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Friday August 13 2019

Center for Regional Growth Logo

MINUTES of the MEETING
of the BOARD of DIRECTORS

Friday – August 23, 2019- 8:30 a.m.
34 West Fulton Street Gloversville, New York

Directors Present:Terri Easterly, Leslie Ford, Kent Kirch, Travis Mitchell, Ronald Olinsky, Geoffrey Peck

Directors Absent: Timothy Beckett, Gregory Fagan and Grant Preston

Staff Present: Ronald Peters, Jennifer Jennings, Ken Adamczyk, Desiree Perham

Other Attendees: Mike Albanese, Esq., Legal Counsel; Warren Greene, County Liaison; Scott
Henze, Planning Director Fulton County; David D’Amore, Fulton County IDA & John Blackmon, Gloversville Supervisor Ward 3.

Public Session

8:31AM

Call to Order /Introductions/Meeting Minutes:
Kent Kirch called the meeting to order at 8:31 a.m. He welcomed the Directors and guests to the meeting. Roll call was taken by Desiree Perham.

Motion to approve the July 26, 2019 Meeting Minutes was made by Travis Mitchell and seconded by
Terri Easterly. No additional comments. The motion passed.

Administrative Matters

Chair Report:

Kent Kirch-

  • Wished Travis a happy birthday.
  • Reminded the Board Members that Board Training will take place on September 10th, 2019 from noon to 3pm.
  •  Acknowledged Ron’s presentation of CRG’s budget request to the County; Ron noted that it went very well and the approval process is moving along.
  • Leslie Ford and Kent Kirch attended the final Micro Enterprise Grant training session and were very impressed. It had the best attendance and completion rate of all the trainings to date. Kent recommended the Board Members attend one in the future. The training program generates good energy for CRG, Fulton County and local businesses.

Conclusion of Chair Report

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 Committee: Ron Olinsky reported on the committee’s August 21, 2019 meeting. The
Committee reviewed the organization’s usual items:
• Cash balance
• Phil Beckett’s report.
• Expenses for 34 W. Fulton St.
• Loan Pool reports
A couple of loans on the ACH program were tweaked to eliminate paper work; in the future the accounts will be handled differently to eliminate a step and improve efficiency.

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

Building Committee: This Committee has not met since the last Board meeting.

Membership & Marketing Committee: In Grant Preston’s absence, Ken Adamczyk reported on the committee meeting held on August 16th, 2019.

  • CRG’s content on StateBook International (a privately based international website used by site selectors) is being revised; Betsy with Emery Designs has given CRG an estimate. The $6,000 micro-site fee is covered by the County. It is possible to get analytics from this site also.
  • Discovery sessions have been conducted by Emery Designs over the last few weeks to obtain information useful in modifying the website to better fit our customer base. Betsy will be preparing a report with recommendations.
  • Facebook numbers are up again (see handout) versus MVDD and the FC Chamber sites. It was noted that quality of photos and captions helped drive this.
  • Digital Campaign – One will be rolled out each month. Large, medium and small companies
    spotlighted using a standard format for easy reference (see handouts). Types of jobs within each company will be included for use as a reference by community college or guidance counselors. These pages can also be printed out and used as flyers or posters. This concept will be rolled-out at CRG’s Annual Gala.
  • Membership as a team looked at repackaging CRG membership categories to differentiate the value of what is offered at each level. Looking at encouraging networking events between small businesses. Also would like to revamp comp tickets being offered so it has meaning. Suggested having Board members give out comp tickets face-to-face with Members/businesses. This may be perceived as playing favorites and suggest reviewing this further.
  • A recommendation was made to hold CRG’s Annual Gala on Thursday, November 14th, 2019 from 6-10 p.m. in the second floor Business Incubator. The proposed format is a more interactive, social event that encourages networking and conversation; a fund-raising, casino theme. No license is required as there would be no gambling. Donations will be made for chips and chips would be turned in for raffle tickets towards various donated prizes. Food will be catered by Sport Island Pub, Music by Jazz Duo, Casino team is lined-up. Ticket prices proposed at same level as last year – $75. Geoff Peck recommend reviewing all costs involved to ensure the pricing makes sense; also noted sponsorship is needed to bring in funds. Ron Olinsky requested the financial estimates be presented at the next Financial Committee meeting. The Board members agreed to the concept.
  • Kent Kirch read aloud the details of a proposed Resolution to admit two new members to CRG at the Associate Level; Emery Designs and 47 Market Place Corp. Terri Easterly made a motion to approve these two businesses for associate membership to CRG; Geoff peck seconded the motion. All present voted in favor and the motion passed.
    • Geoff Peck reminded everyone that loan and Micro Enterprise Grant recipients are required to become members.

