITE. THIS SITE IS IN JEFFERSON PARISH. THE EMPLOYEES IN THESE OTHER AREAS, SHREVEPORT OR WHEREVER, THEY'RE COUNTED THERE, BUT THEY'RE NOT COUNTED AT THIS SITE. LIKE I SAID, I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO PROCESSES THIS PAPERWORK. >> TO ANSWER ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS IN YOUR COMMENT, I WANT TO BE SURE I'M CLEAR THERE. APPARENTLY, AND I APOLOGIZE, I'M IGNORANT ABOUT THIS, BUT THERE ARE OTHER BWC LOCATIONS WITHIN LOUISIANA? >> THERE SHOULD BE. >> THERE SHOULD BE. >> YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE EASY CONTRACT AT A SITE AT A TIME. YOU CAN'T HAVE TWO AT THE SAME TIME. AGAIN, I VET THESE APPLICATIONS AND THOSE THAT PROJECT PERIOD. >> I'M SORRY. PARDON ME. TO BE CLEAR, ARE YOU COMPARING THE DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EACH SITE DOES NOT COUNT THE SAME EMPLOYEE? WAS THAT A DIFFERENT SITE? >> YES. >> WONDERFUL. >> THE EMPLOYEE CERTIFICATION REPORTS ARE VERY LONG AND CUMBERSOME. YES. THEY'RE COUNTED AND LOOKED AT, AND EVERY PERSON'S LOOKED AT, NO MATTER HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THERE. >> THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. MR. VITTITOW, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS. WHAT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT APPARENTLY, THEY HAVE PENDING DEQ PERMITS. IS THAT FOR THIS FACILITY IN JEFFERSON PARISH? IS THAT CORRECT? >> FOR BOTH OF THEIR FACILITIES IN JEFFERSON PARISH. I'M SORRY, AND HARVEY. I THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE ONE IN WESTWEGO AS WELL, BUT THE TWO FACILITIES IN HARVEY. >> OBVIOUSLY, IF DEQ PERMITS WERE NOT GRANTED, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE OPERATIONAL? >> CORRECT. >> EZ BENEFITS WOULD NEVER KICK IN AT THAT POINT, EITHER. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT SATISFIES YOUR GROUP, BUT I HOPE THAT PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY INTO HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS. >> IT DOES. I APPRECIATE THAT CLARIFICATION. AS I MENTIONED, THIS PREVIOUS DEALINGS WITH BWC AND GETTING THEIR, THE [INAUDIBLE] ITEP EXEMPTIONS, ESSENTIALLY TELLING THE LDEQ THAT THEY'RE A MINOR SOURCE, THAT THEY'RE ONLY A STORAGE FACILITY, AND THEN TELLING THE LED THAT THEY ARE A MANUFACTURING FACILITY. REALLY, WHAT WAS RAISING ALL OF THE RED FLAGS ABOUT THESE APPLICATIONS IS THEIR PREVIOUS MISLEADING APPLICATIONS USING DIFFERENT INDUSTRIAL CODE CLASSIFICATIONS DEPENDING ON WHICH AGENCY THEY'RE TALKING TO. >> DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE FROM BWC? I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ONE SIDE. COME ON. COME DOWN. THANK YOU, MR. VITTITOW. RETURN TO YOUR SEAT. >> THANK YOU, EVERYONE. >> IF WE HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS, WE'LL CALL YOU BACK DOWN. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, SIR. SORRY, MR. SANTWELL HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU. PUT YOUR MIC DOWN, PLEASE. YOUR MIC. >> WHAT IS THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP? >> IT'S CALLED JOIN FOR CLEAN AIR, WHICH STANDS FOR JEFFERSON, ORLEANS, IRISH CHANNEL NEIGHBORS FOR CLEAN AIR. >> IRISH CHANNEL. >> THANK YOU, SIR. >> THANK YOU. >> I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY. >> GOOD MORNING. >> STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION, PLEASE? >> ROBERT WEGE WITH SUMMIT CREDITS. WE REPRESENT BWC TERMINALS. I HOPEFUL I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ON THIS. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSE TO ANY OF THE ALLEGATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE? I WANT TO GIVE YOU OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND. >> ABSOLUTELY. FIRST OF ALL, AS FAR AS THE EMPLOYEE RECORDS GO, WE CAN ONLY QUALIFY EMPLOYEES AT A SPECIFIC SITE. THERE'S NO WAY WHEN WE LOOK THROUGH EMPLOYEE DATA TO HAVE AN EMPLOYEE SWITCH FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. THOSE EMPLOYEE HEADCOUNTS ARE BACKED BY THE STATE UNEMPLOYMENT TAX REPORTS WHICH ARE FILED WITH THE STATE, AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO RECONCILE TO THOSE NUMBERS. AN EMPLOYEE IS CODED TO ONE SITE OR ANOTHER, BUT IT CANNOT SWITCH BACK AND FORTH. FOR PURPOSES OF JOB HEADCOUNTS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A GROWTH AT THE SITE THAT'S APPLIED FOR THE BENEFITS. I'M NOT SURE WHERE HE'S GETTING HIS INFORMATION FROM, [00:25:01] BUT THAT'S HOW THE CALCULATION IS RUN. AS FAR AS WHAT THE FACILITY DOES IS THEY DO HAVE A STORAGE TERMINAL. HOWEVER, IN SOME OF THEIR TANKS, THEY DO BLEND DIFFERENT CHEMICALS, AND THEY PRODUCE A DIFFERENT OUTCOME FROM WHAT THEY INTAKE. FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, THEY ARE MANUFACTURING OR BLENDING A NEW PRODUCT THROUGH THEIR TANKS AND THEIR CAPABILITIES. IT MAY BE CONFUSING AS SOME OF THEIR TANKS MAY BE JUST 100% STORAGE, BUT OTHER TANKS ARE ACTUALLY USED FOR THOSE BLENDING PURPOSES. >> BASICALLY, AT THE FACILITY, IT HAS BOTH MANUFACTURING AND STORAGE. >> CORRECT. >> WHICH IS NOT UNCOMMON AT MANY MANUFACTURING FACILITIES. >> CORRECT. >> THE NAICS CODE HE'S SPEAKING OF THERE, THAT'S DETERMINED BY MARK JONES WITH LWC, AND IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT THAT COMPANY PICKS OUT FOR THEMSELVES. >> THAT IS DONE ALONG THIS. >> THAT'S THE NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION CODE, I THINK. THEY DON'T CHOOSE THEIR OWN CODE. >> UNDERSTOOD. >> THAT'S DONE BY LWC. >> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? THANK YOU, MR. WEGE. THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE]. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE ALL OF THESE EZ APPLICATIONS. DO WE WANT TO PULL OUT BWC AND TREAT IT SEPARATELY? DO WE WANT TO VOTE IN GLOBO? ANYBODY HAVE A DESIRE TO PULL OUT BWC AND HANDLE IT DIFFERENTLY? YES? >> I'M GOING TO RECUSE MYSELF. >> NOTE THE RECUSE TO MR. MEALEY. >> YOU HAD SAID JUST FOR CLARITY THAT IF WE PASSED BWC THIS MORNING FOR EZ, THEY STILL DON'T GET ANYTHING UNTIL THEY PASS? >> YES, SIR. THIS JUST SAYS THEY HAVE A CONTRACT. IT DOESN'T GET THEM ANY. >> THEY HAVE A CONTRACT, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THEIR DEQ PERMITS. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO START OPERATIONS AND HAVE EMPLOYEES BEFORE THEY GET THE BENEFIT. YES, MR. KELLY. >> I SAY WE JUST MOVE IN GLOBO. >> VERY GOOD. WE HAVE A MOTION SECOND TO MOVE IN GLOBO. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PULL IT OUT IF ANYBODY WANT TO DEAL WITH IT SEPARATELY. NO FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. >> WE HAVE NINE CONTRACT TERMINATIONS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 717D 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 OF 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 THEIR ENTERPRISE ZONE CONTRACT. THE CONTRACTEE UNDERSTANDS BOARD DECISION IS FINAL, AND CONTRACTS CANNOT BE REINSTATED OR REACTIVATED. 2019-0201, ALLEN HEALTHCARE PARTNERS, LLC, ALLEN PARISH. 2018-0269, BAKER HUGHES ALL FIELD OPERATIONS, LAFAYETTE PARISH, 2015-1380, CAJUN INDUSTRIES LLC, EAST BENTON ROUGE PARRISH, 2016-0627, CAJUN INDUSTRIES LLC, WEST BENTON ROUGE PARISH, 2020-0046, LOUISIANA SUGARCANE COOPERATIVE, INCORPORATED, ST. MARTIN, 2020-0293, OCHSNER LSU HEALTH SYSTEM, CATO, 2021-0274, PHILIP 66 COMPANY, CALCASIEU, 2019-0119, RAEFORD FARMS OF LOUISIANA, LLC, LINCOLN, AND 2020-0010 WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY, LIVINGSTON PARISH. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE CONTRACT TERMINATIONS, MOTION FROM MAYOR TIBBS [INAUDIBLE]. >> CHAIRMAN, I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF. >> WE HAVE A RECUSAL FROM MR. [INAUDIBLE]. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> WE HAVE TWO CHANGE IN OWNER AND AFFILIATES, 2021-0185, CLOVER HOSPITALITY, LLC, JITEN ZAVERI IS THE NEW OWNER. OMKUMAR PATEL AND HIREN ZAVERI FOR NN CALCASIEU PARISH. 2021-0190, OPULUS, KRISCHER, HOSPITALITY, [00:30:04] LLC, JITEN ZAVERI AND HIREN ZAVERI ARE THE NEW OWNERS IN CALCASIEU PARISH. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO CHANGE THESE OWNERS? MOTION FOR MR. MORRELL, SECOND, MR. NASSER. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >> THERE'S ONE MORE SPECIAL REQUEST. >> GO RIGHT AHEAD. >> LA HERMANA MAYOR, LLC, ENTERPRISE ZONE ID 2020-0374 EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH. LA HERMANA MAYOR, LLC, THE COMPANY HAS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED THE RENOVATION OF THE RIVER MARK CENTER, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE CHASE SOUTH TOWER, LOCATED AT 451 FLORIDA BOULEVARD, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA. AN ADVANCED NOTIFICATION FOR THE PROJECT WAS FILED WITH THE LED ON JANUARY 28, 2021, WHICH ADVANCED NOTIFICATION PROVIDED FOR THE PROJECT START DATE FEBRUARY 15, 2021, AND THE PROJECT END DATE OF JANUARY 31, 2022. DUE TO VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION ISSUES, INCLUDING THOSE RELATED TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC, SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, LABOR SHORTAGES, AND INFLATIONARY PRESSURES, THE PROJECT END DATE WAS EXTENDED FROM FROM TIME TO TIME VIA APPROVED PROJECT EXTENSION REQUESTS. THE EFFECTIVE PROJECT END DATE WAS AUGUST 15, 2023, MORE THAN 2.5 YEARS AFTER THE PROJECT START DATE. DUE TO THE AFOREMENTIONED CONSTRUCTION ISSUES, THE COMPANY HEREBY REQUESTS THE BOARD OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY TO CONSIDER AN EXTENSION OF TWO YEARS TO COMPLY WITH THE JOB CREATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ENTERPRISE ZONE PROGRAM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS BELOW. NO ONE SUPPOSED TO BE HERE FROM THE COMPANY. >> DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY HERE FROM LA HERMANA MAYOR? ANYONE HERE? PLEASE COME FORWARD. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE. >> MY NAME IS LAURIE BENEKE. I'M THE CFO WITH WALPOLE COMPANIES, WHICH IS THE OWNING ENTITY AND DEVELOPER OF THE PROJECT. >> GREAT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME DELAYS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT INTO THE PROJECT. GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY ON WHAT THAT HAS BEEN BASED ON WHAT THE REASON FOR IT IS. >> WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THIS PROJECT AND STARTING THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC. THAT WAS THE FIRST DELAY. WE WERE ACTUALLY DELAYED ON THE ACTUAL START OF THE PROJECT. THEN AS WE GOT STARTED, OBVIOUSLY, WE ALL KNOW WE HAD SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES. WE COULDN'T GET THE MATERIALS THAT WE NEEDED IN THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE AND LABOR SHORTAGES, AND JUST A COMBINATION OF THOSE THINGS MADE THE PROJECT TAKE LONGER THAN WHAT WE ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED IT TO TAKE. THEN THEREFORE LONGER TO STAFF UP THE PROJECT AS WELL. >> ESSENTIALLY, YOU'RE ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS UNDER THE PROGRAM? >> CORRECT. >> THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, LET'S MAKE SURE WE DO THIS FROM A PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE PERSPECTIVE. