Friday April 22nd, 2022 Minutes

MINUTES of the MEETING
of the BOARD of DIRECTORS

Friday – April 22nd, 2022 – 8:30 a.m.
34 W Fulton St and Zoom Conference
Gloversville, New York

Directors Present:        Timothy Beckett, Warren Greene, Kent Kirch, Travis Mitchell, Grant Preston, Bryan Taylor (phone)

Directors Absent:          Terri Easterly, Dr. Leslie Ford

Staff Present:                  Ronald Peters, Ken Adamczyk, Desirée Perham

Other Attendees:           Joe Semione, Chair – Fulton County IDA; Denis Wilson, Director – Fulmont Community Action Agency; Charlie Potter, Supervisor – Gloversville Ward 4; Michael Anich, Reporter WENT Radio

Public Session

Call to Order: 8:33 a.m.

I. Welcome and Call to Order 

The meeting was called to order at 8:33 a.m.

II. Roll Call

Roll call was taken by Timothy Beckett. A quorum was present.

III. Meeting Minutes

The Chair asked the Board to review the March 25, 2022 Regular CRG Board Meeting Minutes. No changes were mentioned, Travis Mitchell moved a motion to approve, and Kent Kirch seconded the motion. All present voted in favor and the motion passed.

IV. Announcements

Denis Wilson accepted an invitation to serve on the Countywide Loan Fund Committee. The committee nomination will be voted on at the next EDC Board meeting.

V. Reports

a. Chair Report –  

The Chair noted the great work that the CRG team has been doing so far this year and he pointed out that the workload being balanced is a big lift and is amazed the team can stay on top of it.

Conclusion of Chair Report

b. Committee Reports

Executive Committee – This Committee has not met since the last Board meeting.

Governance Committee – This Committee has not met since the last Board meeting.

Finance – (Grant Preston)
The Finance Committee met on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. Financial statements are all in order. A few transactions are in the works. Nothing major to announce regarding the Loan Funds, a couple that were behind are being caught up. Good to note that cash is positive.

Audit Committees – This Committee has not met since the last Board meeting.

Conclusion of Committee Reports.

c. Membership & Marketing Report

Ken Adamczyk:  (Report was included with board package)

• Google Business stats: 30 new people visited the website last month. Google posts had 145 new views and 439 new people found CRG on Google.
• The Business Strategy has been paused as more direction is needed from the Governance Committee. The deadline will be adjusted accordingly.
• The April edition of the Business Facilities magazine has been published and CRG has a full-page ad for Fulton County along with an article on Benjamin Moore in it.
• Microenterprise grant training is scheduled for Monday nights in June, seven people are currently signed up.
• The CRG Gala is slated for June 9^th. RSVPs are needed. Invites were mailed to 190 people. The western-themed event will be held outside, weather permitting.
• Facebook followers up to 1210 from 1184.
• Engagements are up to the highest level in the last year, 6,745. Magazine blogs have definitely helped with this along with some of the individual posts.
• Annual membership drive is going well. There are currently 33 paid memberships, the goal is 64. Financially, $23,750 has been received which is 39% of the $61,190 goal.
• A planning meeting for the 2023 issue of the Initiatives Guide magazine was held offsite. Articles were selected and interviews will begin in May.
• Winstanley reached out to CRG requesting an article about their company and its vision for the Tryon sites. The article will also include information on the Tryon Park.
• Palmal digital ad campaign will begin shortly across multiple platforms. This will be national advertising aimed at NANO (IT) and food categories.
• The Brownfields Developer Summit video (7 min.) was shared on screen.

Conclusion of Marketing and Membership Report.

d. Gloversville Downtown Development Specialist Report

James Hannahs: (Report was included with board package)

• No in person report this month due to concurrent DRI-LPC meeting.

Conclusion of GDDS Report.

e. Chamber, Fulton County, IDA, and City Reports

The Chair requested reports from the City and County members present.

Chamber  (no in person report this month)

Fulton County  (Charlie Potter)

• Gloversville EPA Brownfields, the mayor is working with the County Department of Solid Waste on the JBL Tannery site. There will be a report at the next subcommittee meeting. There is caustic material onsite and need to confirm that there is no liability to the County.
• The Gloversville mayor is eager to clean-up the Tent Pole facility on the west side of the city and is partnering with the County for a tipping fee reduction.

