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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution - 4959 - Creates Market Lubbock Economic Development Corporation - 09_14_1995Resolution No. 4959 September 14, 1995 Item #37 RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LUBBOCK, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING THE CREATION OF MARKET LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENHANCING AND ENCOURAGING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO FILE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR THE CREATION OF THE CORPORATION, AND APPOINTING THE INITIAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Lubbock desires to enhance and encourage economic development, and growth within the City, to encourage the creation of new job opportunities and to encourage the development of new industries within the City; and WHEREAS, the City Council believes that this growth and development can be encouraged by the creation of a non-profit corporation creating a partnership between the public and private sectors; THEREFORE: BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LUBBOCK: Section 1: that the City Manager be and he is hereby authorized to file all documentation necessary or advisable for the creation of a non-profit corporation which shall be named Market Lubbock Economic Development Corporation. That the corporation shall be created in accordance with Articles of Incorporation substantially in the form of Exhibit "A" attached to this resolution and incorporated by reference the same as if copied herein in it entirety. Section 2: That the names and terms of the initial directors appointed by the City Council are as follows: Name Address Term Expires: Jack Alderson 4810 Whisperwood Blvd 10/01/98 4. Steve Hurt 3717 94th Place 10/01/97 5. GGaU Lawrence 5917 67th Street 10/01/98 '11LA•1 • 1• 7. Dr, R. J. Wilcott Passed by the City Council this ATTEST: gtt��-C��L etty 4. John n, City Secretary APPROVED AS TO CONTENT: aLhL &" ( Debra Forte', Assistant City Manager APPROVED AS TO FORM: Jr., Trial Attorney JESM Non-P-Res cedocs/September 6, 1995 0=3 wq- ' •.• 1 1)• ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION -%crle OF p�l.2o MARKET LUBBOCK ECONO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATI �R� 4 01 WE, THE UNDERSIGNED natural persons, over the age of eighteen (1$rescT of whom is a qualified elector of the City of Lubbock, Texas (the "City"), acting as incorporators of a nonprofit industrial development corporation (the "Corporation") under the Texas Non -Profit Corporation Act, acting with the approval of the City Council of the City, do hereby adopt the following Articles of Incorporation for the Corporation: NAME The name of the Corporation is "MARKET LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION." NONPROFIT CORPORATION The Corporation is a nonprofit corporation. Upon dissolution, all of the Corporation's assets shall be distributed to the City of Lubbock. The period of duration of the Corporation is perpetual. PURPOSES The Corporation is organized for the purpose of benefiting and accomplishing public purposes by promoting, assisting and enhancing economic development, eliminating unemployment and under employment, to encourage employment and hence, contribute to the betterment and public welfare. The Corporation is created to apply for, receive and administer governmental grants, loans and other governmental assistance programs and for the administration of and redistribution to public or private entities of grants, loans, loan guarantees or other appropriate assistance under Title IX of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965,42 U.S.C. §§ 3121-3266; as well as Local Government Code § 380.002 Vernon's Texas Codes Annotated. Specifically, the Corporation is to receive grants from the City of Lubbock and other available sources and to administer, utilize, retain, invest, disburse and re -utilize funds in accordance with any grant agreement associated therewith; and to promote the development of business interests within the City of Lubbock, by rendering financial and other assistance. (a) In furtherance of its corporate purposes, and in addition to all the powers hereinafter set forth, the Corporation shall have all of the powers granted to corporations that are formed under the Texas Non -Profit Corporation Act, Article 1396-101 gS =., TEX.REV.CIV.STAT.ANN., as amended. (b) The Corporation, in undertaking any project, shall have the authority to take any and all actions necessary and appropriate for completion of the project including the power to execute any and all legal instruments. (c) In addition to the above, the Corporation shall have the following authority and general purposes: (1) In carrying out its corporate purposes, the Corporation shall have the power to provide financing to pay the costs of projects, including the power to issue bonds, notes and other forms of debt instruments, and to acquire, maintain and lease or sell property, and interests therein. (2) No agreements, bonds, notes or other debt instruments or other obligations, contracts, or agreements of the Corporation are or shall ever be deemed to be or constitute the agreements, bonds, notes or other debt instruments or other obligations, the lending of credit, or a grant of public money or things of value, of, belonging to, or by the City or any other political corporation, subdivision or agency of the State of Texas, or a pledge of the faith and credit of any of them. Any and all of such agreements, bonds, notes and other debt instruments and other obligations, contracts and agreements shall be payable solely and exclusively from the revenues and funds received by the Corporation from such sources as may be lawfiilly available and belonging to the Corporation from time to time. RESTRICTIONS (a) No dividends shall ever be paid by the Corporation and no part of its net earnings remaining, after allocation of funds to projects, programs and activities and payment of its expenses and obligations, shall be distributed to or inure to the benefit of the directors or officers, or any individual, private firm or private corporation or association. (b) If the Corporation should ever be dissolved when it has, or is entitled to, any interest in any funds or property of any kind, real, personal or mixed, such funds or property or rights thereto shall not be transferred to private ownership, but shall be transferred and delivered to the City of Lubbock after satisfaction or provision for satisfaction of all debts, claims and obligations. ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF MARKET LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PAGE 2 (c) The Corporation shall have no power to take any action that would be inconsistent with the requirements for tax exemption under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) or (4) and related regulations, rulings, and procedures. The Corporation shall have no power to take any action that would be inconsistent with the requirements for receiving tax deductible charitable contributions under Internal Revenue Code Section 170(c)(2) and related regulations, rulings, and procedures. Regardless of any other provision in these Articles of Incorporation or state law, the Corporation shall have no power to: (1) Engage in activities or use its assets in a manner that is not in furtherance of one or more exempt purposes, as set forth above and defined by the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations, rulings, and procedures, except to an insubstantial degree. (2) Serve a private interest other than one that is clearly incidental to an overriding public interest. (3) Devote more than an insubstantial part of its activities to attempting to influence legislation by propaganda or otherwise, except as provided by the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations, rulings, and procedures. (4) Participate in or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. The prohibited activities include the publishing or distributing of statements and any other direct or indirect campaign activities. (5) Have objectives that characterize it as an "action organization' as defined by the Internal Revenue Code and related rulings, and procedures. (6) Distribute its assets on dissolution other than for one or more exempt purposes. On dissolution, the Corporation's assets shall be distributed to the City of Lubbock for a public purpose. (7) Permit any part of the net earnings of the Corporation to inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or member of the Corporation or any private individual. (8) Carry on an unrelated trade or business except as a secondary purpose related to the Corporation's primary, exempt, purposes. (d) Prior to undertaking a project using funds from the City of Lubbock, the Board shall secure the approval of the City Council on the following: (1) The location of said project. (2) Employment of professional services for the project. (3) Approval of the plans and specifications of the proposed project. (4) Approval of the cost of such project. ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF MARKET LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PAGE VI06I: �_ 01r The Corporation has no members and is a non -stock corporation. INITIAL REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT The street address of the initial registered office of the Corporation is 1625 13th Street, Lubbock, Texas and the name of its registered agent at such address is Bob Cass. BOARD OF DIRECTORS The affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by a Board of Directors which shall be composed of seven persons appointed by the governing body of the City of Lubbock. Except for the initial directors and their term of office as set forth herein, the terms of office of the directors shall be fixed by the bylaws of the Corporation. The names and street address of the persons who are to serve as the initial directors and the dates of expiration of their initial terms as directors are as follows: 1. Jack Alderson 4810 Whisperwood Blvd Lubbock, Texas 10/01/98 2. Dr. Sam Curl 5613 83rd Lane Lubbock, Texas 10/01 /97 3. Mike Field #20 Brentwood Circle Lubbock, Texas 10/01/98 4. Steve Hurt 3717 94th Place Lubbock, Texas 10/01 /97 5. Gary Lawrence 5917 67th Street Lubbock, Texas 10/01/98 6. Paula Montoya 5209 71 st Street Lubbock, Texas 10/01/98 7. Dr. R. J. Wilcott 2304 Slide Road Lubbock, Texas 10/01/97 Each director shall hold office for the term for which the director is appointed and until a successor shall have been appointed and qualified unless sooner removed by the will of the governing body of the City. Each director, including the initial directors, shall be eligible for reappointment. Directors serve at the pleasure of the governing body of the ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF MARKET LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PAGE 4 City and may be removed at will by said governing body. The directors shall serve as such without compensation except that they shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as directors. Any vacancy occurring on the Board of Directors through death, resignation or otherwise shall be filled by appointment by the governing body of the City for the unexpired term of such director. The governing body of the City shall appoint directors who meet the following qualifications: (a) The candidate for appointment has served or is serving as the Chief Executive officer of a company; or (b) The candidate for appointment has served or is serving in a position of executive management of a company; or (c) The candidate for appointment is serving or has served the community in a professional capacity; or (d) The candidate for appointment shall have experience equivalent to any of the above qualifications. In considering