BUT WE COULD CUT IT OFF TO. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME. OKAY WE'LL LEAVE IT FOR NOW. OKAY IT IS
[1. Call to order; Establishment of Quorum]
[00:00:07]
630. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. I WILL CALL THIS MEETING OF THE HORIZON CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO ORDER, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, APPROVAL[2. Approval of Minutes from:]
OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 17TH, 2024 REGULAR BOARD MEETING . DO I HAVE A MOTION ON THE MEETING? ON THE MINUTES, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION. AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MATTER? HEARING? NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION DOES CARRY. OKAY. ITEM NUMBER THREE. DISCUSSION AND ACTION REGARDING RESOLUTION[3. Discussion and Action:]
AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT OF THE EDC TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT OF PARTICIPATION WITH THE ALLIANCE FOR REGIONAL MILITARY SUPPORT GROUP IN REGIONAL EFFORTS TO GENERATE COMMERCIAL, COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY RELATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OPERATIONS. OKAY, CHAIR, YOU DON'T LOOK MUCH LIKE EDDIE, BUT I'VE BEEN. I'VE BEEN MY HAIR FELL OUT, SO I THINK THAT'S FINE. IF YOU WANT TO. YEAH, CHAIRPERSON, BOARD OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HORIZON CITY. SO THIS ITEM, THE THIRD ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA IS A REQUEST AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT OF EDC TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT OF PARTICIPATION WITH THE ALLIANCE OF REGIONAL FOR REGIONAL MILITARY SUPPORT ARMS GROUP IN REGIONAL EFFORTS TO GENERATE COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY RELATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OPERATIONS, SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ARMS FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. IT'S A REALLY FRUITFUL RELATIONSHIP. AND WE DO MEAN TO CONTINUE THIS RELATIONSHIP, IT REALLY PUTS US IN FRONT OF THE FOLKS WE NEED TO GET IN FRONT OF IN TERMS OF PULLING IN DEFENSE AND AEROSPACE COMPANIES AND OBVIOUSLY FORT BLISS IS ONE OF THE MAIN ECONOMIC DRIVERS IN OUR REGION. SO WE DO WANT TO MAINTAIN A DIRECT LIAISON AND CONNECTION WITH THEM. AND THAT'S WHAT ARMS DOES FOR US. WE DO HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM ARMS HERE ARE GOING TO DETAIL MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO. SO I WON'T GO INTO TOO MANY DETAILS, BUT I WILL TELL YOU IN TERMS OF THIS CONTRACT, IN IMMEDIATE TERMS, WE'RE LOOKING ONE FOR A HOUSING FOR SOLDIERS. WE WANT TO GET ON FORT BLISS RADAR. AS FAR AS A PLACE FOR SOLDIERS TO LIVE, IT'S OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WEREN'T ON FOR A LONG TIME. THANKFULLY, THANKS TO THE TEAM WE JUST GOT PUT ON, WE WANT TO STAY ON THAT LIST, WE'VE ALSO GOT A BUNCH OF NEW PROPERTY THAT BECAME AVAILABLE RECENTLY, AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO USE OUR CONNECTIONS TO RECRUIT COMPANIES INTO THE AREA. AND FINALLY, THERE IS AN AUSA CONFERENCE IN DC, RIGHT TEAM DC THIS OCTOBER. AND SO WE WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT. SO WE'RE SCHEDULING CONDUCTING HIGH LEVEL MEETINGS AND LOBBYING ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF HORIZON CITY'S INTERESTS AT AUSA ANNUAL CONFERENCE. SO WE DO HAVE LANCE AND JOHN WHO ARE WITH THE ARMS TEAM, AND THEY'LL COME UP AND TELL YOU MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO. THANK YOU SIR. GOOD MORNING, MR. BOARD PRESIDENT. HOW ARE YOU DOING, WALTER? GOOD TO SEE YOU AND STAFF. SO I'M LANCE LERM, 2024 CHAIR, AND THIS IS JOHN BAILEY. HE IS OUR VICE CHAIR, THIS YEAR WE ROTATE OUR POSITIONS. THERE ARE FIVE OF US, WHO VOLUNTEER TO DO THIS DUTY, IS EVERYBODY KIND OF FAMILIAR WITH HOW WE'RE SET UP BEFORE WE GET STARTED, DO YOU NEED ME TO DO A QUICK OVERVIEW OF HOW WE WORK AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF? NOT REALLY. IT'S PROBABLY BETTER. YOU GUYS OKAY, SO ARMS WAS STARTED, IN 2005 FIVE FOUR. YEAH, I THINK FOUR, AND IT WAS TO COUNTERACT THE BRAC THAT WAS HAPPENING. THE MAJOR 2005 BRAC WHERE THE FIRST ARMORED DIVISION WAS BROUGHT TO EL PASO, AND, THERE WAS A LOT OF GNASHING OF TEETH GOING ON THERE BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO LOSE MORE THAN WIN. RIGHT. AND SO OUR REPRESENTATIVE THEN, MR. GUS RODRIGUEZ, RICHARD, RICHARD, DUE OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND THE TEAM AND THE CHAMBER ALL GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, WE'RE GOING TO FIGHT FOR WHAT'S RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GET SOMETHING RIGHT. SO WHEN THE BRAC HAPPENED, WE GOT ABOUT $7 BILLION IN EL PASO WORTH A BUILDING IF YOU COUNT THE HOSPITAL IT'S ABOUT $30 BILLION BECAUSE THE HOSPITAL COSTS TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY. BUT NOW IT'S THERE. AND SO, A FEW YEARS AGO, WE DECIDED, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STARTING TO GET COMPLACENT AGAIN. RIGHT? AND WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. WE WANT TO BE READY FOR A BRAC. IF A BRAC HAPPENS. DURING THE 2005 BRAC, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REGION WHICH IS HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE AND, EL PASO SLASH FORT BLISS WERE THE NUMBER ONE MILITARY VALUE INSTALLATION.THEREFORE, WE GOT A DIVISION. WE GOT $6.5 BILLION WORTH OF MILCON CONSTRUCTION, AND WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS LOSE THAT, JUST RECENTLY, THE, GOVERNOR OF TEXAS PUT OUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
[00:05:04]
STATEMENT FOR THE MILITARY. FORT BLISS ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION IS THE $28 BILLION RANGE AND THE FOOTPRINT OF FORT BLISS, OR DIRECT AND INDIRECT HIRES, IS AT 127,000 PEOPLE, WHICH IS A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE CITY OF EL PASO, THE COUNTY AND OBVIOUSLY ULTIMATELY OUT HERE. RIGHT. SO THAT'S KIND OF A QUICK BACKGROUND. I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS SLIDE. OUR SERVICES, THESE FOCUS AREAS HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE THE BEGINNING. I WON'T INSULT YOUR INTELLIGENCE BY READING YOU FROM THEM. THEY SHOULD BE SELF-EXPLANATORY. AS WE'VE WE'VE GONE THROUGH, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE OUR CORE ITEMS WITH NUMBER ONE BEING THE CORE ITEM FOR HORIZON FOR THE CITY OF HORIZON, AND THEN THE OTHER PIECES THERE, WE WORK ON ATTRACTING MORE PROJECTS, WHICH MEANS ATTRACTING MORE SOLDIERS, WHICH MEANS A HIGHLY QUALIFIED WORKFORCE MADE UP OF AS MANY VETERANS AS WE CAN GET. WE ALL KNOW VETERANS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE VETERANS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE SKILLS THAT THEY BRING TO THE FIGHT. WHETHER YOU STAY IN FOUR YEARS OR 24 YEARS, YOU COME OUT WITH LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND SOFT SKILLS THAT ARE MUCH BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON, RIGHT? SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET THEM. WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THEM HERE AND WE'RE SEEING SOME GOOD MOVEMENT ON THAT, THE APPEAL FOR FUTURE STATIONING THAT'S THAT GOES AFTER THE BRAC. RIGHT. SO WE WANT TO BE WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, HORIZON CITY SAFETY. WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HORIZON CITIES BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE QUALITY OF LIFE, THOSE THINGS THAT BUMP UP THE APPEAL OF THE ENTIRE REGION. AND SPECIFICALLY YOU, SO THAT WE CAN SHOW THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THAT WE ARE STILL HAVING THAT THE SAME VALUE, WHICH WHEN THEY SEE THOSE SORT OF THINGS, THEY'RE MORE APT TO STATION NEW UNITS AND SOLDIERS AT FORT BLISS , AT WHITE SANDS, AT HOLLOMAN, NEW MISSIONS, NEW PEOPLE, AND IN TURN, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT COMES WITH THAT FOR THE CITY. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT SLIDE, MR. BAILEY? ALL RIGHT.NEXT SLIDE. SO ALL RIGHT. LOOK AT THAT. DO IT. ALL RIGHT. SO I'M JOHN BAILEY I'M THE VICE CHAIR. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THAT LANCE BROUGHT UP WAS THE STATIONING INITIATIVE. SO UP UNTIL WE REALLY ENGAGED HORIZON IN, WITH WHAT THEIR HOUSING PLANS ARE, WHERE THEY'RE GOING WITH IT, WHAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THERE WAS A CONCERN IN THE ARMY THAT THE EL PASO REGION DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH HOUSING TO SUPPORT ANOTHER BATTALION, ANOTHER BRIGADE, YOU KNOW, 4000, 8000 SOLDIERS COMING IN AND THEIR FAMILIES. BUT BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH HORIZON, WE WERE ABLE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE GARRISON FOLKS AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE NOT COUNTING HORIZON. YOU NEED TO LOOK AT HORIZON TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE.
