February 28, 2020

Executive & Government Relations Committee Meeting

Minutes: Meeting of Friday, February 28, 2020

Present: Tamara Battles, Chair; Michael Caffery, Vice-Chair

Absent: Paula Nelson, Secretary/Treasurer

The monthly meeting of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority’s Executive & Government Relations Committee was called to order by Commissioner Battles 8:07 a.m. Executive Administrator, Angela Varnado called the roll. A quorum was present.

The Executive Director reported on the Red Cross and Incubator proposals. A discussion was held. There will be additional information provided at the strategic retreat on March 14, 2020.

It was moved by Commissioner Battles to approve a payment in the amount of Nine Thousand One Hundred Dollars ($9,100) to the Harvard Kennedy School for the Executive Director to attend the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Mastering Negotiation course to be held May 3-May 8, 2020.- Motion failed due to lack of a second.

There being no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 8:18 a.m.

Human Resources Committee Meeting

Minutes: Meeting of Friday, February 28, 2020

Present: Tamara Battles

Absent: Zebulon Winstead, Chair; Paula Nelson

The monthly meeting of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority’s Human Resource Committee was not called to order due to lack of a quorum.

Administration & Legal Committee Meeting

Minutes: Meeting of Friday, February 28, 2020

Present: John Carroll, Chair; Jay Sharplin

Absent: None

The monthly meeting of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority’s Administration & Legal Committee was called to order by Commissioner Carroll at 8:19 a.m. Executive Administrator, Angela Varnado called the roll. A quorum was present.

The Committee heard a report by the CPA regarding the January 2020 draft financials. It was moved by Commissioner Sharplin and seconded by Commissioner Carroll to recommend approval of the December 2019 Draft Financials. There being no public comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Sharplin and seconded by Commissioner Carroll to recommend payment of the December 2019 legal bill. There being no public comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Sharplin and seconded by Commissioner Carroll to recommend payment of the December 2019 accounting bill. There being no public comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Sharplin and seconded by Commissioner Carroll to recommend approval of Legal Counsel’s 2020 Engagement Letter. There being no public comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Sharplin and seconded by Commissioner Carroll to recommend approval of the CPA’s 2020 Engagement Letter- There being no public comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Sharplin and seconded by Commissioner Carroll to recommend accepting the 2020 Engagement Letter from Oestriecher & Company for the 2019 Audit. There being no public comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

There being no further business to come before the Administration & Legal Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 8:27 a.m.

*Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority Economic Development Committee Meeting

Minutes: Meeting of Friday, February 28, 2020

Present: John Carroll; Jay Sharplin

Absent: Paula Nelson, Chair

The monthly meeting of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority’s Economic Development Committee was called to order by Commissioner Carroll at 8:27 a.m. Executive Administrator, Angela Varnado called the roll. A quorum was present.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll to recommend denial of a grant request from Chris Patel in the amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) for the wedding of Bajal Patel. A discussion was held. Motion failed due to lack of a second. Commissioner Sharplin recused.

It was moved by Commissioner Sharplin and seconded by Commissioner Carroll to recommend approval of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Central Louisiana Juneteenth Association in an amount not to exceed Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500) for the 2020 Juneteenth Celebration – There being no comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll to recommend approval of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Diocese of Alexandria in an amount not to exceed Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000) for the 2020 Steubenville youth Conference. Motion failed due to lack of a quorum. Commissioner Sharplin recused.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll to recommend approval of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Disable American Veterans Department of Louisiana in an amount not to exceed Twelve Thousand Dollars ($12,000) for the 2020 Events. Motion failed due to lack of a quorum. Commissioner Sharplin recused.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll to recommend approval of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Louisiana Early Childhood Association in an amount not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) for the 2020 Conference. Motion failed due to lack of a quorum. Commissioner Sharplin recused.

It was moved by Commissioner Sharplin and seconded by Commissioner Carroll to recommend approval of a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Kent House in an amount not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) for the 2020 Tour De Bayou. There being no comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Sharplin and seconded by Commissioner Carrol to recommend amendment of the 2020 Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance (CLEDA) in the amount of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000) to Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500). There being no comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

There being no further business to come before the Economic Development Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 a.m.

