[00:00:03]
          GO. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT IS 6 P.M, AND WE WILL OPEN THIS MEETING OF THE CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTT& 
          [1. Call to order; Establishment of Quorum]
CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS. WE ARE CALLED TO ORDER. WE DOO& HAVE A QUORUM. AND DO WE HAVE 
          [3. Approval of Minutes from]
ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? SOO& WE CAN GO TO ITEM NUMBER THREE, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM MARCH 19TH, 2025. MAY 21ST, 2025 REGULAR BOARD MEETING AND CERTIFIED EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA FROM MAY 21ST 2020 FIRST 2025 I MOVE. WE APPROVE THE MINUTES. I WISH I HAD THE MINUTES I SECOND. OH, YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THE MINUTES. DO YOU KNOW THE. NO. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. WELL, WE DON'T HAVE A PRINTED COPY. WE DO HAVE THE AGENDA. DO WE NEED A MINUTE TOO& LOOK AT THEM? IT'S JUST TOO& GLANCE AT THEM. YEAH. DO YOU HAVE THEM THERE, ROBERT? DID YOU POST THEM ON THE. ON THE ONLINE? OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. THAT'S OKAY. I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK. NO. YEAH. IT'S JUST A REAL FAST. DO YOU HAVE A PIN, EDDIE?& I DON'T I DON'T HAVE DO YOU HAVE AN EXTRA ONE? I LOOK AT THESE. THANK YOU. FEBRUARY. OKAY. SO. OH, YOU POSTED THEM ON THE.& THAT'S FINE, THAT'S FINE. THANK YOU. THERE WAS A MOTION AND THE SECOND. RIGHT. WERE YOU A SECOND? NO, I THINK IT WAS ALREADY SECOND. YEAH. OKAY. WEE& HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MINUTES? CHAIR. NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.& AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTIONN& CARRIES. ITEM NUMBER FOUR. DISCUSSION THAT THE PRESIDENT OF 
          [4. Discussion]
HORIZON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS BE ALLOWED TO SIGN A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE TOWN OF HORIZON CITY. TYPE B4, TYPE FOUR B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, TEXAS NONPROFIT CORPORATION, AND A TYPE B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING THE PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT WITH CONOCO PARTNERS, LLC REGARDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW FACILITIES WITHIN HORIZON CITY, TEXAS, AND PROVIDED FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE. ARE W& SURE THAT THAT MAKES SENSE? THE LAST PORTION, I THINK WE CAN STRIKE THAT THROUGH. WE CAN STRIKE THROUGH THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A AS AN AMENDMENT TO THE POSTING LANGUAGE, BECAUSE I STILL HAVE TO TAKE THIS TO THE CITY, CAN ADJUST IT. I JUST WAS WANTING TO TRY TO CLEAR THIS UP A LITTLE BIT. RIGHT. YEAH. SO THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE, I MEAN I THINK WE CAN STRIKE THROUGH THAT POSTING LANGUAGE, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE LANGUAGE. 
          WHAT PARTS ARE IN SPECIFICALLY. WHY ARE WE WHY IS IT RESOLUTE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE TOWN OF HORIZON CITY TYPE FOUR B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIO& TEXAS NONPROFIT CORPORATION, AND A TYPE B ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AUTHORIZING THE LANGUAGE JUST SEEMS REALLY, REALLY CUMBERSOME TO ME, BUT I THINK I GET THE GIST. YEAH. SO, YEAH, THIS IS THIS IS POSTING LANGUAGE THAT WE GOT FROM OUR FROM OUR ATTORNEY. OKAY. IT'S YEAH, I BELIEVE I UNDERSTANDD& WHAT IT SAYS, BUT IT'S REALLY CUMBERSOME. YEAH. YEAH. HE HE HE ADJUSTED IT TO, TO REFERENCE THAT IT'S A TYPE B CORPORATION. WE CAN GO GO AHEAD. LET'S, LET'S LOOK AT YOU AND THEN THE AND THEN JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE. YOU KNOW IT'S STILL I STILL NEED TO& TAKE THIS TO CITY COUNCIL. HOWEVER WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CHAPTER 380 AGREEMENT READY. THE CITY'S SIDE OF IT. SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS BACK, THIS BACK TO THE CITY, YOU KNOW, AFTER YOU ALL APPROVE IT, BECAUSE CITY COUNCIL HAS TO APPROVE THE PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT AS WELL. 