Conclusion of Committee Reports.

Gloversville Downtown Development Specialist Report:

Jennifer Jennings:

  • Bacon Jam – September 28th!
    • Wrapping up sponsors; Music, Nathan Littauer/Beer Garden, Townsend Leather
    • Posters go to printing August 29th
    • Music and beer vendors all set; Food vendors, 7 confirmed & 6 verbal. Would like a couplemore.
    • Liquor license is close, need Mayor Desantis to send letter.
    • Call for volunteers went out; have quite a few, could use more.
  • August Marketing: Bacon Jam Event boosted on Aug 20th ($50/14 days); had good results
    • Facebook-DT Gloversville: reached 583 people (-22%)/167 engagements (-68%)
    • Facebook-Bacon Jam: reached 1220 people ( +32%)/196 engagements ( +46%)
    • Bacon-Jam (event link): reached 16,200/954 event responses (going or interested)
    • Downtown Gloversville.org – 1309 views (July/Aug to date)
    • GloversvilleArts.com – 1833 views (Jul/Aug to date)
  • Creative Economy Marketing – Chefs Campaign
    • Postcard sets are printed (sample passed around); first two postcards are out and will be mailed weekly through September 9th
    • 236 chefs and fine dining managers along East coast and large cities out to Portland, OR.
    • Campaign cost less than $1,000 and format can be replicated and scaled for future
      programs, for example, municipal membership.

Conclusion of GDDS Report.

County and City Reports:

Kent requested reports from the City and County members present.

County:

  • Scott Henze, Planning Director – Nothing specific to report.
  • Dave D’Amore, IDA – Slow month, one Board member resigned and will need to be refilled.
  •  Warren Greene, County Liaison – Primarily focused on budgeting this month.

City:

  •  John Blackmon – Nothing to report

Conclusion of County and City Reports.

President and CEO Report

Ron Peters:

 

  1.  Pioneer Windows added more employees; still waiting on equipment delivery. Will be meeting to discuss syncing their spending with grant monies. (A comment was made that grant fundingcan take longer than some companies are willing to wait.)
  2.  Need more industrial sites! One left in Johnstown IP and 2 in Crossroads IP.
  3.  Evolution is in closing mode.
  4.  Continuing conversation with Taylor Made; still shooting for worldwide headquarters site here.
  5.  C.F.A. Grants – five are in:
    a. The Family Counseling Center
    b. 34 West Fulton Street Revitalization
    c. Planning Study between CRG & Lexington Center (for an advanced sports center)
    d. Anchor Project on Main Street in Gloversville
    e. Joint CFA between Herkimer County and Fulton County (in Dolgeville)
  6.  Ken covered Micro Enterprise Grant training earlier; excellent start with good turn-out. We plan to keep the training in-house, with good follow-up. Not sure if the state will keep the grant program going for small businesses as it is administratively burdensome for them. However, it is
    more effective than the CSA process for small communities in upstate.
  7.  There was a business tour at Caroga Lake Marina; good turnout and tour. Next one is at
    Townsend Leather during their 50th anniversary jubilee – September 6th•
  8.  Northville – Five & Dime is still on track for late fall; cost more than expected.
  9.  Gloversville – EPA contracts not in yet.
  10.  Johnstown – Meeting with Vern Jackson, sharing ideas.
  11.  Caroga Lake – A restaurant there hopes to get an MEG grant. Continue to work with The Caroga
    Lake Firehouse and offered a training session.
  12.  Mayfield – Great Sacandaga Brewing Company, Inc. loan was approved. Coordinated two other loans outside of CRG which are approved also. One additional brewery is also going through the MEG training. Leslie Ford asked for a list for the Board of who attended the MEG training and who is opening.
  13.  The distillery may not go through, location is not ideal.
  14. Business inquiries – responding to them as they come in; many are looking for 20,000-50,000 sq. ft. increments.
  15. Loan Administration – Currently managing eighteen loans. The CWLF is down to $110,000; need to refill that bucket.
  16. 34 West Fulton Street
    a. Fiber optic line is. installed.
    b. The Family Counseling Center Iese is signed and in place for 60 days. Not sure if they
    will occupy the space yet; will follow-up in a month.
    c. Still reviewing concepts for CRG’s move to next building. Plan to keep costs down and
    reuse partitions on-hand upstairs.
  17.  CRG’s website looks great, please take a look.
  18. A new MEG Grant Committee position needs to be filled; it can be internal or external; Kent Kirch volunteered to fill the vacancy.
  19.  A Building Committee member is also needed; Terri Easterly offered to fill the spot.
  20. Need to hold an Executive Committee meeting and a Revenue Task Force meeting soon; will send out invites.
  21.  Bids are in for the 34 West Fulton Street Revitalization project and on the high end. We will review scope options to cut costs back.
  22. Reviewing programs for unused grant money (not the I Love NY program) with Mike Reese and Alison Nowak. This is an economic development opportunity to market the county. The match is 20%, no less than $50,000. Looking at combining efforts to take advantage of the grants. CRG would manage the grant and partner with a bank. Jon Stead has been notified.