AND BY BRINGING HORIZON INTO THE FOLD AND GETTING THEM TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN HORIZON, WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH HOUSING NOW TO TAKE CARE OF A NEW BATTALION, A NEW BRIGADE. AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS A LOT OF THOSE SOLDIERS WILL SHIFT OUT TO THIS DIRECTION. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY PUSHING IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT HORIZON IS ON THE RADAR FOR THE US ARMY, WHETHER IT'S FORT BLISS, WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, I MEAN, THE PEOPLE THAT WORK AT WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITIES DOWN HERE. SO GETTING THEM TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HORIZON AND PUSHING THAT THIS WAY IS NOT JUST IT'S NO LONGER JUST A, WELL, HORIZON. IS THAT PLACE WAY OUT EAST. JUST, JUST THIS SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO. IT'S REALLY GETTING THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD STUFF THAT ARE GOING ON IN IN HORIZON, A LOT OF GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE COMING. SO WE'VE REALLY MADE THAT PITCH WITH GARRISON AND MAKING SURE THAT HORIZON IS ACTUALLY SITTING AT THE TABLE WITH THE GARRISON FOLKS, WITH THE, THE LEADERSHIP. AND THAT'S WHY GOING TO THE AUSA CONFERENCE IS REALLY IT'S PRETTY CRITICAL ON THAT BECAUSE WE SET UP WITH OUR CONTACTS AND OUR RELATIONSHIPS. WE'RE SETTING UP MEETINGS WITH NOT ONLY THE ACTIVE DUTY, GENERAL OFFICERS THAT THAT KIND OF UNDERSTAND OR TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT. WE ALSO SET IT UP WITH THE CIVILIAN SIDE OF THE ARMY. THAT'S THEIR CONSTANTLY AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO HEAR ABOUT HORIZON AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN HORIZON AND HOW THINGS ARE HAPPENING. SO THAT'S WHY AUSA IS SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE REPRESENTATION FOR HORIZON TO BE OUT THERE SO THAT WE SIT IN THOSE MEETINGS, WE'VE GOT THE FACTS RIGHT WITH US AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO IT'S THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND REALLY HAVE PUSHED THAT YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WORK WITH, WE'RE PARTNERED WITH CYPRESS INTERNATIONAL OUT OF
[00:10:01]
WASHINGTON, DC, WHICH IS A LOBBYIST, THINK TANK, KIND OF AN OVERALL ORGANIZATION THAT IS REALLY RUN BY GENERAL OFFICERS AND SENIOR LEADERS THAT RETIRE OUT OF THE MILITARY. SO CYPRESS IS ONE OF THOSE COMPANIES THAT PICKS UP THE PHONE AND THEY CALL THE PENTAGON AND THE PENTAGON TAKES THEIR PHONE CALL, THEY ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WANT TO TALK TO THEM, FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, AND WHERE THINGS ARE HAPPENING. SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE USE IT IN A LOT OF THE LARGE ORGANIZATIONS, COMPANIES USE CYPRESS AS THEIR, THEIR PARTNERS ON THAT. SO IT GIVES US SOME INSIGHT INTO WHAT COMPANIES ARE DOING, LIKE A RAYTHEON, LIKE A LOCKHEED. AND WE'RE ABLE TO USE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CYPRESS TO SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO REALLY THINK ABOUT HORIZON AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON OUT THERE AND GETTING THESE BUSINESSES TO AT LEAST START LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES HERE AND WHAT THAT ALLOWS US TO DO THEN, TOO, IS TO EVEN GO DOWN FARTHER INTO THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND START BUILDING, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE IF WE'RE BUILDING HARNESSES, WHY SHOULD WE BE BUILDING HARNESSES FOR, YOU KNOW, JET PLANES HERE IN HORIZON? WHY SHOULD WE BE BUILDING THINGS THAT GO INTO THE TANKS AT FORT BLISS HERE IN HORIZON? SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY WORKING WITH, WITH OUR TEAM AT CYPRESS TO KIND OF WHERE CAN WE GET THOSE PEOPLE? AND AS LANCE HAD MENTIONED, I THINK HE'S GOT SOME GREAT DATA THAT WILL REALLY SHOW WHERE WE'RE GOING. THOSE VETERANS ARE CRITICAL BECAUSE THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES, THOSE SUPPLIERS ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEMS SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRAIN THEM. SO WHAT BETTER THING TO BRING IN THAN VETERANS THAT HAVE BEEN ON TANKS, BEEN ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, PATRIOT MISSILES AND VARIOUS THINGS LIKE THAT, AND BRING THEM IN AND GET THEM WORKING FOR THOSE COMPANIES. AND AS WE START BUILDING THOSE COMPANIES HERE LOCALLY, IT'S GOING TO START BRINGING IN MORE OF THOSE VETERANS. SO IT'S KIND OF A, AS, AS SERGEANT MAJOR LIKES TO SAY, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A SELF-LICKING ICE CREAM CONE.ONCE YOU KIND OF GET THAT GOING, IT JUST CONTINUES TO REGENERATE AND CONTINUE TO GROW. SO THAT'S REALLY A LOT OF WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, AND WITH THAT, AND WE ALSO DO A LOT OF THINGS WE DO IS MONITOR WHAT'S COMING IN IN THE APPROPRIATIONS. SO WE'RE ALREADY TALKING WITH FOLKS IN DC ABOUT 2026 APPROPRIATIONS BILL. SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO SEE AT FORT BLISS? WHAT DO WE NEED TO SEE AT WHITE SANDS? WHAT DO WE NEED TO SEE AT HOLLOMAN IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT WILL HELP THE ARMY GROW? SO QUESTION ALWAYS COMES UP. OKAY, GREAT. SO YOU GET $70 MILLION FOR RAILHEAD AT FORT BLISS. HOW DOES THAT HELP HORIZON? I MEAN, WE'RE WAY OVER HERE FOR THE RAILHEADS WAY OVER THERE. HOW DOES THAT HELP THAT? WELL, WHAT IT DOES IS IT GIVES THE ARMY AN ABILITY TO SAY, HEY, WE'VE GOT TWO RAILHEADS NOW AT FORT BLISS. SO WE COULD ACTUALLY MOVE ANOTHER HEAVY BRIGADE INTO FORT BLISS. AND PUT THEM UP. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS ANOTHER 10,000 SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILY AND ALL THE CONTRACTORS THAT GO WITH IT, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR HOUSING. SO WE TRY TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR INSTALLATIONS ARE BRAC PROOF, BUT MORE, HOW DO WE GET THEM TO GROW? HOW DO WE GET THE ARMY TO SAY, HEY, I'M GOING TO INVEST $70 MILLION IN A RAILHEAD, AND THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW ME TO BRING IN ANOTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE. I CAN BRING IN ANOTHER RESERVE BATTALION, ANOTHER RESERVE BRIGADE, AND GET THEM WORKING HERE. SO IT GIVES US SOME GROWTH OPPORTUNITY THAT WE REALLY LOOK FOR. SO WE WE'RE ALREADY OUT IN, 2026 AND STARTING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH EDC FOLKS ABOUT, OKAY, WHAT DO WE NEED HERE IN THE CITY OF HORIZON TO HELP FOSTER THAT? HOW CAN WE GET SOME OF THAT INTO THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL? AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THAT, WE ABSOLUTELY MAINTAIN A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU KNOW, BOTH ON A LOCAL BASIS AND A NATIONAL BASIS. SO WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH, MILITARY LIAISONS FOR CORNYN'S OFFICE, FOR TED CRUZ'S OFFICE FOR, VERONICA ESCOBAR, AND I JUST BENT TONY GONZALES. WE HAVE, HIS. SO WE MEET WITH THEM SO THAT WE'RE UPDATING THEM ON. HEY, HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON THAT WE'RE SEEING. AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THE ARMY, THE GREEN SUITORS CAN'T GO TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED X, BUT WE CAN. SO THEY COME TO US AND SAY, WE REALLY NEED. AND THEN WE START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS HELP BUILD THE AREA. AS THE SOCIETY FOR REALLY GROWING OUR MILITARY AND MILITARY FRIENDLY AND BEING THAT TYPE OF AN ORGANIZATION HERE, WE DO MEET REGULARLY WITH DOD, WHEN EVER THEY COME OUT, BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES WE HAVE AT FORT BLISS IS WE HAVE THE CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE FOR, NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE GET SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE ARMY COMING OUT. WE GET CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMY COMING OUT. WE GET THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY WHO COMES OUT TO VISIT THAT. AND THEY ALL COME INTO FORT BLISS AND MEET WITH FIRST ARMORED DIVISION AND WE ALSO GET A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS. SO BECAUSE OF THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, WE'RE ABLE TO KEEP THOSE THINGS ALIVE AND HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE THOSE TYPE OF PEOPLE. AND WE AS I SAID, WE DO ALL THESE TASKS WE
[00:15:05]
REALLY WORK WITH, CYPRESS AND CYPRESS KIND OF HELPS DIRECT US ON WHICH WAY WE'RE GOING TO GO.WHAT'S THE NEW THING COMING OUT? WHAT ARE THEY HEARING FROM THE PENTAGON, YOU KNOW, THE PENTAGON IS REALLY WHERE THINGS START TO HAPPEN. SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT RUMORS ARE YOU HEARING, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD LAST TIME JUST KIND OF AS AN EXAMPLE, WAS THAT THE ENTIRE EL PASO COUNTY REGION, THE WHOLE REGION HERE WE HAVE A WATER PROBLEM. AND ALL OF US WERE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER GOING, I THOUGHT WE SOLVED THAT THING LIKE 20 YEARS AGO. WE ALREADY TOOK CARE OF THAT. WELL, THERE'S BEEN TURNOVER IN THE PENTAGON AND THEY DIDN'T GO BACK AND READ THOSE FILES. SO ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A DESERT OUT THERE AND THERE'S NO WATER. AND WE CAN'T PUT ANYBODY OUT THERE BECAUSE THERE'S NO WATER. IT'S LIKE, OH, COME ON, WE GOT TO GO. SO WE WENT BACK OUT TO DC. A CONTINGENCY OF US TO EL PASO WATER OUT WITH US. EL PASO ELECTRIC AND REALLY SAT DOWN WITH THEM AND SAID, HERE'S OUR OUR 100 YEAR PLAN FOR WATER. AND THEY WENT, OH, SO THE ENTIRE COUNTY HAS ENOUGH WATER. WE'RE LIKE, WE HAVE ENOUGH WATER TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH IT. AND FINALLY GOT THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT HOW DO WE FIND THAT OUT? BECAUSE SOMEBODY IN CYPRESS SITTING IN AN OFFICE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT EL PASO, AND THAT COMMENT WAS IT WAS THROWN AWAY. IT WAS A THROWAWAY COMMENT. OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, EL PASO'S DESERT OUT THERE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT ANYBODY OUT THERE. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY WATER. AND THEY WENT, OH, WE NEED TO LET THEM KNOW THAT. SO WE GOT ENGAGED AND SPENT SOME TIME IN THE PENTAGON HERE IN FEBRUARY AND KIND OF HAD THAT CONVERSATION SAYS, YOU KNOW WHAT ? THE EL PASO REGION, ALL OF US HAVE PLENTY OF WATER. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT. JUST BRING THE SOLDIERS IN. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT CYPRESS HELPS US DO. AND YOU KNOW WHAT WE ASK FOR, EDC HERE IS TO HELP US SUPPORT THAT CONTRACT WITH WITH CYPRESS, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY CRITICAL TO, TO KEEP THAT. WE JUST DON'T WANT TO GET COMPLACENT AND WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND FIND OUT THAT BRAC IS GOING TO HAPPEN. AND WE'RE NOT READY FOR IT. WE DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO BE THERE. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS GET THAT GROWTH GOING. SO WE REALLY PARTICIPATE WITH EACH ONE OF OUR CLIENTS TO SAY, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION? AND WE TAKE THOSE IN THE AGREEMENT AND WE ACTUALLY WORK ON EXECUTING WITH THEM. AND WE HAVE CONVERSATION WITH, WITH YOUR EDC FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WE'RE REALLY HITTING THE MARK ON THAT. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE DO AS ARMS. AND I'M GOING TO LET LANCE COME BACK UP AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE. THANK YOU, SIR, I THINK BEFORE WE GO ON, THERE'S A COUPLE OF POINTS. THERE ARE CONTRIBUTION. I MEAN, YOU GUYS ARE AN UNPAID OR UNPAID VOLUNTEER. THAT IS CORRECT. AND JUST LIKE YOU. YEAH, OUR JUST LIKE YOU, WE DO THIS BECAUSE WE LOVE THE ARMY. GO PURELY TO SUPPORT THAT THAT CONTRACT WITH CYPRESS. IT DOES SO EVERY UNDERSTOOD. YEAH. EVERY DIME WE GET FROM OUR, OUR PARTNERS GOES TO PAY OUR CONTRACT WITH WITH CYPRESS. NONE OF US WE DON'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR GAS MONEY. WE DON'T DO FOOD. WE IT'S ALL OUT OF POCKET. OUR OWN OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE. AND EVERYTHING WE DO PAYS FOR OUR CYPRESS CONTRACT. WHEN WE GO TO NASA, WE'RE PAYING. JUST LIKE. JUST LIKE THE EDC WILL PAY.
