Nov 04, 2021 Municipal Development Committee

[00:00:22]

SO I NOW CALL THIS MEETING WITH THE BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO ORDER.

IT IS 4 31.

WE ARE IN BAYTOWN CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.

UH, WE HAVE APPROVAL OF

[a. Consider approving the minutes of the Municipal Development District Special Meeting held on August 25, 2021.]

UH, ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND.

SECOND.

NO MOTION TO SECOND.

ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR ABSTENTIONS? IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE.

AYE.

UH, NEXT WE HAVE OUR

[b. Consider approving the minutes of the Municipal Development District Regular Meeting held on September 2, 2021. ]

I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.

MOTION TO APPROVE.

SECOND, WE HAVE MOTION TO SECOND.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, UM, THE MINUTES AS WRITTEN, PLEASE SAY, AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? ALRIGHT.

WE HAVE PROPOSED

[a. Consider a resolution authorizing a consulting agreement with Carollo Engineers, Inc. to perform construction management and administrative support services for the Hotel and Convention Center Lift Station Project. ]

YES, MA'AM.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

SO THIS IS A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

THIS IS FOR STAFF AUGMENTATION FOR CAPACITY AND EXPERTISE.

SO WE'RE GETTING READY TO START THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LIFT STATION.

THIS LIFT STATION IS GONNA SUPPORT THE HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER AND ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT THAT MAY HAPPEN ON THE ISLAND.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM TWO A.

I SECOND.

SECOND.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, OF WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND.

RIGHT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM TWO A IS PRESENTED.

PLEASE SAY, AYE.

A, A OPPOSED ITEM TWO

[b. Consider a resolution approving the Baytown Municipal Development District's Investment Policy and Strategy Statement in accordance with the Public Fund's Investment Act, Section 2256.005(e) for the addition of an investment officer.]

SECTION 2250 6.005 E FOR THE ADDITION OF AN INVESTMENT OFFICER.

THANK YOU, MR. UH, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS PURELY AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE, ADDING ANOTHER QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL IN MY DEPARTMENT AS THE NAME OF INVESTMENT OFFICER TO OPTIMIZE THAT, UH, IN MY ABSENCE, GIVEN THE STATE OF YOUR CURRENT INVESTMENTS.

IT'S RATHER AOT POINT, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.

OKAY.

I GUESS I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, FOR APPROVAL FOR ITEM TWO B.

MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM TWO B, SECOND.

SECOND.

A MOTION TO SECOND.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.

YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES, SIR.

JUST IN TIME.

BARELY .

SO I, I BELIEVE WE'RE CONSIDERING HIRING SOMEONE TO HELP OUT WITH SOME OF THE CASH MANAGEMENT, THE TREASURY FUNCTIONS FOR THE CITY OVERALL.

IS THAT CORRECT OR NOT? CORRECT.

SO WOULD THIS INDI, WOULD THIS POSITION HELP WITH, WITH, IN THAT REGARD AS FAR AS MDD IS CONCERNED AS WELL? THAT'S CORRECT.

OKAY.

YES.

FANTASTIC.

THANKS SO MUCH.

OKAY.

SO WE DO HAVE A, A MOTION ON THE TABLE.

UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE ITEM MS. PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY, AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED? ALRIGHT.

WE HAVE ITEM THREE A DISCUSS

[a. Discuss internal and outsourced Economic Development Services for FY2022.]

UH, MAYOR, UH, AND BOARD, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO TONIGHT IS, THE REASON I HAVE BRETT GET IT FIRST IS TO, UH, PROVIDE SOME, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT SOME OF THE, AND WE DID THIS LAST TIME.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE THIS PRACTICE, PROVIDE SOME, UH, UH, INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT, UH, AT A COMMUNITY LEVEL.

AND THEN, UH, WE'LL ALSO THEN DISCUSS, UH, THE OFFERINGS OF THE EDF AND, UH, THE CURRENT CONTRACT, AS YOU KNOW, IS, UH, UP FOR CONSIDERATION AGAIN.

AND SO BJ WILL BE PROVIDING SOME INFORMATION ON THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE FORMAT WAS HERE TONIGHT, UNLESS IT WASN'T OBVIOUS.

GO AHEAD.

YES, SIR.

GOOD EVENING BOARD.

I'LL, UH, TRY TO BE AS BRIEF AS I CAN.

WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME UPDATES SINCE, SINCE IT'S BEEN A COUPLE MONTHS SINCE I'VE BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN.

I'LL START OFF WITH THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT AND THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND.

TO DATE, WE'VE GOT ABOUT 20 APPLICATIONS AND PEOPLE THAT I'VE TALKED TO DIRECTLY ABOUT THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT GRANT.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, TO DATE, WE'VE NOT HAD ANYBODY FILL OUT THE APPLICATION AND TURN IT BACK IN.

SO WE ARE STRUGGLING TO HELP PEOPLE TO BETTER THEMSELVES AND BETTER THEIR BUSINESSES.

BUT, UH, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE ANSWER IS AS OF YET ON THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND SIDE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW, UM, HAS BEEN EXPRESSED TO ME THAT YOU WANT ME TO SEE, UH, WANT TO SEE ME GET THAT OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC MORE.

I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING TO GET A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION ON BOARD WITH THAT.

UH, I'M DOWN TO TALKING TO THREE OTHER INSTITUTIONS RIGHT NOW, INCLUDING ONE THAT THANKFULLY BJ HAS SHARED WITH ME.

AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, WE WILL BE, BE ABLE TO BRING A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION

[00:05:01]

THERE'S NO RISK TO A BANK SINCE IT'S OUR MONEY.

UM, ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS SERVICE THE LOAN, MEANING THAT THEY MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE ARE MAKING THE PAYMENTS AND NOTIFYING US, IF NOT.

AND, UH, WE ARE WILLING TO SPLIT THE, THE 4%, UH, 50 50 WITH THEM.

SO THEY CAN MAKE 2% ON THIS.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE GET THE 2% BACK INTO THE LOAN.

UH, AS I SAID, UNFORTUNATELY, DON'T HAVE THAT BANK ON BOARD YET, BUT HOPEFULLY WE WILL, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS DONE BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, I HAD THREE NATIONAL DEVELOPERS IN HERE.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SAN JACINTO BOULEVARD DISTRICT, AS WELL AS SOME OPPORTUNITIES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY.