each candidate for appointment as a director the governing body shall consider and give thought to each candidate's experiences, background, accomplishments and educational background. LIMITATION ON LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS A director is not liable to the Corporation for monetary damages for an act or omission in the director's capacity except to the extent otherwise provided by a statute of the State of Texas. INDEMNIFICATION The Corporation may indemnify a person who was, is, or is threatened to be made a named defendant or respondent in litigation or other proceedings because the person is or was a director or other person associated with the Corporation. As provided in the bylaws, the Board of Directors shall have the power to define the requirements and ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF MARKET LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PAGE 5 limitations for the Corporation to indemnify directors, officers, or others associated with the Corporation. CONSTRUCTION All references in these Article of Incorporation to statutes, regulations or other sources of legal authority shall refer to the authorities cited, or their successors, as they may be amended from time to time. INCORPORATORS The names and street addresses of each incorporator are: Jim Bertram 1625 13th Street Lubbock, TX 79401 John C. Ross, Jr. 1625 13th Street Lubbock, TX 79401 Jean E. Shotts, Jr. 1625 13th Street Lubbock, TX 79401 J14 RARTRAM C 'r—/Z�46 HN C. ROSS, JR. INCORPORATORS ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF MARKET LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PAGE 6 THE STATE OF TEXAS COUNTY OF LUBBOCK BEFORE ME, a Notary Public, on this day personally appeared Jim Bertram, John C. Ross, Jr. and Jean E. Shotts, Jr., known to me to be the persons whose names are subscribed to the foregoing document and, being by me first duly sworn, severally declared that the statements therein contained are true and correct. GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL OF OFFICE this �l % day of o-roee 71995. JUDITH STRICKLAND Naar; Ottfir, 20 of TOM • 1y fraunisnon Wim F174? JES:da dg7z%rwc-pmf doc rev. October 13, 1995 I�Ft Public in and for the State of Texas Notary's Name printed or typed My Commission Expires: & - / 7-r'7 ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION OF MARKET LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PAGE 7 RESOLUTION NO. 4959 zhl�"S#tt#e ofC�extt� SECRETAR Y OF STA TE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF MARKET LUBBOCK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CHARTER NUMBER 1374470-01 The undersigned, as Secretary of State of Texas, hereby certifies that the attached Articles of Incorporation for the above named corporation have been received in this office and are found to conform to law. ACCORDINGLY, the undersigned, as Secretary of State, and by virtue of the authority vested in the Secretary by law, hereby issues this Certificate of Incorporation. Issuance of this Certificate of Incorporation does not authorize the use of a corporate name in this state in violation of the rights of another under the federal Trademark Act of 1946, the Texas trademark law, the Assumed Business or Professional Name Act, or the common law. Dated: October 20, 1995 Effective October 20, 1995 \�'0q"' - Antonio O. Grano, Jr. Secretary of State isv r City Council Meeting, August 10, 1995 Item #5, Verbatim Transcript John Zwiacher will appear to discuss recommended economic development structure. Zwiacher: Thank you, Mayor, Councilmen, and Councilwoman. Today we are going to discuss one of the more significant issues facing our community, and that is economic development. We are fixing to present a plan to all of you and to the community that has been created and developed in the private sector. We feel the plan will not give us necessarily overnight results, but we feel that it will give long-term growth and employment in our community. There are a number of issues that we might address here today, but we have to focus on the two most important ones and those are business retention and expansion and industrial attraction. We feel the private sector in Lubbock feels strongly that the largest potential for quality job growth lies with the existing businesses in our community. Our first priority is to pay attention to the businesses that continue to be here year in and year out, along with the relatively new businesses that are continuing to grow. Of course now in addition to that we feel that industrial tracking is most important to our community. We plan to show you in this plan how inclusive we plan to be. The key word is inclusive. As you know, all of us, particularly the people who are out here and nice enough to stay and listen and support us and have worked hard on this plan, and a lot of hours have been spent on this. In front of you is everything you are going to want to know about economic development and future of Lubbock. We tried to put it simply and in one form on one slide. If you can imagine a line down the middle of this slide for business and industrial attraction and Lubbock Industrial Foundation and chambers of commerce and business retention is on the right side. That would be the private sector part of this plan. Naturally our chambers of commerce (Hispanic Chamber and Black Entrepreneurs) will have a small presentation on support of this. On the right side is Lubbock Industrial Foundation. It has been in existence for a long time. We have about $750,000 worth of money that has been contributed by the businesses over the years. It has been kind of a stagnant board for a number of years. We are in the process of changing the bylaws. We have met with the prior board; that board has been dissolved and currently the executive committee of the Chamber of Commerce is the interim board. We plan to enlarge that board, tentatively set at 30, but we can