HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/19/1996
MINUTES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD
MEETING
NOVEMBER 19, 1996
6:30 p.m.
CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM
Present:
Board
Gary McClure, President
Ronnie Fischer
Tommy Thompson
Rick Manser
Consultant
Worth Blake, Worth Blake & Associates
Staff
Dennis Watson, Staff Liaison
Others
John Monger, White Rock Consultants
Dick Record, CUBA Inc.
Absent
John Dillard, Council Member
Jerry Sebastian
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mr. McClure called the meeting to order at 6:45 p.m.
20 ROLL CALL
3. PRESENTATION BY CURA INC. ON ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
CONDUCTED ON WYNNEWOOD PENINSULA
John Monger summarized the progress of the environmental assessment being conducted on
Wynnewood Peninsula. Mr. Monger informed the Board that the draft report on the assessment
is complete except for habitat mitigation alternatives and finalization of the site drawing.
Mr. Monger stated there were two primary habitat types that will be affected within the proposed
golf course project area, Old Field and Upland Woodlands. Mr. Monger stated that CUBA has
proposed the following mitigation, for said habitat:
Old Field - This habitat is expected to be disturbed in the areas of the actual course foot print.
The habitat will remain essentially undisturbed in the area of non-play (between fairways). For
non-play areas that are disturbed during course development, revegetation with native prairie
grasses will occur. No other mitigation is proposed for this habitat.
Upland Hardwoods - Selected portions of wooded areas are expected to be disturbed during the
development of the facility. Proposed mitigation is a one-for-one replacement of lost trees with a
diameter greater than six inches measured two feet above ground surface. The new plantings
would be positioned in the project area at mutually agreed upon locations.
Mr. Monger stated that no threatened and endangered species appeared to be impacted by the
course development and no mitigation was proposed for this area of concern. Mr. Monger stated
that he has scheduled a site visit with the various regulatory agencies for December 4, 1996 . The
purpose of the meeting would be to seek habitat mitigation concurrence from the regulatory
agencies prior to submitting the Draft Report. After the draft is submitted the public comment
period will be opened.
4. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON POSSIBILITY OF STAGING A
SALES TAX CAMPAIGN
Gary McClure stated that at the last meeting the Board had decided it did not have enough time
to properly stage a successful sales tax campaign in January. Mr. McClure stated that the Board
needed to decide upon an election date in order to start preparing for an election. Mr. Watson
stated that at the Texas Municipal League Conference which he recently attended he spoke with
representatives from the State Comptroller's Office. This representative informed Mr. Watson
that he would come out and speak to the Board on staging a sales tax election. Mr. Watson also
informed the Board that he would be receiving a book that was a guideline to staging successful
sales tax elections from the Texas Economic Development Council. Mr. Watson asked that the
Board decide on a date to have the representative come out to speak to the Board. The Board
decide upon January 7, 1996. The Board decided that they would wait until after they heard from
said representative to set a date for the sales tax election.
5. PRESENTATION ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Worth Blake distributed a draft copy of the Economic Development Plan to the Board. Mr.
Blake stated that he would like the Board to review the Plan, make their comments, and come
prepared to discuss any recommendations or changes in the plan that they may have next week.
Mr. Blake briefly reviewed the plan with the Board and requested that they spend more time to
absorb all of the information in the plan. Two of Mr. Blake's main areas of concern were that the
EDC and the City Council needed: to aggressively pursue a 4B 1/2 cents sales tax for economic
development purposes and to hire a seasoned and experienced in&/idual to guide the economic
development efforts in The Colony. Ms. Watts stated that she was concerned if the Board went
forward with the latter suggestion it would have the appearance that the Board was not confident
in Mr. Watson's abilities and that this was not the case. Mr. Blake stated that it would be up to
he and Mr. McClure to explain this to Council so that they did not get the wrong impression
regarding Mr. Watson's ability. Upon completion of reviewing the plan Mr. Thompson asked if
Mr. Blake there was a way to avoid some of the pitfalls he saw associated with directing the funds
for the sales tax. Discussion on this issue followed.
The Board addressed the issue of the EDC not being a very visible organization in the community.
The Board discussed several possibilities in promoting the EDC's name and image. Some of
which included: submitting articles to the newspaper, preparing press releases, attending ground
breaking ceremonies, establishing a rapport with other civic organizations and informing the
Council on the activities of the EDC.
6. OTHER BUSINESS
Mr. Watson informed the Board that the Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission had
requested a joint work session between Council, the EDC and P & Z to discuss the liquor sales
and Sexually Oriented Businesses locating along State Highway 121. The work session is
scheduled for Tuesday, November 26 at 6:00 p.m. The Board decided to meet directly following
the work session to discuss the Economic Development Plan. There being no further business the
meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.
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Respectfully Submitted, Dennis Watson, Staff Liaison