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07-18-2022 Closed Session Meeting Minutes BOCJuly 18, 2022, Closed Session #1 Page 1 of 2 Person County Board of Commissioners Minutes of a Closed Session DATE: July 18, 2022 MEMBERS OF BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chairman Powell, Vice Chairman Sims, Commissioner Puryear, Commissioner Gentry, and Commissioner Palmer OTHERS PRESENT: Interim County Manager, Ralph Clark, Clerk to the Board, Brenda Reaves, County Attorney, Ellis Hankins, and Economic Development Director, Sherry Wilborn CLOSED SESSION #1 A motion was made by Vice Chairman Sims and carried 5-0 to enter into Closed Session at 11:04am per General Statutes 143-318.11(a)(4) for the purpose of discussion of matters relating to the location or expansion of industries or other businesses in the area served by the public body, including agreement on a tentative list of economic development incentives that may be offered by the public body in negotiations and 143-318.11(a)(5) to establish, or to instruct the public body's staff or negotiating agents concerning the position to be taken by or on behalf of the public body in negotiating the price and other material terms of a contract or proposed contract for the acquisition of real property by purchase, option, exchange, or lease with the following individuals permitted to attend: County Attorney, Ellis Hankins, Interim County Manager, Ralph Clark, Clerk to the Board, Brenda Reaves, and Economic Development Director, Sherry Wilborn. Chairman Powell called the Closed Session #1 to order at 11:08am. Economic Development Director, Sherry Wilborn stated she has worked with DEC Associates, the County’s debt consultants, to put together a framework to use in packaging incentives proposals for prospective companies. Ms. Wilborn said Mr. Doug Carter of DEC Associates provided some scenarios to illustrate to the Board the cost of purchasing the Mega Park through the current option. The scenarios showed annual debt service through an installment purchase financing; also shown were projected county property taxes with one prospect and/or two projects, i.e. Lamb and Chops. Ms. Wilborn discussed a 10-year financial incentive agreement for both Project Lamb totaling just over $9M, and Project Chops totaling nearly $3.4M; she included a map of the southern portion of the Mega Park that consisted of 862 acres for these two projects noting a rezoning to General Rezoning would be needed however; wastewater is no longer a need. She further noted the supplier (Project Chops) was experiencing a delay for equipment and recommended that the Board not incentivize until a supplier commits. July 18, 2022, Closed Session #1 Page 2 of 2 Ms. Wilborn discussed Project Yeti who proposes $52.8B capital investment with 5,800 jobs, also looking at the south portion of the Mega Park noting their decision would come in the fall around October. She recommended $3.2B financial incentives spread over 25 years. Ms. Wilborn noted Project Eddie was potentially going to Chatham ($3B investment 900 jobs). She added Project Titan started out at $1.5B, now at $914M interested in using industrial bonds for a recycling titanium use for airplanes would be a startup and tax exempt now looking at Richmond, VA. Ms. Wilborn said Project Samurai was determined not to be a fit. With less than 18 months remaining on the option (expires Dec. 2023) for the Mega Park, Ms. Wilborn stated an option was to buy the entire site at $20K per acre (1,350 acres $27M) so to control the site. Commissioner Gentry advocated control of the property noting the risks were good financially or the county loses its investment to date. The Board consented to move in that direction to purchase the option to have control. A motion was made by Vice Chairman Sims and carried 5-0 to return to open session at 11:40am. July 18, 2022, Closed Session #2 Page 1 of 1 Person County Board of Commissioners Minutes of a Closed Session DATE: July 18, 2022 MEMBERS OF BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chairman Powell, Vice Chairman Sims, Commissioner Puryear, Commissioner Gentry, and Commissioner Palmer OTHERS PRESENT: County Manager, Heidi York, Clerk to the Board, Brenda Reaves, and County Attorney, Ellis Hankins CLOSED SESSION #2 A motion was made by Vice Chairman Sims and carried 5-0 to consult the county attorney on matters within the scope of attorney-client privilege to consider and give instructions to the attorney concerning the handling or a settlement or a judicial matter or a legal proceeding under General Statutes 143-318.11(a)(3) at 11:41am with the following individuals permitted to attend: County Attorney, Ellis Hankins, Interim County Manager, Ralph Clark, Assistant County Manager, Katherine Cathey, Clerk to the Board, Brenda Reaves and Economic Development Director, Sherry Wilborn. Chairman Powell called the Closed Session #2 to order at 11:41am. County Attorney, Ellis Hankins provided an update related to the legal proceeding related to the special use permit appeal filed Superior Court by Elizabeth Christian noting the case was set to be heard on November 28, 2022. Mr. Hankins then requested more direction from the Board related to the NC Utilities Commission pending proceeding related to the Duke Energy Carbon Reduction Plan. Mr. Hankins provided copies of letters from the NC Chamber and Duke Energy supporting Mountain Valley’s Request for Extension of Time for the project applicant to obtain necessary permits when legal challenges to authorizations necessary to complete construction have caused a delay. Mr. Hankins recommended that Person County file a similar letter of support with comments to be beneficial. Mr. Hankins noted the letter of support was a first step and he also proposed calling Rockingham, Alamance counties as well as the municipalities within those two counties to align with common interests supporting the gas pipeline coming into North Carolina. The Board had consensus with Mr. Hankins’ recommendations. A motion was made by Vice Chairman Sims and carried 5-0 to return to open session at 11:55am.