TEDC Board Meeting Minutes

Members present:  Spurgeon, Herbison, Lawyer, Oliveri, Lusk, Wood, Theiss, LaGrange, and Denton. 

Spurgeon called the meeting to order at 11:00 AM CST.   

The minutes and financials from the past meeting were reviewed.    Denton made a motion to accept which was seconded by Lawyer.    The motion passed unanimously.

Herbison brought the group up to date on planning for the TEDC Spring Conference scheduled for May 3-5 in Destin.   On the agenda is the following: Joe Brandon, Dave Kolzow with the TN Learning Center, Deb Woolley, a regionalism panel which will be moderated by Sharon Younger, Katie Rowles, John Bradley, and Commissioner Kisber.   Also will be a TEDC Business meeting, which will include nomination of new officers, a financial overview and a discussion of retiree membership dues.   

To date, there are 103 registrations and $9600 in sponsorships.  

Walt Wood updated the Board on the April 10 bird flu pandemic meeting he attended where he represented TEDC.   Businesses need to be made aware this flu is making its way around the world and it is estimated that 40% of the workforce could be affected by this disease.    More information is available at www.pandemicflu.gov.

Spurgeon updated the Board on the TEDC Incentives study.    Next step is a meeting with members of TEDC Board and TN Deputy Commissioner of Revenue, Reagan Farr, for an update on what TN dept of revenue has been exploring as it relates to incentives.   Lawyer noted that the goal is to have a presentation, at the TEDC Fall Conference, by a leading site selection consultant, such as Mark Sweeney, to discuss how other states in the SE are doing incentives and closing deals.   It is anticipated that the consultant would be available for a good part of the conference to allow for interaction with members in attendance – not just the presentation itself.  It is also hoped to have an incentive summary guide produced to be distributed to membership. 

There was discussion about the annual February TEDC Day on the Hill.   There was a discussion of doing an expanded lunch program where TEDC could present legislative issues, and not do the legislative reception – as attendance by Legislators has gone down in recent years.    A motion was made by Herbison to form a 5 member committee headed by Walt Wood, and 4 other TEDC members at large to review this concept.   The motion was seconded by Denton, and passed. 

Sharon Younger updated the Board that they are preparing a newsletter ideas list, and the media room on the TEDC website is nearly complete.    There will be a press release sent out with new TEDC Board members after spring conference, which will drive media to the new media center. 

There was no old business.

There were five new members submitting applications for membership as follows:

John Threadgill – Bartlett Chamber of Commerce

John Hatfield – Lewisburg

Pamela Phelps – PSI

Joe Ledford – Barge Waggoner Sumner and Cannon

Lynn Lawson – Hawkins County

A motion was made by Herbison and seconded by LaGrange to approve the new members in one motion.  The new members were accepted. 

There being no other business, the meeting adjourned at 11:56.