UM, I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT OUR CON OUR DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN CONTINUING OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

THEY ARE ACTUALLY COMING BACK IN HERE IN A FEW WEEKS, UM, TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT DEEPER OF A DIVE, AND THEN WE'LL PROBABLY WANNA MEET WITH SOME OF YOU GUYS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, TO SIT DOWN AND TALK A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ON HOW WE CAN GET SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT WE WANNA SEE OF SAN JACINTO AND SOME OF THE, THE OPPORTUNITIES, WHETHER THEY'RE COMMERCIAL, RETAIL, RESIDENTIAL, ENTERTAINMENT RELATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT AFRAID TO GO DOWN, UH, TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY, WHICH IS, WE KNOW WE ARE TRYING TO GET THAT, UH, THAT AREA EXPANDED.

SO I'LL KEEP YOU INFORMED OF THAT.

SPEAKING OF SAN JACINTO BOULEVARD, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A FIRM ATTACHED FOR PHASE ONE OF THE ENGINEERING RIGHT NOW FOR THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE EXTENSION OF HUNT ROAD, UH, STARTING TO CREATE THE AMENITY LAKE THAT WILL HAPPEN BACK BEHIND BUCKY'S AND GIVE US THE ABILITY TO REALLY START MARKETING, WHICH I HAVE BEEN THE KIND OF SITTER CITY CENTER AREA, UH, AND THE AMENITY LAKE IN THERE.

UH, PART OF THAT HAS ALSO REENGAGED A CONVERSATION WITH A HIGHER END MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPER WHO HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR ABOUT THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS TO BE IN THAT AREA.

BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH CURRENT PROPERTY OWNERS.

UM, SO WE MIGHT HAVE SOME, SOME OPPORTUNITIES IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, LET'S SAY IN THE NEXT SIX TO NINE MONTHS OR SO ABOUT HAVING A GOOD FORMED DIRECTION AND FILLING OUT THE, UH, LAND PLAN THAT WE CREATED WITH EHRA ABOUT FIVE OR SIX MONTHS AGO.

UH, ADDITIONALLY ON THAT, I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT SERVICES.

THEY'RE STILL A PART OF THIS.

THEY NEED A PARK AND RIDE SCENARIO.

SO THEY ARE, UM, THEY'RE WILLING TO COMMIT SOME FINANCIAL, UH, OBLIGATION TO THIS, WHICH IS NICE.

WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT RIGHT NOW HOW WE CAN MARRY THEM UP WITH THE ENGINEERING COMPANY THAT WE ARE HIRING SO THEY CAN WORK TOGETHER AND, UM, AND WE CAN GET THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES OUT OF HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT, WHICH WILL HELP OFFSET SOME OF OUR COSTS INTO THIS PROCESS.

WE'VE GOT FIVE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPERS STILL WORKING ON PROJECTS WITHIN THE CITY.

UH, I'M GONNA GUESS BETWEEN THE, NO, NOVEMBER 15TH AND THE DECEMBER MEETING, YOU WILL SEE, UH, OR COUNCIL WILL SEE THREE NEW PIDS THAT WILL COME THROUGH.

UM, TWO OF THESE PROJECTS WILL INCLUDE ADDITIONAL ANNEXATION INTO THE CITY.

UH, SOME OF THEM WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL FOR US.

AND, UH, I THINK CONTINUING ON WITH, UH, KNOWN ENTITIES THAT WE LIKE THAT ARE BUILDING IN THE CITY, BUT SOME OF THE KNOWN ENTITIES THAT WE'VE ALSO ENCOURAGED THEM TO START TO LOOK AT THAT HIGHER AND BETTER, UH, PRODUCT, UM, AND PRICE POINT TO, TO, TO HELP US CONTINUE GROWING OUR INVENTORY OF MORE OF THE 300, 300 PLUS HOUSES VERSUS THE TWO 50 TO 2 75.

THAT'S KIND OF THE BASE THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.

SO THAT'LL BE EXCITING.

UH, WE DID COMPLETE AN ANNEXATION RECENTLY FOR A COMMERCIAL PIECE ALONG THOMPSON ROAD, AS YOU GUYS KNOW.

AND NOW WE'RE WORKING THROUGH A LITTLE WATER AND SEWER ITEM WITH THEM TRYING TO GET THEM TO, UH, BE ABLE TO GET IN A POSITION WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GET UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

UH, THEY, THEY DIDN'T PLAN FOR, FOR SOMETHING IN THEIR, IN THEIR BUILD OUT.

SO NOW WE HAVE TO SEE IF WE CAN ASSIST THEM A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SO THEY CAN GET UNDER, UH, CONSTRUCTION, UH, WORKING WITH A FRANCHISE DEVELOPER RIGHT NOW FOR A NICE FRANCHISE THAT WOULD HAPPEN ALONG ALEXANDER.

AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO CAPTURE THIS BUSINESS, IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US AND BE A CATALYST FOR OTHER PROJECTS ALONG ALEXANDER.

I'VE BEEN ON TWO RECRUITMENT TRIPS RECENTLY, A MANUFACTURING CONFERENCE IN CHICAGO, AND I'VE GOT ABOUT FOUR LEADS.

WE'RE STILL FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.

THESE WOULD BE EXPANSION PROJECTS, UM, NOT NECESSARILY RELOCATIONS, BUT COMPANIES OUT OF THE MIDWEST AND ONE'S ACTUALLY IN GERMANY THAT, UH, WOULD BE ONSHORING.

UM, SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO GRAB SOME NEW MANUFACTURING BUSINESS, WHICH WOULD BE NICE.

AND I WAS OUT IN CHICA IN, UH, CALIFORNIA RECENTLY LOOKING AT A TECH BASED INITIATIVE THAT, UH, WE'VE GOT SOME FOLKS THAT ARE LOOKING TO COME IN HERE AND BRING TO OUR CITY THAT WILL BENEFIT THE ENERGY SECTOR.

IT'LL BENEFIT GREEN TECHNOLOGY, UM, HAS A LOT OF PLAY WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY AS WELL, AND LOGISTICS.

SO, UH, VERY UNIQUE.

IT'S WORKING VERY WELL OUT IN CALIFORNIA AND THE AREA IT'S WORKING IN DOES MIRROR A LOT OF WHAT WE OFFER HERE AS FAR AS OUR OPPORTUNITIES.

SO IF WE CAN CAPTURE THAT, IT WOULD BE REALLY, REALLY COOL FOR US AS WELL.

LET'S SEE.

UH, AS YOU KNOW, I STILL CONSISTENTLY WORK WITH RESIDENTS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

[00:10:01]

SO I THINK WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT THAT.

WE STILL HAVE K AND M AT 1 46 AND 10 THAT I STAY IN CONTACT WITH.

THEY ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO GET THEIR PROJECT UP AND GOING.

UH, WE, I DID RECENTLY PUT THEM IN CONTACT WITH A PARTNER THAT COULD HAVE JVD WITH THEM, BUT THE TIMING JUST ISN'T WORKING OUT.

