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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes Corpus Christi Business And Job Development Corporation (Type A) - 11/29/2010 - SpecialMINUTES CORPUS CHRISTI BUSINESS AND JOB DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (TYPE A} SPECIAL MEETING CITY HALL -COUNCIL CHAMBERS NOVEMBER 29, 2010 - 3:00 P.M. PRESENT: Members: Eloy Salazar, President Brad Lomax, Vice President Foster Edwards Adolfo {Butch) Escobedo Robert Tamez Staff: T Angel R. Escobar, Executive Director Armando Chapa, Secretary Jay Reining, Assistant City Attorney Cindy O'Brien, Interim Asst. City Manager Margie Rose, Assistant City Manager Emily Martinez, Economic Development A. Called meetin to order -President Salazar called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. B. Rol[ Call - President Salazar verified that the necessary quorum of the Board were present to conduct the meeting. Closed meeting under §551.087 of the Texas Government Code to discuss or deliberate regarding commercial or financial information pertaining to Project Boats that the Board has received from or to deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to, a business prospect that the Board seeks to have locate, stav. or expand in or near the city and with which the Corporation is conducting economic development negotiations, with possible discussion and action in open session. President Salazar announced the closed session. The Corporation went into closed session. The Corporation returned from closed session. President Salazar stated that he owned property in close proximity to the area and requested a legal opinion regarding a conflict of interest. Assistant City Attorney Reining clarified that President Salazar did not have a conflict of interest. Mr. Tamez made a motion authorizing a grant of up to $300,000 to Majek Boats for the retention of 24 existing jobs and 26 new jobs over afive-year period at an average salary of $24,300 for public improvements to Suluki Drive and capital improvements of $1,050,000 to construct a new 10,500 square-foot facility by Majek Boats, seconded by Mr. Escobedo and passed. 2. Motion authorizing the grant of $1.5 million to TAMU-CC for the expansion, renovation, and fully equipping research laboratories that will enable TAMU-CC to double its research capacity over the next five years ...with a total of 12 _new research faculty, 24 graduate students, 12 undergraduate students, and five technicians, conditioned upon TAMU-CC receiving ~ $1.5 million dollar match from the Texas Research Development Fund. -Emily Martinez, Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation {EDC), introduced Dr. Trent Hill and Dr. Luis Sifuentes with TAMU-CC. Dr. Hill explained that in the 2009, the Texas Legislature passed a bill designating universities as emerging research universities in the state of Texas. Dr. Hill added that in~~~x~~ Type A Meeting November 29, 2010 -Page 2 TAMU-CC has been challenged to be recognized as an emerging research university and double its annual grant research expenditures by 2015. Dr. Hill reported that the request is to build laboratory capacity and overall program at the university and the funding will enable TAMU-CC to compete for research intensive facility and lead to business opportunities in technology and geospatial research. Dr. Sifuentes stated that the funding is critical to hire star research facility in order for Corpus Ghristi to be competitive as an emerging research institution. Dr. Sifuentes provided an overview of the potential new hires over the next five years. The fallowing topics pertaining to this item were discussed: the matching grant firom the Texas Research Development Fund; if TAMU-CC has other funding options; whether the request for funding could be reduced; structuring the compliance for the contract; estimated potential funds that the researchers could bring in; the economic impact and the return and payback an tax revenues for the City; the amount of funding needed for one researcher; and the number of potential new hires. Mr. Edwards made a motion authorizing the grant of $1. 5 million to TAMU-CC. The motion failed for lack of second. A brief discussion ensued regarding the funds available. Mr. Tamez made a motion authorizing the grant of $1 million to TAMU-CC for the expansion, renovation, and fully equipping research laboratories that will enable TAMU-CC to .double its research capacity aver the next five years, seconded by Mr. Lomax and passed as amended. 3. Motion authorizing the grant of $535,500 to the Coastal Bend Alcohol and Drua Rehabilitation Center, Inc. (Charlie's Place) for an intensive iob education and training program tha# will service at least 70 clients per vear over a three year period, and to provide job counseling assistance to aver 400 additional clients over the same three vear period. -Emily Martinez, EDC, introduced Amy Granberry and Larry Churn with Charlie's Place and provided letters from businesses supporting Char[ie's Place. Mr. Lomax announced that he was a board member of Charlie's Place and would abstain from the discussion and vote on this item. Ms. Granberry explained that the program will serve 70 clients per year at a cost of $2,400 per person for a total request of $504,000 over a 3 year period. Ms. Granberry stated that the costs include housing, education training, and the staff person required to implement the program. The following topics pertaining to this item were discussed: whether the companies expressing support are already in the program; the cost per person; the outcomes to measure the success of the program and reporting; other sources of funding; Charlie's Place total budget; if clients have increased over the years; the number of clients in the program; the funding amount per year; and reducing the term of the contract to two years. Mr. Escobeda made a motion authorizing the grant of $336,000 to the Coastal Bend Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Center, Inc. (Charlie's Place) for an intensive job education and training program that will service at least 70 clients per year over a two year period, seconded by Mr. Edwards and passed as amended (Lomax abstained). Type A Meeting November 29, 2D~ 0 -Page 3 G. Public Comment: -None. H. Adjournment: There being no other business to come before the board, President Salazar adjourned the meeting at 4:46 p.m.