Capital Projects Committee Meeting

Minutes: Meeting of Friday, February 28, 2020

Present: John Carrol, Jay Sharplin

Absent: None

The monthly meeting of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority’s Capital Projects Committee was called to order by Commissioner Carroll at 8:30 a.m. Executive Administrator, Angela Varnado called the roll. A quorum was present.

There being no business to come before the Capital Projects Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 8:35 a.m.

Operations Committee Meeting

Minutes: Meeting of Friday, February 28, 2020

Present: Michael Caffery, Chair

Absent: Zebulon Winstead

The monthly meeting of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority’s Operations Committee was not called to order due to lack of a quorum.

The Chair commented that the item on the Kinetix Contract item would be discussed and voted on at the next meeting.

*Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority Regular Meeting Agenda

Minutes: Meeting of Friday, February 28, 2020

Present: Tamara Battles, Chair; Michael Caffery, Vice-Chair; John Carroll; Jay Sharplin

Absent: Paula Nelson, Secretary/Treasurer; Zeb Winstead

The monthly meeting of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority was called to order by Commissioner Battles at 8:35 a.m. Executive Administrator, Angela Varnado called the roll. A quorum was present.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Caffery to approve the February 2020 Consent Agenda. There being no comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Caffery to deny a grant request from Chris Patel in the amount of Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000) for the wedding of Bajal Patel. There being no comments, motion passed. Commissioner Sharplin recused.

It was moved by Commissioner Sharplin and seconded by Commissioner Carrol to authorize payment in the amount of Nine Thousand One Hundred Dollars ($9,100) to the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education for the Executive Director to attend the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Mastering Negotiation course to be held May 3-May 8, 2020. A discussion was held. There being no further comments, motion passed by 3 to 1 Commissioner Caffery opposed.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Sharplin to approve Legal Counsel’s 2020 Engagement Letter. There being no comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Sharplin to approve the CPA’s 2020 Engagement Letter. There being no comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Sharplin to accept the 2020 Engagement Letter from Oestriecher & Company for the 2019 Audit. There being no comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Caffery to approve a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Central Louisiana Juneteenth Association in an amount not to exceed Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($7,500) for the 2020 Juneteenth Celebration. No action taken due to lack of a quorum. Commissioner Sharplin recused.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Caffery to approve a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Diocese of Alexandria in an amount not to exceed Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($15,000) for the 2020 Steubenville youth Conference. No action taken due to lack of a quorum. Commissioner Sharplin recused.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Caffery to approve a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Disabled American Veterans Department of Louisiana in an amount not to exceed Twelve Thousand Dollars ($12,000) for the 2020 Events. No action taken due to lack of a quorum. Commissioner Sharplin recused.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Caffery to approve a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Louisiana Early Childhood Association in an amount not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) for the 2020 Conference. No action taken due to lack of a quorum. Commissioner Sharplin recused.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Caffery to approve a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Kent House in an amount not to exceed Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) for the 2020 Tour De Bayou. No action taken due to lack of a quorum. Commissioner Sharplin recused.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Sharplin to amend the 2020 Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance (CLEDA) in the amount of Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000) to Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500). There being no comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Caffery to cancel the regularly scheduled Committee Meetings and Regular Meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. to be scheduled on Saturday, March 14, 2020. There being no comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

It was moved by Commissioner Carroll and seconded by Commissioner Caffery to hold the 2020 Strategic Retreat on Saturday, March 14, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Diamond Grill. There being no comments, motion passed by unanimous vote.

Ms. Alice Scarborough of the Kent House thanked the board for it’s continued support of the Kent House bike tour.

Commissioner Sharplin commented on the possibility of clarifying the language in the grant policies and procedures. A discussion was held.

Commissioner Caffery commented on the Mardi Gras’ events held in Alexandria last weekend. He also gave a status report on the first meeting of the Alexandria Festival Association.

There being no further business to come before the board, the meeting was adjourned at 8:44 a.m.

*Please see the attached letter from Legal Counsel.