          [00:05:06]
WE CAN'T TAKE ACTION BY OURSELVES BECAUSE IT'S A PROJECT AND IT'S LISTED UNDER BYLAWS, YOU KNOW, AND THE WAY THE CITY INCORPORATED THE EDC, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO TAKE BACK TO COUNCIL AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALSO IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS. ALL RIGHT. 
          BUT SO I BROUGHT IT HERE JUST S& THAT WE CAN KEEP THE PROJECT MOVING FORWARD. BECAUSE OTHERWISE THE APPLICANT WOULD HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER MONTH BEFORE WE BROUGHT IT BACK. INN& TERMS OF WHAT WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE. BUT IF YOU ALREADY I CAN START THE PRESENTATION AGAIN. MY NAME ISS& EDDIE GARCIA, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE TOWN OF HORIZON CITY EDC. AND SO, AGAIN, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT YOU ALL SAW LAST MONTH THAT I BROUGHT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND SO WHATT& WE'RE REQUESTING TODAY IS THAT YOU ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD THE WITH THE APPROVING OF THIS PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT TO DEVELOP THIS PROPERTY HERE THAT'S LOCATED ON CANAL. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH CANAL PARTNERS, LLC TO BUILD THIS NEW OFFICE CENTER HERE IN HORIZON CITY. THE MAJORITY OF IT IS GOING TO BE FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES. AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THIS ONE. AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE INCENTIVIZING THIS IS BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE WANT A DIFFERENT LOOK FOR THE TOWN OF HORIZON CITY. WE'RE ENCOURAGING WALKABILITY. 
          WE DO KNOW THAT CANALS IS GOING TO BE NORTH. CANAL IS GOING TOO& BE A REALLY, REALLY BUSY STREET HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE BECAUSE OF ALL THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S TAKING PLACE. AND SO AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE US. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A SEA OF PARKING I& THE FRONT OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS. 
          YOU KNOW, WE WANT SOME OF THE BUILDINGS PUSHED TO THE FRONT AGAIN TO ENCOURAGE WALKABILITY, TO ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING WITH SOME OF THESE DEVELOPMENTS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS INVESTED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. AS YOU ALL KNOW. I GAVEE& YOU A QUICK RECAP. THE CITY IS MOVING FORWARD. THEY APPROVED THEIR DESIGN STANDARDS. THEY APPROVED THE LAYOUT FOR THE TOD AND THE ZONING. SO THEY'RE THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF REZONING PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET. AND IT ENCOMPASSES, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT& WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN THIS DEVELOPMENT HERE AS WELL. SO AGAIN, THE DEVELOPERS PROPOSING TO DO 36,000FT■!S OF OFFICE DEVELOPMENT, AGAIN, MOSTLY FOR MEDICAL. WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE AGREEMENT IS THAT WE ARE REQUIRING 51% OF THE DEVELOPMENT TO BE FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES. THE DEVELOPER IS GOING TO INVEST $6.7 MILLION. AND AGAIN, WHAT WE'VE ASKED OF THE DEVELOPER, ON TOP OF THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING AND THE PLACEMENT OF THE BUILDINGS, IS THAT THEY GO OUT AND THEY WORK WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, WHICH WE HAVE IN OUR OFFICES, TO HOST A JOB FAIR THERE FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE LOOKING FOR MEDICAL TYPE POSITIONS. I THINK THE INDIVIDUAL THAT IS WITH US, HE SPECIALIZES IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AND TRYING TO ATTRACT THOSE FOLKS. SO AGAIN, WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE ENGAGING THE RESIDENTS, MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN KEEP