increase it to any number we want. This board basically will have the authority to spend the income off of what we raise in the future and what we already have in the Industrial Foundation. In addition to that, we have committed to the City that we would take income off of that and pay for 25% of the salary of a business and industrial attraction person as soon as we can get one hired in conjunction with the City. We feel strongly that we wish we could pay for Economic Development Structure Verbatim Transcript August 10, 1995 Page 2 100% of it; hopefully down the road we think we can get more than 25%. We are optimistic, but we will see in the next year or so. The reason we want that is that we feel the private sector needs a strong say on who we hire. In addition to that, the responsibilities of this person and its staff are what they go along with. Our recommendation is that this person be located out of City Hall. That is one of the requirements. Hopefully at a site that will be in close proximity to all the people who can have access to this person. We also know based on visiting with other cities that this person will work more closely with the private sector than any other group in the city. If we do our work right, we know that will happen. Underneath that on the right-hand side is business retention and expansion. Our proposal is that the chambers of commerce will handle the business retention and expansion. The Lubbock Chamber of Commerce has already hired an individual, Kathy Borden Montgomery, who is paid with some income out of the Industrial Foundation, who has already set up appointments and, as some of you know, has already been asked to call on some of the existing businesses in our community. She doesn't do it alone; individuals within the Chamber of Commerce go with her to visit these businesses. We have already had a number of visits with people and it has been very productive. That's basically the right-hand side. All of that is going to be handled through private sector except for the 25% that we will give to the individual we hire. The left-hand side is a proposal that we've come up with that we would like to recommend --Market Lubbock Inc. We are proposing that you appoint a non-profit organization that will comprise pretty much like it would any other organization where you have revenue go into it. We propose that the $3.5 million roughly that are in economic development funds go into this corporation, along with roughly $1.5 million of economic funds estimated each year go into that. This same corporation, as I understand it, will also fund the funds for convention and tourism. The tax would go through that. This is a separate member board. If you form this corporation by law, you have to form a board. This board will be appointed by you people and we understand that. That is one reason we have right side and left side. We feel we have to go on and do what's on the right side no matter whether funds are there or not, so we're going to do that. Now, executive director will be hired by the board you appoint. Underneath that is the existing areas in the city that are already in place -- Convention and Tourism, Civic Lubbock, Civic Center, and all of the other entities that deal with the City. Economic Development Structure Verbatim Transcript August 10, 1995 Page 3 To give you a scenario on how we see a current business expanding or a new business that may want to locate into our community working. We feel that the Lubbock Industrial Foundation will be, along with the business attraction individual, will be the two areas that do the work. We feel that this board, along with the industrial attraction person, will put together the proposal and work with the existing business that wants to expand or a new business that wants to locate here. Obviously it needs to be done in a private and confidential way, very much similar to what we did with the prison psychiatric facility we have out here that we just opened up. There are things that come up that businesses do not want to discuss until they are at a certain level like the purchase and options of properties. The Industrial Foundation would be used as a conduit to go purchase options of property in a confidential way so that we can have some sites to present to whoever wanted to locate there. A proposal would be drawn up. We already have the subcommittees formed through our chambers of commerce, which are inclusive of everybody we can. That group will present the proposal to Market Lubbock Inc. who will have the authority on whether this will work. I think the key in anything you do is the people that you get to serve on these boards. We've worked hard and already started a good list. naturally, the people you want to serve on these boards are the ones who initially say no because they don't have the time. Those are the type of individuals that you want on there. Let me say to on economic development, it's hard to catch a fish when you don't have your hook in the water. We haven't had our hook in the water a long time. We're way behind in the process. To get a good catch, you have to have some good bait, and we don't have much bait to put on it right now. We have to work with what we have. We feel that this will be the foundation to do this. We are committed to this. I've done this presentation so many times that I've probably done it too fast. I think if we took the feeling we had the day the BRAC commission was here, that outpouring of compassion and outstanding that they had for the rest of our community, whether it be Reese or the current business community, captured that and poured it on the individuals in our community, there is no doubt in my mind that we can overcome the obstacles that we have in the past five, six, seven years. We also feel that the atmosphere is ripe right now. We feel our comity is ready to move forward. With that, I'll answer any questions that you may have for me. Economic Development