WE'RE PAYING. WE'RE GOING UP THERE AND PAYING OUR WAY AND PAYING ALL THAT. BUT IT IT'S THE BIGGEST CONCENTRATION. AND WE'RE HITTING ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR TO HIT ON IT. BUT THAT IS THE BIGGEST CONCENTRATION OF SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE LEVELS IN THE COUNTRY IN ONE PLACE AT ONE TIME. AND OH, BY THE WAY, 400 PLUS MAJOR DEFENSE CORPORATIONS IS THERE AT THE SAME TIME. THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, EXCEPT AT AUSA OR APHA OR, YOU KNOW, THE WHEN THERE'S ONE MEMORANDUM THAT COVERS ALL THAT AND IT'S JUST THE PERFECT WAY TO GET IF YOU GUYS SAY RAYTHEON IS WHO WE WANT, WE WANT RAYTHEON TO COME TO WORK, WE'LL GET WE'LL GET THEM IN FRONT OF US. WE'LL GET THEM IN FRONT OF DIRECTORS. WE'LL GET THEM IN FRONT OF RAYTHEON. AND THEN THEY'LL DO THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PIECE. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE POWERFUL IN THAT WE NOT JUST ALL OUR OUR CYPRESS BUDDIES, BUT WE'VE DEVELOPED SINCE 2018.
WE'VE DEVELOPED PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH SECRETARIES AND DIRECTORS AND ALL THOSE FOLKS. AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO CALL AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'D LIKE YOU TO COME OUT AND SPEND AN HOUR WITH US ON THIS DAY AND BRIEF, THE COUNTY BRIEF HORIZON, BRIEF, BRIEF WHOEVER, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT, AS LANCE SAID, BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP WE'VE HAD. I MEAN, LANCE RETIRED IN 2015 OUT OF FORT BLISS, AND I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2010, ENGAGED WITH THIS. SO, YOU KNOW, OVER 14 YEARS, YOU START TO KIND OF DEVELOP THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE THAT CONTINUE TO MOVE UP AND, AND, YOU KNOW, NEXT THING YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A BUDDY WHO'S A FOUR STAR OVER AT, AFRICOM, AND YOU PICK UP THE PHONE AND YOU CALL HIM AND YOU SAY, HEY, HERE'S WHAT I'M
[00:20:03]
HEARING. WHAT'S THE REAL STORY? AND YOU GET THE REAL STORY. AND THAT'S THE NICE THING THAT THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED OVER THE TIME IS OUR OUR PIECE OF THAT. AND, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, AUSA THE, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION. THAT'S AN OKAY CONFERENCE. BUT AUSA IS THE LARGEST MILITARY CONFERENCE IN THE WORLD. THE OCTOBER EVENT IS WE TAKE OVER THE, WALTER E WASHINGTON CONVENTION CENTER, AND IT IS LITERALLY FROM FROM THE BOTTOM FLOOR TO THE TOP FLOOR FULL OF SENIOR PEOPLE, PLUS ALL THE EXHIBITORS. SO WE HAVE EXHIBITORS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. SO, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HURT FOR US TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH WITH COUNTRIES THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT WHERE DO I PLACE PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES? AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT TEXAS. EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE IN TEXAS. WELL, LET'S PUT THEM IN HORIZON WHERE IT MAKES THE MOST SENSE. THEN DALLAS OR SAN ANTONIO OR SOME CRAZY PLACE LIKE THAT. LET'S PUT THEM WHERE WHERE IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. SO WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM. THANK YOU, MR. MILLER, THAT WAS THAT WAS IMPORTANT. I WAS GOING TO MENTION THAT TOWARDS THE END. YEAH WE DON'T WE ARE ALL, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, CONNECTED TO THE ARMY. AND LOVE IT, AND THE DOD AS A WHOLE. AND SO WE DO THIS BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE THIS, THIS, THIS GREAT EXPERIMENT CONTINUE GOING. AND WE WANT TO BUILD IT UP HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE A CORPS COME IN HERE. YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO SEE WE WANT TO SEE FORT BLISS AND WHITE SANDS HAVE THE ROOM, WE COULD GET, YOU KNOW, 20,000 MORE SOLDIERS IN HERE AT SOME POINT IN TIME. AND I'D LOVE TO SEE THAT, BECAUSE THEN THAT TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT, I MEAN, THAT'S IT GOES FROM 28 BILLION TO, GOD KNOWS WHAT, 40 BILLION, 50 BILLION, END UP LIKE SAN ANTONIO. THAT HAS 50 SOME DOLLARS BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL CONCENTRATED. ALL THE MEDICAL FOLKS ARE CONCENTRATED THERE. RIGHT. SO, I, I SWAPPED SLIDES HERE, THE WAY FORWARD, THIS CHANGES AS OUR, AS OUR, OUR, OUR FOCUS CHANGES. BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE A LOT, SO AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU'LL SEE YOUR PRIORITIES DOWN IN THERE. THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM, BUT