SO I DON'T THINK THE JOINT VENTURE IS GONNA HAPPEN, UH, WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE IT IS ALSO ANOTHER KNOWN ENTITY, UM, DEVELOPER THAT WE LIKE THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE COME INTO THE CITY.

SO WE'LL STILL KEEP THAT IN MIND.

AMERICA SAID, UH, 99 AND 10, UM, THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO MARKET THEIR COMMERCIAL PIECE.

THEY REALIZE THAT IT'S, THE 26 ACRES ON THAT HARD CORNER WILL STILL BE COMMERCIAL, AND WE WILL STILL HAVE, I THINK THE CITY'S THUMBPRINT ON THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT LOOKS AS, UM, AS THE BEST EXAMPLE ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF CITY AS, UH, AS AN ENTRANCE POINT AS WE CAN MAKE IT.

SO WE STILL HAVE THAT TO WORK ON AS WELL.

THE VACANT PROPERTY LIST, KAREN AND BRIAN AND I, I THINK ARE VERY CLOSE TO HAVING THAT DONE.

WE'RE SOMEWHERE DOWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF ABOUT 70 PROPERTIES THAT REMAIN, THAT ARE IN THE CITY'S NAME THAT WE BELIEVE ARE CLEAR AND TITLE.

AND NOW WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN LEGALLY DISSEMINATE WITH THESE PROPERTIES.

WE HAVE SOME IDEAS IN MIND.

I KNOW LEGAL IS JUST DOING SOME FINAL CHECKS ON THEM, AND ONCE THAT IS COMPLETED, THEN WE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SELL THESE PROPERTIES, UH, GET THEM BACK UNDER THE TAX ROLLS, BUT STILL MAINTAIN WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANT TO SEE OUT THERE IN THAT COMMUNITY.

IF THEY'RE RESIDENTIAL, OBVIOUSLY WE WANNA SEE RESIDENTIAL.

IF IT'S COMMERCIAL, WE CERTAINLY WANNA WORK WITH PEOPLE ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE TO CREATE THE RIGHT TYPE OF BUILDING BUSINESS THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS.

AND WE'LL BE MARKETING THOSE THROUGH THE NEW WEB PRESENCE THAT WE'RE GETTING CREATED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THAT WAS SOMETHING WE HAD TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

UM, WE'VE ENGAGED SOMEBODY WHO, WHO'S A PROFESSIONAL, IT'S A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION THAT DOES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO WEB PRESENCES.

SO WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH THEM TO GET THAT MOVE FORWARD.

AND I THINK ON THE INDIVIDUAL SIDE, UH, JUST THIS WEEK, ACE INDUSTRIAL HAS TURNED IN THEIR PLANS FOR THEIR NEW BUILDING AND THEIR BUSINESS ALONG MAIN STREET.

SO THAT'LL BE NICE AND EXCITING.

UH, WE'LL HAVE A NICE NEW DEVELOPMENT DOWN BASICALLY AT THE CORNER MAIN IN WIMER.

AND THAT DOES FALL IN LINE WITH WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET TO HAPPEN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY TO SEE SOME GROWTH.

AND OF COURSE, ACE INDUSTRIAL, UH, STEPPING UP TO DO THAT.

THIS WILL BE PROJECT ONE FOR THEM.

WE DO HAVE PROBABLY TWO MORE BUILDINGS THAT WILL BE BUILT OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS FOR THEM.

THEY HAVE TWO BUSINESSES IN THE HOUSTON MARKET THAT THEY'VE CONSISTENTLY TALKED TO ME ABOUT WANTING TO RELOCATE OUT HERE.

UH, PART OF OUR ASSISTANCE WITH THEM IS FIGURING OUT THE WATER AND SEWER, WHICH IS, UM, UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW WITH THE STUDY THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS WORKING WITH KIMLEY HORN ON TO GIVE US THAT INPUT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY OF WHAT IS GOING TO BE NEEDED, WHERE THAT WILL ALSO HELP US AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF OUR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY AS WELL, WHICH WE STILL HAVE THE DEVELOPERS IMMEDIATELY TO THE WEST OF THE GOLF COURSE WHO ARE GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD WITH A NICE, EXCITING PROJECT.

AND, UM, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS NOW WITH SOMEBODY DOWN AT THE FAR END OF TRI-CITY BEACH ROAD WHO'S LOOKING TO DO A LITTLE 17 ACRE DEVELOPMENT DOWN THAT DIRECTION.

SO ONCE ALL OF THIS ANALYSIS IS DONE, IT'S GONNA TELL US WHAT WE NEED, UH, WHERE WE NEED IT, AND HOW QUICKLY WE CAN GET IT THERE SO WE CAN ASSIST THE DEVELOPERS IN, UH, GETTING THEIR PROJECTS UP AND GOING.

AND I THINK THE LAST THING IS, UM, OUR FRIENDS WHO BUILT FAMILY FIRST ER JUST EAST OF GARTH ROAD, THE REST OF THEIR SIX ACRES, UH, MET WITH THEM RECENTLY.

THEY HAVE NOT FINALIZED, BUT THEY'RE PRETTY CLOSE TO BEING FINALIZED WITH THEIR LAND PLAN.

AND IT DOES INCLUDE A REALLY NICE, UM, FAMILY FRIENDLY, I WILL CALL IT, UH, ENTERTAINMENT ATMOSPHERE, WHICH WE'LL HAVE INDOOR SEATING BAR TYPE OF AREA, AS WELL AS A RATHER LARGE EXTENSIVE OUTDOOR AREA THAT WILL BE VERY ATTRACTIVE FOR FAMILIES.

THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IT BEING PET FRIENDLY, UM, HAVING ACTIVITIES.

UH, ONE OF THEIR PARTNERS IS A FORMER PROFESSIONAL PLAYER WITH THE, UH, HOUSTON SOCCER TEAM.

SO HE'S GOING TO BE COMING OUT HERE AND PUTTING THIS PROJECT FORWARD AND HE KNOWS ALL ABOUT FAMILY AND, AND HOW TO ATTRACT THE KIDS AND THE, AND THE FAMILIES AND TO HAVE A GOOD TIME.

SO I THINK THAT'S EXCITING.

THEY'RE HOPEFUL TO HAVE THEIR PLANS DONE AND BE IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS SOMETIME FIRST QUARTER OF NEXT YEAR SO THEY CAN GET UNDER CONSTRUCTION, UH, BY SPRINGTIME.

AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU AT THIS TIME, BUT I WOULD ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE ARE ANY, ANY QUESTIONS.

I I DO HAVE ONE IF NO ONE ELSE HAS.

ON THE, ON THE, THE, UH, YOU SAID THAT HE HAD RECEIVED 20 APPLICATIONS FOR THE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT LOAN, CORRECT? CORRECT.