SOME OF THE JOBS HERE IN HORIZON CITY. AND SO WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO DO THAT AGAIN WHEN THE DEVELOPER COMES IN, BEFORE HE STARTS THE PROJECT, THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE US SOME RENDERINGS AS TO WHAT THE DESIG& IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE. AND SO W& NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT LOOKS SIMILAR TO TH& PICTURE THAT I SHOWED EARLIER. SO THIS PROPERTY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT'S WE ESTIMATE THATT& IT'S GOING TO THE CURRENT THE COMBINED PROPERTY TAX IS GOING TO BE 343,000. ONCE WE'RE DONE, THE DEVELOPMENT WE THINK IS GOING TO BE WORTH ABOUT 3.355& MILLION, EVEN THOUGH HE'S INVESTING $6.7 MILLION IN THE DEVELOPMENT. OUR INCENTIVE IS BASED ON THE 3.35 AND IT'S RULE OF THUMB FOR ECONOMIC IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FIELD THAT WHEN SOMEBODY INVESTS, IN THIS CASE $6.7 MILLION, IT'SS& ESSENTIALLY HALF, BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE TALKING ENGINEERING THINGS THAT DON'T GO INTO THE VALUE OF THE BUILDING. RIGHT? THOSE SOFT COSTS THAT YOU SEE OUT THERE. SO WE VALUE IT AT HALF. WE THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE ESTIMATE THAT THE EPCARD IS GOING TO PROVIDE THE CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT. AND SO WE'LL SEE THE INCREMENT INCREASE TO 16,820. AGAIN WITH THESE DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THIS ONE, WE'RE JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS YOU KNOW. SO COMPLIANCE ISS& REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE EDC. W& MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THEY HAD THEY HELD THAT JOB FAIR THAT THEY THAT THEY TARGET FOLKS HERE IN HORIZON CITY, THAT THEY WORK WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, THAT THEY PROVIDE US ALL OF THE RECEIPTS THAT TOTAL $6.7 MILLIO& AND THAT THEY PLACE THE BUILDINGS THE WAY THEY SAID THE& WERE GOING TO PLACE THEM. THOSE ARE ALL IN THE CONTRACT, AND YOU'LL SEE IT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACT, IT REFERENCES EXHIBIT A, THE DEVELOPMENT. THEN YOU'LL& 
          [00:10:02]
SEE ALL THAT INFORMATION THERE WITH ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS TO& HAVE IT AT 51% FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES. THE 36,000FT■!S. AGAI, THIS IS WHERE THE PROPERTY IS LOCATED. THIS IS CAINAZZO. IT'S ACROSS THE STREET FROM DESERT HILLS ELEMENTARY. WE KNOW THAT THIS AREA IS GOING TO BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR AGAIN, WITH ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S TAKING PLACE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HAVE SEEN A LARGE UPTICK IN THE AMOUNT OF MEDICAL OFFICES THAT ARE LOOKING FOR SPACE HERE IN HORIZON CITY. AS A MATTER OF FACT, YESTERDAY I DID ATTEND THE ZONING, A ZONING MEETING, THE PUBLIC MEETING THAT THEY HELD AT THE OSLO CENTER. AND I GOT APPROACHED BY A DOCTOR THERE LOOKING FOR OFFICE SPACE HERE IN HORIZON CITY, WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING TO OPEN THEIR OFFICES. SO IT'S HUGE. YOU KNOW, WE THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF MEDICAL OFFICES IN THIS AREA. AND THIS IS A PERFECT PIECE OF PROPERTY TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE THAT THIS INDIVIDUALL& IS GOING TO INVEST IN THE MILLIONS. AND THE INCENTIVE THA& WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE IS, IS ISN'T AS LARGE AS THE 6.7 MILLION. AGAIN, THIS IS AN EXHIBIT THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT. AND SO WHENEVER HE PROVIDES US HIS RENDERINGS, HIS CONCEPTUAL PLAN, HIS BUILDING PLANS, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO LOOK VERY SIMILAR TO THIS IN TERMS OF THE PLACEMENT OF BUILDING. THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN MAY CHANGE, BUT THE BUILDINGS NEED TO BE PLACED THIS WAY. CORRECT? OKAY. ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. 