SOME OF THEM, THE FORCE GENERATION MOBILIZATION INSTALLATION. THE REASON THAT'S IMPORTANT IS 40,000 TO 50,000 VISITORS A YEAR COMING IN AND GOING AND COMING, GOING OUT AND COMING BACK FROM THE RESERVES, THE GUARDS AND CIVILIANS, THEY GOT TO STAY SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? THEY GOT TO THEY GOT TO BE SOMEWHERE. THEY GOT TO PUT THEIR FAMILY SOMEWHERE. THEY GOT TO DO THINGS. AND SO WE WANT TO DO THAT, THAT ALSO INCLUDES WE. JOHN MENTIONED THE RAIL HEAD. THAT WAS A $70 MILLION INVESTMENT THAT WE PUSHED, PUSHED, PUSHED SINCE 2018. AND LAST YEAR GOT IT GOT THE $70 MILLION, AND THAT KIND OF WRAPS THAT FORCE GENERATION. I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE MUCH.THE ONLY OTHER ONE IS FORT, WELL, THERE'S ONE RESERVE ONE AND THEN FORT CAVAZOS, OUR NEMESIS IN TEXAS, BUT WE DO WAY MORE, AND NOW WE'RE CAPABLE OF GOING BOTH WAYS. WE'RE ACTUALLY THE LARGEST FORCE PROJECTION PLATFORM IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. YEAH. SO LAST YEAR, WE SENT OUT ABOUT 72,000, GUARD RESERVE AND ACTIVE DUTY OUT OF FORT BLISS AND THE MORE WE DO THAT AND THE REASON WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT IS THE MORE WE DO THAT. THAT'S A LOT OF, CIVILIAN WORKFORCE THAT DOES THAT WORK. SO THE MORE WE CAN BRING IN, THE MORE WE CAN DO WITH THAT, THE MORE CIVILIANS WE HAVE HERE. AND IT'S JUST MORE PEOPLE BUYING OUR HOUSES AND SHOPPING IN OUR STORES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT'S JUST REALLY CRITICAL ON THAT. SO I WANT TO FINISH, SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO, WE JUST WANTED FOR FOUR SLIDES, BUT I DO HAVE SOME DETAILS FOR YOU SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT WE BRIEFED YOU. AND AS YOU'LL RECALL, THE LAST TIME WE BRIEFED YOU, YOU HAD 748 VETERANS. AND I BROKE IT DOWN BY MALE. FEMALE. I BROKE IT DOWN BY, YOU KNOW, WHICH WAR THEY WERE IN? WELL, THE CENSUS I DON'T KNOW. THEY DON'T BREAK IT DOWN ANYMORE. SO IT'S JUST THIS ONE GIANT SHEET. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT, THE JULY 1ST, 2023 ESTIMATION PUTS YOU AT 1035 VETERANS. NOW, HERE FOR, WHICH IS WELL OVER A 25% INCREASE FROM THE LAST TIME, THAT THEY THEY DID A VETERAN SURVEY. THEY ALSO PUT YOU AT, A POPULATION ESTIMATE OF 24,001, 68, WHICH IS WELL, AND ABOVE WHAT YOU WERE THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE THAT STARTED, WHAT WHAT WE GO BACK TO 2020 OR. I'M SORRY, 2010. YOU HAD 16,700 PEOPLE. 2020. YOU HAD
[00:25:08]
22,000. RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 24,000 ESTIMATED. SO YOUR GROWTH RATE IS VERY GOOD. I'M JUST JUST GOING TO SAY THAT, AND HOUSING, WHICH IS A PARTICULAR THING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT BY, YOU KNOW, LINKING THEM UP WITH OUR GARRISON AND THEN TAKING THE AREA CODE AND PLACING IT ON THE LIST OF AVAILABLE HOUSING, SO WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT OPENS UP THAT, THAT THEY WILL NOW, NOW WHEN SOLDIERS COME IN, ABOUT 30% STAY ON POST. THE OTHER 70% LIVE OFF POST. NOW THEY HAVE ACCESS, AND YOU WILL YOUR REALTORS AND YOUR COMPANIES OUT HERE WILL GET PHONE CALLS AND SAY, HEY, WHAT'S YOUR COST, AND SO WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT DRIVES VETERANS AND SOLDIERS TOWARDS HORIZON. RIGHT. SO THE LAST BRIEFING HAD 748 VETERANS.NOW YOU HAVE 1035, AND WE CAN'T BE SURE ABOUT THE CAUSATION, BUT IT STANDS TO REASON THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING THAT WHAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IS DOING IS SUCCESSFUL. IT'S YOUR GROWTH IS SHOWING THAT, YOU'RE BRINGING SOLDIERS AND VETERANS INTO THE CITY. ALL RIGHT. SO THAT THAT IS A THAT IS FOR US. THAT'S SUCCESS, THERE'S A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE INCREASE IN YOUR BUILDING, BOTH SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND MULTIFAMILY, RESIDENCES, AS WELL AS BRINGING IN MORE INDUSTRY HAS A PIECE OF THAT. RIGHT. AND WE ALSO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS I SAID, ADDING HOUSING, ADDING TO THE YOU TO THE HOUSING LIST AT FORT BLISS IS GOING TO CREATE EVEN MORE GROWTH, THAN WE HAVE NOW, SO THE COMBINATION OF ALL THE QUALITY OF LIFE, ALL OF THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE AND INDUSTRY AND YOU'RE BUILDING, I WAS TELLING RAPHAEL THAT THAT JUST JUST YOUR YOUR HOUSING HERE THAT'S BEING PLANNED, COUPLED WITH THE COUNTY'S HOUSING NEARBY, COVERS THE SHORTFALL OF FORT BLISS HOUSING BY ITSELF, AND YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A LOT OF EXPANSION IN EL PASO. SO YOU'RE THE LOGICAL PLACE FOR SOLDIERS TO MIGRATE TO. ALSO, YOUR COSTS. I HAVE THIS DATA FOR YOU. I CAN GET YOU. I'LL GET YOU THIS DATA.