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT.

YES, SIR.

SO WITH THAT, I WANNA MAKE SURE THE CRITERIA, MY CONCERN IS WHAT IS THE CRITERIA FOR SOMEBODY

[00:15:01]

IT'S, I MEAN, WE'VE ALLOWED THEM TO DO INTERIOR WORK AS LONG AS IT'S LIFE SAFETY ISSUES.

UM, SOME PLUMBING, ELECTRICAL.

SO WE'VE BEEN PRETTY BROAD IN WHY WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO GET UP TO $20,000.

I THINK THE ISSUE IS PEOPLE JUST AREN'T TAKING THE TIME TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION.

UM, THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST PART.

THE SECOND PART IS IT'S A 50 50 MATCHING GRANT, WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE TO GET APPROVED INTO THE PROGRAM, DO THE WORK, SPEND THE MONEY, TURN THE RECEIPTS, AND THEN WE GIVE THEM THE, UH, THE, THE MATCH BACK.

AND, UH, SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PUT INTO A PARTICULAR PROJECT, BUT WHEN I'VE TALKED TO THEM, I'VE SAID, YOU CAN TAKE IT IN BITE AND SCIENCE PIECES.

SO IF YOU HAVE A $20,000 PROJECT, BUT YOU WANNA DO FIVE OF IT NOW, WE'LL THEN DO FIVE OF IT NOW.

WE'LL PUT YOU INTO THE PROGRAM, LET'S GET SOME, LET'S GET SOME MOMENTUM BEHIND YOU, GET SOME WORK DONE.

YOU CAN DO THE WORK, WE WILL GET YOU REIMBURSED.

I'M GUESSING THAT THAT HAS BEEN THE ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS I JUST HAVEN'T TAKEN THE TIME TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION.

WELL, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE, IT'S AS FLEXIBLE AS POSSIBLE.

OBVIOUSLY WE, THE THE 50 50 MATCH, YOU DON'T WANNA GIVE THEM HALF OF IT AND THEN THEY DON'T DO IT.

MM-HMM .

BUT, BUT IF WE, WE CAN BE CREATIVE SO THAT, SO WE CAN SEE, I, I MEAN, I BELIEVE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITIES, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PROGRAM'S SET UP CORRECTLY.

YES, SIR.

IS THERE ANY WAY WE COULD TAKE THE STIPULATION OFF OF THE INTERIOR WORK JUST BEING HELP LIFE AND SAFETY? W WE CAN, IF, UH, IF, IF IT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT ME TO WRITE UP AND BRING BACK TO YOU GUYS.

UM, THE REASON THAT WE KEPT IT WITH LIFE SAFETY ISSUES WAS WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY WANT TO GO DOWN THE PATH OF HELPING SOMEBODY TO BUILD A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN IN A BUILDING.

IF THEY'RE GONNA BUILD OUT A RESTAURANT, UM, THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE EGREGIOUS USE OF THE MONEY, BUT IT'S, IT'S YOUR MONEY.

I CAN RUN THE PROGRAM HOWEVER YOU WANT ME TO RUN IT, AND IF WE CAN MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL, THEN THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.

YEAH, I, I I'M JUST THINKING THAT THERE MAY BE MORE OPPORTUNITY IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF LIFE, HEALTH AND SAFETY, UM, WE WILL, I KNOW WE WILL PROBABLY GET MORE, UM, INTEREST IN IT AND SOME PEOPLE MAY EVEN DECIDE TO TURN THOSE THINGS IN.

I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY SHOULD CONSIDER.

YES, SIR.

I WOULD JUST KIND OF FOLLOW UP ON THAT TO A LARGE DEGREE AT, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, PERHAPS NOT NOW, BUT IT, IT, IF IT CONTINUES ON WHERE WE HAVE VERY LITTLE TO ZERO INTEREST IN, IN ZERO APPLICANTS, AT SOME POINT IN TIME, YOU WOULD THINK WE WOULD LOOK AT DOWNSCALING OR DOWNSIZING OR, OR TWEAKING THE PROGRAM TO WHERE WE EVENTUALLY WILL GET SOME APPLICANTS.

SO, YOU KNOW, IN A RESTAURANT OR, OR OFFERING INCENTIVES OR HELP TO, TO BUILD OUT A KITCHEN IF IT'S IN A CERTAIN PART OF TOWN.

AND I MEAN, I DON'T VIEW IT AS, AS AN EGREGIOUS USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IF IT'S IN, IN AN AREA OF TOWN THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT NOW AND THAT, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE TRYING TO TARGET.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING WE'RE THERE NOW, BUT YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT IN TIME WE, WE, WE JUST NEED TO CONTINUE CONTINUALLY TWEAK THE FLEXIBILITY TO WHERE WE STRIKE THAT BALANCE TO WHERE WE DO GET A NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS.

SO THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENT.

YEAH, I, I JUST, I MEAN, I KNOW WE WANT TO HAVE A A, A FAIR SCOPE, BUT I DON'T WANT IT TO BE TOO NARROW WHERE WE, WHERE WE CAN'T GET, YOU KNOW, THE INTENTION IS TO GO AND HAVE, HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S WILLING, ONE, IT'S THE 50 50 MATCH, BUT THAT IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE EITHER DO AN EXPANSION OR, OR SOMETHING IN THEIR BUSINESS AND JUST OVERALL IMPROVEMENT.

MM-HMM .

I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WE KEPT THE TWO PROGRAMS, THE WAY WE KEPT THEM WAS WE DID ALLOW, UH, THROUGH THE REVOLVING LOAN FUND, THAT BORROWING OF UP TO 10,000 IS APPLICABLE FOR ANY PURPOSES.

THEY CAN BUY FURNITURE, FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT.

THEY CAN FIX THE LOCATION, THEY CAN BUY SIGNAGE, THEY CAN BUY INVENTORY IF YOU WANT.

WE KEPT THAT PROGRAM TO BE VERY BROAD.

AND THEN WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A NARROW SCOPE ON, UH, THE MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.

UNFORTUNATELY, AS I SAID, WE, I CAN'T GET A BANK, AT LEAST I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET A BANK TO SIGN ON YET TO JUST MANAGE THESE LOANS FOR US.

AND I THINK ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THAT OPENS UP THE DOOR FOR US TO REALLY GET OUT TO SOME OF THESE SMALL BUSINESSES AND HELP THEM TO GET INTO BUSINESS.

ALRIGHT.

I'VE, I'VE GOT A THOUGHT ON THAT ALSO.

