CEIDC Provides Updates on Car Dealership, Website and Fire Training Facility

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – During a meeting of the Crockett Economic and Development Corporation (CEIDC) Board of Directors held on Monday, June 12, updates were provided on the status of the new car dealership slated to locate in Crockett, the proposed fire training facility and the organization’s website.

The meeting was held on the Angelina College Crockett Center campus and was called to order by CEIDC Board President Ansel Bradshaw shortly after 1 p.m.

The initial items of business concerned the approval of minutes from previous meetings along with the CEIDC’s financials and accounts receivable reconciliations.

Once the board gave its approval to the above mentioned items, Bradshaw provided a breakdown of the CEIDC’s tax allocation.

In January of 2017, the allocated tax amount to the CEIDC was $47,446.97. In February, it $64,937.98, March was $39,495.93, April was $38,787.98 and May was $50,357.70,” he said.

After clarifying the tax allocations were received the month after they were allocated, CEIDC Executive Director James Gentry informed those present at the meeting, the corporation was approximately $34,000 ahead of what was budgeted.

As he continued, Gentry informed the board he had discussed the CEIDC bonding proposal with in

surance agent Don Jones who recommended the corporation establish a bond in the amount of $658,000 over a time span of three years.

“Based on the information I have received, I believe I can go ahead and proceed to sign off on this today, but I wanted to at least make you aware of it,” Gentry said.

The next item on the agenda concerned attorney Bill Pemberton’s updated presentation on the fire training facility. Pemberton explained his initial opinion on the property was the CEIDC could not deed the land over to the Emergency Services District.

“After I reviewed the deed, I think you can. My opinion has changed from what I told Mr. Gentry before. You can deed it outright for the purpose of being an undeveloped corporation or you can lease the property to them,” the legal counsel said.

Following a detailed explanation of various the legalities involving a lease or a lease/ purchase, Bradshaw requested Gentry to provide an update on how plans were progressing on the new car dealership slated to locate in Crockett.

“Other than the information I had prior to leaving town was we should start seeing some dirt work this week. I have not talked to Mr. (Bill) Sweatt before you (Bradshaw) talked to him the other day. Did he give you any indications about the process?” Gentry asked.

“What he told me was he was looking to get the property cleared and then build a temporary structure on that property,” Bradshaw responded.

“If I understood him correctly, he was wanting to offer repair service. The dollar amount he told me was $126,000 in order to clear the property and build the temporary facility. Other than that there was really no further information,” he said.

Board member Debbie McCall asked why a temporary facility was in the works and Gentry explained he was under the impression the move was to generate activity on the site “… as soon as possible with the idea the final construction and leveling of the land would coincide with it. He didn’t want to go any longer without having some visible sign of activity here.”

The next item addressed in the meeting concerned the status of the CEIDC website. Gentry said the development had briefly put on hold due to an employee opting to leave the company tasked with the website design. However, Gentry explained he had contacted other website developers but nothing had been formalized.

Once the formal business of the CEIDC had concluded, the board members were given a tour of the Angelina College facility by administrators Tim Ditoro and Ramona Frye.

In other matters brought before the CEIDC board:

• The board approved applying for an American Express company credit card for the use of the CEIDC.
• The accounting firm of Axley and Rode, LLP provided their audit findings on the CEIDC and said that had had issued an unmodified opinion (the highest rating available) in regard to the corporation’s finances.

 

Will Johnson may be reached via e-mail at [email protected].