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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1990.07.11_OEDA MinutesOWASSO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING JULY 11, 1990 ( O.E.D.A. CONFERENCE ROOM, 315 S. CEDAR, 12:00 NOON 1. CALL TO ORDER Alan Anderson called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Alan Anderson Brenda Lawrence Frank Enzbrenner Tom Kimball Patricia Marlar Bill Retherford in at 12:40 p.m. Absent: Mark Thompson Sherry Lambert Staff Present: Richard Hall Janice Fields 3. CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR JUNE 13, 1990 MEETING. Tom Kimball made a motion to approve the minutes of the regular June 13, 1990 meeting. Patricia Marlar seconded the motion. Aye: 5 Nay: 0 Carried: 5 -0 4. CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL JUNE 27, 1990 MEETING. Patricia Marlar made a motion to approve the minutes of the special June 27, 1990 meeting. Frank Enzbrenner seconded the motion. Aye: 5 Nay: 0 Carried: 5 -0 5. CONSIDERATION TO APPROVE WARRANTS. Frank Enzbrenner made a motion to approve warrants in the amount of $349.17. Patricia Marlar seconded the motion. Aye: 5 Nay: 0 Carried: 5 -0 6. FINANCIAL REPORT - SHERRY LAMBERT 7. REQUEST TO ELECT O.E.D.A. CHAIRMAN Tom Kimball made a motion to elect Brenda Lawrence as O.E.D.A. Chairman. Bill Retherford seconded the motion. Aye: 6 Nay: 0 Carried: 6 -0 f Patricia Marlar made a motion to close nominations by acclamation. Bill Retherford seconded the motion. Aye: 6 Nay: 0 Carried: 6 -0 O.E.D.A. MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING 6/13/90 PAGE 2 8. REQUEST TO ELECT O.E.D.A. VICE CHAIRMAN Alan Anderson made a motion to elect Frank Enzbrenner as O.E.D.A. Vice Chairman. Bill Retherford seconded the motion. Aye: 6 Nay: 0 Carried: 6 -0 Patricia Marlar made a motion to close nominations by acclamation. Alan Anderson seconded the motion. Aye: 6 Nay: 0 Carried: 6 -0 9. CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL OF FY 1991 PROPOSED BUDGET Tom Kimball made a motion to approve the Fy 1991 Proposed Budge . Alan Anderson seconded the motion. W. f+h no quPi be.; ,.9 made w),}howt 0£DArpfroLq► Aye: 6 Nay: 0 Carried: 6 -0 aptrPc4ed S/8l90 10. DISCUSSION OF A PROPOSAL TO REORGANIZE THE O.E.D.A. STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES AND ADMINISTRATION. A discussion was held and a decision was made to let each group meet and discuss reorganization before any decision is made. 11. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT Richard Hall summarized his report and is attached as part of the minutes. 12. ATTORNEY'S REPORT None 13. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Brenda Lawrence thanked Alan Anderson for the good job he did while serving as chairman. 14. NEW BUSINESS I1�-- 15. ADJOURN Tom Kimball made a motion to adjourn. Alan Anderson seconded the motion. Aye: 6 Nay: 0 Carried: 6 -0 MEMORANDUM TO: Owasso Economic Development Authority FROM: Richard Hall, O.E.D.A. Director SUBJECT: Director's Report DATE: July 11, 1990 FINANCING REQUESTED FOR AN AREA BUSINESS Last month I explained in my report that Alan Anderson, Frank Enzbrenner and I have been visiting with a prospect about the financing of a local machine shop. We traveled to the Verd- Ark -Ca office in Muskogee on Tuesday June 12th to visit about assistance in the financial package. On July 10th, Frank Enzbrenner, Alan Anderson, L.V. Watkins, Brenda Watkins, four businessmen and I met to continue discussions on that proposed sale. This was the third meeting that Alan, Frank and I have attended on the matter. The Watkinses were in town to look at the machinery and land where the business will be relocated in Owasso. They also discussed the processing of loan papers to finance the purchase. They were impressed by the plant tour and the prospective owner. I remain optimistic about the deal. In a related matter, the Watkinses also visited with an individual who wants to purchase another division of the parent company. I do not know of the financial strength of that prospective buyer, but the building that he needs is larger than any available in Owasso presently. I may approach an economic development agency in the area about helping that individual. C.E. TOOLING C.E. Tooling is now in the process of moving more equipment into its new home. A son of the owner is spending an increasing amount of time in setting up the production in the building. He is looking for a home in the Owasso area and hiring personnel for the Owasso branch. I gave him information about the Private Industry Training Council last week. We have previously visited about employment services offered