IF, IF A SMALL BUSINESS IS TRYING TO EXPAND AND THEY QUALIFY FOR THIS GRANT AND THEY FIND OUT THEY HAVE TO SPEND THEIR 20001ST BEFORE THEY GET REIMBURSED, THAT COULD BE A, A SHOWSTOPPER FOR A LOT OF SMALL BUSINESSES ALSO.

THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE 20 K IN THEIR CHECKBOOK TO DO THAT, AND THAT'S WHY WE

[00:20:01]

WE MAY DECIDE WE WANT TO ADJUST THAT IN THE FUTURE ALSO TO GET, MAKE THAT AVAILABLE EASIER FOR 'EM, EASIER MONEY.

OKAY.

ANYBODY ELSE? UM, SO IF NOT, WE DO HAVE ONE ASSISTANT DESIGN THAT, UM, DID SIGN UP TO SPEAK.

UH, MR. ISAAC? GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR REELECT.

HOW YOU DOING? MR. ISAAC? THE MDD UH, COUNSEL HERE? UH, WE JUST HEARD A, A GREAT REPORT FROM MR. BRETT ABOUT THE, UH, THE DEVELOPMENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE ECONOMIC DEPARTMENT.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES IS, UH, THE GRANT THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY.

IF 20 PEOPLE APPLIED AND ZERO OF THEM HAVE PASSED, WHEN A LOT OF US IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS TO BE AVAILABLE FOR US, THEN WE PROBABLY SHOULD CONSIDER CHANGING THE CRITERIA.

AND PROBABLY SOON.

A LOT OF BUSINESSES ARE SUFFERING.

A LOT OF BUSINESSES ON TEXAS AVENUE ARE SUFFERING.

A LOT OF BUSINESSES ARE TRYING TO OPEN UP AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF RED TAPE.

THE BEST WAY THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO START A BUSINESS IS TO, UH, HAVE THE CITY HELP THEM BECOME PART OF THE PROCESS.

AND SO THAT MIGHT BE FROM THE VERY FIRST STEP FROM WHEN THEY SIGN UP, UH, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO WHEN THEY GET THE, THE MONEY THAT'S MATCHED OR GRANTED TO 'EM.

WE HEARD, UH, MR. GERALDS MADE A VERY GOOD POINT ABOUT, UH, UH, ABOUT, UH, PEOPLE, IT BEING A SHOWSTOPPER FOR $20,000 IN ONE'S POCKET TO BE ABLE TO MATCH THAT.

SO WE HAVE TO THINK IN TERMS OF THESE SMALL BUSINESSES.

AGAIN, THERE'S ANOTHER CRITERIA ABOUT, UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, TALK TO BRETT LATER ABOUT THIS.

ONE OF THE CRITERIA IS BEING A BRICK AND MORTAR INSTITUTION, A LOT OF PEOPLE RUN THEIR BUSINESSES FROM HOME.

I STARTED MY COMPANY AND MY GRANDMA'S GARAGE AND TOOK IT ABROAD.

AND SO WE GOTTA CONSIDER, UH, THE DIFFERENT STIPULATIONS, UH, OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE TRYING TO START HERE.

MAYBE WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO SURVEY SOME OF THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES AND LOOK INTO OUR, UH, UH, AREAS THAT WE'RE REPRESENTING AND, YOU KNOW, FOCUS MORE ON, YOU KNOW, THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT, YOU KNOW, DON'T HAVE THOSE SHOWSTOPPER BUCKS.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

ARE YOU DONE? THAT'S ALL I GOT.

THANK YOU.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS SINCE ITEM ONLY FOR DISCUSSION, WE'LL GO ON TO ITEM FOUR

[a. Receive and discuss the Economic Development Foundation's Fourth Quarter Report. ]

MR. SIMON, I'M ASSUMING, UH, GOOD EVENING.

ARE WE GONNA GO OVER THE CONTRACT? YEAH, WE'RE GONNA COVER BOTH OF THOSE IF YOU CAN PLEASE THE OUTSOURCED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THEN YOU JUST OH, OKAY.

AND THEN, UH, TALK ABOUT THE REPORT.

A GOOD AFTERNOON.

THE PRESIDENT DIRECTORS, I THINK, DID YOU HAVE COPIES OF OUR TWO CURRENT CONTRACTS OR DO YOU, UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.

WELL, WE DON'T HAVE, UNLESS IT'S IN OUR PACKET HERE.

NO, I DON'T.

IT WASN'T ATTACHED.

NO, I LOOK, THEY HAVE THE, UH, GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SERVICES FOR BOTH CONTRACTS IN THEIR PREFACE.

VERY GOOD.

WELL, UM, THERE WE HAVE, UM, LONGSTANDING TWO CONTRACTS, A BASIC SERVICES CONTRACT AND A SPECIAL SERVICES CONTRACT.

AND I THINK THE INTENT TODAY WAS TO ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS OR INPUT FROM, UH, MDD AS TO OUR CURRENT SERVICES AND ANY CHANGES THAT WOULD BE MADE TO THE CONTRACT, UH, IF IN FACT IT WAS PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL, UM, MAKE SOME MODIFICATIONS AT THAT POINT.

OUR, UM, BASIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT, IT'S FAIRLY GENERAL, IF YOU WILL.

IT'S BEEN LONGSTANDING.

WE MADE SOME CHANGES LAST, UH, YEAR, UH, TO COMPLIMENT THE CHANGE IN STAFFING AND, AND DIRECTION THAT CITY HAD TAKEN BY BRINGING IN AN INTERNAL RESOURCE.

AND SO SOME OF THE VERBIAGE THAT'S NOTED IN, UH, THE BASIC SERVICES CONTRACT WILL, UM, ALLUDE TO COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES AND WORKING WITH, IN CONCERT WITH, UH, CITY STAFF.

UM, AND THEN SOME, UH, POTENTIAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, UH, SPECIFIC SERVICES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLIC POLICY AND, AND THE LIKE.

UM, BUT SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE THE CONTRACT IN FRONT OF YOU , IT'S KIND OF VAGUE TO ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THAT.

BUT, UH, I GUESS THE PRIMARY QUESTION WOULD BE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT, UM, ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED BY, UH, THE FOUNDATION SO THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE THOSE PARTICULAR CHANGES FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE CONTRACT RENEWAL? WELL, I'LL SAY, ALTHOUGH THE CONTRACT'S SIGNED IN FRONT OF YOU, I KNOW ON THE THREE A IN THE PACKET AT LEAST IT DOES, IT DOES BREAK DOWN THE ANNUAL CONTRACT AND THEN THE SPECIAL SERVICES CONTRACT, AND IT SHOWS A BULLETED, I GUESS YOU'D SAY SERVICE, SERVICE LINE ITEM.

MM-HMM .

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE YOU AT LEAST HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU.

OKAY.

IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? YES, SIR.

I DO.

