BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency
Via Zoom Video Conference
March 23, 2021
10:02 a.m.
Michael Metzger Chairman
Hans Auer Treasurer
Gary Henry Secretary
Steven Thorpe Member
Brad Walters Member
Jay Churchill Member
Kelly Farrell-DuBois Member
Also in attendance:
Mark Geise Administrative Director/CEO
Richard E. Dixon Chief Financial Officer
Milan K. Tyler, Esq. Counsel
Kayla Strandburg CCIDA Staff
Jeanette LoBello CCIDA Staff
Kristine Morabito CCIDA Staff
Carol Rasmussen CCIDA Staff
Linda Burns CCIDA Staff
Rosie Strandburg CCIDA Staff
Nate Aldrich PEG Staff
Paul Wendel County Executive
Dan Heitzenrater County Executive’s Staff
Justin Isaman BWB Auditor
Dave DiTanna BWB Auditor
Dana Lundberg Attorney for Americold
Mark Auer Americold
Matt Ryder Honour
Adam Rizzo Solar Liberty
Scott Weathers Americold
Absent Board Member(s):
Dennis Rak and Mark Odell
Meeting was called to order by Mike Metzger, Chairman, at 10:02 a.m.
Mike Metzger
I would like to call to order the County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency’s Board of Directors Meeting. This is a Zoom Conference. It is March 23, 2021 and the time is 10:02 a.m. Roll call. Let the record show there are 6 members present, we do have quorum. I will entertain a motion to approve the February 23, 2021 minutes.
Brad Walters
So moved.
Mike Metzger
Motion made by Brad. Do I have a second?
Jay Churchill
Second
Mike Metzger
Motion made by Brad and seconded by Jay. Any discussion, changes or comments? All those in favor?
Board
Aye –Unanimous.
Mike Metzger
Opposed, abstained, motioned carried unanimously. Now we will move to New Business A.
Kristine Morabito
Introduced applicant and provided location of project. Provided description of project, construction details, purpose of project, project budget, and what the applicant is requesting. Reviewed schedule with no deviation.
Mark Auer
Shared screen – site plans for proposed project. Provided details in relation to site plan. Described project and purpose, job creation numbers and estimated salaries for positions.
Mike Metzger
Let the record show that our County Executive has joined.
Mark Auer
Continued to discuss employment numbers. Discussed the need for the PILOT program and the impact it will have on the project.
Mike Metzger
What is the timeline for the project?
Mark Auer
Hoping to have all approvals in place by mid to late April, which will have us breaking ground in late April to early May. This will take about 11 months for construction. Looking to hire after the first of the year and operating by April 2022.
Mike Metzger
Any other questions from the Board?
Brad Walters
What is the working relationship between Americold and Blue Bunny? Are you leasing the facility to them or will they own?
Mark Auer
Americold will own and operate the facility and we will have a commercial agreement in place with Wells Blue Bunny that is based on storage rates and velocity or handling through the facility. Long term agreement in excess of 20 years.
Hans Auer
Do you have any other agreements in place with Blue Bunny?
Mark Auer
We have a long standing relationship with Wells Blue Bunny going back several years. They are also a client of ours. They have products in our facilities in Syracuse, Columbus, Georgia and elsewhere.
Gary Henry
Are we confident the roads are good and the infrastructure is in place so there isn’t an issue with trucking back and forth?
Mark Auer
We are very confident. Provided description of property to handle trucking and main road that will facilitate transportation. We are working with DOT to get a signalized intersection on William Street.
Mike Metzger
Any further questions? Milan can you explain the resolution?
Milan Tyler
Discussed overall project cost and how it will impact sales tax benefit. Further discussed construction jobs that will be created from the project. Described resolution being presented to the Board and its purpose.
Mike Metzger
Any questions for Kristine or Milan? Brad if you could please move the resolution?
Brad Walters
Resolution 03-23-21-01 Americold Real Estate, LP Preliminary Resolution.
Mike Metzger
I have a motion, do I have a second?
Steven Thorpe
Second.
Mike Metzger
Motion made by Brand and seconded by Steven. Roll call vote.
Board
Aye – Unanimous.
Mike Metzger
Opposed or abstained? Let the record show there are 6 votes in the affirmative, motion carried unanimously. At this time I would like to see if our County Executive would like to make any comments?
County Executive Wendel
Thanked everyone for their time and their hard work during these challenging times. Talked about opportunities happening across the County.
Mike Metzger
Thank you, we appreciate your recognizing the hard work during this crisis. Next on the agenda is the 2020 Audit.
Dave DiTanna
We are providing a clean and unmodified opinion with no exemptions and that is the highest level of assurance that we can provide as a CPA firm.
Justin Isaman
Shared screen. Discussed management discussion and analysis and what it covers. Provided overview of 2020 Audit, discussed audit process, things that can impact the process, changes that happened in 2020, how the reserve was impacted due to COVID and the EDA Loans.
Rich Dixon
Thanked the staff and discussed the impact COVID had on the department. Thanked auditors for their work.
