+ 518-736-5660 1 East Montgomery Street | Johnstown, NY 12095

AGENDA

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2023
8:00 A.M - PLANNING DEPARTMENT CONFERENCE ROOM

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PRESENT:

___MIKE FITZGERALD, CHAIRMAN
___SUE COLLINS, VICE CHAIRMAN
___JOSEPH GILLIS, SECRETARY
___TODD RULISON, TREASURER
___JOSEPH SEMIONE, MEMBER
___DAVID D’AMORE, MEMBER
___DR. GREG TRUCKENMILLER, MEMBER
___JAMES MRAZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
___KARA LAIS, FITZGERALD, MORRIS, BAKER, FIRTH PC
___SCOTT HENZE, PLANNING DIRECTOR
___DENIS WILSON, FULTON COUNTY CENTER FOR REGIONAL GROWTH
___JACK WILSON, TOWN OF JOHNSTOWN
___CHRISTINE VAN VALKENBURGH, TOWN OF JOHNSTOWN

I. MINUTES FROM AUGUST 8, 2023 MEETING:

MOTION        :
MADE BY      :
SECONDED   :
VOTE              :

II. BUDGET REPORT:

MOTION :
MADE BY :
SECONDED :
VOTE               :

III. COMMITTEE REPORTS:

A. Nominating Committee

  • No report.

B. Audit Committee:

  • Monthly Bank Reconciliation Report:  Mike Fitzgerald

C. Governance Committee:

  • No report.

D. Finance Committee:

  •  No report.

IV. FULTON COUNTY/FULTON COUNTY CENTER FOR REGIONAL GROWTH (FCCRG) REPORTS:

  1. Fulton County Report:
  2. FCCRG Report: (See attached.)  Denis Wilson

V. OLD BUSINESS:

A. Nexus Renewables:

  • Nexus still expecting to receive National Grid’s approval of the interconnect in 3rd quarter of 2023.
  • Once interconnect approval is received, Nexus will obtain quotes to construct solar project.

IDA DISCUSSION:

B. Winstanley Enterprises Project:

  1. Tryon Electric Service:
  • NG is currently implementing a project that will bring an additional 5-7 MW of distribution level power to Tryon. That project should be done in the 4Q of ’24 or early ’25.
  • NG has said that if a company wants to move to Tryon and it needs 13.2 kV distribution level power, NG is obligated to provide that power at their cost.
  • WE will rely on the 5-7 MW of additional power NG is bringing to Tryon. If WE is successful in attracting companies to Tryon that would use all of this 5-7 MW of additional power, WE would then rely on NG to bring more distribution level power to Tryon.  This approach will limit WE to only working with companies that need 13.2 level of power or less.
  • WE is also exploring incorporating co-generation into future projects to generate the additional power needed that was not available from NG’s 13.2 service.

IDA DISCUSSION:

C. Back-up Generator Project:

  • Punchlist was prepared and submitted to Koval.
  • Once punchlist is complete, final payment will be processed.
  • At August meeting, the Board authorized installing an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) on the sewer pump and changing some programming on the pumps to allow them to automatically restart when the generator shuts off.
  • UPS has been ordered.

IDA DISCUSSION:

D. Vireo Health Project:

  1. Sales Tax Exemptions:
    a) On July 13, 2021, the IDA Board approved granting up to $2,251,520 in sales tax exemptions.
    b) On August 9, 2022, the IDA Board authorized increasing the total sales tax exemptions available from $2,251,520 to $3,284,534 contingent upon Vireo signing either a standard Lease or an Agent and Equipment Lease.
    c) On May 9, 2023, the IDA Board authorized extending from May 31, 2023 to October 31, 2023 the deadline for using sales tax exemptions. This approval was granted contingent upon Vireo signing an Agent and Equipment Lease and paying the balance of the Administrative Fee owed the IDA.
    d) To date, the Lease has not been executed.

IDA DISCUSSION:

VII. NEW BUSINESS:

A. Proposed 2024 IDA Budget:

  • IDA Board must adopt a 2024 Budget by November 1, 2023.
  • Draft 2024 Budget is attached.
  • Key details include:
    – Proposed budget totals $244,220 which is an increase of $40,600 from 2023.
    – Proposed Tryon Budget totals $15,450 which is an increase of $3,150 from 2023.
  • See attached.

IDA DISCUSSION:

B. NYS Economic Development Council (NYSEDC):

  • NYSEDC’s Fall IDA Academy will be held on:

Thursday
November 9, 2023
9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
3 Willows Event Center
Lyon Falls, New York

  • See Agenda attached.
  • Anyone interested in attending should contact Jim Mraz or Carol Ellis to get registered.

IDA DISCUSSION:

C. 2023 Rural Housing Coalition's Annual Conference:

  • Rural Housing Coalition’s Annual Conference will be held on:

Monday-Wednesday
September 18-20, 2023
Lake George, NY

 

IDA DISCUSSION:

 

 

VIII. OTHER BUSINESS:

A. Board Training:

  1. Uniform Tax Exemption Policy (UTEP):

    a. Draft Revised UTEP:
  • At the last several meetings, the IDA Board has discussed making changes to the Agency’s UTEP.
  • All of the proposed changes have been incorporated into a draft revised UTEP.
  • Draft revised UTEP emailed to IDA Board members on August 30, 2023.
  • Review draft revised UTEP.

 b. Next Step:

  • Approve proposed changes and authorize distribution of draft revised UTEP to local taxing jurisdictions.

IDA DISCUSSION:

 

IDA ACTION:

MOTION:

MADE BY:
SECONDED:
VOTE:

B. Executive Session:

  1. Upon a majority vote of its total membership, taken in an open meeting pursuant to a motion identifying the general area or areas of the subject or subjects to be considered, a public body may conduct an executive session for the below enumerated purposes only, provided, however, that no action by formal vote shall be taken to appropriate public moneys:

i. matters which will imperil the public safety if disclosed;
ii. any matter which may disclose the identity of a law enforcement agent or informer;
iii. information relating to current or future investigation or prosecution of a criminal offense which would imperil effective law enforcement if disclosed;
iv. discussions regarding proposed, pending or current litigation;
v. collective negotiations pursuant to article fourteen of the civil service law;
vi. the medical, financial, credit or employment history of a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation;
vii. the preparation, grading or administration of examinations;
viii. the proposed acquisition, sale or lease of real property or the proposed acquisition of securities, or sale or exchange of securities held by such public body, but only when publicity would substantially affect the value thereof.

MOTION:  To go into Executive Session to discuss the proposed acquisition, sale or lease of real property or the proposed acquisition of securities, or sale or exchange of securities held by such public body, but only when publicity would substantially affect the value thereof.

MADE BY      :
SECOND        :
VOTE              :
TIME              :

 

MOTION        :           To go out of Executive Session.

MADE BY      :
SECOND        :
VOTE               :
TIME              :

IX. NEXT MEETING:

Tuesday
October 10, 2023
8:00 a.m.

X. CLOSE MEETING:

MOTION        :

MADE BY      :
SECONDED   :
VOTE               :
TIME              :