by a Tulsa High School and by the area Vo Techs. E.I.N CONTRACT APPLICATION June 29th Janice delivered last of the E.I.N. grant information to the Department of Commerce in Oklahoma City. I sent with her some business plans prepared by John Troop and Associates of Tulsa to fill out our remaining $1,200 FY 1989 -90 allocation by the D.O.C.. The program will pay the company 90% of the lk O.E.D.A. Director's Report July 11, 1990 Page 2 predetermined amount for the work and the O.E.D.A. will keep the remaining 10% of the grant. The arrangement is similar to the one done with the Tulsa Minority Business Development Center. OTHER ECONOMIC ACTIVITY On July 11th I received a call from the owner of a small electric shop about an empty building in the city. I looked up the ownership of the structure and called the property owner for the prospect. On the same day I received a phone call from a food processing business also looking for a home. I will let you know of that prospect as I can. I have had indirect contact from a fabricator and building supplier wanting to locate in a vacant building in the area. I visited with the broker for the owner today who said that a sales contract should be signed next week for the structure. It appears that a shop may be opening next door to Anthony's and that another shop will also open soon in the Cornerstone shopping center. The former Johnson furniture store building has sold to a local, established, retail business. PROPOSED O.E.D.A. STAFF REORGANIZATION On July 9th, two representatives from the O.E.D.A., two from the City Council, and two from the Chamber met at the Holiday Inn on I -244 to discuss a proposal to move my office into the City Hall. The goal of the reorganization is to realize the full potential of the staff by building a team at the City Hall which would include the City Manager, the Treasurer, the Clerk and others who may lend assistance when a prospect calls or comes to town. Implementation of this proposal may be accomplished one of two ways. One option is to establish a Department of Economic Development in the city organization with a budget in the City General Fund. The economic development employee would report to the City Manager who would in turn report to the City Council through the 0.E.D.A.. No funds would be transferred to the 0.E.D.A. but the Authority would continue to meet as it normally does to act to finance debt, and give advice and recommendations concerning on economic development matters. This method would require some ordinance or resolution changes. A second method to accomplish a reorganization would be for the O.E.D.A. to contract with the City for the provision of an economic development services by employee who would report directly to the City Manager. The O.E.D.A would keep an annual budget and conduct regular meetings to determine policy and economic development direction. O.E.D.A. Director's Report July 11, 1990 Page 3 The advantages of a reorganization, as I see them, would be that an employee in the City Hall would have the material and people resources there to do the job. It would also be helpful to advantage to office where the employee could better see what is occurring in the city. The O.E.D.A. would under either scenario function like the other successful authorities of the city. Finally, the Authority and its employee would also be more responsible to the chief executive officer of the city for city funds spent on economic development the city and area. The disadvantage of the reorganization is that the economic development employee would not be as available to do other related work such a Chamber duties. Another problem may be where the Chamber is physically housed. One option to this challenge is to buy or build a permanent home for the chamber or to lease or obtain a grant of space within a city building. I believe, however, that the present chamber employee is very capable to provide, possibly with volunteer assistance, the administration for the Chamber. I had an interesting conversation with a Department of Commerce employee about the reorganization proposal the morning of the meeting. He said that it was his observation that it was normal for an economic development agency to pass through a phase of reorganization some time in its development. He said that presently agencies in McAlester, Altus and Duncan are undergoing some form of reorganization and that there could be many more. He said that the type of organization varies from city to city: in some cities economic development work is done by chambers, other cities use their city personnel while some areas are served by county wide or regional agencies.