Monticello Economic Development

Executive Director Truman Hamilton

Monticello Economic Development Commission (MEDC) meets the first Wednesday of every month. It is an open meeting that the public is invited and encouraged to attend. Meetings are held on the UAM Campus at the Gibson Center in the Caucus Room. at 12:00 noon. Meeting participants pick up a lunch tray in the cafeteria and proceed to the Caucus Room to enjoy their meal. We hope the information below is helpful and encourages more participation in the organization.

The Board of Directors of the Monticello Economic Development Commission met at noon on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 in the Caucus Room at the UAM Gibson Center. The following directors were in attendance: Ron Echols, Michael Layfield, Tommy Maxwell, George Harris, Bill Wisener, Bobby Harper, Bettye Gragg, and Bennie Ryburn III, The following directors were absent: Chris Lampkin, Jack Lassiter, Al Womack, Dave Dickson, Carolyn Brown, and Wayne Fawcett. Guests in attendance were: Joe Burgess, Lou James, Mary Seymore, David Ray, Damon Lampkin, Sheila Lampkin, Nita McDaniel, Shannon Clark, Ann Goad, Misty Paschall, Carrie Selby, Crystal Ratliff and Curtis Larsen. Truman Hamilton and Linda Jones of the staff were also in attendance.

Ryburn called the meeting to order at 12:20 pm. Upon motion made by George Harris and a second by Bettye Gragg, the minutes of the previous meeting and the financial statement were approved and accepted as printed.

Director’s Report: Hamilton referred to the printed report that begins on page 23 of the monthly book. Hamilton updated the board on the budget request submitted to the city council. The 2008 budget was for $270,000.00. The request for 2009 was for $274,350.00. Included in the budget are the salaries for two part-time ladies at the Work Force Training Center. We will have to pick up their salaries after the first of the year. Hamilton advised that interior painting of the building has begun at the Work Force Training Center. A great deal was accomplished over the Thanksgiving break while the offices were not being used. The documentation for the trade with CenterPoint has been delivered to the corporate offices. We are waiting for their reply. The city wants a fire station to be built at the current CenterPoint warehouse site-- this is all a part of the effort to lower the ISO rating for the city. Work has also begun at the Intermodal Site. We will visit with SEAADD for stimulus money to build a water tank and extend sewer lines to the site. Also the sewer capacity of the west lagoon may need to be increased to handle growth to the west. Hamilton advised that the W. C. Whaley buildings are currently being razed and work is proceeding well there. Hamilton advised there was no new news on the Reynolds Foundation or the ROI by the industry from last month. Curtis Larsen gave the group an update on arrangements made for the Washington D.C. trip. Larsen advised that the format will be the same as last year. Dinner the first night, Tuesday night, Wednesday-meetings, a reception on Wednesday evening, and return to Monticello on Thursday. Dave Dickson will contact the Warren group. Maxwell invited everyone to make the trip. Anyone that wants Linda to book their flight should contact her as soon as possible.

Ryburn advised that we have a new contact with the FAA. The fencing project around the airport runway will need additional funding for completion. Ryburn was hopeful that the money would be appropriated during the next administration.

Ryburn advised that he has been in touch with Lee Jones and John Toney this week at Neighborhood Builders. Because of the financial situation, tax credits aren’t selling very well and at the state level the increase max award level has been increased from $425,000 to $625,000. Lee and John have advised us to pull down our application that has scored 98 in 2008 and resubmit in 2009. Scoring of the project using 2009 guidelines will rate 107 which should be plenty to acquire funding. Ryburn advised that there will be some expense connected to resubmitting the application but this will be refundable should the project be funded. Ryburn requested that Ryburn and Hamilton be authorized to make this decision. Ron Echols made a motion to that effect and George Harris made the second. The motion was approved without objection. Including all the additional funding the Housing Authority has agreed to provide, the project is still currently $150,000.00 short. The tax credits that were selling in the 90 cent range were reduced to the 70 cent range. This funding shortfall cannot be overcome so rather than try to cut into the project to the point that it would be jeopardized, it will be better to resubmit. Ryburn said that we currently have about $125,000 in the project. To resubmit could add $10 to $15,000.00 to the cost of the project.

Hamilton asked and was assured that he has authority to hire Ora Rowlett and Magnolia Miller at the Workforce Training Center. The funding program that pays their salary will end in 2008 and MEDC will start paying their salaries in January.

