Economic Development Authority Meeting   7/21/2020

With that, Richie, will you do the roll call, please?

So Mr. Gentry.

Here and at my home in 1660 Raven's Place in Albemarle County.

Mr. Atkinson.

Mr. Munson.

Present and at home in beautiful downtown, Scottsville.

Mr. Long.

Present and then my home in Crozet.

He was here, wasn't he?

He's here, Dave.

No, he's muted.

Present and at my home in Albemarle County.

I'd say he's left the building, but he's left the chair.

He just left the chair.

Let's move on, Mr. Shreve.

Present at my home in Albemarle County.

And Supervisor McKeel.

I am here in my home in Elmore County.

If not, I'll entertain a motion for approval.

I move that we approve the minutes from the last meeting.

Mr. Mellen, do you have anything for us today?

So I've been talking to Jennifer to see if there was something real simple like bullet points maybe where you could say willow tree approved on such and such a day this much money because I know I always I end up bothering Jennifer saying well what's this Westminster I don't know anything about that and I'm wondering does anybody else know about some of these?

Jennifer, I think that's a good suggestion, particularly since we have, since David is new to this position.

It just happened timing-wise that we haven't included it in this report yet.

OK.

So moving forward, we will have bullets with the corresponding contract dates as well.

And I will ask, because I know Cecilia is here as an attendee.

I have her unmuted so she can speak as well.

Cecilia, do you have anything to add that we should be aware of?

So look for some enhancements on future financial reports.

It's always good to see you.

Good afternoon.

And I will turn the meeting over to you at this point.

It's always a pleasure and honor to be with you.

Sign me up.

So I've been very motivated and our team is really fantastic.

Well, other questions from or comments from other members.

I was wondering, would we be able to get a copy of your presentation, Nikki?

I'll share that to Jennifer and Roger following this meeting.

So anything we can do to help any of those companies, we will bend over backwards for you.

And what better place to put a wet lab than down by the river, right?

To be much time.

There you go.

Stuart, what's the size of that facility, that factory?

Be happy to send you all of that information if you'd like.

The incubator, there's a criteria we put around it being as close to the university as possible and that may be prohibitive but there may be a group or two that might be interested in something like that and I'm aware of a few looking.

Yep, we give you a tour and whatever else you would like to

I love a tour.

It's an interesting place.

Thank you.

Do you have my email address or contact information?

I don't believe so.

It's probably the best way to get me is Stuart Munson, S-T-U-A-R-T M-U-N-S-O-N at Hotmail.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And Richie, let me ask you a question, if I may.

And I'm hopeful the board will approve this $35,000 in transfer of funding.

But I'd like to read the resolution to provide matching funds to the Charlottesville Biohub so we can vote on it.

I think it was set in the packet, so I don't know if everyone's had an opportunity to read it.

If that's the case, then I will entertain a motion for approval.

And there is a motion at the bottom of the first page that would be appropriate.

OK, let me open the original one back.

I move the DDA adopt this resolution approving Seville Biohub's funding request of $35,000 to be funded from the authorities FY21 budget subject to the terms of the resolution and to authorize the authorities chair and treasurer to execute all documents necessary to complete this grant.

So a second.

I'll second that.

Richie, are you going to do a roll call vote on this or just a regular?

And if there are any nays, then we can go back and do a roll call.

Nikki, thank you again and be excited to hear future progress.

Of course, anytime I'm happy to update and it's an honor to serve and be part of this great community and thank you Roger for being along this great entrepreneurial ride.

Nikki?

Yes sir.

Or are we just bringing in new folks?

Thank you very much.

You're muted.

So I'll just pause here and see if you have any questions about our business continuity strategy or the microloan fund update.

So kudos for a great job.

and answer any questions or take any comments that you may have.

I noticed, this is a parenthetical comment, but I noticed in the paper today that the Small Business Development Center is going to co-locate with the CIC, which I think should also help in this process.

Agreed.

What is the hammer for non-compliance or abuse of the program?

Richie, I'll defer to you if you have any other comments.

But we could go to court and we could get judgment.

Or have a priest administer last rites.

What is, uh, where's the best place to find information about this so I can pass this around to folks?

Okay.

Okay.

Thank you.

Are they reaching the people we need to reach, et cetera?

Did I get there all the way or do you have some other follow-up?

That's what I was after.

Okay, thank you, sir.

Or do we need to do anything pursuant to the funding business grant that was just discussed?

The CIC as a non-profit can receive funds directly from the county.

