March 28, 2005
Lake Charles, Louisiana
The Police Jury of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, met in Special Session at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 28, 2005, in the Contraband Room of the Lake Charles Civic Center, Lake Charles, Louisiana, jointly with the City Council of the City of Lake Charles and the Board of Commissioners of the Chennault International Airport Authority. The meetings of each governmental entity were called to order by Mr. Hal McMillin, Police Jury President, Mr. Rodney Geyen, Council President, and Mr. Louis Haxthausen, Airport Authority President.
Opening remarks were given by Mr. Geyen, the invocation was pronounced by Mr. Cornie Moon, Police Juror, and the Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mr. Louis Haxthausen.
The roll was called for the Police Jury, and the following members were present:
Mrs. Sandra J. Treme; and Messrs. Francis Andrepont, Brent Clement, Calvin Collins, Mike Danahay, Kevin Guidry, Tony Guillory, Chris Landry, Charles S. Mackey, D.D.S., Don Manuel, Cornie Moon, and Tony Stelly
Absent: Mesdames Elizabeth Conway Griffin and Mary Kaye Eason
The following Police Jury staff members were also present: Mr. S. Mark McMurry, Parish Administrator; Mr. Bryan Beam, Assistant Administrator; Mr. Richard Gremillion, Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness; Mr. Allen L. Smith, Jr. of the firm of Plauche, Smith and Nieset, General Counsel; Ms. Kathy P. Smith, Recording Secretary; and Mr. Jim Vickers, Director of Planning and Development.
The roll was also called for the City Council and the Airport Authority.
Mr. Mark McMurry, Parish Administrator, introduced the following ideas for the joint session format and meeting logistics, to which there was no opposition: (1) the Police Jury President would serve as Chairman for the purpose of the presentation and any discussion that might ensue; (2) following that, each of the three governmental bodies would return to their individual meetings to take any official actions; and (3) each body would be adjourned separately.
Mr. George Heard, Executive Director of the Chennault International Airport Authority, gave a brief presentation outlining information obtained during the Site Selection Information Day by EADS (European Aeronautic Defense Systems) – North America held on February 15, 2005. (A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is on file in the archives of the Police Jury.) Mr. Heard stated that because this major project would be designed for the U.S. Air Force (USAF), there would be a program, a budget, and major competition for site selection. He further stated that there would be three facilities built: a 20,000 - 25,000 sq. ft. engineering center, unconditional employment for which would start in 2006 (estimated capital investment not including land of $7 - $10 million, and estimated annual payroll at maximum stable employment –150 jobs – of $12 - $17 million); a tanker military modification assembly line to fulfill USAF order (estimated capital investment of $220 million, and estimated annual payroll at maximum stable employment – 500 jobs – of $26 - $39 million); and a tanker final assembly line to fulfill substantial USAF order (estimated capital investment of $380 million and estimated annual payroll at maximum stable employment –500 jobs – of $26 - $39 million).
Chairman McMillin recognized The Honorable Charles Boustany, U. S. Congressman, and The Honorable Chuck Kleckley, Louisiana House of Representatives, as being present at the meeting.
Mayor Roach then gave a report on recommendations from the administrations of the City, Parish, and Airport Authority concerning an economic development partnership between these entities in connection with the EADS – North America Project, and possible joint funding related thereto. Mayor Roach recommended that a $5 million commitment be made, with the distribution of funds being $1.5 million from the City, $1.5 million from the Parish, and $2 million from the Chennault Authority. Mayor Roach stated that Bank One had indicated that it could issue an international letter of bank credit representing the $5 million commitment, with said money to be authorized to be disbursed to build the Engineering Center when the decision was made that it would be located in Southwest Louisiana.
Mayor Roach also briefly reviewed a copy of the resolution to be individually adopted by each of the governmental entities, stressing the importance of the Engineering Center preferably being located in Southwest Louisiana, or if not, at least somewhere in the State because of its importance to the state and community college system.
Chairman McMillin opened the floor for questions and comments from officials of the three governing authorities and others relative to the presentation and recommendations.
Mr. Mike Huber, City Councilman, posed some questions of Mayor Roach regarding technicalities in the language of the resolution, and those were answered to his satisfaction.
Mr. Don Manuel, Police Juror, expressed his pride in seeing all of the governmental entities cooperating in this endeavor, pointing out that what was good for one was good for all.
Mr. Paul Arnold, Director of the Small Business Center at McNeese State University, was recognized at this time, and he asked Mr. Heard what was known about the other locales against which Chennault Airport would be competing. Mr. Heard answered that the focus had been on responding to the RFI (Request for Information) for the project and that during the RFP (Request for Proposals) stage would be when they could start focusing on competition.
Congressman Boustany applauded the entities participating in the joint session on this date for their leadership and vision, and he assured the members that he was behind the project 100% and would do anything he could to help move it forward.
Representative Kleckley advised that the State and the local legislative delegation was firmly behind the project and that Governor Blanco had proven she could “deliver the goods” in getting new industries to locate in Louisiana.
Chairman McMillin asked if there were any other comments and hearing none, he asked for a motion for each entity to return to their respective individual meetings for any necessary official action by the governing authorities.
Motion was made by Dr. Charles S. Mackey, seconded by Mr. Don Manuel and carried unanimously that the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, the Lake Charles City Council, and the Chennault International Airport Authority reconvene at this time in their individual Special Sessions.