Hamilton pointed out on page 29 of the monthly book a workup of signs that will be installed on highway sign posts at the city limits. These have been approved by the highway department, ordered and will be installed before the New Year.

Ryburn advised that the MEDC will begin to work with the mayor and fire chief to get large business and industry to provide a floor plan and hazardous material inventory. This information will be correlated and indexed on a lap top computer so the fire department will have this information should it be necessary to fight a fire at their business. The location of a new fire station, new equipment and training should all go toward reducing the ISO rating. Ryburn suggested that the firemen should be trained on new equipment that may be installed at an industry like Price’s mill.

Ron Echols advised that he has invited Jeff Reynolds, manager of Wal-Mart to attend our meetings. Echols advised that the Wal-Mart Black Friday sales exceeded all previous years at over $600,000.00. Echols also introduced Mike Layfield, CEO of Drew Memorial Hospital.

Dr. David Ray said that the university appreciated the new signs and encouraged all businesses to incorporate the phrase “A Century of Opportunity” in their advertising. Ray also advised that the campus would be smoke free September 1, 2009. Carrie Selby reported that this had been received relatively well. Ray said that Sorrell Hall has been opened today to permit the nursing students to take tests there and both renovated buildings would be in use at the next semester. Ray advised that a lot of moving would be done between semesters and the new facilities would be completed. He said that work on the BCM building continues and work has just begun on the MBSF building on campus. The indoor practice facility should be completed by March. Ray said that the university is working with the ERZ program to bring high school teachers to the campus and send university representatives to high schools to become familiar with courses that programs being taught and to help high school students to become familiar with the university. This should be advantageous for all the parties involved. Ray said that the fate of the old BSU has not yet been decided. Ryburn advised that he gets emails on the net list. He asked if this information was being made available to everyone. Ray advised that he hopes so and Joe Burgess interjected that he gets information, emails from Jim Brewer that have been sent to several news addresses.

Mike Layfield reported that the hospital has a gain of over $200,000 for October and for the year of over $400,000. He also apprised the group of a fee that will be assessed to help defray the cost of non emergency patients using the emergency room at the hospital that do not have insurance. He advised that everyone entering the emergency room for treatment will be evaluated and if it is determined that their situation is not an emergency; they will be charged $150.00 up front if they do not have insurance. He said that a number of people use the emergency room for non emergency care because they haven’t paid their private physician and can’t get treatment there or for various other reasons and emergency patients sometimes get held up behind these patients. Emergency patients will be treated even if they are unable to pay: non emergency patients that do not have insurance will not be treated until payment is received. Layfield said that other cost controls have also been put into place. He said that hospitals all over the state are initiating this procedure. He advised that Dr. Shrum, OB/GYN, has joined the staff and will be here every Tuesday. He said that new doctors are being recruited. He said that the board has approved a study to assess the heating and air conditioning system and building structure to determine the cost to bring these up to acceptable standards. Shannon Clark advised that the hospital will open a Wound Care Clinic. She said that there is a real need in our area for this. Dr. Collins has a several patients that need this. She said that the hospital has written off $15 million dollars in 5 years in bad debt. This year bad debt is up 3%. Layfield said that a strategic plan based on service, employee satisfaction, safety and financial health is being developed and will provide goals for the next year, the next 3 years and so forth. Ryburn confirmed the continued support of the MEDC of the hospital.

Echols reported that Misty Paschall is working to help the hospital foundation and that a community survey has generated over 400 responses that will help determine the type of care that is needed in this area. Misty Paschall gave a Drew H.E.A.L.T.H. report that funding is needed for the program. A 12-hour position has been funded for next year and a 36 hour student placement from the school in social work has been approved. She said that the grant application they had submitted was denied.

Mary Seymore named the officers incoming for 2009 and she referred to the Nuts and Bolts Seminar that will be held January 13 at UAM. She also gave an update on the leadership class and that the graduation date is pending. Efforts are being made to get the governor to be the keynote speaker at that event and the date will be announced.

Ryburn advised that the chamber banquet will be held Tuesday, December 9^th in the UAM Green Room.

Dr. Ray introduced Crystal Ratliff, Director of Academic Advising and a UAM graduate. She is a board certified attorney and is doing a good job advising our students said Ray.

The Monticello EAST lab students from the Monticello High School will be invited to attend the next MEDC meeting.