I DO WANT TO COMMENT ON SOMETHING.

I, AND YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH BGA FOR, FOR A WHILE NOW, AND, UH, UH, JUST ABSOLUTELY VIEW HIS, HIS ASSISTANCE TO US AS BEING ESSENTIAL, ESPECIALLY AS WE,

[00:25:01]

WE COMPETE ON A GLOBAL BASIS.

WE JUST LEARNED OF A, OF A COMPETITION WE'RE ENTERING IN RIGHT NOW WITH A, UH, SOME CITIES IN GERMANY AND SHANGHAI AND, AND OTHERS.

I MEAN, WE, WE HONESTLY DANCE ON A GLOBAL STAGE AND, UH, IT WOULD BE QUITE IMPOSSIBLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT, UM, WITH BJ'S, WITHOUT BJ'S EXPERTISE, ESPECIALLY IN THE, THE, UH, INDUSTRIAL, UH, ARENA.

SO, JUST WANNA SAY HOW, UH, HOW BENEFICIAL IT'S BEEN TO OUR STAFF TO HAVE HIM, ESPECIALLY ALSO ON THE IDA NEGOTIATION SIDE.

AND, UM, JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT UP AND GRATEFUL FOR HIS CONTINUED WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH US.

THANK YOU, RICK.

JUST BY WAY, I MEAN, MY DAY STARTED THIS MORNING AT THREE 30, PREPARING FOR A FOUR O'CLOCK ZOOM CONFERENCE WITH THE ENTITY IN GERMANY, TO MAKE A 10 O'CLOCK MEETING.

SO THAT'S JUST BEEN ONE OF THOSE DAYS, .

OH, WOW.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

ANY TIME.

I MEAN, SO IS THIS TWO SEPARATE ITEMS? IF, IF WE HAVE QUESTIONS RELATED TO INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL, NOW'S THE TIME TO ASK IT, NOW'S THE TIME AS OPPOSED TO WAITING UNTIL AFTER THE REPORT.

I, I THINK SO WE, THERE'S SOME, UH, CHANGES THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.

UH, OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, UH, MET A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, PARTICULARLY WITH RESPECT TO THE SPECIAL SERVICES CONTRACT.

THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE SPECIFICITY IS DESIGNED.

IF YOU HAVE THOSE ELEMENTS THAT ARE SET FORTH, UM, THE, UH, THERE ARE SOME ITEMS IN OUR CURRENT CONTRACT, UH, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE RELEVANT.

UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UH, SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED OVER SEVERAL YEARS, GOING BACK SEVERAL YEARS, 2008, 2015, THE HOTEL AND CONFERENCE CENTER PROJECT, YOU KNOW, THAT PROJECT NOW IS MOVING FORWARD.

AND, AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE ELIMINATED, UH, UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIFIC, UH, ITEM OR SERVICE THAT YOU THINK THE FOUNDATION COULD PROVIDE THE VALUE TO.

UH, THE STRATEGIC ECONOMIC VITALITY PROGRAM, WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN 2017 HAS BEEN CLOSED OUT.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH AND SCORED, UM, USING A SCALE OF ONE TO FIVE, ALL THE TARGET AREAS AND ACTIVITIES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE ECONOMIC VITALITY PROGRAM.

UH, THE AGGREGATE SCORE WAS 3.75.

THERE WERE THREE AREAS OF, UM, THAT NEEDED FOLLOW UP, UH, THAT HAD TO DO WITH, UH, UH, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, WHICH IS AN EFFORT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO ENGENDER WORKING IN CONCERT WITH THE UNITED WAY AND HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION, WHICH HAVE NOW BEEN ADDRESSED.

UH, MOST RECENTLY THEY ANNOUNCED A PILOT THAT'S BEING UNDERTAKEN BY TDOT AND OTHERS.

AND SO THE FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED SUPPORT IN THAT REGARD.

UM, SO THE SE AND WE INTEND TO UPDATE THAT AT SOME POINT, BUT IT WOULD BE IN CONCERT, UH, WITH THE CITY SUBSEQUENT TO THE, UH, FINALIZATION OF THE IMAGINE BAYTOWN INITIATIVE AND THE LIKE, AND THE COP PLAN, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE COMPLETED SOON.

UM, ONE AREA THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IS, IS ALWAYS, UH, ONGOING IS PHASE THREE RESEARCH.

OUR ORGANIZATION HAS BENEFITED FROM MD D'S WILLINGNESS AND, AND PRUDENCE TO FUND, UH, ECONOMIC RESEARCH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RESEARCH, HOUSING RESEARCH AND THE LIKE.

AND SO THE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS THAT WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO THAT CATEGORY, WE WOULD WANT TO EXPAND.

THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITIES, UH, TO EXPAND OUR ANALYTICS PLATFORMS, UH, TO COMPLEMENT WHAT THE CITY WANTS TO DO, UH, VIS-A-VIS RETAIL, UH, RECRUITMENT, AND THEN RECRUITMENT IN GENERAL.

UM, IF YOU MAY RECALL AT THE, THE ADVENT OF THE, UM, PETROCHEMICAL EXPANSIONS, THE FOUNDATION WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND LEE COLLEGE TO SPONSOR, UH, SYMPOSIA INDUSTRIAL SYMPOSIA.

AND 20 12 20 14, 2016.

WE INTEND TO DO THAT AGAIN IN 2022.

I THINK.

UM, UH, THE, UM, COVID PANDEMIC HAS, HAS, UH, REALLY, UH, ATTENUATED THE FOCUS ON, UH, CERTAIN AREAS THAT HAVE BENEFITED OUR SERVICE AREA.

WE HAVE BEEN SOCIALIZING THE CONCEPT OF, UH, METRO EAST SINCE 2019.

AND, UH, THE IDEA THAT, UH, PRECINCT TWO IN HARRIS COUNTY AND PRECINCT THREE AND FOUR IN CHAMBERS COUNTY ARE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC DRIVERS.

UH, THAT IN COMBINATION WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING, UH, VIS-A-VIS THE PORT, UH, CEDAR PORT INDUSTRIAL PARK, THE GRAND PARKWAY, AND THE COMPLETION OF THAT, REALLY WANNA FOCUS ON THAT.

BUT WITHIN THAT CONTEXT, UM, I THINK THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO PROJECTS THAT, UH, HAVE BEEN OR WILL BE GOING FORWARD FOR FISCAL YEAR 21, 22, OVER $3 BILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND, AND MORE TO COME.

AND SO IT HASN'T SLOWED, UM, TO THE DEGREE THAT EVERYBODY ANTICIPATED AND, AND THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF NEW INDUSTRIES OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY ASSOCIATED WITH PLASTICS, THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY, THE ESG, ALL THESE FOCUSES WITH RESPECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THAT OUR MAINSTAY INDUSTRIES ARE, ARE INVOLVED IN.

