Lamar County Commissioners Court Agenda 10.31.17

 

1. Pledge of Allegiance. –  County Judge, M.C. Superville, Jr.
2. Approval of minutes. –  County Judge, M.C. Superville, Jr.
3. Discussion and/or action regarding Lamar County Commissioners’ Court allowing “Penni Carpenter, who is part of the Parent Organization, Texas Star Parent Association to use Lamar County’s parking lot(s) as a staging area for a parade to honor “Ms. Rylee Chapman and Mr. Logan Gilbert” who are part of the Texas Tumbling and Trampoline, Inc. (3TI) in Paris.

Ms. Rylee Chapman and Mr. Logan Gilbert have been named to the USA World Age Group Trampoline Team.  The World Age Group Competition will be held in in Sofia, Bulgaria on November 16^th -19^th.  Congratulations to these fine athletes.  Their hard work and dedication to this sport have paid off!

The parade will be held on Thursday, November 9^th starting at 7:00 p.m.  The parade route will start at the Courthouse, go around the square, (The Culbertson Fountain), and then back to the Courthouse.  Everyone is invited to come out and wish these two fine athletes off to Sofia, Bulgaria. –  County Judge, M.C. Superville, Jr.

4. Discussion and/or action regarding Lamar County Commissioners’ Court amending the Tax Abatement dated February 25, 2013, between Lamar County and Campbell Soup Supply, LLC relating to the Single Serve Beverage Line.

In general, the amendment to March 25, 2013, Tax Abatement Agreement is a modification of the number of employees created by the investment.  The amendment allows the forty-one (41) full-time jobs created by the investment, to “very one way or another by a few employees as the project nears the commencement of its operations”.   

This amendment is consistent with the economic and managerial realities of operating the Single Serve Beverage Line and is also consistent with encouraging the development of the Enterprise Zone.  – County Judge, M.C. Superville

6. Discussion and/or action regarding Lamar County Commissioners’ Court and Campbell Soup Company, LLC agreeing to terminate March 25, 2013, Single Serve Beverage Line Tax Abatement Agreement so as to replace the Single Serve Beverage Line with a new product line. Lamar County Commissioners’ Court and Campbell Soup Company, LLC agree to the termination of this agreement because replacement of the Single Serve Beverage Line with a new product line is in the best interest of Lamar County, the Enterprise Zone, and will contribute to the growth and sustainability of Campbell Soup Company, LLC.  – County Judge, M.C. Superville
7. Discussion and/or action regarding Lamar County Commissioners’ Court resolving to enter into a tax abatement agreement with Campbell Soup Supply Company, LLC. The tax abatement is 100% for 10 years, with the tax abatement period commencing for the tax year January 1, 2019, and ending December 31, 2028. The tax abatement agreement is entered into by Lamar County with Campbell Soup Supply Company, LLC in exchange for Campbell Soup Supply Company, LLC. making improvements to the facility and/or personal property at a cost of no less than $28,500,000.00 and up to $33,800,000.00 for the capital cost and installation of the building modifications, machinery, and equipment, set forth below. Site preparation shall occur during March 2018; installation shall commence in April 2018; and production is expected to commence in October or November 2018; provided, that Campbell Soup Supply Company shall have such additional time to complete the improvements as may be required in the event of “force majeure” if Campbell Soup Supply Company is diligently and faithfully pursuing completion of the installation of the improvements.

The improvements are being made to enable Campbell Soup Supply Company to manufacture certain hot-fill products of Campbell Soup Supply Company’s affiliated company, Plum, PBC, at the property. The products to be produced include, but may not be limited to, organic baby food contained in soft pouch packaging. The improvements are described as follows:

1. To the real property of Campbell Soup Supply Company, building modifications consisting of the ceiling, floor, and wall surface improvements to facilitate sanitation, and a structural “bridge” over the existing pump pit.
2. Prep/Blend Operation, consisting of IQF processing stations, frozen ingredient extructors, spice slurry system, blending vessels, and all associated utilities, conveyance, and controls.
3. Sterilization, consisting of four skid-mounted horizontal processing tanks and all associated utilities, conveyance, and controls.
4. Filling, consisting of a 10-lane pouch seal/fill/cap filling machine capable of manufacturing pouches between 3.0 ounce and 4.0 ounce, and all associated utilities, conveyance, and controls.
5. Pasteurization/Cooling, consisting of a single ascending forced-air spiral pasteurized utilizing steam coils as a heat source and a single descending forced-air cooling spiral utilizing glycol or chilled water coils as its source of cooling, including all utilities, conveyance, and controls to convey pouches into and out of each operation.
6. Packaging, consisting of a modular cartooning/case packing system capable of three carton formats and a robotically assisted palletizer with all associated utilities, conveyance, and controls.

All such improvements will be described in the City’s Certificate of Completion prepared after the completion and installation of the above-described building modifications and improvements, personal property, machinery, and equipment.  The description shall be furnished by Campbell Soup Supply Company, LLC to Lamar County in Campbell Soup Company’s sworn report described in Section 11.1, below and attached to the City’s Certificate of Completion. The description shall also be filed with the Chief Appraiser of the Lamar County Appraisal District.  Said Certificate shall be duly executed by the Mayor of the City of Paris in the form attached hereto as Exhibit D.  The improvements will be at a cost of no less than $28,500,000.00 and up to $33,800,000.00 for the capital cost and installation of the building modifications, machinery, and equipment, set forth above.

Site preparation shall occur during March 2018; installation shall commence in April 2018; and production is expected to commence in October or November 2018; provided, that Campbell Soup Company, LLC shall have such additional time to complete the improvements as may be required in the event of “force majeure” if Campbell Soup Company, LLC is diligently and faithfully pursuing completion of the installation of the improvements.

Campbell Soup Company, LLC agrees that it will employ no fewer than forty (40) and up to forty-nine (49) full-time employees to operate the Plum Organics Line to be conducted at the property, provided, however, that this number or employees may vary one way or another by a few employees up to the point the Plum Organics Line commences operation.  Campbell Soup Supply Company, LLC agrees to employ no fewer than forty (40) full-time employees on the Plum Organics Line by January 1, 2019, and to retain said forty (40) full-time employees for the duration of this agreement.

Campbell Soup Company, LLC agrees to retain sufficient employment levels to efficiently operate and support its overall plant operations during the term of this Agreement. – Executive Director, Michael Paris, Paris Economic Development Corporation; County Judge, M.C. Superville, Jr.

 

1.  Discussion and/or action by Lamar County Commissioners’ Court adopting “Guidelines and Criteria for Tax Abatement”, agreements. – Executive Director, Michael Paris, Paris Economic Development Corporation; County Judge, M.C. Superville, Jr.
2. Discussion and/or action by Lamar County Commissioners’ Court to approve and execute a Tax Abatement Agreement with Campbell Soup Company, LLC in exchange for Campbell Soup Company, LLC performing improvements at a cost of no less than $28,500,000.00 and up to $33,800,000.00 for the capital cost and installation of the building modifications, machinery and equipment, set forth above.  – Executive Director, Michael Paris, Paris Economic Development Corporation; County Judge, M.C. Superville, Jr.