          THEY'RE THEY'RE GRADING. YEAH. SO YOU KNOW, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOCUS ON WHEN WE DO INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS OR PERFORMANCE, MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T PULL ANY BUILDING PERMITS, WHICH THEY HAVEN'T. WHICH IS WHY I'M BRINGING THIS PROJECT HERE SO THAT WE DON'T DELAY THE PULLING OF BUILDING PERMITS. YOU CAN GRADE, BUT YOU CAN'T GO OUT AND PULL PERMITS. I THINK HIS ISSUE RIGHT NOW IS THAT HE'S. HE'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE'S GOING TO GET WATER AND SEWER. SO HE'S WORKING ON THE ENGINEERING FOR THAT. SO THAT'S& WHY HE HASN'T PULLED OUT ANYY& PILLS. BUT THEY ARE GRADING. AND SO THIS IS THE INCENTIVE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. YOU KNOW THE EDC IS GOING TO DO A RECRUITMENT GRANT. WE'RE GOING TO DO A $10,000 PER YEAR FOR A TOTAL OF $40,000. AND THEN THE TOWN OF HORIZON CITY IS PROPOSING TO DO A PROPERTY TAX REBATE AT 75%, FOR A TOTAL 74,000. AGAIN, THE PROPERTY TAX REBATE IS BASED ON& THE 3.35 MILLION VALUATION THAT WE EXPECTED TO HIT RIGHT. IF IT DOESN'T HIT IT, YOU KNOW, THEN THE 75% PROPERTY TAX REBATE ISS& GOING TO BE LOWER. BUT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHERE THEY'RE AT FOR A TOTAL $74,000. AND SO THE TOTAL INCENTIVE FROM BOTH THE EDC AND THE CITY IS ABOUT $114,000 FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT. 
          SO AGAIN, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TAX IMPACT FOR ALL, ALL OF THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES, YOU KNOW, IN THIS FIVE YEAR PERIOD, WHICH IS THE TERM FOR THIS AGREEMENT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $496,000 THAT ALL OF THE TAXING ENTITIES& ARE GOING TO GET. THE CITY OF HORIZON IS GOING TO GET 24,000 OF THAT, BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLYY& DOING 75% OF THE PROPERTY TAX REBATES. AND SO AGAIN, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. IFF& YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS NOW. THERE ARE LOCAL DOCTORS. IT'S A IT'S SOME LOCAL DOCTORS THAT HAVE GONE TOGETHER WITH THIS INDIVIDUAL WITH THE DEVELOPER IN THIS CASE. SO THEY DO HAVE A DEVELOPER. YEAH. THEY DO HAVE A DEVELOPER. YEAH. 
          DOCTORS DON'T MAKE VERY GOOD. WELL YEAH. SO NO, NO THIS GUY THAT'S WHAT HE DOES. YOU KNOW HE HAS SEVERAL DEVELOPMENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THAT'S WHAT HE SPECIALIZES IN DOINGG& THIS. AND SO HE GOT TOGETHER WITH OTHER DOCTORS TO FOR THE LEASES THAT ARE THERE. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS 51% OF THE MAJORITY OF IT LEASED TO, TOO& MEDICAL FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES. OKAY. IS THERE ANY RETAIL AT ALL? THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME RETAIL. THE OTHER PERCENTAGEE& WILL BE SOME SOME TYPE OF RETAIL IN THE DEVELOPMENT. BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I PRESENTED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO YOU ALL THAT THE MAJORITYY& WOULD BE MEDICAL. I PRESENTED THE SAME THING AT COUNCIL THATT& THE MAJORITY WOULD BE MEDICAL. 