Okay, so with that, let's move on to the resolution to authorize payment for Willa Tree.

Otherwise, I think Richie has created a resolution for your consideration.

If so, before we put it to a vote, Richie, do you have any comment you'd like to make?

I just don't have confirmation as of today.

Maybe she can answer that.

It was actually information was sent over to the budget office today to go ahead and move that and transfer that money.

So Roger, do you wanna talk about the community survey results?

So thank you.

And that's a wonderful statistic to look at for all of us.

There's an interesting dichotomy between what the community is saying they want and what they don't want.

So just something to keep in mind when we look at that.

So he sends his regrets.

I was thrilled.

I think that's it from our perspective.

You didn't have another slide?

I think it was just a breakdown of the breakdown of the 73%.

Because the link in the agenda doesn't take you there.

We tested it, Jennifer, you and I tested it.

I did post by the way, I did post the link to the grant as well in the chat for you guys.

It does.

So if I get a virus, I'll know who to blame.

Yeah.

So if anybody wants to borrow my hard copy, I'm happy to share it.

And I think we need to think hard about the relationship between traffic and our inability or ability to find infrastructure, so forth, and what we do in our office.

And if you think that we're not, maybe pull me aside rather than publicly do it, but pull me aside and let me know.

At least that's what I see from where I sit.

Yeah, and I think some of those conversations have also centered around Crozet at times.

Yes, absolutely, absolutely.

bring to this community and businesses that we're trying to re-energize and that we are not just for wholesale growth at any cost at all, nor have we ever been.

I think it's been great.

Well, thank you, Diantha, for your vigilance and participation in all of that.

Not real sure.

O'Neill, yeah.

Well, regardless, that concludes my portion of the event.

Rich?

I don't know the status.

And Richard, it's important to note too that that was in cooperation with at least a member of the board of supervisors there, perhaps the chairman.

Rod, I guess you're muted.

And with that, let me turn it back to the group for others to make any comment you might want to make.

have been incredible resources in fulfilling that goal, but I'm gonna stay on the board if you'll have me, but I do agree that it is an incredible intrusion into things that aren't anybody's business, particularly the general public.

Okay, there you are.

Thank you, David.

Jim.

Can you hear me?

Yeah, Jim.

Well, I mean, I just want to.

I'm sorry.

that's not doesn't seem possible and I too will be resigning regretfully but nonetheless I feel strongly enough about this that I will be resigning as well.

Okay, thanks Jim, appreciate that.

And it's not the kind of information that you want spread out in the community or used by other commercial entities to further their own monetary interest.

We didn't require a list of individual securities and number of shares and you know any of that unless there was some specific reason such as I'm going to be borrowing against my securities so you know I again I think the entire General Assembly was asleep as a switch and frankly I think they should have done a better job than this but they didn't.

Well, I think they'll fix it, but then the county will have to solve the consequences and other counties seem to be situated.

That's just not the right thing to do.

Other comments?

And it's not that anybody's trying to hide any information, but we live in a very different world now than we lived in 15 or 20 years ago.

It doesn't serve any purpose at all.

because I think if we could figure out the depth of the concern, right, that it's not just one EDA.

No, it's not.

But I really appreciate every one of your service and you are sure going to be missed.

Stuart, yes.

You know, put my finger in the dike here with you all leaving, but I just wanted to say that it's been a pleasure to serve with you and I'm really going to miss your expertise and your dedication and hope that I can in some way continue what you all have been doing.

Jim?

So it's not like, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure a way to make this well.

Don, yes.

but I'm sorry we are losing a lot of great leadership.

And I'd like us to observe just a couple of moments of silence before we adjourn in silent prayer for all those people who are suffering or have been lost.

Hey Rod.

Yes.

So that's all I wanted to just, that's the only comment I wanted to make.

Okay, great.

And I think then, yes, George?

I had one quick thing, Rod, if you don't mind.

No, not at all.

And I think we've got six clump birch trees, 200 variegated liriope, and 200 fountain grass to plant tomorrow in one day.

But if you get a chance, as you're- I'm busy tomorrow, George, I can't help, sorry.

I was gonna say, if I had a little more notice, I could have put it on my schedule.

Jim and David are free now.

It's in front of the Blake Assisted Living Facility, which we built here over the past couple of years.

And I'm sure he'll want to share all that information with the folks that are associated with the affinity group and the chambers.

It's dedicated to anybody who served in the Middle East.

Thank you all very much.

Thanks.