Structure Verbatim Transcript August 10, 1995 Page 4 Mayor: John, you mentioned that you have gone out to various organizations within the community. Can you summarize some of the organizations that you have met with and what type of response you have received to this proposal? John: We have met with the Hotel/Motel Association, Restaurant Association, car deal association, and a number of others. I haven't done it alone; others have come. The task force we formed represented just about every fashion of business in our community. It wasn't the Chamber of Commerce that developed this plan. Those organizations we are talking to include Black Entrepreneurs, Hispanic Commerce. We've had agriculture; we've tried to include the banking industry and the other industries. So we had a good cross-section of that. We sent salesmen out to those organizations and presented this to them. Of course, it is an easy sale. Most people aren't going to disagree that before you do anything you have to have a plan. It is obvious that we haven't had the plan and we haven't been in the game. We just have to get up to bat, and we know this thing will work. We have given you something that we want you to adopt. We're going to give you some strong recommendations here: Adopt proposed economic development structure Create Market Lubbock Inc. Adopt Market Lubbock Inc. Board (We know that individuals who go on that are very important. We would like you to hurry up and do that so we can get our individuals on Industrial Foundation because who you have on that may affect who we have on ours.) We need a joint City/Chamber orientation when you do form Market Lubbock Inc. and have that board to present this to them and show them the plan that we have. That is what we are requiring of you as Council people to do. The rest of that, we feel that we can handle. In addition to that, we naturally want as soon as we can, along with Bob Cass and the City and whoever else you deem to serve on this and start a selection process of hiring an individual. Every month we wait, we're behind. We would like to do that. Economic Development Structure Verbatim Transcript August 10, 1995 Page 5 Patterson: You mentioned moving economic development from City Hall and looking at a physical locale. What did you have in mind? Have you talked about that? Where would you suggest that we would take this kind of posture in Lubbock? Zwiacher: There are a couple of locations we've looked at. Our whole plan is not to start another bureaucracy or a higher building. We are going to get some low profile place where somebody can work. We expect it to be in the downtown area close to City Hall and close to the chambers of commerce and that area. There might be a potential. We've had discussions on a site or so, but we wanted to make sure we got this thing on board before we did that. But I think it will be a joint project between the chambers and the people that serve with us. My expectation is for Council or City staff to do that. Patterson: But you had thought about that, I'm sure? Zwiacher: That was part of the early negotiations of talking with the City and Council people. We didn't demand it, but we strongly recommended that it come out of City Hall as soon as we can. That's why we want to hire the individual. Sitton: I attended a seminar a week ago in Austin on economic development and there was a panel of speakers of about 8. Unequivocally every one of them stated what you just said, that it absolutely should come out of City Hall. Zwiacher: I'd like to let Paula Montoya come up and say a few words. Montoya: Mayor Langston, City Council men and women, we have left you off shore, drowning for the last few years. And the liberals have come by, thrown you a 200-foot rope and gone on to do more good. The conservatives have come by, thrown you a 25-foot rope and said "swim for it." Congratulations, today you have hit a home run by providing the leadership to see the unity here of the three chambers of commerce. We realize that economic development needs to be a priority. It is time to put our personal agenda aside because we have this commitment to the citizens of this city. Right now economic development has to be our primary concern. I think in addition to this plan we have requested some additional development and we would like to see that all players in economic development and all organizations involved come to the understanding that we have in one location. That way we bring in a new Economic Development Structure Verbatim Transcript August 10, 1995 Page 6 industrial attraction, you have everybody right there. You need to go talk to somebody, you have everybody in one location. In doing this, we are committed to complementing each other rather than competing with each other. We are committed in the best interest of this city. We are due to go ahead with this proposed economic development plan. By that we will all be stronger swimmers and never have to worry about anybody left alone drowning. We also need to give the citizens of this community something more than the past BCD that they found out they do not want and showing a unified effort is giving them a different structure. Pierce: Mr. Mayor, Councilmembers, I'm Dwight Pierce with the Lubbock Black Chamber. You see that the three chambers have gotten together to present an economic development plan to you. The Lubbock Black Chamber's primary concern is the people the Council will appoint to board. These individuals must be on the same page as the Industrial Board. They must be free thinkers, see the big picture, and acceptable to all parties involved. That the nominees to the Council be considered as prime candidates, especially the minority candidates. Mayor: Are there any other comments? I understand, Mr. City Manager, that this is not an action item today; this is merely a discussion item. Cass: Yes, sir. We would need some direction from the Council to go ahead and prepare articles of