Justin Isaman
Shared screen. Discussed additional reports that are clean.
Dave DiTanna
Discuss Management Letter and shared recommendations for policies. Discussed accounting standards that impact the audit and IDA. Thanked Rich and Kayla for the efforts.
Mike Metzger
Thank you. Thanked Audit Committee. Any questions for Dave and Justin?
Rich Dixon
We will be reviewing the management letter and writing up some things for the Governance Committee to meet in the next couple of months to solidify those policies.
Mike Metzger
Mark do you have any comment?
Mark Geise
Discussed Cares Act funding and what the IDA was charged with and how it impacted the reserve.
Mike Metzger
Let the record show that Kelly Farrell-DuBois is present. Any other questions or comments for the audit? I would like to entertain a motion to approve the 2020 Audit as presented.
Gary Henry
So moved.
Mike Metzger
I have a motion, do I have a second?
Hans Auer
Second.
Mike Metzger
Motion made by Gary and seconded by Hans. Any further discussion? Hearing and seeing none. Roll call vote.
Board
Aye – Unanimous.
Mike Metzger
Opposed or abstained? Let the record show there are 7 votes in the affirmative, motion carried unanimously. Let’s move to New Business C.
Linda Burns
Shared screen. Provided summary of project, scope of work, what the applicant is requesting, location, benefits of the project, and jobs created during construction. Discussed incentives being offered.
Milan Tyler
Discussed resolution being presented to the Board and what it does.
Linda Burns
Introduced applicant.
Adam Rizzo
Provided further details on the project, history of the company and ties to the community, how many people are employed and their locations, and how the location was chosen.
Rich Dixon
You talk about the site being good because of the National Grid meter that is there. Discussed National Grid infrastructure and how it works in relation to solar. Based on the nature of the grid, is it true that eventually sites will run out?
Adam Rizzo
Our team works on locating properties and sections for the utility grid that have capacity left. Capacity on the lines are starting to fill up fast and once a project is in the interconnection que, that would mean that any other project that want to be on that line have to be in 2nd or 3rd. Meaning the 2nd or 3rd project will likely not happen. This project has been in the works since 2019, we secured the position with the utility, we paid in to the utility to lock in our position, so to your point, sites are becoming increasingly hard to find.
Rich Dixon
The fact that you’re generating this electricity locally, what does this do to the liability of Chautauqua residents?
Adam Rizzo
More generation capacity level we have on a distributed basis, so we are not relying on one central plant to provide electricity, only increases the resiliency of the grid. These projects are important to the State and the utility itself because we’re increasing their resilience when it is most needed.
Mike Metzger
Any further questions for Linda or Adam?
Rich Dixon
We are very clear with the developers that the Towns decide if they want these. We worked very closely with Town and they are very excited about this.
Milan Tyler
Overall project cost is $12.4 million and estimated sales tax benefit is $575,000. The requested PILOT works out to be $4,000 per megawatt so that would be a deviation from the UTEP and will be sending out a deviation notice. The company has arraigned a Host Community Benefit Agreement with the town and that is not a part of the PILOT.
Mike Metzger
Any further questions or comments? My job at SUNY Fredonia has partnered with Solar Liberty in a private public partnership for our solar, so I will be abstaining from the vote. If I could ask Gary to move New Business C 1 a.
Gary Henry
Resolution 03-23-21-02 SL Ashville, LLC Preliminary Resolution.
Mike Metzger
I have a motion, do I have a second?
Jay Churchill
Second.
Mike Metzger
Motion made by Gary and seconded by Jay. Any further discussion? Roll call vote.
Board
6 in the affirmative with 1 abstention.
Mike Metzger
Let the record show there are 6 votes in the affirmative with 1 abstention. Motion carried. We will now move to the Executive Directors report.
Mark Geise
Thanked Americold team and Kristine, acknowledged Auditors and Audit Committee for their work, thanked staff, counsel, and Board for their work, thanked SL team and Linda, and discussed programs that were created in 2020.
Mike Metzger
Now we will move to the treasurer’s report.
Rich Dixon
We will be looking at the first quarter in April.
Mike Metzger
I’m now going to entertain a motion to move to Executive Session. Do I have a motion?
Brad Walters
So moved.
Mike Metzger
Thank you Mark. Do I have a second?
Gary Henry
Second.
Mike Metzger
Motion made by Brad and seconded by Gary. All those in favor?
Board
Aye – Unanimous.
Executive Session
Start Time: 11:00 a.m.
Mike Metzger
I will now accept a motion to exit Executive Session.
Hans Auer
So Moved
Mike Metzger
Motion made by Hans. Do I have a second?
Jay Churchill
Second.
Mike Metzger
Motion made by Hans and seconded by Jay. There were no actions taken in Executive Session and therefore there are no minutes to be taken.
Executive Session
End Time: 11:12 a.m.
Mike Metzger
Is there any old business to come before the Board? Seeing and hearing none. Thanked staff and Board for their work and effort.
Meeting adjourned at 11:13 a.m.
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(Assistant) Secretary (Vice) Chairman