BUT THERE'S SOME AMAZING STUFF IN HERE. YOUR YOUR MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME. QWARK'S JUST SHELLAC'S THE REST OF THE COUNTY IN THE CITY BY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. YOUR COST, FOR RENT, HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, CHEAPER. SAME THING WITH WITH MORTGAGES, SO YOU'RE MOVING IN EXACTLY THE DIRECTION I THINK, THAT THE CITY WANTS TO MOVE TO IN THAT AFFORDABLE, SAFE, QUALITY OF LIFE, A JOBS AND INCOME. AND SO IT'S ALL MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE HELPED WITH THAT. WE CANNOT CERTAINLY PIN IT TO WHAT, YOU KNOW, ARMS IS DOING. BUT I THINK, WE'RE I THINK WE'RE HELPING, AND SO WE, WE MAKE THE CASE THAT YOU CONTINUE TO HELP US, HELPING US PAY OFF OUR, OUR, OUR DEBT AND, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO. THANK YOU, SIR. YES, SIR. OH, I FORGOT QUESTIONS. BEFORE HAS THE HAS YOUR LIST OF PARTNERS EXPANDED? HAS IT CONTRACTED SINCE THE LAST TIME? I MEAN, HAS ANYBODY DROPPED OUT? MOSTLY IT'S THE SAME LIST WE'VE HAD. SO ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES, EVERYTHING FROM ALAMOGORDO, OTERO, LAS CRUCES, DONA ANA, YOU GOT LAS CRUCES? YES. WE HAVE LAS CRUCES, THE CITY, THE COUNTY OF EL PASO. SO EVERYBODY IN THE REGION IS PARTICIPATING IN THAT. AND WE ALSO HAVE, COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO THAT, THAT PARTICIPATE. SO OUR, OUR MUNICIPALITY LIST IS NOT SHRUNK, WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE HOW MUCH MORE WE CAN GROW. WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING TO SOCORRO TO SEE IF WE CAN TALK THEM INTO HELPING SUPPORT. BUT THE MUNICIPALITIES OF ALL STAYED THE SAME AND ARE ALL SUPPORTING US. YES. AND WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN SOME GROWTH IN OUR COMMERCIAL, SUPPORT FROM FROM COMPANIES AND, AND FOLKS AROUND HERE. OKAY, SO EVERYBODY, EVERYBODY'S ON BOARD AND WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR, CHAMBERS, RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS, AS IT MAY, DON ANA HAS BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL, OTHER QUESTIONS. GOOD. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. JUST A COUPLE MORE POINTS BOARD ABOUT THE SPECIFIC CONTRACT, THE TERM WILL BE FROM OCTOBER 24TH, 2024 TO SEPTEMBER 2025. SO IT'S
[00:30:04]
ABOUT A YEAR LONG, AND THE TOTAL COST WILL BE $10,000 IN TWO INSTALLMENTS. SO TWO $5,000 INSTALLMENTS, ALL OF WHICH ARE ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR AND BUDGETED FOR. SO IT WON'T AFFECT OUR BUDGET AT ALL. AND SO AGAIN, THE REQUEST IS TO AUTHORIZE THE PRESIDENT OF THE EDC TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT OF PARTICIPATION WITH THE ARMS GROUP IN REGIONAL EFFORTS TO GENERATE COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY RELATED TO DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OPERATIONS. AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL. AND SO I'LL TAKE ANY EXTRA QUESTIONS YOU ALL MAY HAVE AT THIS POINT. YOU ALREADY SAID IT'S ALREADY IN THE BUDGET, RIGHT? YES, SIR. MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. THANK YOU. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING? NONE ALL IN FAVOR? AYE ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JOHN. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, SIR. LANCE, GREAT TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HOPE THINGS GO OKAY THERE. AND OUR FINGERS CROSSED. YEAH. THANKS FOR COMING. THAT'S CRAZY. NO THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE IT. NICE TO MEET YOU GUYS. THANK YOU . OKAY. OH THE FINANCE LADIES HERE THAT. THAT'S NOT ALWAYS A GOOD THING, SIR. WE'VE GOT THE MONEY. WE REALLY DO HAVE THE CASH. OKAY, ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS DISCUSSION AND ACTION. CONSIDERATION AND ACTION TO
[4. Discussion and Action:]
AMEND THE RIGHT OF. FIRST OFFER TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OFFICES FOR THE FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $80,000. I GUESS YOU'LL PRESENT THIS. YES, SIR. YES, SIR. REALLY QUICKLY. IT'S. SO THE REQUEST IS, IS THE HORIZON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BE ALLOWED TO AMEND THE RIGHT OF FIRST OFFER TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF OFFICES FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $80,000. SO THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO THE OFFICE THAT WE'RE BUILDING FOR OUR FOR OUR CORPORATION, YOU ALL HAVE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE OFFICE. YOU'VE SEEN THE BENEFITS OF BUILDING OUR OFFICE, SO I WON'T GO INTO THAT TOO MUCH. BUT JUST JUST BRIEFLY, I WANT TO TOUCH ON WHAT THAT IS. SO COUNCIL APPROVED OUR ITEM SEPTEMBER 623, AND THE CONSENT TO SIGN TO THE NEW BUILDER WAS APPROVED OCTOBER 10TH, 23. AND SO THIS IS A 25,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY THAT'S BEING BUILT RIGHT HERE ON PAULINE STREET, RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. IF YOU GO DOWN DARRINGTON AND THE EDC IS GOING TO PURCHASE ABOUT IS PLANNING TO PURCHASE 2500FT■!S R A NEW OFFICES, AND SO THE PRODUCT THAT WE WILL BE BUYING OR GETTING IS WELL, THERE'S THE IMAGES TO REMIND YOU ALL WHERE IT'S AT, BUT BASICALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IS IT'S GOING TO BE BUILT OUT REALLY NICELY. WELL, FROM THE OUTSIDE. BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET INSIDE IS BASICALLY AN EMPTY ROOM, RIGHT? AN EMPTY FACILITY. AND SO WE CAN'T OPERATE THAT WAY. AND SO THE INTENT IS TO THEN INVEST A BIT MORE TO BUILD OUT THE WALLS, TO GET ALL OF THE OFFICES THAT WE NEED FOR OURSELVES, FOR OUR PARTNERS. AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE NEED TO GET OUR WORKSHOPS GOING, OUR CO-WORKING SPACES GOING. AND SO THAT'S WHAT THIS ITEM REALLY IS, WE TALKED WITH THE BUILDER AND THE ESTIMATES THAT THEY GAVE US ARE THAT WE'D BE A LOT, BETTER SERVED IF WE INTEGRATED THIS INTO THE PROJECT RIGHT NOW VERSUS WAITING FOR THIS TO FINISH, THEN GOING BACK AND HIRE A SEPARATE FIRM TO BUILD THE INSIDE. SO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING RIGHT THERE IS THE DIAGRAM OF WHAT WILL BE BUILT OUT. SO YOU CAN SEE THESE WILL BE OUR OFFICES. THE ONLY THING THAT IS THERE RIGHT NOW OR IS PLANNING ON GETTING BUILT ARE THE RESTROOMS AND THE JANITOR'S CLOSET. BUT EVERYTHING ELSE HAS TO GET BUILT OUT. SO WITH THIS ITEM, WE DO INTEND TO BUILD OUT THE WALLS TO GET OUR CONFERENCE ROOMS, GET OUR OFFICES, AND ALSO THE OFFICES OF OUR LINE PARTNERS. AND AGAIN, THE TOTAL ESTIMATED COST FOR THIS SHOULD NOT EXCEED 80,000. BUT OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO COME TO YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S APPROVED BY YOU ALL BEFORE WE AGREE TO THOSE TERMS, SO AGAIN, THE REQUEST IS THAT THE HORIZON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BE ALLOWED TO AMEND THE RIGHT OF THE FIRST SOFTWARE, RIGHT OF FIRST SOFTWARE TO AUTHORIZE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE OFFICES, THE INTERNAL PORTIONS, AS I MENTIONED, FOR AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $80,000. AND THE STAFF DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL. SO WE'LL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS IF YOU GOT THEM. DOES THIS INCLUDE FURNITURE? NO, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE FURNITURE. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE STILL CONSIDERING TAKING A LOT OF THE FURNITURE THAT WE'VE GOT. I THINK WE WILL BUY SOME EXTRA ONES, BUT WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU, BUT YOU DO HAVE SOME FURNITURE THAT'LL WORK. YES, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, IF, IF NEED BE, WE COULD TAKE EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT AND ALREADY POPULATE THERE. BUT TRUTHFULLY, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO GET A FEW MORE THINGS. BUT WHEN WE DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION APPROVED.SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. WE CAN GO TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE, DISCUSSION AND
[5. Discussion and Action:]
ACTION ON A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE BOARD PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE THE FIRST AMENDMENT[00:35:03]
TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH EDUARDO GARCIA AS A EXECUTOR OF DIRECTOR OF THE TOWN OF HORIZON CITY. TYPE B FOR B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. YES, SIR, SO JUST AS WALTER READ OFF, THIS IS REALLY TO EXTEND EDDIE'S CONTRACT, OUR DIRECTOR'S CONTRACT, AND SO, WALTER, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS AT ALL OR SPEAK TO IT? OKAY. IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME. IT IS AN EXTENSION OF THE EXISTING CONTRACT. SO THE TERMS DID NOT CHANGE. IT'S THE SAME. WE HE HAS . I REMEMBER RIGHT THERE IS ANOTHER, EXTENSION AVAILABLE FOR NEXT YEAR. I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, BUT I THINK SO. BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO RENEGOTIATE A CONTRACT THIS YEAR. RIGHT, IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME TERMS AS WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING ON AS FAR AS COMPENSATION, HE DOES ENJOY GENERALLY ENJOY THE, I BELIEVE. AND I MIGHT BE CORRECTED ON THIS, BUT I BELIEVE HE ENJOYS THE SAME COST OF LIVING THAT THE REST OF THE EMPLOYEES GET. TOWN EMPLOYEES, IS THAT NOT? THAT'S INCORPORATED INTO THIS CONTRACT. SO WHATEVER BUMPS THE TOWN OF HORIZON PRESENTS TO THEIR EMPLOYEES, HE'LL GET THEM AS A COST OF LIVING. CORRECT YEAH.BUT, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, WE HAVE BEEN, I'M MOVING FORWARD. I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THIS AGREEMENT. SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE GLAD TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS TO APPROVE. THANK YOU. SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
FURTHER DISCUSSION. HEARING NONE . ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED ? MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU.
COOL. ALL RIGHT. THERE ARE NO MORE AGENDA ITEMS. SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE'RE ADJOURNED. OR WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A SECOND. WE CAN JUST HANG OUT IF YOU WANT TO. IT MIGHT RAIN, SO WE MIGHT GET SOME COMMENTS. WE CAN JUST STOP.
THANK YOU. LORD. ALL RIGHT. VERY
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.