Upon motion made by Dr. Mackey, which was duly seconded by Mr. Manuel and carried unanimously, the following resolution was adopted:
RESOLUTION
A resolution endorsing and supporting the application of the State of Louisiana, Department of Economic Development, for the establishment of a Military Modification and Assembly Line as well as a new Airbus Long-Range Aircraft Engineering Center to be operated by EADS.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE POLICE JURY OF THE PARISH OF CALCASIEU, STATE OF LOUISIANA, in Special Session convened on the 28th day of March, 2005, that:
WHEREAS, EADS North America will select a site for a Military Modification and Assembly Line (MMAL) for the production of aerial refueling aircraft in the United States which will be the center of industrial activity for the KC-330 advanced tanker aircraft, which the company plans to offer the U. S. Air Force (USAF); and
WHEREAS, this assembly site will also be the location of a new Airbus Long-Range Aircraft Engineering Center in the United States to be operated by EADS in addition to the Airbus engineering facility located in Wichita, Kansas, which will begin operation early 2006; and
WHEREAS, when the tanker program competition is held sometime in late 2006 or 2007, EADS North America intends to team with U.S. industrial partners at its new military modification assembly site to build and offer the KC-330 advanced tanker to meet the USAF’s next-generation, in-flight refueling requirements, and this new facility will eventually employ more than 1,100 persons; and
WHEREAS, EADS North America will begin its KC-330 program with the establishment of an Airbus Long-Range Aircraft Engineering Center to support A330, A340 and A350 aircraft technical needs, and this center will employ more than 100 skilled aerospace engineers; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the total ramp-up of employment – which could reach 1,150 by 2012 – this project could generate as many as an estimated 3,000 additional new jobs by other companies providing related services, and added to this number would be employment generated by the industrial teammates selected by EADS to support the program requirements; and
WHEREAS, it is expected that both the assembly facility and the Engineering Center will be established at – or near – the same site; and
WHEREAS, the Chennault International Airport Authority (CIAA) meets all other requirements for the location of both of these facilities including a minimum 10,000-ft.-long runway; the area to accommodate a total of 1.5 million sq. ft. of production, hangar and office space; a transportation infrastructure with good access via rail and road to a large volume transport to a deep-water seaport, the availability of a potential employment base that is able to meet the demands of world-class aircraft manufacturing and also has the facilities to house the proposed Engineering Center; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the physical plant requirements, a key consideration in site selection will be the location’s ability to establish a cooperative relationship with a nearby university or other institute of higher education with a strong aerospace department and research capability; and
WHEREAS, the State of Louisiana university systems and new community college system have pledged their joint participation and support for the development and operation of the Airbus Long-Range Aircraft Engineering Center (Engineering Center) in consultation with EADS at any site located in Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, the City of Lake Charles, and the CIAA have mutually agreed to execute a cooperative endeavor agreement and immediately establish a fund of $5 million cash no later than June 30, 2005, to be used to build and equip this Engineering Center in Lake Charles if the CIAA site is chosen by EADS as the location for its MMAL project based on the following contributions – $1.5 million each from the Parish and the City, and $2.0 million from the CIAA; and
WHEREAS, under the terms of this agreement, the Parish, the City, and the CIAA have agreed to issue appropriate written documentation to EADS as part of the initial CIAA response to the Request for Information (RFI) solicitation verifying the availability of these funds for the express purpose of immediately beginning construction of the Engineering Center at the CIAA site as soon as the site selection process is finalized; and
WHEREAS, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, the City of Lake Charles, and the CIAA have also mutually agreed to authorize their respective administrative staffs to develop a timeline and strategy to assist representatives of the Louisiana universities and community colleges in the development, permitting and construction of the Engineering Center at the CIAA site and the implementation of a strategy to recruit and train aerospace personnel to work at these new facilities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE POLICE JURY OF CALCASIEU PARISH, STATE OF LOUISIANA, that:
1) The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury does hereby endorse and support the application of the Department of Economic Development for the State of Louisiana for the establishment of a Military Modification and Assembly Line by EADS for the production of aerial refueling aircraft and the location of a new Airbus Long-Range Aircraft Engineering Center to be operated by EADS at any site in Louisiana.
2) The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury does further endorse and support the application of the Chennault International Airport Authority (CIAA) in response to the RFI issued by EADS North America for the location of both of these facilities at the CIAA site in Lake Charles and does hereby further respectfully suggest to EADS that the CIAA site possesses all of the qualitative and quantitative factors outlined in the RFI.
3) The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury does further mutually agree with the Lake Charles City Council and the CIAA to execute a cooperative endeavor agreement and immediately establish a fund of $5 million cash no later than June 30, 2005, to be used to build and equip the Engineering Center in Lake Charles if the CIAA site is chosen by EADS as the location for the new facilities based on the following contributions – $1.5 million each from the Parish and the City, and $2.0 million from the CIAA.
4) The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury does further authorize the issuance of the appropriate written document confirming the availability of these funds no later than June 30, 2005, to EADS for the express purpose of immediately beginning construction of the Engineering Center at the CIAA site as soon as the site selection process is finalized.
5) The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury does further mutually agree with the Lake Charles City Council and the CIAA to authorize their respective administrative staffs to develop a timeline and strategy to assist representatives of the Louisiana universities and community colleges in the development, permitting and construction of the Engineering Center at the CIAA site and the implementation of a strategy to recruit and train aerospace personnel to work at these new facilities.
THUS PASSED AND ADOPTED on this, the 28th day of March, 2005.
/s/ Hal McMillin, President
/s/ S. Mark McMurry, Parish Administrator &
Ex-Officio Parish Secretary
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(Similar resolutions were then adopted by the Lake Charles City Council and the Chennault International Airport Authority.)
There being no further business, motion was made by Mr. Moon, seconded by Mr. Clement and carried unanimously that the Special Meeting of the Police Jury be adjourned.
/s/ Hal McMillin, President
/s/ S. Mark McMurry, Parish Administrator &
Ex-Officio Parish Secretary