          IT'S NOT ALL GOING TO BE MEDICAL, BUT THE MAJORITY WILL BE. AND IN THIS CASE, IN THE AGREEMENT, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS WE SAID 51%. SO WHEN YOU SAY RETAIL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESTAURANTS, RESTAURANTS, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A MIX OF USES AT THAT POINT. YOU KNOW, WHOEVER CAN LEASE IN HIS OFFICE SPACES. MEDICAL. YEAH. IT IS A VALUATION BASED ON AN APPRAISAL. THE VALUATION IS NOT BASED ON AN APPRAISAL. IT IS BASED ON THE WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO WHEN WE'RE DOING AN ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS. AND SO THE RULE OF THUMB FOR THAT IS WHEN WE ESSENTIALLY CUT THE INVESTMENT IN HALF. RIGHT. BECAUSE INVESTMENT INCLUDES THE PURCHASE 
          [00:15:04]
OF LAND SOFT COST. AND YOU KNOW, AND THAT INCLUDES LIKE ENGINEERING AND STUFF LIKE THAT. 
          SO RULE OF THUMB IS IF WE CUT IT IN HALF, BUT YOUR INCENTIVE IS NOT BASED ON THE $6.7 MILLION THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE INVESTING. IT'S BASED ON THE 3.35, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WE TYPICALLY USE WHEN WE RUN AN ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS. OKAY. THANK YOU. WHICH IS IMPORTANT T& NOTE, RIGHT. BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHY AREN'T YOU WHY AREN'T YOU HOLDING THEM TOO& 6.7? YOU KNOW, EVEN ON THE VALUATIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT WE PUT IN OUR AGREEMENTS AND SAID, OKAY, YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T. THE DEVELOPER CANNOT GO IN THERE AND PROTEST THIS VALUE BELOW 3.355& MILLION, RIGHT. YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S WHY WE USE THAT AS WELL. AND THAT'S IN THE AGREEMENT ESPECIALLY FOR THE CITY WHICH THEY'RE DOING PROPERTY TAX REBATES IF THAT MAKES SENSE. BUT THE $6.7 MILLION VALUATION IS ALL OF HIS INVESTMENT, ALL IN WHAT HE'S INVESTING IN. THE PIECE OF PROPERTY. THANKS. YOU KNOW, HERE'S A DESIGNER. I'M NOT HE HASN'T DISCLOSED THAT TO US. 
          SO NO, HE HASN'T. AND WE CANN& CERTAINLY FIND THAT OUT. COOL, COOL. BUT AGAIN, WITH THAT I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. I GUESS THE EFFECTIVE DATE& IS GOING TO BE SET BY COUNCIL, RIGHT? THE EFFECTIVE DATE WILL SET BY WILL BE SET BY COUNCIL. AND YOU KNOW AS THAT ALSO REQUIRES THAT I GET ALL THE SIGNATURES FROM ALL THE PARTIES. I THINK IN THE LANGUAGE IT'LL SAY SOMETHING. TYPICALLY WHATT& THE LANGUAGE SAYS IS WHEN THE LAST PERSON HAS EXECUTED THIS AGREEMENT, THAT'S THE EFFECTIVE DATE. SO WE'VE GOT SOME TIME BEFORE NOW AND THEN I STILL NEED TO TAKE IT TO COUNCIL. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR A SECOND. I HAVE A LOOK AND A SECOND. IS THERE FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM HEARING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. 
          [5. Discussion]
OKAY. I'M AUTHORIZING THE BOARD PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE AN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH TOMMY LEE JONES, I MEAN. RAFAEL SORIANO AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE TOWN OF HORIZON, CITY TYPE FOR BE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. 
