JDA Board Meeting: February 20, 2024

February 20, 2024 Board Meeting Minutes

Members present: John Carns, Clint Wold, Matt Beard (virtual), Pete Edis, Shilo Chavez, Aaron Pelton, Calli Thorne, Rex Korslien
Members absent: Gene Veeder, Tyler Fixen, Joel Brown
Others present: Daniel Stenberg, John Suter, Keith Olson, Jeff Bieber, Jessie Veeder, Dave Pankow (virtual), Vawnita Best

Chair John Carns called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. with quorum having been achieved.
The meeting was at the Missouri Room of the McKenzie County Courthouse and available remotely via zoom. Wold made a motion to approve the agenda, financial report and meeting minutes as presented, Chavez seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

No member reported a conflict of interest. ||

Jeff Bieber, president of Two River Energy Growers Association (TREGA), gave an update on the TREGA. The association has had discussions with Greenwood Renewable Ventures (GRV) and noted that they are moving forward with two locations for beet processing plants; one in Grand Forks and the other near Fairview, MT but on the North Dakota side. The Fairview plant will be a $300 million project with 30,000 acres for planting beets and then processing the beats into fuel. GRV is targeting Spring 2026 for the Fairview plant to be completed. Bieber requested the JDA to continue funding their association expenses through 2026 as a follow up to their 2023 request. Korslien made a motion for the JDA to continue to pay association expenses through 2026 up to the remaining funds for TREGA ($9,138.51), but with at least annual reports to the JDA, Pelton seconded. Motion passed unanimously.

Jessie Veeder updated the board on the Long X Arts Foundation and the work they did in 2023 and the growth they are going through with more programs and more employees. Veeder requested the JDA to release the funds they budgeted for the Long X Arts Foundation for 2024, which was $35,000. Edis made a motion to release the budgeted $35,000 to the Long X Arts Foundation, Thorne seconded. Motion passed unanimously. The board will discuss increasing the amount of funding to $55,000 the Long X Arts receives for the 2025 budget given their increased impact/workload.

Dave Pankow with Stenehjem Development gave a written and oral update on the Shovel Ready Lot Program and noted the struggles with the housing market and hitting the milestones of the project. Stenehjem Development is hesitant to build new homes until they see more sales of their already-finished homes. ||

Stenberg updated the board on the trip to Ponca City, OK and Hobbs, NM to visit the oil communities and study their growth and tech centers. Stenberg noted that the group has decided April 7-11 as the dates to visit and attendees will pay their own travel costs. Stenberg requested the JDA to sponsor meals and a small gift for the hosts of the trip. Stenberg also asked if any board members would like to attend and noted that the JDA could offer to fund the trip. Shilo Chavez volunteered to also attend the trip to study the cities on the JDA’s behalf.
• Pelton made a motion for the JDA to sponsor up to $2,500 for meals and small gifts to the hosts, Korslien seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
• Korslien made a motion for the JDA to fund Chavez’s trip to Ponca City, OK and Hobbs, NM, Edis seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Suter presented the January Technology and Communications report and the February Economy at a Glance and noted the high use and views of the economic development websites and social medias in 2023. He also noted that there were 247 births in McKenzie County in 2023, which was more than 2022 and 2021. ||

Stenberg updated the board on the Bakken Area Skills Center and the work they are doing in getting more classes integrated in the center. ||

Stenberg presented a Cerilon update, the Safflower Feasibility study update and the End of the Rope update. The End of the Rope team has closed a deal with Saban Films to be the distributor of the film. He noted that there will be more to come on all of these at a later meeting. ||

Stenberg gave an update on the Alexander Day Care project and noted that there are 30 kids on the waitlist for the daycare, which will have a capacity of 70 when the project is complete. ||

Board members shared items of interest. ||

Meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

Signed: ____________________ Date: __________