UH, WE HAVE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT.

SO WE, WE WANT TO READDRESS THAT TOO, AND WOULD HOPE THAT THE CITY WOULD PROVIDE SOME DISCRETIONARY FUNDING IN THAT REGARD.

AND THEN, UM, MARKETING IN GENERAL, UH, WANT TO COMPLIMENT WHATEVER THE CITY IS DOING, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH RESPECT TO MARKETING AND, UM, RECRUITMENT AND OUTREACH.

SO THAT'S SORT OF A, A THUMBNAIL SKETCH IN THE SPECIAL SERVICES

[00:30:01]

AND SOME PROPOSED CHANGES THAT WE INTEND TO MAKE DELETIONS OR ANY ADDITIONS THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE.

OKAY.

ANY, ANY COMMENTS? I GUESS I JUST HAVE A COMMENT, ONE OR TWO, AND I'LL TRY TO BE VERY BRIEF ACTUALLY.

SO I HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE EDFS WEBSITE IN QUITE A WHILE.

SO ACTUALLY PERUSED IT 30, 45 MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING HERE, SINCE I SAW THIS ON THE AGENDA AND I NOTICED IT, IT'S BEEN UPDATED, UH, QUITE A BIT FROM LAST TIME I'VE BEEN ON THERE.

NOW, I HAVEN'T BEEN ON THERE IN QUITE SOME TIME, SO I'M NOT SURE WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT TOOK PLACE.

BUT IT, IT LOOKS VERY, UH, VERY PRODUCTIVE AND, AND IT'S BEEN MODERNIZED YES, TO, TO, TO SAY THE LEAST.

AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF TABS THAT, THAT I WAS IMPRESSED TO SEE ON THERE, WHETHER IT WAS THE AVAILABLE SITES AND AVAILABLE BUILDINGS LINK, UH, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TAB, AND IT, IT GOT INTO SOME OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE, THE RIZ AND, UH, SOME OF THOSE THINGS WERE NICE TO SEE.

I SAW THE OPPORTUNITIES ZONE TAB, WHICH, YOU KNOW, AS OF DECEMBER 31ST OF THIS YEAR, A COUPLE OF THOSE PRIMARY BENEFITS WILL GO AWAY.

YES.

SO I WISH WE POSSIBLY COULD HAVE HAD SOME OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS EARLIER WHEN IT WAS PASSED IN 2017.

HOWEVER, WE, WE ALL MADE, MADE A LITTLE, UH, YOU KNOW, I WISH I WOULD'VE HAD SOME MORE DISCUSSIONS ON THAT BECAUSE THERE, THERE WERE SOME, THERE ARE SOME ADVANTAGES TO, TO THOSE SORTS OF PROGRAMS AS FAR AS THE BIG PICTURE GOES.

YOU KNOW, I, MY THOUGHT ON INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL, I, THERE'S CERTAIN EXAMPLES, LIKE ONE OF THE MOST RECENT EXAMPLES THAT I CAN THINK OF IS THE MALL PROJECT.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS RESPECTED BJ'S OPINION NUMBER ONE BECAUSE IT'S PROFESSIONAL AND IT'S ROOTED IN THE FACTS.

AND NUMBER TWO, IT'S NONPOLITICAL.

AND, YOU KNOW, I PICK UP THE PHONE AND I CALL BJ FROM TIME TO TIME TO GET HIS PROFESSIONAL NONPOLITICAL OPINION.

AND IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE TO HAVE.

AND, AND I FIND IT VERY, VERY HELPFUL.

SO, YOU KNOW, I NOTICED THAT EDF WASN'T AS INVOLVED HERE RECENTLY IN THE MALL PROJECT AS THEY WERE IN THE HOTEL CONFERENCE CENTER.

AND MAYBE THAT WAS DUE TO SOME OF THE REALIGNMENT, BUT I, I FOUND THEIR INVOLVEMENT VERY, VERY PRODUCTIVE AND, AND, AND VERY HELPFUL.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S A SELFISH ASPECT OF ME.

'CAUSE I ALSO CLICKED ON THE PARTNERS TAB AND I SAW THE CITY OF ANAAC AND THE CITY OF WINNIE AS WELL.

AND, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST BEGRUDGINGLY I HATE TO SHARE BJ WITH OTHER CITIES AND NO, AND I, I WISH THERE WAS A WAY WE COULD HAVE HIM ALL TO OURSELVES, SO TO SPEAK.

BUT, SO LIKE I SAY, I, I, I SEE SOME OF THE, THE TWEAKS AND, UH, AND, AND, AND I, I, I, I THINK OVERALL IT'S BEEN A VERY POSITIVE CHANGE.

AND, AND, AND BJ'S WEIGHED IN ON SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT, THAT THIS BODY HAS PUT IN PLACE AND THEY DID NOT EXIST HERE TO FORE.

AND WHETHER IT'S THE GRANT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, THE REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAMS, THINGS NEED TO BE TWEAKED CONSTANTLY.

THAT'S PART OF LIFE.

BUT WE HAVE THOSE PROGRAMS IN PLACE NOW, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO TWEAK 'EM AS BEST WE CAN TO WHERE WE DO HAVE A, A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF APPLICANTS.

SO, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST HAVE ONLY GOOD THINGS TO SAY AS FAR AS BJ'S CONCERNED, AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK SO FAR.

WELL, THANK YOU.

IT'S JUST, UH, THE FOUNDATION IS, UH, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF, OF THAT, UH, INPUT.

I, I JUST WANNA SHARE OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

THIS IS, UH, THE CITY HAS TRIED, MDD HAS TRIED A REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM IN THE PAST, AND THE SAME PHENOMENON PRESENTED AT THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, AND MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS REQUESTS, VERY FEW APPLICATIONS FILLED.

AND, UH, I GUESS ANOTHER ANALOG WOULD BE, UH, AFTER EACH, UM, HURRICANE OR EVENT THAT IMPACTED SMALL BUSINESSES WHERE YOU HAD AN SBA AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING, BE IT HURRICANE IKE OR OTHERS.

UM, THE CAPACITY OF SMALL BUSINESSES TO RESPOND AND APPLY IS VERY LIMITED.

SO THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ASPECT OF THAT IS WHAT'S NEEDED TO HELP SHEPHERD TO MOVE FOLKS THROUGH.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, RIGHT SIZING THE CRITERIA WOULD BE PROBABLY THE NEXT STEP TO GET PEOPLE TO MOVE FORWARD.