Fulton County IDA  (Joe Semione)

• Vireo Health expansion is ongoing and making great progress.
• Hoffman’s Carwash is also progressing well.
• The 2-year contract with Cushman Wakefield expired on April 13^th and will not be renewed given Winstanley Enterprises plans to purchase the remaining sites.
• Regarding the Fulton County Sewer District No. 4/Tryon:
  • Bids are out for a back-up generator to run a pump station.
  • Natural gas line needs to be extended 50 feet to the generator.
  • Once this work and some administrative items are complete the ownership of the sewer infrastructure will be turned over to the County to complete the transfer to the Sewer District No. 4.
• PARIS reports were filed with the ABO.
• Goal of the IDA is to be out of Tryon by the end of the year.
• Incentives will be offered to any company Winstanley brings in.
• Mike Fitzgerald and Joe Semione, from the IDA Board, plan to attend the next E&E meeting to see the Site Assessment Study presentation by Elan Planning.

City Reports

• Gloversville  (No in person report this month)
  
• Johnstown  (No in person report this month)

Conclusion of County and City Reports.

VI. President and CEO Report

Ron Peters:

Business Update

1. Resolutions

• None

2. Grant Requests

Microenterprise Grant (MEG) and Microenterprise CARES Act Grant (MCG)

• The initial MCG ($500,000) is complete.
• An additional $500,000 was applied for and the full amount has already been earmarked for project applicants in the pipeline.
• Other MCG grant recipients will have funds recaptured and then the State can reallocate that money. CRG will most likely get more funding as we are on the top of the waiting list and are prepared to use it.
• An additional $300,000 MEG is also being applied for and CRG expects to receive these grant funds as well. Projects are lined up and ready to submit.
• CRG’s MEG program is a model for others in NYS.
• CRG is shooting for awarding $1.6M in grants in 12 months.
• Past MEG Rounds were as follows:

1. 1. 1. $200,000 in 2013-15, 2015-17, 2018-20
      2. $300,000 in 2021 (Aug. to Apr./6 mos. completion)
      3. $500,000 in 2021 MCG (Dec. to May)

• Fulton County insurance limits drawdowns to $125,000 each so multiple smaller amounts are being submitted to stay within this limit.

EPA Brownfield Grant

• This is a six-county grant for $10 million that is being applied for by the Mohawk Valley Economic Development District (MVEDD). The Brownfield Developers Summit should help with getting approval as the EPA attended the event and was very pleased with participation. Funds are released in September. Senators Schumer and Stefanik both back the MVEDD efforts.
• MVEDD managing this grant will save the counties time and money, administratively.

Dolgeville Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA)

• This is a joint effort between Fulton and Herkimer Counties
• The task force is looking at sites and meets once a month.

3. Business Marketing

• CRG is on the NYS EDC Nano Committee and is invited to events now and site needs are discussed.
  • LaMar Hill is a good NANO contact; he participated in the Brownfields Developer Summit.
  • 3^rd and 4^th tier businesses are the targets for our area/suppliers for GlobalFoundries. This is a long-term play with the goal of upgrading workforce opportunities and will include joint efforts other counties and advanced education centers (FMCC, SUNY Poly)
• The GlobalFoundries (GF) tour was very impactful. They have a complex operation with many components requiring attention, like the maintenance of the robotic tracks for example which is outsourced.
  • GF has an apprenticeship program and tie-in with FMCC to connect students with opportunities.
  • GF hires ex-military personnel that have the discipline to show up on time.
  • Next steps for CRG will be to develop shovel ready sites with adequate power supply and to make introductions with GF suppliers. CRG needs to plan longer term to have NANO in Fulton County.

4. Business Inquiries

• Sewing operation is still ongoing.
• The investor group looking at an industrial building in Johnstown is still moving forward and a financing package is being developed. They would start with a few employees and increase to around twenty in eighteen months.
• Continuing to talk with a potential food business start-up in Johnstown.
• CRG continues to work on business retention in Fulton County, one business in particular will be discussed in Executive Session.
• Received inquiries for:
  • A possible project in Broadalbin.
  • A small project in one of the industrial parks.
  • A possible city of Johnstown project
  • An agricultural development project on a larger site

5. Site Assessment Study

• The E&E Committee will decide on next steps after the 4/27 Site Assessment Study presentation.

Conclusion of the President and CEO Report.

VII. Adjournment to Executive Session

At 9:22 a.m., Kent Kirch moved a motion to adjourn to executive session, Grant Preston seconded the motion and it was passed by all present.

Kent Kirch moved a motion to return from executive session, Grant Preston seconded the motion and it was passed by all present. The Board returned from executive session at 9:33 a.m.

Action Taken:

• None.

VIII. Wrap Up

No additional comments were made.

IX. Adjourn Meeting

At 9:34 a.m., Travis Mitchell moved a motion to adjourn the meeting which was seconded by Kent Kirch and passed by all present.