Town of Massena Business Development Corporation

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR A GREATER MASSENA BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES October 20, 2016 Board Members: Larry Ralston, President Dan Pease Ron Bacon Paul Rufa Dave LaClair Excused: Chris Herrick Jeff Dobbins Staff: Tom Sullivan, Executive Director Linda Williams, Secretary Public: Sam Carbone, Town Steve O’Shaughnessy, Town Call to Order BDC President, Larry Ralston, called the meeting to order at 4:35 pm. Massena Core of the Community Larry: We are going to discuss this first this evening. Last night we attended a Town Board meeting where the Town’s contribution to the BDC was discussed and that Board would like some clarification of the BDC’s budget. We will discuss that now. Tom: We sent you the Program Guide for the Core of the Community for your review, I am not sure if it has been shared with the Town Board yet. It was modeled after the NYS Main Street Program Guide. Cornwall did something similar, called the Heart of the Community. The RVRDA has awarded $75,000 toward this, the Village is contributing $25,000 and they have asked the Town for $25,000 as well; the BDC has been asked to implement and oversee the program. The program will be broken down into parts: Rent subsidy, a build-out program, signage assistance, façade improvement. The final amounts to be allotted to each section of the program can be ‘massaged’ as needed. The Village’s interest is in getting people to invest in their properties, improve them. Steve: How can we discourage people from enticing businesses to leave the Mall? It’s a distinct disadvantage for those of us living outside the Village. Tom: I don’t believe we can; businesses leaving there when their lease is up is something that is decided by them on a business level. I don’t believe there is intent to bring people out of the Mall with the Core of the Community program. There is no stipulation attached to a rent subsidy regarding an extension of the lease. The Mayor is interested in getting more second story residential facilities downtown and those projects may receive more ‘points’ than others. Awards will not be given until the work is complete. We will be refining the guidelines in the next couple of months. Minutes of the August Regular Meeting A motion was made by Ron Bacon to approve the August 2016 minutes, that motion was seconded by Dan Pease and passed with all members present voting ‘Aye’. Minutes of the September Regular Meeting We did not have a quorum of people that had attended the September meeting to approve the minutes. Financial Reports for August, September 2016 The reports were unavailable Comparative Budget for August, September 2016 The reports were unavailable 2017 Proposed Budget Tom: Discussed the budget and the proportions dedicated to different sections. Hopefully, we can do more marketing in 2017; what trade shows I have attended I have attended as part of the County IDA and it has not been an expense for the BDC. A motion was made by Dan Pease to accept the 2017 Budget, that motion was seconded by Paul Rufa and passed with all members present voting ‘Aye’. Operations Committee Tom: We met on Monday and discussed the Core of the Community. Infrastructure Committee Tom: The committee did not meet this month. Marketing Committee Tom: The Committee did not meet this month. Alcoa Update Tom: Nothing new to report. Grasse River Blueway Corridor Tom: There will be a meeting on the 29th, this group is coming along and becoming more active and cohesive. Industrial Park/Rail Spur Tom: There will be a meeting CXS to discuss the use of the rail spur in more detail. Paul: Dennis Elias (Erdman Anthony) is just about ready to submit the reimbursement from the Empire State Development; if we did get the Minority and Women Business waiver we will get the full amount, if not we may not get quite all the $209,000. We have received an RVRDA grant for a pad and scale at the site. Dennis said that there are other grants we can apply for to finance that. Oct 20, 2016 Minutes - BDC Board Meeting Pg 2 of 4 Massena Core of the Community This was discussed at the beginning of tonight’s meeting. Mayor’s Leadership Council Tom: Nothing to report Moving Massena Forward Community Coalition Tom: The County Planning Office is working with the Village on this. North Country Alliance Tom: They had a meeting on October 19, but I was not able to attend North Country Re-Development Task Force Tom: This Task Force met yesterday. They are reviewing the comprehensive economic development document that needs to go to the County for approval. The BOA process is still going forward. North Country Regional Economic Development Council Tom: RACER/General Motors Site Tom: CSX is still looking to designate the RACER property as a select site. Restore New York Grant Tom: Nothing new to report this month. River Valley Re-Development Agency Tom: Nothing new to report St. Lawrence County Economic Development Tom: This group discussed bringing all the River Blueway Groups together under one title St. Lawrence Soyway Tom: They are planning to purchase the old Village DPW site and property in the Industrial Park. They have an offer to purchase the BDC’s site, with the BDC to retain a portion of their lot. A motion was made by Ron Bacon that the Board approve that sale, in the amount of $20,000, with Dan Pease handling the transaction for the BDC; the motion was seconded by Paul Rufa and passed with all members present voting ‘Aye’. Theatre Tom: Nothing to report Staff Report Oct 20, 2016 Minutes - BDC Board Meeting Pg 3 of 4  Tom: Venue Strategies would like to have available property identified in the Massena area even though their interest continues to be in the RACER site. The Museum/Cultural Center will be holding an Open House on November 3 from 4:30 – 7:00 pm. New and Other Business Nothing this meeting Liaison Reports Sam Carbone: Asked if the BDC was participating in the IDA’s Entrepreneurial program; Tom said that he is working with Jim Murphy on it. Tom said that once the program is underway, if there are local people participating he will be reaching out to them. Sam also talked about a local person who has developed bus cameras and is now working on small satellites and is there a way we can get them to perhaps move some manufacturing to the Massena area. Questions from the Press Bob: Could you clarify for me what the Revitalization Funds are that you have referred to? Tom: Funds that the Town of Massena awarded for us to use to assist businesses with improvements in their buildings; we have just a very small amount of money remaining to be used. Adjournment A motion was made by Paul Rufa to adjourn at 5:50 pm, that motion was seconded by Dave LaClair and passed with all members present voting ‘Aye’. The next meeting of the Board of Directors of the Massena Business Development Corporation will be held on Thursday, November 15 at 4:30 pm, in Room 30 of the Town Hall. Respectfully submitted, Linda Williams, Secretary Oct 20, 2016 Minutes - BDC Board Meeting Pg 4 of 4