          READY? SO AGAIN, EDDIE GARCIA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE HORIZON CITY EDC, FOR THE RECORD, AGAIN, SO THIS NEXT ITEM IS AN EXTENSION TO THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT FOR MR. RAFAEL ARELLANO. HE CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE EDC. LET ME BACK UP REA& QUICK HERE. SO RAFA, HE'S A CERTIFIED ECONOMIC DEVELOPER. THAT'S AN AND I'VE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE. THAT'S ONE IT'S A REALLY TOUGH CERTIFICATION TOO& EARN. IT'S A NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL TYPE CERTIFICATION FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS. HE'S ONE OF THREE CERTIFIED ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS HERE IN THE REGION. ONE OF THEM IS OUT THERE IN NEW MEXICO. I HAVE ONE, AND RAFA HA& THE OTHER ONE HERE IN THIS AREA. I CAN TELL YOU THAT THAT HAS A 30% PASSING RATE, YOU KNOW, SO 70% OF THE PEOPLE FAIL THIS EXAM. AND WE'VE HEARD OF PEOPLE THAT TAKE IT SEVERAL TIMES INN& ORDER TO BECOME A CERTIFIED ECONOMIC DEVELOPER. BUT THAT'SS& REALLY IMPORTANT FOR WHAT IT IS& THAT WE'RE DOING HERE TOO& UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS, WHAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, ESPECIALLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY OF HORIZON, WE'RE WORKING ON RFPS TO SEND OUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PACKAGES. 
          AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING THE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION. RAFA AND VERONICA BOTH GO OUT AND TALK TO THEE& DIFFERENT BUSINESSES HERE IN HORIZON CITY, WORKING ON THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR BOTH THE EDC AND THE CITY OF EL PASO, WORKING WITH THE TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AND INFILL PROJECTS. YOU ALL HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE BROUGHT TO YOU IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE LAND THAT THE CITY HAS PURCHASED. SO, SO REALLY, YOU KNOW, WHAT RAFA IS DOING IS AND MYSELF AND THE EDC AS A WHOLE I& WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF HORIZON ON DIFFERENT INITIATIVES. THAT IS A LITTLE SEPARATE FROM WHAT WE DO IN THE EDC. BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THOSE THINGS BECAUSE THOSE ARE OUR ARE ALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT AREE& GOING TO BENEFIT BOTH THE CITY AND HORIZON. SO WE'RE WORKING OUT OF OUR LANE A LITTLE BIT. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT WE TRY TO KEEP SOMEBODY LIKE RAFA HERE IN HORIZON CITY IN THE EDC. SO RAFA 
          [00:20:08]
WE'RE COMING UP ON THE BUDGET HERE SOON. OUR BUDGET. YOU KNOW I THINK LILY SENT OUT AN EMAIL ALREADY. WE'RE WE'RE STARTING T& WORK ON OUR BUDGET JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER. SO IN ANTICIPATION O& THE BUDGET COMING THROUGH, RAFA'S CONTRACT ENDS ON OCTOBER 30TH. AND SO I'D LIKE TO GET THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT. THE INCREAS& IN PAY TO RAFA FOR, FOR HIS WORK HERE IN HORIZON CITY AND TOO& APPROVE HIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT NOW HIS EXTENSION FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS BEFORE HIS CONTRACT ENDS. RIGHT. AND BEFORE WE START GOING THROUGH BUDGET THAT WAY, I ALREADY HAVE THAT NUMBER AND I CAN BALANCE MY BUDGET OR PRESENT THE BALANCED BUDGET TO THE TOWN OF HORIZON CITY WHEN TIME WHEN THE TIME COMES. RIGHT. SO AGAIN, HIS PAY IS GOING TO INCREASE FROM 76,000 TO $94,000 PER YEAR. 