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE, AND THEN WE CAN DISCUSS ALL WE WANT TO? MOTION FROM MR. NASSER. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> MOTION. >> WELL, I WILL GET TO YOU. LET ME GET A SECOND AND THEN WE CAN ASK ALL OUR QUESTIONS. DO I HAVE A SECOND FROM MR. MOSS? MR. MAILEY, YOUR QUESTION? >> WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT? >> THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE. WE HAVE SOME ANCILLARY PROJECTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO COMPLETE, SUCH AS A FOOD VENDOR AS WELL AS A GYM FOR THE PROJECT, BUT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE. EVERYTHING THAT WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS COMPLETE AND IT'S OPERATIONAL. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO MENTION THAT THE APARTMENTS ARE 100% OCCUPIED AS OF RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS AMAZING. THANK YOU. >> WHAT'S THE EXACT EXTENSION DATE? TWO YEARS FROM WHAT DATE? >> GREAT QUESTION. >> IS YOUR CURRENT START DATE STILL FEBRUARY 15TH, 2021? >> START DATE IS THE SAME, YES. >> EASY RULES ALLOW 24 MONTHS TO MEET THE MINIMUM AVERAGE OF FIVE? THEY WOULD HAVE THAT 24 AND 24 MORE. THAT'S IN THE FORMS, WHERE I WOULD ALLOW EXTRA 24 MONTHS TO MEET THE JOBS. THE MINIMUM AVERAGE OF FIVE, AND WE WOULDN'T LOOK AT IT ALTOGETHER AND THEN COUNT THE JOBS. [00:35:04] WE WOULD LOOK AT IT AS 12 AND 12. >> WITH THE ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS, ARE YOU SAYING FROM FEBRUARY 15, 2021 TO FEBRUARY 15, 2025? >> ACTUALLY, YES. >> BUT WE'RE ALREADY PAST THAT. >> BUT THESE ARE ALL BACK IN CONTRACTS. >> THEY ARE. >> WERE THE JOB NUMBERS MET? >> THEY ARE. THE JOBS, YES. >> ARE WE CLEAR? MR. CARLOS GET CLOSE TO THE MIC. >> THE EFFECTIVE PROJECT END DATE WAS AUGUST 15TH. AM I MISTAKEN? WHEN WAS IT PUT INTO SERVICE? IS THAT AUGUST 15TH AS WHEN THE PROJECT WAS COMPLETED, WHEN CONSTRUCTION WAS COMPLETED? >> WE PLACED IN SERVICE IN SEPTEMBER OF '23. THAT PERIOD WAS INCLUDING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF THE PROJECT, AND THEN IT HAD TO BE PLACED IN SERVICE AND BECOME OPERATIONAL AT THAT POINT. >> I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT, WHEN THE STOP PERIOD IS FOR, WHEN CONSTRUCTION ENDS, WHEN IT'S PLACED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINES AND HOW THAT WORKS FOR THIS? >> THAT'S FOR TOURING. >> A PROJECT PERIOD CAN'T EXCEED 30 MONTHS FOR ENTERPRISE ZONE. IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO EXCEED 30 MONTHS. >> SHE'S NOT ASKING TO EXTEND THE PROJECT PERIOD, SHE'S ASKING FOR 24 MONTHS TO HAVE HER JOB. >> TO MEET THE HIRING JOB REQUIREMENT. [OVERLAPPING] >> TO MEET HER JOB, THE MINIMUM. >> THANK YOU. >> JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR, UNDER THE RULES. MR. WALPOLE HAS SET IT OUT VERY CONVENIENTLY IN THE SECOND PAGE OF THE LETTER IN YOUR AGENDA, BUT FOR GOOD CAUSE SHOWN, THE BOARD MAY GRANT AN EXTENSION NOT MORE THAN TWO YEARS TO COMPLY WITH JOB CREATION REQUIREMENTS. I THINK THE ISSUE THAT'S COME BEFORE US TODAY, AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT BASED ON THE COVID ISSUES THAT SO MANY PEOPLE DEALT WITH DURING 2021, 2022, AND EVEN INTO 2023 WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES, THEY'RE ASKING THAT THAT BE ESTABLISHED AS GOOD CAUSE SHOWN IN ORDER TO EXPAND OR EXTEND THIS FOR ADDITIONAL TWO YEARS. DOES THAT PUT A BOW ON IT FOR EVERYBODY? I SAID THIS TO SOMEONE JUST THE OTHER DAY. IT'S 2025. AT SOME POINT, I'M GOING TO BE REAL READY TO STOP TALKING ABOUT COVID. I'M GOING TO BE REAL READY TO STOP RELYING ON COVID AS A REASON. I THINK I UNDERSTAND THIS BECAUSE CONSTRUCTION WAS GOING ON AT THE HEIGHT OF WHAT WE WERE DEALING WITH AT THAT TIME, BUT I'M REAL READY TO BE PAST THAT. [OVERLAPPING] >> DOES THIS CREATE ANY PRECEDENCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? HAS THE BOARD ACTED IN MATTERS LIKE THIS IN THE PAST? >> I'M SORRY, MS. MATOLIA. >> ONCE FOR US FOODS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THEY GOT THE EXTENSION, AND THEY MET THEIR JOBS. >> MR. CALLILE, YOUR QUESTION IS A GOOD ONE BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT HERE IS ANYTIME YOU EXERCISE DISCRETION, YOU GOT TO BE SURE THAT YOU'RE EXERCISING ON A SET OF FACTS BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE DEEMED TO BE ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS ON OTHER SITUATIONS. IT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT, AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, MR. WALPOLE. >> IF WE'VE EXTENDED TO A POINT THAT'S ALREADY PASSED, HOW MANY JOBS DO WE HAVE NOW? >> ELEVEN. >> ARE THOSE PERMANENT ONGOING? [OVERLAPPING] >> YES. >> EXPECTED JOBS? >> YES. >> IN ESSENCE, WHAT THE EXTENSION DOES, IT CAPTURES ALL OF THAT. >> ALL OF THEM, YES, THAT'S RIGHT. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? >> WHAT'S THE TOTAL NUMBER OF JOBS HERE AGAIN? HOW MANY TOTAL DO YOU HAVE HIT? YOU HAD 11, BUT HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE TO HIT? >> FIVE WAS THE REQUIREMENT, BUT IT WAS WITHIN THE FIRST TWO YEAR PERIOD, AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED AN EXTENSION ON THE PERIOD OF TIME. >> THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S EXTENSION OF THE COMPLIANCE PERIODS. I'M SORRY. >> CORRECT. >> NO, THESE ARE GOOD. THESE PROGRAMS ARE NOT INTUITIVE, Y'ALL. [LAUGHTER] QUESTIONS ARE NORMAL AND UNDERSTOOD. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND, MR. MILL. >> IF I'M HEARING CORRECTLY, ALL THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE. >> IT'S FINISHED. >> IT'S DONE. >> JOBS HAVE BEEN HIRED, CREATED AT THIS POINT. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIT WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE TIME PERIOD ESTABLISHED IN THIS PROGRAM. >> FOR WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, IS IT SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL ARE JUST RECOGNIZING THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR IT PREVIOUSLY? >> IT WAS TIME TO DO THE APPLICATION AND THE FIVE THAT WERE [00:40:03] REQUIRED WEREN'T FALLING WITHIN THAT TWO YEAR PERIOD. WE HAD TO GET BEYOND THAT TWO YEAR PERIOD TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE ALL FIVE OF THE REQUIRED. OTHER THAN THAT, THE TIMING, I'M NOT SURE. >> THE APPLICATION IS ON THIS AGENDA. IT'S BEEN APPROVED. >> THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> I THINK WE'RE GOOD TO VOTE. THANK YOU, MA'AM. I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? NONE? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. >> THAT CONCLUDES THIS EVE. >> THANK YOU, MA'AM. LET'S MOVE TO THE INDUSTRIAL TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM. [7. Industrial Tax Exemption – Kristin Johnson/Hud Usie] MISS JOHNSON AND MR. ESAI. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. >> WE'RE GOING TO START WITH 2018 RULES APPLICATIONS. ARE WE OKAY? 2024-0044 INTERNATIONAL MEZZO TECHNOLOGIES INC, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 2023-0162 PLASTER PACK PACKAGING INC, RAPIDES PARISH, 2023-0309-A, STEEL FORGINGS INC CADDO PARISH. 2022-0428, STOLTHAVEN NEW ORLEANS LLC PLAQUEMINES PARISH, 2022-0344-A, SYNGENTA CROP PROTECTION LLC IBERVILLE PARISH, 2019-0391-A, THE FOLGER COFFEE COMPANY, ORLEANS PARISH, 2019-0391-B, THE FOLGER COFFEE COMPANY, ORLEANS PARISH, 2019-0391-C, THE FOLGER COFFEE COMPANY, ORLEANS PARISH, 2019-0391-D, THE FOLGER COFFEE COMPANY, ORLEANS PARISH, 2019-0392-A, THE FOLGER COFFEE COMPANY, ORLEANS PARISH, 2019-0392-B, THE FOLGER COFFEE COMPANY, ORLEANS PARISH, 2019-0392-C, THE FOLGER COFFEE COMPANY, ORLEANS PARISH, 2019-0392-D, THE FOLGER COFFEE COMPANY, ORLEANS PARISH, AND 2019-0392-E, THE FOLGER COFFEE COMPANY, ORLEANS PARISH. 2023-0486, W.R. GRACE AND CO ST. CHARLES PARISH, 2023-0485, W.R. GRACE AND CO-CON EAST BARTON PARISH, 2024-0003 W.R. GRACE AND CO-CON, CALCASIEU PARISH AND 2024-0023 W.R. GRACE AND CO-CON, CALCASIEU PARISH. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE IN GLOBAL, MOTION FOR MR. CALLILE. 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. >> AYE. >>ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE TEN NEW IIP APPLICATIONS UNDER THE 2024 EMERGENCY RULES. 2024-0072 BALLINGER QUICK REPAIR, LLC, JEFFERSON PARISH, 2024-0256 CUSTOM MEDAL WORKS INC, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, 2024-0528, LACC, LLC US CALCASIEU PARISH, 2024-0515 LOTTE CHEMICAL, LOUISIANA LLC, CALCASIEU PARISH, 2024-0330 MARCO, LLC, ALLEN PARISH, 2024-0175-A, METAL FAB GUYS, LLC, LIVINGSTON PARISH, 2024-0587 PHILIP 66 COMPANY CALCASIEU PARISH, 2024-0296 STEEL FORGINGS INC CADDO PARISH, 2025-0088 TRI STATE INDUSTRIES OF LOUISIANA LLC, RAPIDES PARISH, AND 2024-0196 VALERO REFINING NEW ORLEANS, LLC, ST. CHARLES PARISH. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION MR. MILL? SECOND, MR. WES. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF. >> WE NOTE THAT RECUSAL FROM MR. MIGUEZ. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [00:45:03] >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE 14 NEW PROJECT APPLICATIONS UNDER THE NEW 2025 ITEP RULES THAT WERE PROMULGATED THIS MARCH. WE HAVE TO DEFER ONE AT THE REQUEST OF THE COMPANY, AND THAT WOULD BE 2025-0175 MORTON SALT INC IN IBERIA PARISH. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO DEFER THE MORTON SALT INC MOTION FROM MR. NASSER, SECOND FOR MAYOR TOPS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? A NONE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE BEING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THAT ONE ITEM IS DEFERRED. BEFORE WE GO FORWARD, MISS JOHNSON, I'M GOING TO HIJACK YOU. >> I WAS GOING TO ASK. [LAUGHTER] >> A LITTLE BIT OF EXPLANATION, FIRST OF ALL. UNDER THE NEW 2025 RULES THAT WE APPROVED AND HAD NOW GONE INTO EFFECT, YOU ALL REMEMBER THAT THE BIG CHANGE FROM GOVERNOR LANDRY'S EXECUTIVE ORDER AND THE RULES THAT WERE SUBSEQUENTLY ENACTED PURSUANT TO THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER, ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES WAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT APPROVAL. YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT UNDER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, UNDER THE GOVERNOR EDWARDS ADMINISTRATION, THE RULES THAT HAD BEEN APPROVED DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME, LOCAL GOVERNMENT APPROVAL WAS REQUIRED FOR ALL ITEP PROJECTS. UNDER THE NEW RULES, 2025, UNDER GOVERNOR LANDRY'S EXECUTIVE ORDER, THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT NO LONGER HAS A VETO POWER ON AN ITEP PROJECT, BUT IT DOES HAVE RECOMMENDATION POWER. IN OTHER WORDS, THE PROJECTS GO TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS ASKED, DO YOU RECOMMEND APPROVAL OR NOT? THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE AND A BASIC CHANGE IN PHILOSOPHY BETWEEN THE TWO ADMINISTRATIONS. IN THIS LIST THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY, WE HAVE THREE PROJECTS WHERE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT DID NOT RECOMMEND APPROVAL. ONE OF THOSE MORTON SALT HAS JUST BEEN DEFERRED, BUT THE OTHER TWO ARE INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY IN DESOTO. IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR US, AND WE'VE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE? I WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND LET'S PULL THIS INTERNATIONAL PAPER ONE OUT SEPARATELY, AND LET'S DEAL WITH IT BECAUSE AS I SAY, WE'VE JUST NEVER DONE IT UNDER THE NEW RULES. WE'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE. WE'VE NEVER HAD A LOCAL GOVERNMENT NOT RECOMMEND A PROJECT. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THE BOARD'S PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO ASK FOLKS FROM INTERNATIONAL PAPER TO FIRST COME AND TELL US ABOUT THE PROJECT. DO WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM DESOTO PARISH? I'M ALSO GOING TO ASK YOU TO COME. I WANT TO HEAR WHAT THE BASIS FOR THE NO RECOMMENDATION IS. I WILL SAY, AND FOR ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AT LEAST FROM THE CHAIR'S PERSPECTIVE, IF THERE IS GOING TO BE A NO RECOMMENDATION FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BECOME IMPERATIVE UPON LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO DO ONE OF TWO THINGS OR MAYBE ONE OF SEVERAL THINGS, BUT AT LEAST IF THEY WANT TO PASS A RESOLUTION THAT SAYS, WE DON'T RECOMMEND, WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE THAN JUST WE DON'T RECOMMEND. WE'RE GOING TO NEED AN EXPLANATION. BECAUSE WHAT'S COMING FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT NOW IS A RECOMMENDATION. WHEN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SAYS, WE DON'T RECOMMEND, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY. YOU CAN'T JUST THROW IT OVER THE FENCE TO US. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU DON'T RECOMMEND IT. WHAT I'M GOING TO BE ASKING FOR, AT LEAST AS CHAIR FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM NOW ON, IF YOU DON'T RECOMMEND IT, EITHER COME TO THE MEETING AND EXPLAIN IT OR BE SURE YOUR RESOLUTION IS SHOP FULL OF REASONS WHY YOU DON'T RECOMMEND IT, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THIS BOARD CAN ADEQUATELY MAKE A DETERMINATION IF WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION. FIRST, DO WE HAVE SOME FOLKS HERE FROM INTERNATIONAL PAPER? YOU ALL COME DOWN, PLEASE? >> FIRST, IF YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY? >> CERTAINLY. MY NAME IS LEE PITTMAN. [00:50:01] I'M WITH INTERNATIONAL PAPER. I DO GOVERNMENTAL AND SOME REGULATORY AFFAIRS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS FOR THE COMPANY, BUT THAT'S THE PRIMARY ROLE THAT I'M IN. >> ARE YOU IN THE DESOTO PARISH FACILITY, OR YOU DO IT FOR STATEWIDE? >> I DO IT STATEWIDE ON A MULTI-STATE BASIS. I FIND MYSELF IN MANSFIELD ON A REGULAR BASIS, AS A WELL AS BOGALUSA AS WELL WITH SENATOR MIZELL. >> UNDERSTOOD. >> YES, SIR. >> THERE'S TWO PROJECTS IN DESOTO PARISH. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THESE TWO PROJECTS? >> THERE'S TWO APPLICATIONS. ONE IS FOR MODERNIZATION, AND ONE IS FOR NEW EQUIPMENT. I BELIEVE BECAUSE OF THE NEW RULES, WE HAD TO FILE TWO. ROBERT, YOU MAY WANT TO EXPLAIN THAT FURTHER. BUT SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. THE LAST TIME, I THINK I WAS HERE, WE HAD JUST PULLED DOWN OUR APPLICATIONS IN NATCHITOCHES PARISH FOR THE OTHER MILL THAT WE CLOSED NOT TOO LONG AGO. >> I MAY WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE, TOO. >> CERTAINLY. >> WOULD YOU PULL YOUR MIC JUST A LITTLE BIT CLOSER? >> I APOLOGIZE. >> GO AHEAD AND PULL IT. IT'LL AUTO MOVE, AND WE GO. >> IT'S A STOUT LITTLE FELLOW, ISN'T IT?[LAUGHTER] WHAT WE STARTED LOOKING AT IS, HOW DO WE MAKE THE MANSFIELD FACILITY BETTER? >> LET'S START AT THE START, BUT THIS IS A FOOTBALL. WHAT DO YOU MAKE IN DESOTO PARISH? >> WE MAKE A BROWN PAPER THAT GOES INTO CORRUGATED BOXES. IT'S A LINERBOARD, AND WE MAKE A LOT OF IT. THE SAME THING WE MAKE OVER IN WASHINGTON PARISH. THE SAME THING WE ACTUALLY MADE AT THE CAMP DES MILLES AS WELL. [NOISE] SO VERY LARGE ROLLS OF A BROWN CRAFT PAPER THAT'S UTILIZED IN A LOT OF BOXES AROUND THE WORLD. >> THAT'S HELPFUL. >> THE FACILITY IS VERY LARGE. IT'S VERY CAPITAL-INTENSIVE, A LOT OF MACHINERY. THIS FACILITY IS ALSO NEARING ITS 60-70-YEAR AGE MARK. SO IT REQUIRES A LOT OF INVESTMENT. ON A NORMAL AVERAGE YEAR, IF WE DON'T SPEND $10-$15 MILLION THERE, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN DECLINE IN VERY SHORT ORDER. AS WE LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE NOW, STILL TRYING TO MAKE NEW INVESTMENTS TO IMPROVE RELIABILITY AND QUALITY, AND A NUMBER OF THINGS TO KEEP THOSE FACILITIES GOING, WE'RE LOOKING AT A PRETTY LARGE INVESTMENT HERE IN DESOTO PARISH. AT WHAT WE REFER TO AS THE MANSFIELD MILL. WE'RE ACTUALLY ABOUT 25 MILES AWAY FROM MANSFIELD, BUT NEVERTHELESS, DESOTO PARISH. THE TWO THINGS, AND I THINK WE'RE GETTING READY TO MAKE A TOTAL OF ABOUT A $210 MILLION INVESTMENT. WE'RE FORWARD LOOKING SOMEWHERE STARTING SOMETIME SOON IF IT'S APPROVED. THEN I THINK IT WILL TAKE US ABOUT TWO YEARS TO GET EVERYTHING INTO PLACE. BUT A LOT OF INVESTMENT TOWARDS IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH PAPER MACHINES, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A COMPLICATED PROCESS, BUT WE TAKE CHIPS. IT WE'LL GO THROUGH A WOOD YARD, MAKE LITTLE CHIPS, AND THEN WE'LL COOK THEM, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THE FIBERS, AND WE'LL PUT THEM ON A MACHINE, AND THEN EFFECTIVELY DEWATER THAT FROM THERE INTO A SHEET OF PAPER. THERE'S A WET END OF THE MACHINE AND THERE'S A DRY END OF THE MACHINE AS WELL. A LOT OF THIS IS GOING TO GO INTO THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE WET END OF THE MACHINE. THE HEADER BOX, AND ANY NUMBER OF THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WE'RE ALSO IMPROVING THE WOOD YARD AND THE DE-BARKER, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT, AS WELL. AGAIN, THIS EQUIPMENT IS HEAVILY USED AND NEEDS A LOT OF REPAIRS, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT. WHAT THE DECISION ON THESE APPLICATIONS REFLECT IS A MAJOR INVESTMENT TO TRY TO KEEP THIS FACILITY OPERATIONAL FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THAT'S THE FORWARD-LOOKING GENERALIZATION OF IT. BUT AGAIN, IT WAS BROKEN INTO TWO APPLICATIONS [NOISE] BASED ON THE CHANGE OF THE RULES HERE. THE REASON WE ARE HERE, OBVIOUSLY, IS BECAUSE COLLECTIVELY THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE PARISH, AND THE SHERIFF HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. THE PARISH ITSELF VOTED IN SUPPORT OF THIS. THE SCHOOL BOARD HAD CONCERNS. WE MET WITH THEM AND HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS THERE, AND JUST TO BE BOLDLY HONEST, THE DIRECTION OF THE CONVERSATION WAS A REQUEST IF WE COULD DELAY THIS APPLICATION FROM A TIMING PERSPECTIVE. THEY HAVE A MILLAGE INCREASE COMING IN DESOTO PARISH, AND I THINK THE OPTICS ON THAT WERE GOING TO BE QUITE DIFFICULT. I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF TODAY, AS MR. NORTON IS HERE, BUT I THINK THAT CERTAINLY PLAYED INTO THE FACTOR FOR THE RECOMMENDATION THAT CAME OUT. AGAIN, THE PARISH VOTED IN SUPPORT, THE SCHOOL BOARD SHARED CONCERNS, [00:55:02] AND I BELIEVE THE SHERIFF LEAN THAT DIRECTION, WHICH GAVE US THE VOTE THAT WE'RE IN TODAY. >> JUST ONE SECOND. >> AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE PARISH. THAT'S NOT MY INTENT. >> WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE MOBBS. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE IN THIS FACILITY? >> THERE ARE EFFECTIVELY 600 DIRECT EMPLOYEES, PROBABLY ANOTHER 300-400 CONTRACTORS THAT ARE THERE PRESENT EVERY DAY. IT HAS SOMEWHERE NEAR $100 MILLION PAYROLL, AND PROBABLY HAS A $600-$700 MILLION IMPACT ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY THERE. IT'S A GREAT FACILITY TO HAVE. >> DID I UNDERSTAND YOU'VE BEEN THERE 60 YEARS, 70? >> THIS FACILITY WAS BUILT IN AND AROUND 1980. >> SO '80? >> '80. SO MORE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF WE'RE HITTING THE 55, 60 YEAR RANGE. I MAY HAVE OVERSTATED THAT IN THE BEGINNING. IF I DID, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. >> BUT YOU'VE BEEN THERE AT LEAST 45 YEARS THEN? >> YES, SIR. [OVERLAPPING] >> I CAN'T BELIEVE 1980 WAS 45 YEARS AGO. >> I STRUGGLE WITH THAT, TOO, SIR. I PROMISE. I LOOK VERY MUCH YOUNG AND I HAVE FIVE GRANDKIDS AND I'M GOING, OH, MY GOD. >> I'M SORRY, Y'ALL. >> NO, JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER NOTES. ON THESE APPLICATIONS, IT DOES DEFER SOME OF THE LOCAL TAXES, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT. CURRENTLY THAT FACILITY PAYS ABOUT $9.2 MILLION IN TAXES EVERY YEAR. EVEN WITH THIS INVESTMENT, EVEN IF THIS APPLICATION IS IF THE APPLICATION IS APPROVED, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO UP ALMOST TO $10 MILLION A YEAR. THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO INCREASE. I THINK AS WE EXPLAINED OR THE WORLD CHANGED ALONG THE WAY, I'M NOT SURE EVERYBODY WHO HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THESE APPLICATIONS UNDERSTOOD THE TOTAL CONSEQUENCE OR THE MECHANISMS THAT WERE USED TO THE EFFECTS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE. THE TAX BASE IS GOING TO GROW, EVEN IF THESE ARE APPROVED. >> YOU'LL GET 20%. >> 20% PERCENT INVESTMENT. YES, SIR. THAT'S WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE. IT'S GOING TO TAKE IT TO ALMOST TO $10 MILLION A YEAR MARK. NOT TO MAKE A POINT ON IT, BUT I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH SENATOR MIZELL MANY TIMES, BUT THAT IS THE MOST TAXED FACILITY WE HAVE IN OUR ENTIRE NETWORK. WE PAY A LOT OF TAXES, SIR. >> INTERESTING. MR. LEE. >> THAT'S JUST ON THE PROPERTY TAX. YES, SIR. >> FOR CLARITY, THE FIRST THING THAT YOU STARTED OFF WITH WAS EXPLAINING THE CORRUGATED BOXES. >> YES, SIR. WE MAKE THE PAPER FOR CORRUGATED BOXES THERE, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THEM TO A BOX PLANT LIKE OUR FACILITIES IN LAFAYETTE, OR WE HAVE ONE IN BOGALUSA. WE HAVE ONE IN SPRING HILL. THEY'LL ACTUALLY TURN THAT PAPER INTO THE BOX THAT YOU SEE. >> TO MAKE THE PAPER THERE? >> YES. >> FOR THE CORRUGATED. HAS THIS FACILITY ALWAYS MADE THAT CORRUGATED, OR IS THERE A CHANGEOVER THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE BECAUSE OF MARKET DEMANDS? ON BOTH SIDES, I MEAN, THE MARKET DEMANDS FOR THE CORRUGATED BOXES, AS WELL AS WHATEVER THE FACILITY WAS MANUFACTURING, IF THAT IS THE CASE, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DEMAND FOR IT. >> THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES IN THAT REGARD THERE AT THE FACILITY. [NOISE] THERE'S THREE MACHINES THERE. TWO OF THEM MAKE THE BROWN ROLLED PAPER THAT WE WERE REFERRING TO. ONE OF THEM MADE A PRODUCT WE CALLED WHITE TOPS. IF YOU WERE EVER TO GO LIKE TO A GROCERY STORE, AND YOU SEE A WATERMELON BIN THAT MAY HAVE THE WHITE OUTSIDE PAPER ON THAT, THAT'S MORE OF THE LINE THAT WAS MAKING. IT'S BEEN CHANGED OVER MORE JUST FROM AN EFFICIENCY STANDPOINT WITHIN OUR SYSTEM. WE'RE MAKING THAT ELSEWHERE NOW. NOT AS MUCH THERE AT THE MANSFIELD MILL. BUT ALL OF THOSE CHANGES DO HAVE IMPACTS ALONG THE WAY ON THE PROCESSES THERE. YOU MENTIONED THE BOXES IN GENERAL, HAS THERE BEEN A CHANGE IN THAT WORLD? WE'RE SEEING SOME DECLINE NOW. THERE WAS PROBABLY A SPIKE