incorporation for the Market Lubbock group, then we would have to work out the details in terms of all of the other interrelationships. We are prepared to move forward; the staff is in support of this approach. Hernandez: [question inaudible] Cass: I don't know how much detail you want me to go into. We have worked very closely with the groups involved in this issue, and we want to commend them for their insights in putting this together. We support it very strongly. I would tell you that we are in the process now of drafting articles of incorporation. Those are essentially our comments. Neugebauer: Mr. Mayor, I would encourage us to move forward with this proposal. There are a lot of people out there who are going to try to second guess what is going on in one area or the other. But the thing we have got to do is move forward with economic development. Is this plan perfect? Probably not. We'll probably have to fine tune it as we go, but you cannot fine tune something that is not moving, and we have got to move forward Economic Development Structure Verbatim Transcript August 10, 1995 Page 7 in our community. As John said, not only do we not have any bait, we don't even have a fishing pole. It is discouraging to everyone that we don't. We have some of the finest attributes in the country to sell. Just this week in a magazine published by Texas A&M, Lubbock has one of the most affordable housing scenarios in the state of Texas. The list goes on and on and on. You can have all of these tremendous attributes, but if you don't have somebody out on the sales floor trying to sell something, you are just going to get lucky occasionally. The world has become too competitive in economic development to just leave it to happenstance. I think we need to move forward, and I think it is wonderful to have an issue come forward and have the room full of people willing to join hands and move forward. That is the same kind of attitude we need to have in each initiative that we have. It is up to all of us to provide economic development. [Told story about wanting to hit someone who was asked the question "What is there to do in Lubbock?" and the Lubbockite's response was "nothing."] Economic development is about each and every one of us developing a pride in our community and spreading that word because you never know who is listening to you when you are talking. I think what we showed to the BRAC Commission, if you were to show that kind of support to corporate America, believe me, you would catch some fish. Sitton: Mr. Mayor, I agree with Councilman Neugebauer. I would also like to add that it has become so apparent to me that the name of the game is competition. If we want Lubbock to be able to compete, and I dare say we all want Lubbock be bigger, better, we want jobs. We must have jobs for our people and be creative. Jobs may be for incoming people, but that is absolutely critical in the success of Lubbock. In order for us to compete, we must be given the tools with which to compete, and I think this is a tool that will begin our ability to compete. I think you all very much for doing that, and I would encourage the entire community to get behind economic development because it is jobs and we must have jobs for our citizens. Patterson: Mr. Mayor, I would like to echo as well. I heard Ms. Montoya and Mr. Pierce express their concern that the theme of the future of this city should be one word: inclusiveness. When one segment is down, the whole segment is down. Everywhere I go in this country, I always say that Lubbock, Texas USA is the gateway to the west. I hope that from this historical moment that we will understand it. We will see people stand vertical, tall together because this is our city. When we all work together, we can't help but grow. I commend this effort this morning, and I hope Economic Development Structure Verbatim Transcript August 10, 1995 Page 8 ten years from now we'll say that in Lubbock in that Council Chambers on the 1 Oth day of August 1995, we had Lubbockites who had visual logic and West Texas guts, able to stand tall and call it like it really is, that we all can do this together if we are committed to make things happen. I believe we are; let's go do it. Mayor: Would it be the consensus of Council that we instruct the administrative staff to move forward on this and put it on the next agenda for August 24? Hernandez: The only thing I would add is that I have been asked for my definition of economic development. My definition is very simple, and that is the creation of jobs. Although I agree that this particular format might not be the best, I think it is definitely a step in the right direction and something that is very much needed. What I especially like about this particular proposal is that you're talking about coordinating the efforts of already existing resources. You're not talking about creating additional resources, just trying to coordinate what you've already got. I do want to personally caution those who will be involved in this effort in that to me the bottom line is job creation. If after this gets off the ground and has a track record of 1-3 years and there is no job creation, then it is going to give me an indication that possibly this wasn't the right step. Cooke: Obviously, it is very well thought out. The community has got to all be behind it to make it work. Ince: I appreciate all of the chambers efforts in this endeavor. We talk about public -private partnership, and this is a fine example of the City staff and City government working with the private sector. What pleases me most is that there are no turf wars in this organization. We're all pulling in the same direction. That's the only way to get this goal accomplished. I appreciate the quality efforts of the people involved. Mayor: Then it is the consensus of Council that we put this on the August 24th agenda and move expeditiously to create this. We instruct the staff to get the papers drawn.