CCIDA

CCIDA facilitates development by attracting new businesses, while promoting the retention and expansion of existing businesses.

201 West Third Street, Suite 115
Jamestown, NY 14701
Tel: 716-661-8900
Email: ccida@ccida.com

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CCIDA Board Minutes – March 23, 2021

April 27, 2021

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.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­__________________________________                                 ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_____________________________________

(Assistant) Secretary                                                                             (Vice) Chairman

Filed Under: Board Minutes, CCIDA Minutes

CCIDA Mission and Goals

The CCIDA is an economic development organization authorized and empowered by the State of New York to make Chautauqua County a better place to work, live, and visit. We facilitate development by attracting new businesses, while promoting the retention and expansion of existing businesses. Assistance in the forms of incentives – tax abatements, low interest loans, and bond financing – enhances the opportunities for job creation and retention by our businesses. Business … Learn More

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P: 716-661-8900


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