DURING, AND I HATE TO SAY THIS DURING THE COVID YEARS. [LAUGHTER] BUT AS THINGS ARE SETTLING BACK DOWN, SOME OF THE BUYING AND PURCHASING OPPORTUNITIES FROM THE PUBLIC HAVE CHANGED IN THAT REGARD. THERE'S BEEN A BIT OF A CONSTRICTION IN THAT SIDE OF THE MARKET. >> HOW SPECIALIZED IS THIS PLANT VERSUS OTHER PLANTS THAT Y'ALL HAVE, LIKE TECHNICAL AND THAT KIND OF THING? [01:00:02] >> I WOULD ARGUE THAT IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED AND VERY TECHNICAL PLANT. WE REQUIRE A LOT OF SKILLED LABOR THERE. WE ARE HEAVY ON ENGINEERS AND EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS. >> I WAS JUST ASKING, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT 600 EMPLOYEES THERE. >> SIX HUNDRED DIRECT EMPLOYEES. >> SIX HUNDRED DIRECT, BUT 100 MILLION IN PAYROLL THERE. THAT'S LIKE 60,000 PER HEAD, IS THAT RIGHT? FOR HIGHLY SKILLED LABOR, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THE QUESTION, IS THAT 60,000 PER HEAD SEEMS LOW FOR HIGHLY SKILLED LABOR? BUT I DON'T KNOW THE MARKET, SO I'M NOT PRETENDING TO BE AN EXPERT. I'M ASKING THE QUESTION, HOW DOES THE PER-HEAD LABOR COST AT THIS SITE COMPARED TO OTHER SITES THAT YOU HAVE? >> I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS EXACTLY IN FRONT OF ME. BUT I APPRECIATE OF CONCERN. >> IF WE'RE COMPARING PACKAGING, OR WE'RE JUST CURIOUS ABOUT EMPLOYMENT COST. >> THAT WOULD BE AN AVERAGE PAYROLL. I THINK THE DIRECT EMPLOYEES MAY BE CLOSER TO 500. IT'S HARD TO TELL ON ANY GIVEN DAY TO BE QUITE HONESTLY. THAT PAYROLL WOULD REFLECT MORE OF THOSE DIRECT. IT DOESN'T ACCOUNT ALL THE OTHER ANCILLARY JOBS THAT ARE THERE EVERY DAY AS WELL. > I GUESS SORT OF WHERE I'M GOING. >> MR. CALLY. REAL QUICK. I DON'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT MR. MILLER'S CALCULATOR DISAGREES WITH YOUR CALCULATION. >> [LAUGHTER] GREAT. I WAS COMPLETELY WRONG. I WAS JUST LIKE, I'M JUST GOING OFF. >> THE ACTUAL NUMBER IS ABOUT 167,000 PER EMPLOYEE. [OVERLAPPING] >> I THINK BASED ON MY NUMBERS IS WRONG. I WOULD ARGUE PROBABLY IT'S CLOSER TO THE 90. >> BUT ACTUALLY, AND FOR FURTHER PAYROLL IS MORE THAN JUST SALARY. >> YES, SIR. >> PAYROLL IS MEDICAL, RETIREMENT, ETC. >>THESE ARE VERY GOOD JOBS. >> THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS ASKING AND PART OF THE QUESTION, I WAS ALSO GETTING AT. >> I WOULD RATHER DOWNPLAY THAT RATHER THAN TRY TO I'M NOT TRYING TO HEAR THIS. >> THAT'S WHERE I WAS GETTING AT WITH THE QUESTIONS. I MEAN, $200 MILLION, THAT'S A GOOD INVESTMENT. ESPECIALLY THAT'S TWO TIMES WHAT YOU PAY IN PAYROLL IN A YEAR. AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. BUT AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS, I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT, THIS IS A MODERNIZATION OF EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY ON THE SITE, WHICH IS AMAZING. I MEAN, YOU ARE PLANNING DEEP ROOTS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I'M ALSO WONDERING, WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES ON UPSKILLING SOME OF THIS LABOR FORCE HERE, AND WONDERING, IS THERE WAGE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED SPECIALIZATION REQUIRED? I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT'S THE OUTLOOK FOR THAT? WHAT'S THE OUTLOOK FOR WAGE GROWTH EVEN FROM THIS ALREADY VERY ATTRACTIVE PACKAGE LEVEL THAT YOU OFFER? THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS, I THINK. >> NO, I THINK THAT'S FAIR. I THINK THERE IS OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT. THAT COMES IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGH A FULL BENEFIT PACKAGE FOR ANY NUMBER OF THINGS, BUT I WOULD RATHER GET YOU SOME REAL NUMBERS TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH RATHER THAN I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT THAT IN HERE WITH YOU TODAY. >> TO BE FAIR, MY INSTINCT IS TO NEGOTIATE THIS DEAL WITH YOU RIGHT NOW. >> [LAUGHTER] UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT IN A POSITION TO NEGOTIATE. >> IT'S A 5% SALARY INCREASE. >> [LAUGHTER] HAVE YOU MET MY WIFE? >> NO, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> CERTAINLY. I'LL BE AROUND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION OFFLINE AS WELL. >> SENATOR MIZZEL. >> THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST WANT TO KIND OF CLARIFY THE ROLE IP HAS PLAYED IN MY AREA. WE HAVE A FEW YEARS ON THIS MILL. WE'RE OVER 105 YEARS OLD IN BOGALUSA. IT HAS BEEN THE FOUNDATION FOR THE TOWN BEING THERE. THAT'S THE ROLE IT'S PLAYED. BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN PERSPECTIVE, AS FAR AS THE SALARIES. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF OPTIONS, AND IT IS A PLUM JOB TO GET A JOB AT THE PAPER MILL. A LOT OF PEOPLE ASPIRE TO THAT. IT'S A GENERATIONAL THING. YOU HAVE TO LIVE IN A MILLTOWN TO KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LIVE IN A MILLTOWN. BUT THEY HAVE AN INCREDIBLE ROLE AS KIND OF LIKE THE PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY THAT'S BEEN THERE A REALLY LONG TIME. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW HOW FEW OPTIONS WE HAVE TO BE EMPLOYED IN A FACILITY THAT OFFERS THE BENEFITS AS WELL AS THE STABILITY. ON THE FLIP OF THAT, IF THEY WEREN'T THERE, THIS REALLY SCARY THING. I MEAN, WHEN CAMPTI MOVED, IT SENT A SHUDDER THROUGH A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE WERE LIKE THE MIRROR IMAGE OF CAMPTI. [01:05:01] THE IDEA THAT THAT MILL IN THE CENTER OF TOWN, OFFERING THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT AND THE STABILITY TO THE FAMILIES IN THE TOWN. BESIDES THE NINE MILLION THAT I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN TAX REVENUE TO THE PARISH, WOULD BE DEVASTATING. I THINK THE RIDDLE TO US IS, IF THE LOCALS DON'T SEE THE VALUE OF THAT, HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THAT? I KNOW WE'VE GOT ISSUES IN BOGALUSA WHERE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DISSATISFACTION WITH THE MILL OR NEEDING THE MONEY, 'CAUSE THAT'S TWO DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS. I THINK THAT'S THE QUANDARY WE'RE IN IS HOW DO WE RECOGNIZE ONE WITHOUT DEMEANING THE OTHER? [NOISE] I JUST WANT TO NOT A QUESTION. >> GREAT PERSPECTIVE. >> TREAD VERY CAREFULLY. ON SHOWING THE VALUE TO ESPECIALLY EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE, IN MY CASE OVER A CENTURY. A VERY SHORT-TERM THINKING COMPARED TO LONG-TERM THINKING. I JUST WANT TO SAY ON THE RECORD, AS A LITTLE GIRL THAT GREW UP IN A TOWN WHOSE DADDY WORKED AT THAT MILL, [LAUGHTER] I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT YOU MEAN IN MY COMMUNITY. WHATEVER THE VIBE IS THAT YOU GET FROM THIS BODY. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENCE IN MY TOWN. >> MR MILLER. >> THAT IS VERY MEANINGFUL, AND I APPRECIATE THAT GREATLY. IT'S EMOTIONAL FOR ME AS WELL, BECAUSE THE IMPACT THAT WE DO HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY IS WHERE WE ARE. I WILL TELL YOU THIS, HAVING THE SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND THE LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY WHAT YOU PROVIDE THERE FOR US IN WASHINGTON PARISH, IS ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT, AND WE APPRECIATE IT MORE THAN YOU KNOW. THANK YOU. >> IT'S A LOVE FEST, I GUESS. [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. >> MR. MILLER. >> [NOISE] I'M NOT TRYING TO PARSE YOUR WORDS, BUT EARLIER, YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THIS INVESTMENT IS TO MODERNIZE, AND I THINK I CAN'T QUOTE YOU SPECIFICALLY, BUT BASICALLY PARAPHRASE IN ORDER TO HOPE TO KEEP THE PLANT THERE. >> I DON'T WANT TO SIGNAL ANYTHING THAT I SHOULDN'T. IT REQUIRES A LOT OF INVESTMENT TO KEEP THESE FACILITIES THERE. WE ARE MAKING A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO INVEST IN MANSFIELD AT THIS TIME. >> FROM A LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE. >> WHENEVER WE APPROVE THESE, SOME OF US MIGHT NOT BE AROUND, BUT 10 YEARS LATER, IT COMES ON THE TAX ROLLS, AND THAT'S WHY WE DO IT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOES GO TO ANOTHER VALUE. YOU MIGHT, AND HOPEFULLY, ENCOURAGE YOU TO ADD MORE. SO 11 YEAR, 12 YEARS, THERE'S MULTIPLE PROJECTS COMING ONLINE ALL THE TIME WITH THE TAX-BASED TAX REVENUE GOING UP. I WANT TO MAKE SURE AND NOT INTERNATIONAL PAPER HAS A HISTORY OF CLOSING SOME THINGS DOWN. SO LET'S GET IT THROUGH 10 YEARS, AND WE SHUT IT DOWN, OR THIS IS A 20, 30, 40-YEAR INVESTMENT LIKE WE EXPECT IT TO BE? >> THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE HOPE. I CANNOT SIT HERE AND PROJECT WHAT BUSINESS WILL HAPPEN. >> YOU CAN'T GUARANTEE ANY OF US ARE WALKING OUT. >> ABSOLUTELY NOT. I'VE SEEN SO MANY THINGS OVER THE COURSE OF MY CAREER WITH INTERNATIONAL PAPER THAT I'M SCARED TO SPECULATE ON ANYTHING. I AM HOPEFUL. I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS A GREAT FACILITY. IT NEEDS A LITTLE LOVE. I THINK WE'RE PUTTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE THERE. WITH THE RIGHT INVESTMENT, I THINK THAT YOU AND I BOTH SHARE THAT DESIRE THAT THIS THING'S GOING TO BE THERE A LONG TIME. AGAIN, THESE APPLICATIONS ARE FOR THE FIRST PART OF THIS. THEY DO COME ON THE ROLL. SOMETIMES AT THAT 10-YEAR MARK, WE GO, OH, LORD. COME ON A REAL HARD AND HEAVY, BUT THAT'S STILL A GOOD RESULT FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AS WELL. >> I APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY AND ALL THAT. MR. CHAIRMAN, IF THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME. THE IDEA THAT YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO BRING MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION. WE KNOW WE HAVE THE LOCALS THAT WANT TO TALK, AND I'M SURE WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THEM. I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY DEFER THIS TILL WE GET ALL OF THAT SPECIFIC INFORMATION. LET'S MAKE THAT MOTION. >> I'D PREFER THAT WE MOVE FORWARD FOR NOW. DEFERRAL MAY BE THE RIGHT THING, BUT I'M NOT READY TO. >> I THINK THAT WE SHOULD TRY AND RESOLVE THIS MATTER TODAY FOR THE SAKE OF SIGNALING TO THE COMPANY. I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A GOOD SHOWING WITH THEM. [01:10:02] >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BEFORE WE EVEN GET [OVERLAPPING]. >> WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, MORE INFORMATION TOO, WAS JUST TRYING TO ANSWER, BE MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE JOB NUMBERS AND THE EMPLOYMENT. >> I UNDERSTAND. >> MR. CHAIR, ON THAT POINT REALLY QUICK, IS THAT I WANTED TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION JUST FROM MY OWN UNDERSTANDING. IT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THE BIGGER PICTURE, BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, WE NEED TO HAVE LOCAL COME AND PRESENT AS WELL. BUT I THINK THE BIG PICTURE HERE IS THAT THIS IS A FIXTURE OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT COMPONENT TO THE COMMUNITY. THE COMMUNITY RELIES ON THIS BUSINESS FOR THE TAX REVENUE, SO IT'S A BIT OF AN IRONIC ACTION HAPPENING HERE, IT SEEMS. I THINK THAT FOR THE FACTS OF THE MATTER HERE, THAT WE DON'T NEED TO KNOW THE SPECIFIC NUMBERS AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. >> THANK