'CAUSE IF YOU WERE TO, OR WHOMEVER WOULD GO TO OUTREACH, THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES, WHY HAVEN'T YOU APPLIED? WHAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S TIME, UM, THE LACK OF, UH, BOOKKEEPING AND ACCOUNTING AND LIKE, AND SO, UM, WE TRIED TO MITIGATE, YOU KNOW, THAT NON-RESPONSIVENESS BY WORKING WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT THE TIME.

STEVE MCCORD AT THAT, THAT POINT.

AND STEVE WAS ABLE TO HELP A FEW PEOPLE.

BUT, UM, IF YOU ASK FOR THREE YEARS OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND, AND PEOPLE DON'T HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, THESE SORTS OF ELEMENTS THAT MAKE APPLYING FOR LOANS, ANY SORT OF LOAN, UH, WE SEE THIS, WE HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE WITH THE GULF COAST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.

WE HAD A, A $1.5 MILLION EDA, UH, GRANT TO FUND AN RLP OR REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM.

AND, UH, IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT UNTIL THEY HIRED A, UH, SUBCONTRACTOR TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO GO OUT, KNOCK ON DOORS, LEMME SEE WHAT YOU HAVE, AND DO THAT SORT OF HANDS-ON WORK.

SO ASSIST OF FOR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

THANK YOU.

YES, MA'AM.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION, MAYOR.

OKAY.

UM, AND I AGREE

[00:35:01]

AND, UM, I, I THINK YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THAT, UM, DEFINITELY, UM, PUSHED US TO THE MARK THAT WE NEEDED TO BE.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

BUT I FEEL THAT OUR WORK ISN'T DONE, EVEN THOUGH THE PROJECT ITSELF IS COMPLETE, WE STILL HAVE A LOT TO DO IN TERMS OF AMENITIES AND BUILDING THE AREA UP TO WHERE HOTEL OCCUPANTS AND THOSE THAT WORK AT THE HOTEL CAN GO BY.

AND WHETHER IT'S SHOP OR PLAY OR WHATEVER IT IS, SOMETHING THAT'S CLOSE TO THE HOTEL.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH BRETT OR WHOSE WHEELHOUSE THAT IS TO ENSURE THAT THE AREA AROUND THE HOTEL, UM, AMENITIES ARE REALLY DEVELOPED.

SO I, I'M WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW AND, UH, ADDRESSING THAT.

WE'RE, WE HAVE SOME ONGOING DISCUSSIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH PARKS AND, AND TRYING TO GET SOME AMENITIES.

AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN UNFORTUNATE OR FORTUNATE, WHICHEVER YOU CONSIDER TO POP INTO MY OFFICE SOMETIMES, UH, HAVE, HAVE MAYBE SEEN A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THERE.

AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE WITH ALL YOU.

THEY'RE JUST A LITTLE DOEY IN THE CENTER RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUR WAY FORWARD.

BUT WE HAVE SOME EXCITING THINGS THAT, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, TO BRING TO THE EYE.

WE ABSOLUTELY AGREE THAT YOU CAN'T JUST GO THERE TO THE CONFERENCE CENTER AND HOTEL AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO.

SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'LL HAVE MORE TO SHARE WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE.

ABSOLUTELY.

OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

BJ, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THIS? I'M SORRY, IS THERE ANY MORE, I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE SOME, BECAUSE THAT WAS, THAT WAS JUST ON THE SERVICES AGREEMENT.

ON THE SERVICES AGREEMENT.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE WE, ARE WE DONE WITH THAT? SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO, TO, I GUESS FOUR A, WHICH WOULD BE YOUR, YOU ALREADY DID YOUR REPORT, CORRECT? YES, YES.

THANK YOU.

UM, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, THIS IS, UH, THIS REPORT IS FOR PERIOD JULY ONE THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH.

UM, I'LL JUST COLLAPSE THE HIGH POINTS.

UM, IF YOU HAVE COPIES OF IT OR IT IS ONE OF THE MORE ACTIVE QUARTERS.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD QUITE SOME TIME.

WE RESPONDED TO 107 DOCUMENTED, UH, REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION AND THE LIKE, AND HOSTED A NUMBER OF SITE VISITS THAT ARE CITED THERE.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, UH, PETROCHEMICALS CONTINUES TO BE, UH, AN AREA OF INTEREST.

THESE ARE, UH, MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THESE ARE FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT PROJECTS.

UH, GERMANY, POLAND, UM, ISRAEL , SOUTH KOREA, AND JUST, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE WANTING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PETROCHEMICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S ALREADY HERE.

UM, TWO OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE CITED THERE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE MAKING THE, UH, PROJECT EL CITRA, WHICH IS ARTICLE SPELLED BACKWARDS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE ARTICLE FURNITURE COMPANY.

IT'S AN E-COMMERCE PROVIDER FURNITURE.

THEY'RE GONNA BE BUILDING A FACILITY OVER IN CEDAR PORT.

UH, AND THEN PROJECT FUTON IS VEA, IT'S ANOTHER FURNITURE PROVIDED.

THEY INTEND TO BUILD 1,000,002 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY IN AMPORT, UH, BUSINESS PARK.

SO THOSE ARE SCHEDULED TO CLOSE IN DECEMBER.

SO LOGISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION AND E-COMMERCE IS EMERGED IN A SIGNIFICANT WAY, UH, IN OUR SERVICE AREA, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH.

UM, AND THEN ALSO PHENOMENON ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, UH, COVID AND, AND PEOPLE REALIGNING THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS.

UM, PROJECT UPDATES THAT ARE CITED RIGHT THERE.

WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE CITY AND MAKE REFERRALS, UH, VIS-A-VIS, UH, RETAIL.

UM, OUR INCUBATOR WITHOUT WALLS CONTINUES.

WE MADE A TRANSITION WITH, UH, BRUNSON ENTREPRENEUR CENTER THAT IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE CITY, UH, AND OPERATING, UH, THERE.

AND WE NEED TO GET SOME FUNDS OVER TO VICTOR , YOU KNOW, FIRST 'CAUSE THERE WERE SOME FUNDS AND REVENUES GENERATED AS PART OF THAT PROJECT.

AND, AND HOPE TO SUPPORT WHATEVER PROGRAMMING EMERGES.

YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT THE SCHEDULING AND SECURITY AND, AND THE LIKE, AND ACCESS IS ALL MANAGED BY THE CITY, YOU CAN BE A BIT MORE PREDICTABLE WITH RESPECT TO PROVIDING SUPPORT, UH, TO THAT PROJECT.

UH, THE BRE REDEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE CITED THERE CONTINUES.

UM, A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS WITH, UH, THE ENTITIES THAT ARE CITED ON PAGE TWO.

INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION CONTINUES, UH, TO BE AN AREA OF FOCUS.