          THAT IS IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU'LL SEE. ASSISTANT DIRECTORS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DO FOR SMALL CITIES. RIGHT. YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS THE OPTION OF GOING TO LARGER CITIES FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT RAFA TO LEAVE. YOU KNOW, HE HAS OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH IS TRYINGG& TO KEEP HIM HERE. I KNOW THE CITY OF LAS CRUCES HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR, OR THE COUNTY OF LAS CRUCES OR DONA ANA COUNTYY& HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR A DIRECTOR OUT THERE. THOSE PEOPLE ARE PAYING ABOUT 140,000, SO AN INCREASE TO 94,000. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET RID OF. YEAH. WE DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF HIM BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF VERY IMPORTANT WORK THAT HERE IN HORIZON CITY THAT WE NEED SOME CONTINUITY WITH WHAT IT IS THAT& WE'RE DOING. BUT AGAIN, AGAIN,,& THE REQUEST IS TO ALLOW ME OR THE PRESIDENT FOR THE EDC BOARD TO SIGN THIS EXTENSION WITH MR. ARELLANO TO RETAIN HIS SERVICES FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS. AND IF I MIGHT COMMENT. I THINK THIS IS A WELL-DESERVED INCREASE. THE FAC& THAT THAT WE'VE OBTAINED A CERTIFICATE. SHOWS THE AWARENESS, A DEDICATION THAT WE NEED IN THIS. I DON'T HEAR ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE EDC. SOO& THESE GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AND I THINK THAT. I CONCUR 94,000 FOR TWO YEARS. THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. ROUGH 25,000 PERR& YEAR. SO CAN I MAKE THE MOTION TO EXTEND RAFA'S CONTRACT? I SECOND HAVE A MOTION A SECOND FOR THE DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION& CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY THANK YOU. OKAY. SEEING NO FURTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. WELL I'LL WAIT. I THINK I CAN GET RID OF THAT. SHE'S NOT HERE. SHE MUST BE TOO LATE. WE ARE. WE HAVE TH& NEW BUILDING. HAVE YOU ALL BEEN& IN THE NEW BUILDING? NO. YOU'LL NEED TO GO SEE IT. I HAVEN'T BEEN INSIDE. RIGHT? YEAH. WERE YOU IN? WE'RE PLANNING A PARTY, RIGHT? YEAH, WE'RE WORKING ON ON ON DOING A WHAT IS IT? AN OFFICE WARMING TYPE PARTY. WE STILL HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED T& WORK ON. WE NEED TO GET OUR TOO& GET OUR LANDSCAPING DONE. WEE& NEED TO GET OUR SIGN UP, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON SOME THINGS TO, YOU KNOW, TO GET IT DONE, TO GET IT IN A VERY PRESENTABLE. PRESENTABLE TO THE PUBLIC. 
          RIGHT. AND SO WE HAVE A PARTY. WE'D LIKE IT TO BE A LITTLE TOO& LOOK A LITTLE BETTER THAN WHATT& IT LOOKS LIKE. I'VE BEEN IN THE OTHER ONE. YEAH. THAT ONE OVER THERE. YEAH. SO WE NEED SOME WORK AND WE'RE WORKING ON IT, YOU KNOW? AND AS SOON AS WE, WE FIGURE OUT I THINK THEY SAID SOMETHING NEXT WEEK RAFA, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE LANDSCAPING. THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUT THERE, TURN ON THE WATER. WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE. YOU KNOW, THE REASON THAT WE DON'T HAVE LANDSCAPING IS WE WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE WATER METER CONNECTING THAT. BUT I THINK THEY'VE GOT THAT IRONED OUT. AND SO WE'LL WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT. AND I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION WE WILL BE AT SOME POINT MOVING& OUR BOARD MEETINGS THERE. RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. SO THE OTHER THING AND. I THINK ANYBODY GOING TOO& HATE ME FOR THIS, BUT I CAN'T I WALK IN THERE AND I SEE THIS BIG OPEN SPACE AND AN EMPTY WALLS. YEAH. ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY. I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA OTHER THAN THAT, OTHER THAN WE COULD ENGAG& THE COMMUNITY IN SOME SORT OF. 
          SOMETHING. YEAH. I DON'T KNOW IF IT KIDS ARE APPROPRIATE OR. OR MAYBE A REVOLVING EXHIBIT SPACE. 