YOU, MR. CALLA. >> I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY. >> I THINK WE ALL RECOGNIZE THE IMPACTS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE SENATOR MIZELL'S COMMENTS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF INTERNATIONAL PAPER, NOT JUST IN DESOTO PARISH, BUT THROUGHOUT THE STATE. I MEAN, IN THE REGION FOR THAT MATTER. BUT I GOT TO SAY THE NATCHITOCHES PARISH DECISION LEAVES A LITTLE BIT OF A BAD TASTE IN AT LEAST IN MY MOUTH. >> YES, SIR. >> [NOISE] WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS UNDERSTAND. I WANT TO JUXTAPOSE NATCHITOCHES PARISH VERSUS DESOTO PARISH. TO MR. MILLER'S QUESTION, HOW DOES THIS INVESTMENT PLAY IN KEEPING A DECISION IN DESOTO PARISH THAT MIRRORS THE NATCHITOCHES PARISH DECISION. IS MY QUESTION CLEAR? >> YES, SIR. SO THE INVESTMENT HERE GIVES THIS FACILITY IN DESOTO PARISH A SIGNIFICANT ABILITY TO RUN FOR A LONG TIME. THERE WILL BE MORE INVESTMENT IN THIS FACILITY. THE LONGER IT STAYS. AGAIN, I TOLD YOU, WE'RE LOOKING AT A FACILITY LIKE THIS, AS WITH MOST OF THE MAJOR MANUFACTURING FACILITIES YOU HAVE IN THE STATE, IT REQUIRES AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF CAPITAL TO KEEP THESE THINGS GOING. BUT I AM VERY HOPEFUL THAT THIS FACILITY IN DESOTO PARISH IS GOING TO BE THERE A LONG TIME. >> SHARON. >> JUST ONE SECOND. >> I DON'T WANT TO OVERSHADOW THE NATCHITOCHES DECISION AT ALL. WE HAVE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF BRINGING A LOT OF THE PEOPLE FROM NATCHITOCHES OVER. THOSE FACILITIES WERE ONLY 30 MILES APART. SO IN A VERY SMALL AREA IN THE SAME WOOD BASKET. SO A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THERE. OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S LESS FIBER BEING UTILIZED AT THIS POINT, BUT THERE IS STILL A SIGNIFICANT MARKET THERE IN THAT AREA FOR THIS. YOU CAN'T REPLACE ONE OF THESE PAPER MILLS. I'M TRYING TO [OVERLAPPING]. >> FORGIVE ME FOR CHASING THE RABBIT, BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE NATCHITOCHES PARISH FACILITY? >> AT THE PRESENT TIME, WE ARE IN A CLOSURE PROCESS. THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS THAT MUST BE DONE WHEN YOU CLOSE THESE. I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO SPECIFIC, BUT EVERY FLUID, EVERY OIL, EVERY THING HAS TO BE CLEANED TO A CERTAIN DEGREE. BUT THAT FACILITY IS BEING LOOKED AT AS A POTENTIAL FOR OTHER THINGS. WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH LED. ONE OF TWO THINGS WILL HAPPEN. IT COULD BE DEVELOPED INTO ANOTHER MANUFACTURING FACILITY, OR IT COULD HAVE A LIFE OF SOME SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T EVEN EXPECT RIGHT NOW. BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT. THERE'S SOME EXCITING THINGS OUT THERE WITH GREEN ENERGY. THERE ARE A LOT OF FACILITIES THAT NEED THAT TYPE OF RAIL AND ELECTRICITY, AND GAS ASSETS AT A PARTICULAR SITE. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NEW LIFE FOR THE CAMPTI MILL WILL BE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS BEING LOOKED AT AND TALKED ABOUT AT THIS POINT. I DON'T WANT TO LIKE, IT'S STILL A PROCESS. >> IT'S AN UNFAIR QUESTION, PROBABLY, BUT IT'S GREAT TO MEAN ABOUT SITTING ON A BOARD, YOU GET TO ASK QUESTIONS, WHETHER IT'S FAIR OR NOT. BECAUSE TRULY, AS MR. NASSER KNOWS, WE'VE SEEN FACILITIES SHUT DOWN AND WE'VE SEEN THE IMPACT IT HAS ON A PARISH. AND WHILE I DON'T WANT YOUR GOOD IN DESOTO PARISH BEING SPOKEN EVIL OF, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPERATIVE THAT THE STATE UNDERSTAND THE DEGREE TO WHICH INTERNATIONAL PAPER IS INVESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT [01:15:02] THE CAMPTI FACILITY HAS A SECOND LIFE OR THIRD LIFE OR WHATEVER IT IS, THAT THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AND I'M JUST A VOLUNTEER SITTING ON THE BOARD, BUT I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE AND RECOMMEND THAT INTERNATIONAL PAPER BE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO TRANSFER THAT PROPERTY INTO SOMEBODY THAT CAN GIVE SOMEBODY IN NATCHITOCHES PARISH JOBS THAT THEY OTHERWISE LOST. I HOPE YOU WILL CARRY THE MESSAGE BACK THAT THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY GOOD NEWS FOR NATCHITOCHES PARISH. I GREW UP NOT FAR FROM THERE, AND IT'S IMPORTANT. BUT NOW THAT I'VE KIND OF JUMPED ON YOU A LITTLE BIT. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THIS FACILITY. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT INVESTMENT IN THE FACILITY. I'VE SAID IT HERE MANY, MANY TIMES, AND THE REASON ITEP IS IMPORTANT IS IT ENCOURAGES INVESTMENT TO A FACILITY SO THAT IT CAN HAVE A 45-YEAR LIFE OR A 60-YEAR LIFE OR A 70-YEAR LIFE. >> OR 120-YEAR LIFE OR 130-YEAR-OLD LIFE. >> YEAH. THE ONLY WAY THAT HAPPENS IS WITH REINVESTMENT. SO THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE THAT REINVESTMENT. THAT IS WHY THESE PROJECTS AND THESE INCENTIVES ARE IMPORTANT. WITH THAT, I'LL STOP PREACHING, MR. MILLER. >> QUESTION. WHAT WAS BEING PRODUCED AT THE NATCHITOCHES PLANT? >> THE SAME THING THAT I MADE MENTIONED OF YOU AT THE CAMPTI PLANT. IT'S A BROWN CRAFT PAPER THAT IS CONVERTED INTO BOXES. >> FOR PERSPECTIVE. SO I'M A PRINTER. >> YES, SIR. >> I'VE WATCHED PLANTS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THAT'S CLOSED, AND THIS IS OPEN, WHATNOT. THE CHEESE IS CONSTANTLY MOVING. PEOPLE ASK ME ALL THE TIME. MAN, YOU'RE A PRINTER. HOW DO YOU STAY IN BUSINESS? IS EVERYBODY DOING EVERYTHING ON A COMPUTER, AND THAT'S NOT TRUE. OUR BUSINESS IS AS GOOD AS IT'S EVER BEEN. JUST THE CHEESE MOVES. SO YOU'VE GOT TO FLOW WITH IT. THINGS WILL CLOSE. BUSINESS IS TOUGH. THEY'RE PUTTING MONEY BACK INTO THE PLANT. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO STAY EMPLOYED. I HEARD WHAT HAPPENED AT NATCHITOCHES. THAT'S SOMETHING, BUT IT NEEDS TO GET WORKED OUT. IT SOUNDS AS IF ALL ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING. >> WE'RE CERTAINLY TRYING, SIR. >> APPRECIATE Y'ALL STAYING? >> YES, SIR. >> DO WE HAVE MR. WES? >> WITH CORPORATE INVESTMENT, THERE'S GOOD SIDE, BAD SIDE. IS THERE ANY DOWNSIDE FOR EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENT BEING MADE? DO YOU PROJECT EMPLOYMENT TO REMAIN STEADY, TO GROW, TO DECREASE BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENTS BEING MADE, AND IS THERE ANYTHING YOU COULD DO TO BRING SOMETHING ELSE TO THAT PLANT? >> THE MODERNIZATIONS WE'RE MAKING IN THIS PLANT WILL HAVE NO EFFECT ON HEADCOUNTS. WE'RE NOT DISPLACING WORKERS, IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO. WE'RE TRYING TO INVEST IN AGED EQUIPMENT TO BRING IT BACK UP, TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM BETTER, BECOME MORE RELIABLE, AND SECURE THE FUTURE OF THE FACILITY. I DON'T WANT TO OVERESTIMATE WHAT WE COULD DO OR NOT DO THERE. IT'S A VERY LARGE FACILITY, AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF EGGS IN THAT ONE BASKET, AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT GROWING IT SPECIFICALLY, BUT THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES DOWN THE ROAD. EXACTLY WHAT THOSE COULD BE TODAY. I CAN'T SAY, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF JOBS. I DON'T THINK I TALKED ABOUT THAT ON THE FRONT END, BUT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE FACILITY, BUT THERE'S ALSO A VAST COMMUNITY THERE THAT IS SUPPORTED IN THIS REGARD AS WELL. WE HAVE WELL OVER 100 LOG TRUCKS A DAY AND EVEN MORE OF THAT OF OTHER TRUCKS GOING OUT, THE RAIL SERVICE THAT WE HAVE, EVERYTHING FROM GAS STATIONS TO HAIRCUTS, TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S AFFECTED. THAT'S WHY THESE FACILITIES ARE IMPORTANT. THAT'S WHY I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU THE STATE SAYING, THESE ARE IMPORTANT, [NOISE] AND WE WANT YOU TO BE HERE, AND [NOISE] WE WANT YOU TO INVEST HERE. SO IT'S VERY MEANINGFUL. THOSE ARE STRONG MESSAGES TO SEND BACK TO THOSE WHO ARE DEPLOYING CAPITAL, WHO ARE MAKING DECISIONS ON WHERE TO SPEND THAT CAPITAL AND INVEST IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. SO THANK YOU. >> MR. MILLER. >> ECHOING OFF OF THE QUESTION WITH REGARD TO EMPLOYMENT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO A LOT OF NOW OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS IS FOR PEOPLE WITHIN OUR COMPANY WHO ARE MAKING DECISIONS. RIGHT AS YOU'RE TRYING TO PLAN SOMETHING OUT. RIGHT AS WE'RE ABOUT TO BEGIN, WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ASK YOURSELF, HOW CAN AI IMPROVE THIS? SO WITH IP AND WITH THIS MODERNIZATION, IS ANY PART OF THAT MODERNIZATION, INCLUDING AI, AND HENCE THE LOSS OF JOBS? [01:20:02] >> ACTUALLY, THIS IS NOT. THESE ARE HARD CHANGES TO IMPROVE THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE MACHINES, BUT IT'S NOT A DISPLACEMENT AT ALL IN THAT REGARD. SO IT IS MAKING THE MACHINES RUN BETTER, SO THEY'RE MORE RELIABLE. THEY CAN BE COMPETITIVE OR MORE COMPETITIVE IN THE DAYS AHEAD. WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. >> DO YOU ANTICIPATE WITH THESE MACHINERY UPGRADES THAT THIS PLANT WILL BE ABLE TO PRODUCE WHAT THOSE TWO PLANTS USED TO PRODUCE WITH THE OLD EQUIPMENT? >> THERE WILL BE NO WAY TO MATCH THE EQUAL OF THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S BEEN SOME OTHER DECLINE. >> SO IT'S A MARKET DECLINE? >> THERE ARE MARKET PRESSURES THAT COME TO PLACE. BUT YEAH, SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE AGAIN, WE HAVE A NETWORK OF FACILITIES THAT WE CAN MANAGE AND BALANCE OUR PRODUCTION ACROSS BASED ON WHAT DEMAND MIGHT BE HERE AND THERE. SO I'M NOT MAKING ANY STATEMENTS ABOUT DEMAND. I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE CAN'T ABSORB ALL OF THAT FROM CAMPTI INTO THE MANSFIELD FACILITY. >> OKAY. LET'S SEE. WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR THE CROSS-EXAMINATION. WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO. BUT TRULY, IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND HOW DECISIONS GET MADE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE DECISIONS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK REPRESENTATIVE FROM DESOTO PARISH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS REALLY ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS WE NEED TO HAVE AS WELL. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE LOCALS. WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION PLEASE? >> YES, SIR. MICHAEL NORTON, I AM CURRENTLY THE PARISH ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE DESOTO PARISH POLICE JURY, BUT I'M ALSO THE CONFIRMED POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE LOCAL ITEP COMMITTEE. >> PERFECT. SO LET'S START THERE. DESOTO PARISH HAS ACTUALLY FORMED THE ITEP COMMITTEE UNDER THE NEW RULES, AND THAT'S MADE UP OF THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE SHERIFF, AND THE POLICE JURY; IS THAT CORRECT? >> THAT IS CORRECT. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT BECAUSE SOME PARISHES HAVE NOT. [LAUGHTER] SO THANK YOU. AS I SAID, UNDER THE NEW RULES, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THIS BOARD. SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE GOTTEN A NO RECOMMENDATION. I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BASIS OF THAT WAS SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE VIEWPOINT OF THE LOCALS IS. SO IF YOU COULD. >> WELL, YOU HAVE THREE POLITICAL BODIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT, IN THIS DECISION. WE HELD OUR PUBLIC MEETING AND RECORDED THE PUBLIC MEETING. THAT'S AVAILABLE ON THE JURY'S WEBSITE. YOU CAN GO, YOU CAN VIEW, BUT I THINK OVERWHELMINGLY, IT WAS A TIMING ISSUE. THEY HAVE A VERY LARGE TAX RENEWAL THAT'S COMING UP. >> IS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD? >> YES. >> OKAY. >> THEY HOLD THE MAJORITY OF THE TAX COLLECTIONS. I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY THE DRIVER BEHIND THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE. NOW, TO BE CLEAR, THE PARISH VOTED TO SUPPORT THIS, AND I REPRESENT; I AM THE PARISH'S VOICE. THERE'S NO OTHER EXPLANATION OTHER THAN THEY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE TAX RENEWAL THAT WAS COMING. >> OKAY. LET'S DIG IN. WAS THERE ANY COMMUNICATION FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD OR THE SHERIFF, BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING NONE FROM THE POLICE JURY, AS FAR AS INTERNATIONAL PAPER AND WHETHER IT'S A GOOD CITIZEN IN THE PARISH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? WAS THERE ANY ISSUES ABOUT INTERNATIONAL PAPER AS A CITIZEN IN THE PARISH? >> NO, NONE. WE'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH INTERNATIONAL PAPER. I KNOW THE SCHOOL BOARD, I KNOW THE SHERIFF HAS ALWAYS HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. THEY'VE BEEN A VERY GOOD CORPORATE TAXPAYER. WE'VE HAD GOOD PARTNERSHIPS WITH THEM. I BELIEVE EVERY SINGLE TAX ABATEMENT THAT HAS COME BEFORE THE POLICE JURY HAS BEEN APPROVED. IN MY LIFETIME, I'M NOT QUITE AS OLD AS WELL; I'M A LITTLE BIT OLDER THAN THAT FACILITY. WE'RE GOING TO SLUTE AT THAT. BUT THAT FACILITY IS EMPLOYEES, I'D SAY PROBABLY WELL OVER 700 PEOPLE ARE DIRECTLY AFFECTED IN THE PARISH. SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE PARISH. >> SO FOR MY FRIENDS WHO YOU'RE NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH NORTH LOUISIANA AS THEY SHOULD BE, 600 EMPLOYEES IN DESOTO PARISH, IS THAT THE LARGEST EMPLOYER IN THE PARISH? >> NO. I WOULD SAY PROBABLY THE SCHOOL BOARD IS THE LARGEST. >> [LAUGHTER] GOVERNMENT IS. [LAUGHTER] BUT OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL BOARD IS THE LARGEST PRIVATE EMPLOYER? >> YES. >> OKAY. THE ISSUE CAME DOWN [01:25:05] TO IT WAS INCONVENIENT TIMING BECAUSE OF THE MILLAGE ELECTION THAT'S COMING UP PRESUMABLY THIS FALL? >> THAT WAS THE OVERWHELMING CONSENSUS IN THE MEETING THAT WAS DISCUSSED OPENLY. YES, SIR. >> ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? >> THANK YOU FOR COMING DOWN AND HELPING US UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BASIS FOR. WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. THIS IS ALL NEW FOR US, SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. >> TO THAT POINT, IT IS NEW FOR US AS WELL AND FURTHER RESOLUTIONS WILL BE A LITTLE MORE DETAILED TO GIVE YOU ALL A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT INTO THAT. [INAUDIBLE] IS WILLING TO COME DOWN AND ANSWER QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TRIP. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, NOW, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR BOTH INTERNATIONAL PAPER PROJECTS AND A MOTION FROM MR. MASON SECOND FOR MR. CAL. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NOT ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NO OPPOSITION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO THOSE APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED. >> WE HAVE THE REMAINING 11 PROJECT APPLICATIONS. DO YOU WANT ME TO GO OVER THE LOCAL COMMITTEE DECISION ON EACH ONE OR? >> JUST LET'S SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT ALL THE REST OF THEM WITH EXCEPTION, THE ONE THAT'S BEEN DEFERRED HAS EITHER BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THE LOCAL OR THE LOCALS EXPRESSED NO OPINION, WHICH UNDER THE RULES IS RESULTS AND DEEMED APPROVED. SO THAT'S THE REST OF THEM. THEY'RE EITHER DEEMED APPROVED OR APPROVED? >> I GUESS ACCEPTED, DEEMED ACCEPTED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT APPROVING SINCE THEY'RE RECOMMENDING GIRLS. >> THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION. I HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. STEWART TO APPROVE THE REMAINING APPLICATIONS UNDER THE 2025 RULES IN GLOBO. >> WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO READ THEM? >> NO. >> NO. OKAY [LAUGHTER]. THAT'S FINE. >> DID I SAY THAT TOO QUICKLY? [LAUGHTER] WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MOSS, A SECOND FROM MR. ST. BLAU TO APPROVE IN GLOBO WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF READING, THEY'RE ALL IN THE AGENDA AND ALL IN THE PACKETS. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD, MR. MCGE? I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF. WHICH ONE? >>CABOT AND ST. MARY SUGAR COP. CABOT CORPORATION AND WHICH ONE? >> ST. MARY SUGAR COP. >> COOPERATIVE IN ST. MARY PARISH. THANK YOU FOR THOSE RECUSALS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR FROM THE BOARD? FROM THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU. HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. MOTION CARRIES. THOSE ARE ALL APPROVED. >> NEXT, WE HAVE FIVE PRE EO RENEWALS THAT WERE FILED TIMELY, 2016 1519 ENERGY, NEW ORLEANS, LLC NISHU, NEW ORLEANS PARISH, 2014 1609 MARATHON PETROLEUM COMPANY LP, ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH, 2014 1610-B, MARATHON PETROLEUM COMPANY LP IN ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH, 2015 2023 MARATHON PETROLEUM COMPANY LP, ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH, AND 2016 1549 METHANEX USA LLC ASCENSION PARISH. >>WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE RENEWALS, MOTION, MR. MAYERS SECOND FOR MAYOR TOOPS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE, AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. THERE ARE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. WE HAVE ONE RENEWAL UNDER THE 2018 RULES FOR 2019 0412 HOWELL FOUNDRY, LLC IN WEST [INAUDIBLE] PARISH. >> ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? >>MOVE >> MOTION. SORRY. MR. CURRY SECOND FROM MR. MIGUEZ. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? THERE ARE BEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >>AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> WE HAVE ONE CHANGE IN LOCATION CONTRACT AMENDMENT REQUEST FROM DELTA BIOFUEL, LLC, CONTRACT 202-01-0262 IN IBERIA PARISH, THE PREVIOUS LOCATION IS [INAUDIBLE] ROAD, [01:30:01] NORTHEAST OF MA PATOUT ENTERPRISES SUGAR MILL IN KENT LOUISIANA 70544, AND THE NEW LOCATION IS JUST A CORRECTION TO SHOW THE ACTUAL STREET ADDRESS OF 27 O2J PATOUT ROAD, KENT, LOUISIANA 70544 IN IBERIA PARISH. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CHANGE IN LOCATION. MR. WHEEL, SECOND FOR CENTER MAZEL. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF. MR. MIGUEZ RECUSAL. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? >> HEARING NONE. MOTION IS APPROVED. >> WE HAVE THREE FULL TRANSFER OF TAX EXEMPTION CONTRACTS FROM GOLF CRAFT, LLC LOCATED IN ST. MARY PARISH, CONTRACTS 2016-12-20, 2016-15-11, AND 2016-15-11 -A BEING TRANSFERRED TO SARONIC TECHNOLOGIES INC. >> BEFORE WE VOTE ON THIS ONE, LET'S START. MR. SIMPLA, ARE YOU HAVING A MOTION TO APPROVE AND THEN SECOND FROM MR. MOSS. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT I'VE JUST GOT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT BECAUSE NOBODY. JONES DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. THIS COMPANY IS THE LARGEST AUTONOMOUS BOAT BUILDER IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THEY BUILD MILITARY CRAFT BOATS. THIS WAS SOMETHING I JUST DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT. I'M EXCITED WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN LOUISIANA. I'M EXCITED THAT IT'S A PROJECT IN ST. MARY PARISH. MR. ST. BLAU, DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE? >> I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. THEY BUILD BOATS FOR THE MILITARY UNMANNED, AND IT WILL BE THE BIGGEST BOAT BUILDING. WE SET KEEL ON THE FIRST TWO. THEY BOUGHT IT TWO MONTHS AGO, AND WE DID THE SET KEEL, AND SECRETARY BOUGOIS CAME DOWN, AND WAS UNBELIEVABLE SPEECH. THEY'RE VERY, VERY SECURE, AND IT'S A BLESSING. IT'S IN THIS ACTUALLY IN THE CITY OF FRANKLIN. WE'RE GOING TO DROP THOSE TWO BOATS IN THREE MONTHS. THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO 100 BOATS A YEAR. IT'S GOING TO BE AN INVESTMENT START AT 260 MILLION, BUT IT'D BE UP TO 600 MILLION WHEN THEY BUY ALL THE PROPERTY, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AT LEAST 150 BOATS GOING OUT A YEAR. >> IT'S A GOOD DAY FOR FRANKLIN. >> UNMANNED. UNMANNED. ALL COMPUTERIZED. >> ALL RIGHT. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP? I'M SORRY. >> I MOVE. >> WE'VE GOT THE MOTION A SECOND. THANK YOU. KEEPING STRAIGHT HERE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >> WE HAVE FOUR PARTIAL TRANSFERS OF TAX EXEMPTION CONTRACT. THE FIRST ONES FROM EPIC PIPING, LLC, 2015 0189. I LIVINGSTON PARISH, EPIC PIPING IS RETAINING $4,810,134 IN ASSETS AND IS TRANSFERRING TO FNLR PIPE DREAM LLC, $35,060,561 IN ASSETS. THE SECOND ONE IS EPIC PIPING LLC, 2015 089-A, AGAIN, IN LIVINGSTON PARISH, EPIC PIPING LLC IS RETAINING $2,256,654 IN ASSETS AND TRANSFERRING TO FNLR PIPE DREAM LLC, $283,372 IN ASSETS. NEXT IS EPIC PIPING LLC, 2016 1510 IN LIVINGSTON PARISH. EPIC PIPING IS RETAINING $194,498 IN ASSETS AND TRANSFERRING TO FNLR PIPE DREAM LLC, $70,928 IN ASSETS. THE FINAL CONTRACT IS EPIC PIPING LLC 2016 1510 A. EPIC PIPING IS RETAINING 808 SORRY, $808,198 AND ASSETS IN TRANSFERRING TO FNLR PIPE DREAM, LLC $1,155,670 IN ASSETS. ALL IN LIVINGSTON PARISH. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE PARTIAL TRANSFERS, MAYOR [INAUDIBLE], SECOND FROM MR. NASSER. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE THREE CANCELLATION OF CONTRACT. THE FIRST IS A, LOUISIANA, LLC, [01:35:03] CONTRACT 2020 0538 IN ST. LANDRY PARISH, THE COMPANY REQUESTS CANCELLATION. SECOND, WE HAVE BEGNO MANUFACTURING INC. CONTRACT 2016 0618 IN LAFAYETTE PARISH, LED REQUESTS CANCELLATION UPON NOTIFICATION FROM THE LAFAYETTE PARISH ASSESSOR'S OFFICE OF SALE TO NEW OWNERS. THE FINAL CONTRACT FOR CANCELLATION IS BIG LAKE FUELS, CONTRACT 201-31-1708 IN CALCASIE PARISH, THE COMPANY REQUESTS CANCELLATION. >> I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. >> CHAIRMAN AND BOARD, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE LED IS REQUESTING THE CANCELLATION FROM THE NOTIFICATION WE RECEIVED FROM THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE. HOWEVER, UPON US REVIEWING THIS, I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS TO BE DEFERRED. OUR TEAM WASN'T ABLE TO MEET WITH THE NEW OWNERS UNTIL VERY RECENTLY AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE REPORT OUT, BUT I DON'T WANT TO POTENTIALLY HARM SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE JUST BEEN MISSED IN A TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP. I'D ASKED FOR DEFERRAL UNTIL THE NEXT BOARD MEETING SO WE CAN CLEAR UP THOSE FACTS FOR YOU ALL AND PRESENT IT AT THAT TIME. >> THIS IS BEGNO MANUFACTURING. >> BEGNO MANUFACTURING 2016 0618. >> CHAIR, I MOVE ACCORDINGLY. >> CAN WE HAVE A MOTION FOR DEFERRAL. SECOND FROM MR. WHEELS. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION, THERE IS NONE. NOW, THE OTHER TWO AIR LOUISIANA AND BIG LAKE FUELS, HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MR. CAL. SECOND, FROM MAYOR TOPS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? HEARING NONE. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE 98 OPT OUT JOBS, PAY ROLL AND COMPLIANCE COMPONENTS, EXHIBIT A AMENDMENTS FROM COMPANIES THAT FALL UNDER THE 2017 OR 2018 RULES. I DO HAVE A CORRECTION ON ONE OF THEM. THERE IS A TYPO. THAT'S GMAIL, LOC. THE AGENDA READS 2019 0256. IT SHOULD BE CORRECTED TO 2019 0259. >> WITH THAT CORRECTION, I WILL BE RECUSING MYSELF FROM ANY VOTE CONCERNING CAPSCOM TECHNOLOGY USA INC. BUT I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THESE OPT OUT IN GLOBO. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM MR. MAYERS SECOND FROM SENATOR MAZEL. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THERE ARE HERE, MISS JOHNSON, BUT. >>98. >> 98 TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE NEW RULES. WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I NEED TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM CAB CORPORATION, COASTAL CHEMICAL, MAGNOLIA POWER, AND MKS PLASTICS. >> DID YOU GET THAT? >> GREAT. ALL RIGHT. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >>ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE, THE MOTION CARRIES. >> NEXT, WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL REQUESTS. HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A REQUEST FROM THE COMPANY TO DEFER THE SPECIAL REQUEST FROM SKYFALL BIOLOGICALS, LLC, CONTRACT 202-01-0383. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO DEFER SKYFALL BILE FIELDS. MOTION FROM MR. MOSS. SECOND FROM MR. ROBINSON. 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. >> THE SPECIAL REQUEST IS FOR COMENICU, US SILICA, LLC, CONTRACT 2013 0960 A. IT'S ACTUALLY A LATE REQUEST FOR TRANSFER OF TAX EXEMPTION. COMENICU, US SILICA, LLC, REQUEST THE CONSIDERATION OF THE BELOW FULL TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OF CONTRACT 2013 0960 A FROM PPG INDUSTRIES INC. THE TRANSFER OF REQUEST WAS RECEIVED JULY 2 OF 2025 WITH A REPORTED EFFECTIVE DATE OF TRANSFER OF NOVEMBER 25 OF 2024, WHICH IS BEYOND THE THREE MONTH TIME PERIOD ALLOWED PER ITEP RULE. >> SO THEY DIDN'T ASK FOR THE TRANSFER IN A TIMELY MANNER, BUT AS I APPRECIATE THE RULES UNDER 531, THE VIOLATION WE CAN TERMINATE OR WE CAN WE CAN MODIFY THE CONTRACT TO GRANT THE REQUEST, IS THAT CORRECT? >> YES, SIR. >> IT COMES DOWN TO THE WILL OF THE BODY, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY HERE FROM COMENICU? [01:40:09] >> WOULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME YOUR POSITION WITH THE COMPANY, PLEASE? >> SURE. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE] IT'S NOT AN AMERICAN NAME OBVIOUSLY, AND I'M A CFO OF THE COMPANY. >> MIKE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YOU IF YOU DON'T MIND. YOU GET TO PICK IT UP TO THERE WE GO. THERE WE GO. >> I PUT THIS. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS IT YOU MAKE? >> WE DO PRODUCE A SILICA, WHICH IS BASICALLY A POWDER THAT'S USED IN 70 PERCENT OF OUR PORTFOLIO FOR THE ENTIRE BUSINESS, TIRE PRODUCTION, IT'S A COMPONENT OF RUBBER, SOME SEPARATORS, AND OTHER APPLICATIONS, BUT MAINLY TIRES FOR NOW. >> OBVIOUSLY, [INAUDIBLE] I PRONOUNCING THE NAME CORRECTLY? >> YES. IT'S [INAUDIBLE] EXACTLY. >> PURCHASED THE FACILITY FROM PPG, IS THAT CORRECT? >> YES. THAT'S CORRECT. >> THIS IS SIMPLY A REPORTING A ISSUE. IS THERE A REASON THAT WASN'T REPORTED IN A TIMELY MANNER? >> WELL, OTHER THAN JUST SIMPLE OMIT AND JUST DIDN'T NOT REALIZING ON TIME SO JUST GIVE YOU A BIT OF FLAVOR ON COLOR AND THAT [INAUDIBLE] IS A PRIVATE FAMILY BUSINESS WITH OPERATIONS IN EUROPE. MAINLY IN POLAND, GERMANY, AND SPAIN AND IT WAS ALWAYS A OWNERS DREAM TO GO OVERSEAS AND TO BE PRESENT IN OTHER MARKETS AS WELL. WE DO HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION PLAN TO BE PRESENT IN AMERICA, MAINLY, AND THIS IS THE FIRST PURCHASE WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY MADE. END OF 2024 FINALIZED THE DEAL WITH PPG INDUSTRIES. WITHIN THIS PROCESS, WE ACTUALLY PURCHASED AN ASSETS FROM PPG INC, WHICH OWES THE PLANT IN LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA, AND SOME SMALLER OPERATIONS UP NORTH PENNSYLVANIA AND OHIO. WE ALSO DID PURCHASE FROM THEM OTHER SICA FACILITY IN NETHERLANDS IN EUROPE. THAT WAS THE WHOLE WHOLE SPECTRUM OF THAT. WITH KENTICA HAVING NO EXPERIENCE AND TONS OF ADVISORS ON WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO PROCEED. BEFORE WE GOT OUR HANDS ON EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF LEGAL AND TAX REQUIREMENTS, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE FOR US TO MEET THE DEADLINES AND MEET THE REQUIREMENTS, AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON TO BE HONEST FOR THAT. >> THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES AND YOUR PRESENCE. >> GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND WE'RE JUST HOPING TO GROW BIGGER. THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO BE. >> GREAT, GREAT STORY. GREAT TO HEAR. DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THIS SPECIAL MOTION FOR MR. CAL TO APPROVE? SECOND FOR MR. HELAS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? >> I HAVE A QUESTION. >> YES, MR. MEAN. >> I MEAN, I'LL APPROVE, BUT HOW DID A PICK LOUISIANA? HOW DID YOU ALL COME TODAY? >> WELL, YOU BOUGHT THE PPG PLAN. I WAS ASKING, HOW DID YOU ALL PICK LOUISIANA, BUT YOU REALLY LOUISIANA PICKED YOU BECAUSE THE PPG PLAN. >> WELL, BASICALLY THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR THE QEMETICA GROUP. WE ARE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES ON THE MARKET THAT ARE LITTLE BIT MISSING LOVE AND ATTENTION. FOR PPG, THAT BUSINESS WAS ON THE LONG TAIL, AND THEY WERE FOCUSING ON THEIR MAIN ASSETS RATHER THAN INVESTING IN THIS BUSINESS. WE ALREADY DO HAVE OPERATIONS THAT ARE WITHIN THE CHAIN OF THIS PRODUCTION. WE DO HAVE THE SODA ASH FACILITY. IN EUROPE, AND WE DO HAVE SLICATES FACILITIES IN EUROPE AS WELL. SO IT IS OUR PORTFOLIO ALREADY. AND WE'VE HAVING THIS KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARKET A LITTLE BIT, ALSO WORLDWIDE BECAUSE THAT'S A WORLDWIDE MARKET AS WELL. WHEN PPG ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WANT TO RESTRUCTURE THEIR ASSETS AND THEIR PORTFOLIO, WE WERE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE A LOOK ON THAT. ACTUALLY, THIS WAS FOR SOME TIME A FACILITY THAT WAS ALREADY FOR SOME TIME NOT DEVELOPED. IT'S ALSO A CAPITAL INVEST INTENSIVE. THERE ARE SOME UPCOMING INVESTMENTS COMING IN. NOW JUST, FIRST YEAR, FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR BEHIND US, SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THE BEST PATHS FORWARD TO MAKE OUR PRESENCE HERE A LITTLE BIT MORE RECOGNIZABLE AND TO COMMIT TO THE LOCAL SOCIETY, STUFF LIKE THAT. THERE'S BASICALLY AN ACTIVE GROUP OF PEOPLE WITHIN OUR GROUP THAT'S LOOKING FOR THIS OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVESTMENTS TO DEVELOP. >> WE ALSO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES. >> WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT. >> WELL, AND HEARKENING BACK TO A PREVIOUS DISCUSSION IN TODAY'S MEETING, AS YOU TAKE A FACILITY THAT NEEDS SOME LOVE, AND UNDERSTAND THAT ITEP PROGRAM IS THERE TO HELP SUPPORT THAT. [01:45:01] IF WE WANT TO SUPPORT, ANYBODY'S GOING TO COME IN AND A, TAKE OVER A BUSINESS IN LOUISIANA. WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT FACILITY LAST FOR A LONG LONG TIME. WE LOOK FORWARD TO A FURTHER INVESTMENT MAKING THAT HAPPEN. >> THAT'S OUR GOAL AS WELL, SIR, WE DIDN'T INVEST JUST TO RESELL OR SHUT IT DOWN. >> PERFECT. I LOVE TO HEAR THAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> ANY OPPOSITION? THERE IS NONE. THE MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THAT CONCLUDES THE ITEP PORTION OF THE AGENDA. >> THANK YOU ALL. ALL RIGHT. THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF THE AGENDA, [9. Secretary Remarks – Secretary Susan Bourgeois] EXCEPT FOR THE REPORT FROM THE SECRETARY'S OFFICE. WE HAVE MISS VILLA HERE SITTING IN FOR MISS BOURGEOIS. I THINK SHE'S DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS MAKING AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF SOME SORT. >> JUST LOOK IN YOUR INBOX FOR ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT COMING OUT OF THE OFFICE OF LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS. AND AND THANK YOU ALL FOR SERVING AND COMING AND SPENDING YOUR MORNING WITH US AND REVIEWING ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE HAD BEFORE YOU, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT AS INDICATED WHEN WE COME UP AND WE HAVE APPLICANTS COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THE PROJECTS. THERE'S A LOT OF DETAILS THAT THE TEAM WORKS WITH THE APPLICANTS ON PRIOR TO US GETTING TO THIS STAGE. THANK YOU ALL TEAM FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE, ESPECIALLY WHAT YOU'VE DONE THIS PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. FOR THOSE, I'M JUST GOING TO START OFF WITH SOME HOUSEKEEPING THINGS. LED HAS OFFICIALLY MOVED. WE'RE NO LONGER IN THE LA SALLE BUILDING. WE ARE NOW ON THE SEVENTH AND NINTH FLOOR OF THE IBM BUILDING, AND OUR INNOVATION CENTER HAS MOVED IN JUST LITERALLY THIS PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. WE'RE NOT READY TO OPEN IT UP TO GUEST YET, BUT WE WILL BE RELATIVELY SOON. WE'LL HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE THAT WILL ANNOUNCE TO EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY OUR LEGISLATORS, SENATOR MEISEL FOR POSITIONING LOUISIANA TO WINVILL, IN THE LAST YEAR, WHICH HAS ALLOWED US TO REALLY MOVE AT THE SPEED OF BUSINESS DURING THE PAST 18 MONTHS. I CAN'T REFLECT MORE ON HOW MUCH FUN IT'S BEEN DURING THAT TIME, EXHAUSTING, BUT A LOT OF FUN BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY ARE CONTINUING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE. I THINK BACK TO SARONIS AND FRANKLIN, AND I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN IN SOUTH LOUISIANA, THE BAYU REGION, MORGAN CITY. I KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO LOSE A MAJOR COMPANY, MCDERMOTT, WHEN THEY MOVED OUT, AND HOW THAT IMPACTS YOUR CITY AND THE POTENTIAL FOR THAT CITY. SEEING PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING ANNOUNCED ACROSS THE STATE AND LITTLE SMALL CITIES AND PARISHES, RURAL AREAS OF OUR STATE REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME BECAUSE I GREW UP THERE. I'M ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT GREW UP IN A SMALL RURAL TOWN. JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS. BUT PRIOR TO THAT, PRESIDENT MILLER, I DO WANT TO EXPRESS THE FACT THAT LED WILL STAND BY YOU IN THE PARISH AND ALL THAT YOU GUYS NEED US TO DO ON THE FRONT END, THE BACK END, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO. WE'RE JUST NOT WITH THE PARISHES AND THE COMMUNITIES BY BRINGING PROJECTS, WE'RE HERE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE PROJECT, JUST AS IP ANNOUNCED AS WORKING WITH THEM. I JUST WANT TO RE EMPHASIZE THE FACT THAT ESPECIALLY THE SECRETARY AND I, THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT ARE BEHIND YOU GUYS. WHATEVER Y'ALL NEED FROM US. BUT REALLY EXCITED ABOUT SOME NEW PROJECTS THAT WERE ANNOUNCED SINCE WE LAST MET IN THE BAYU REGION, AGAIN, THE NEURO IO ANNOUNCED $100,000,000 INNOVATION CAMPUS IN HOMA. WHICH IS A LOT WHERE MY FAMILY GREW UP, 01,100 JOBS AROUND AI ENGINEERING. THAT IS HUGE. THAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF JUNE. AND THEN ASINEC ANNOUNCED A $50,000,000 INVESTMENT EXPANSION TO ENHANCE THEIR MANUFACTURING DISTRIBUTION FACILITY IN SHREVEPORT, AND THAT'S GOING TO CREATE 91 JOBS AND THEIR 271,000 FACILITY. HOOD CONTAINER, CONTINUES TO ANNOUNCE MODERNIZATION OF THEIR PAPER MILL IN ST FRANCISVILLE. THAT'S $118,000,000 ALMOST $120,000,000 EXPANSION. I'M SORRY, MODERNIZATION THERE. ALSO, JUST A COUPLE OF ONES THAT WERE ANNOUNCED JUST THIS WEEK, THE RADIANCE TECHNOLOGY, UP IN LOUISIANA TECH WAS ANNOUNCED THE $370,000,000 MICHAEL TRIP FACILITY. THE COMPANY'S EXPECTED TO CREATE 150 DIRECT JOBS THERE IN WORKING WITH LED, LOUISIANA TECH IN RADIANCE TO BUILD THIS NEW MANUFACTURING FACILITY. REALLY EXCITED ABOUT JUST ACROSS VERY DIFFERENT INDUSTRY SECTORS THAT WE'RE MAKING ANNOUNCEMENTS. VERY, EXCITED ABOUT THE PLAN, THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE HAD APPROVED BY THE LED PARTNERSHIP ADVISORY BOARD THIS PAST MARCH, I THINK. [01:50:03] THEN JUST THIS PAST JULY, WE HAD OUR NINE BY 90. JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW LED WILL TURN 90-YEARS-OLD NEXT YEAR. HOW EXCITING IS THAT? CAN YOU KNOW WHAT'S THAT? >> I'M, NOT AS OLD AS THAT? >> [OVERLAPPING] NOT AS OLD AS MY BILL. I THOUGHT YOU SAID. ALMOST. NO, SO VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR 18 MONTH WORK PLAN AND THE NINE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED AND PRESENTED TO THE LDP AND WAS APPROVED IN JULY. JUST, LIKE YOU ALL KNOW, IN 2026, WE WILL BE CELEBRATING 90 YEARS. AND SO WE'RE LAUNCHING NINE KEY FOCUS AREAS THAT IS THE FIRST PHASE OF OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN. AND I CAN SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH THE BOARD, IF YOU LIKE. BUT THE WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT APPROACH, I CAN'T TELL YOU. I'VE BEEN WORKING AT LED FOR 13 YEARS, AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN THIS ADMINISTRATION BY THE WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT, THE WHOLE OF LOUISIANA APPROACH. IT'S JUST ASTOUNDING. I'M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO. WE'RE GOING TO SUPERCHARGE LOUISIANA'S COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE BY CREATING OUR INTERGOVERNMENTAL PROCESSES THAT INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND SPEED TO MARKET RESULTS. VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. OUR LOUISIANA OPPORTUNITY CAMPAIGN, WHICH THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE LEGISLATURE FOR FUNDING THAT $5,000,000 INVESTMENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE TO ELEVATE THE PERCEPTION OF LOUISIANA'S OPPORTUNITIES TO STRATEGICALLY TO STRATEGIC OUT OF STATE AUDIENCES AND ALL OF LOUISIANA CITIZENS, DRIVE AWARENESS OF AND PRIDE IN OUR STATES POSITIVE TRAJECTORY IN MEANINGFUL PROGRESS. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS THAT THE PEOPLE WITHIN LOUISIANA THINK POORLY OF ITSELVES COMPARED TO THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE LOUISIANA, WHICH IS CRAZY. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THIS OPPORTUNITY CAMPAIGN REALLY HIGHLIGHTS LOUISIANA AND ITS POTENTIAL THAT WE HAVE AND SHOWS THOSE STUDENTS, WHETHER THEY'RE, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, IN THEIR COLLEGE YEARS, WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY HAVE TO STAY AND REMAIN IN OUR STATE. I'M ONE OF THOSE LET LEFT IN 1987, WHENEVER THINGS WERE HAPPENING IN ST. MARY PARISH THAT FORCED MY FAMILY OUT. I DIDN'T COME BACK UNTIL 2012. LET ME TELL YOU, I CAN'T BE MORE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT PATH WE'RE ON THAT MY GRANDCHILDREN NOW, FIVE. WE'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAY AND WORK HERE IN OUR STATE. HAPPY TO SEE THIS OPPORTUNITY CAMPAIGN BE LAUNCHED. LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. WE'RE ALSO ELEVATING THE FOCUS ON LOUISIANA'S EXISTING BUSINESS, SO THAT WE PRIORITIZE SERVICES TO AN INVESTMENT IN COMPANIES ALREADY OPENING IN LOUISIANA. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO INVEST IN LOUISIANA'S LONG GAME BY PRIORITIZING INVESTMENTS THAT DRIVE DIRECT LONG TERM FINANCIAL RETURNS TO THE STATE. WHAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, I'LL GO OFF, IS THAT AGAIN, I CANNOT CONTINUE TO THANK YOU GUYS ENOUGH, BUT WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WITH THE BUILD OUT OUR SITE AND INFRASTRUCTURE FUND, AND THE INVESTMENT THAT THE STATE HAS MADE INTO THIS, THE PLAN ISN'T JUST TO CONTINUE TO TAKE THE MONEY THAT THE LEGISLATURE GIVES US INTO I DO THIS, TO DOLE IT OUT. BUT TO REALLY FORM STRATEGIC PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WHERE THIS INVESTMENT CAN GO INTO SOMETHING, AND THE STATE GETS SOMETHING IN RETURN. JOBS AND INVESTMENT ARE GREAT, AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT THERE'S OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STATE TO ENTER INTO A PARTNERSHIP WHERE OUR INVESTMENT WILL THEN GIVE US SOMETHING IN RETURN. SUPER EXCITED HOW WE ARE GOING TO BUILD THAT FRAMEWORK OUT AND DELIVER SOME MORE RETURNS BACK TO THE STATE FOR THIS HUGE INVESTMENT THAT THEY'VE MADE INTO THAT FUND. EASE OF USE. DEVELOPING CUSTOMER CENTRIC MODELS FOR ALL OF LED'S EXPERIENCE, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH TO DEVELOP AND ENHANCE TECHNOLOGY TO SIMPLIFY ALL OF LED'S USER EXPERIENCES USING AI. WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE, AND SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT AS WELL. THEN WE ALSO CONTINUE. I'LL STILL HAVE SEVERAL MORE. THE WHOLE OF LOUISIANA ENGAGEMENT, IDENTIFY AND ENGAGE KEY PARTNERS TO WORK WITH LED TO MAXIMIZE OUR OUTCOMES. WE HAVE A HUGE INDUSTRY BASE HERE WITH A LOT OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS THAT CAN REALLY HELP US PULL ON THIS ROPE AS WE TRY TO ELEVATE LOUISIANA'S COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. THAT GOES INTO MY NEXT ONE, SURE LOUISIANA'S COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE, BY OPTIMIZING LOUISIANA'S COMPETITIVE POSITION THROUGH FOR SITES, SMART POLICY, AND AGILE RESPONSE. ANOTHER ONE IS TO MAXIMIZE OUR POTENTIAL PROJECT PIPELINE BY CREATING A ROBUST, [01:55:03] AND IMPACTFUL PROJECT PIPELINE TO ESTABLISH A A NATION LEADING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ENGINE FOR LOUISIANA. AND THEN FINALLY, LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION IN AI. WE'RE GOING TO ADVANCE LOUISIANA'S EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES TO SHAPE THE STATE'S FUTURE THROUGH ACCELERATING AI ADOPTION, STRENGTHENING THE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM, AND CATALYZING IDEAS INTO SCALABLE IMPACT. I MEAN, AI THINK PEOPLE ARE FEARFUL OF IT IN SOME WAY, BUT VERY EMBRACING OF IT IN OTHER WAYS. AND THERE'S WAYS THAT YOU CAN USE IT JUST LIKE WHEN THE INTERNET BECAME A THING BACK IN THE DAY. THERE'S THINGS AND WAYS TO UTILIZE IT SO THAT IT BECOMES AN ASSET TO YOU AND NOT A HINDRANCE. WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH THAT AND ENSURE ADOPTION. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR INDUSTRIES ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS INTO THE FUTURE. THOSE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE DEPARTMENT, SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH EACH OF YOU HERE ON THE BOARD AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE LOUISIANA FORWARD. >> THANK YOU, MISS LA. ANY QUESTIONS? I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GET A COPY OF BOTH THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THE LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP HAS DEVELOPED, AS WELL AS A COPY OF THE 990 PLAN, BECAUSE THE THING THAT I LIKE ABOUT THE 990 IS IT'S ACTUALLY STEPS. WE'VE COME FROM A STRATEGIC PLAN DOWN TO THESE ARE THE AREAS, AND THESE ARE THE SPECIFIC THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO IN THE NEXT 18 MONTHS TO GET THIS DONE. AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE ANY GOVERNMENT PUT THOSE ACCOUNTABILITY KPIS, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ON PAPER THAT WE CAN JUDGE THEM BY. IT'S A HUGE MOVE, AND I'M PROUD OF LED FOR MAKING THAT AGGRESSIVE MOVE. >> I CAN SEND IT TO YOU ALL. ESPECT TO TIME. THERE ARE, AS THE CHAIRMAN INDICATED, THERE ARE SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE METRICS THAT WE HAVE TIED TO EACH OF THOSE NINE PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE FOR THE NEXT 18 MONTHS. BUT IT'S JUST A LOT TO GO THROUGH WITH ALL HERE. BUT I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE, AGAIN, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN, ALONG WITH THE NINE BY 90 THAT WAS APPROVED, AND OUR METRICS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED, WE'RE GOING TO OBVIOUSLY HAVE SOME MORE AS WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY. >> JUST TO MAKE A COMMENT, I THINK THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE HAD AN ACTUAL, PLAN IN SINCE THE EARLY 2000S, IS THAT RIGHT? >> THE LAST. >> GOVERNOR FOSTER. >> THAT WE HAD WAS 16 YEARS AGO. >> THERE YOU GO. THIS WAS A MONUMENTAL TASK. I KNOW THAT INVOLVED A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT DOES THAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT, I THINK ENOUGH OR WE DON'T REFERENCE ENOUGH JUST IN THE ETHER IS PREDICTABILITY. A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOOKING AT LOUISIANA, LIKE A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT I'M INVOLVED WITH, TOO, IT'S THAT WE NEED PREDICTABLE REGIMES, UNDERSTANDABLE REGULATION AND SYSTEMS THAT WE CAN MANAGE THE BUSINESS WITHIN. THE MORE PREDICTABLE GOVERNMENT CAN BE, AND THE MORE THAT WE CAN SHOW THE BALL TO BUSINESS AND SAY, LOOK, LOOK, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, MORE BUSINESSES CAN IN TURN PLAN AND THEY CAN DEVELOP THEIR OWN EXPECTATIONS. THAT ALLOWS BUSINESSES TO HAVE MORE TRANSPARENCY. WE CAN GET THE FEDERAL TO BE MORE PREDICTABLE. I THINK WOULD WORK REALLY WELL. BUT, JUST KUDOS TO THE TEAM BECAUSE THIS PLAN CREATES IN MY OPINION, A LOT OF PREDICTABILITY FOR BUSINESS IN A WAY THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD IN LOUISIANA A LONG TIME. THANK YOU FOR THAT. >> ANYTHING ELSE? WITH THAT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. HAVE A MOTION, MR. CALAIS. SECOND FROM MR. NASSER. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. >> AYE. >> WE ARE ADJOURNED. WE WILL SEE YOU IN OCTOBER. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.