Conclusion of the President and CEO Report.

  1.  In Juhm,Luwn:
    a. We processed a loan for a small restaurant.
    b. Diana Knitting Mill is doing well, 30 employees now and if lease is completed will add
    20-25 additional jobs.
    c. Also, brought in some leads for tenants; one is happening, other is a maybe.
  2.  In Caroga Lake we are financing a restaurant and acting as a resource for the Fire Department.
  3.  Mayfield has two micro-breweries looking for financing; one is close to finishing the application
    and the other is waiting on documentation.
  4.  The Dolgeville-Herkimer (BOA) joint venture application is in; we should get it.
  5.  As for leads and business market inquiries:
    a. Found a building for a 40,000 sq. ft. request.
    b. Need to locate a site for an 800,000 sq. ft. facility.
  6.  Micro Enterprise Grant Training (see training agenda handout:
    a. Training session is ready to go on Monday July 29, 2019 and is set-:-up in the area next
    door; we can take a look after this meeting.
    b. There are 40 people registered, 25 start-up businesses.
    c. Registration was 50% more than last session; there is a need in Fulton County and value
    has been seen.
    d. By front-loading training before the grant dollars arrive, the success rate improves.
    e. Having Ken Adamczyk as a resource has made an impact on drawing people in.
  7.  Attended a meeting in Albany on the First-time Home Buyers Program. Goal is to set-up new buyers for successful home buying well in advance of applying for a loan. We need this in Fulton County and would like to help initiate, not run, the program. No one group has an umbrella over this area.
    a. Betsy Batchelor mentioned a plan where the City of Gloversville was looking to buy
    houses being auctioned and then would assist someone to buy and care for it. She
    thought the First-time Home Buyers Program may be a good tie-in and requested
    information be sent to the Council.
  8.  Ron Olinsky asked Ron Peters to share copies of a recent article in the Site Selection magazine, titled “A Bright Horizon for Logistics”, July 2019. (handout)
  9.  Ken Adamczyk thanked CRG for their support of the Woodworking and Fine Arts Weekend in Northville which was a very successful event.
  10.  Ken Adamczyk followed up with a summary report on CRG’s Facebook site reach and
    engagement statistics (handout). The site had a significant increase in followers since June 27, 2019. The sites performance is also tracked versus the Fulton County Chambers site and
    Mohawk Valley Regional EDC’s site and we are crushing them also! We have significantly more engagements from a much smaller pool of followers.

Conclusion of the President and CEO Report.

Adjournment to Executive Session to Discuss Legal Issues

At 9:25 a.m. Geoff Peck moved for a motion to adjourn to executive session, Leslie Ford seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Returned from executive session at 10:12 a.m.

No action was taken.

At 10:13 a.m. Geoff Peck moved a motion to adjourn the meeting and was seconded by Leslie Ford
with unanimous passing.

Respectfully Submitted,

________________________________                    _________________

Greg Fagan, Board Secretary                                                     Date

Board Meetings are held the Fourth Friday of the Month
at the CRG Main Office
at 8:30 AM

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