          RIGHT, RIGHT. YOU KNOW WHERE WE COULD HAVE A PHOTO CONTEST OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT Y'ALL JUST BE THINKING ABOUT THAT. YEAH. YEAH. YOU KNOW, AND YEAH. SO WE'LL SPRUCE IT UP. AND AS SOON AS WE FIND SOMEBODY THAT WE CAN WORK WITH, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL PROBABLY DO SOME TYPE OF 
          [00:25:06]
SPONSORSHIP, BUT WE'LL BRING IT& BACK TO THE BOARD SO YOU ALL CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE WHAT THAT ENTAILS, WHAT THAT ENTAILS& YOU KNOW. BUT WE WANT TO TRY TO& KEEP IT LOCAL HERE IN HORIZON S& THAT WE DON'T GO OUT AND GET IT FROM OTHER FOLKS. RIGHT. WE'VE WE'VE HEARD THERE'S SOME ARTISTS THAT LIVE IN TOWN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SCHOOL THAT, THAT THAT'S AN ART SCHOOL HERE. I THINK IT'S ON CANAL ACTUALLY THAT'S OUT THERE. SO WE'LL TALK TO THEM AND SEE WHAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT IN TERMS OF GETTING SOME ART PIECES IN THERE. YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO IT LIKE THE CIT& OF EL PASO. WHAT THEY DO IS, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY IF SOME PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THEY LEND THE PIECES TO THE CITY OF EL PASO, PUT A PRICE TAG ON IT, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY LIKES IT, YOU KNOW, WE& CAN ROTATE THEM OUT. BUT I THINK WE I THINK IT WOULD IMPROVE OUR TRAFFIC THROUGH THERE. OH YEAH. 
          ABSOLUTELY. AND YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS INVESTMENT. WE SHOULD& USE IT FOR THE TOWN. YEAH FOR SURE. SO YEAH. SO THERE YOU KNOW AND THE NEXT BOARD MEETING I'LL& PUT ANOTHER ITEM TO, TO DISCUSS UPDATES ON SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. IT MAY B& NEXT MEETING OR OR THE FOLLOWING MEETING DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS, WHAT OUR BUDGET. RIGHT. SO THAT WILL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TOO& WORK ON. SOME OF THEM ARE STILL, YOU KNOW, THE STUFF THAT WE HAV& IN EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED, THAT WE CAN'T DISCUSS AN OPEN, AN OPEN FORUM LIKE THIS, BUT WE'LL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THOSE, ESPECIALLY ASS& WE MOVE FORWARD. BUT THERE'S SOME PROGRESS. SOME PROGRESS. WHAT WHAT THOSE TWO ARE ALMOST READY TOGETHER. THEY WERE LIKE THAT. NO. YEAH. BUT SURE FOR SURE WE'LL WE'LL THERE'S SOME GOOD STUFF THAT'S HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, AND WE WE'RE, WE'RE WE'RE HOLDING. WE'RE, WE'RE JUSTT& TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. BUT IT'LL BE QUICK HERE IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO. OKAY. COOL. TWO THINGS ON THAT. YOU IT'S WE'RE KIND OF KNOWN FOR THROWING PARTIES. 
          WE'VE DONE TWO OF THEM NOW. BUT WHEN WE FIRST OPENED AND ONE OTHER TIME. YEAH. SO YOU GOT TO MAKE IT GOOD. YEAH. NO. OFF& COURSE. WE NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE'VE GOT THE REPUTATION AROUND TOWN AS BEING KIND OF BOLD AND INNOVATIVE AND DO THINGS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DON'T DO. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE. YEAH. WE'RE GOING TOO& CONTINUE. YEAH. FOR SURE. LIKE & SAID, THERE'S SOME EXCITING THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. THEY'RE JUST STILL, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE STILL NOT RIPE TO BRING& IT. BUT THERE'S SOME MOVEMENT THAT'S HAPPENING HERE IN HORIZON CITY. NOW I CAN TELL YOU NO OTHER, NO FURTHER ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.