Logan County Economic Development Corporation
Thursday, February 23, 2012

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Executive Director’s Monthly Activity Summary for November 2011

December
19
2011

The following summary provides a highlight of the various monthly activities for the Logan County Economic Development Corporation (“LCEDC”). All activities are not described in the summary, but rather some of the more visual activities of the LCEDC are presented.

General Meetings:

Nov. 1 Executive Committee meeting

Nov. 1 Rich O. met with BOCC re: billboard sign at I-76

Nov. 2 NECO members met with Ken Lund, new Exec. Director, Colorado OEDIT

Nov. 3 LCEDC monthly board meeting

Nov. 3 Dan Long and Rich O. met with dairy industry representative, Tom Haren

Nov. 4 Jim Neblett and Rich O. met with BOCC re: Star Clean Oil, LLC, notice

Nov. 7 LCEDC hosted Progressive 15 Logan County Caucus to discuss legislative issues

Nov. 7 Rich O. attended Logan County budget public meeting

Nov. 8 Rich O. met with Cheryl Scofield, USDA Rural Development

Nov. 8 CSU/DOLA committee held a final meeting on downtown beautification and
will be re-organized as the Advisory Committee to City Council

Nov. 9 LCEDC Strategic Planning Committee met to update plan dated October, 2010

Nov. 10 Joint Committee SURA/LCEDC held its monthly meeting

Nov. 11 Rich O. met with Larry Mohnsen, manager of Bomgaars, for soft opening.

Nov. 12 Rich O. and other board members attended the Fall Gala of Logan County
Chamber of Commerce

Nov. 14 Rich O. met with dairy prospect land owners

Nov. 14 Rich O. met with Scott Stump’s Labor Day golf tournament committee

Nov. 16 Target Industry Committee had regular meeting

Nov. 16 Rich O. attended the NECALG board meeting and presented economic updates

Nov. 17 NECO held its monthly meeting in Akron

Nov. 17 EDD Advisory Committee met in Akron

Nov. 18 Targeted Industry Oil and Gas breakfast at Plainsman Grill

Nov. 18 Rich O. met with downtown property owner on a confidential project

Nov. 22 Rich O. met with Scott Stump, Jason Haslett, and Stanton Gartin at NJC re:
possible training programs for local welder/fabricators.

Nov. 28 Rich O. and Kim Sellers met at the request of George Hunt with Debbie Zwirn,
Tom Bedford, and two representatives of State Parks: Heather Dugan and Dave
Piper re: improvements to North Sterling State Park and concessionaire contract

Nov. 29 Executive Committee met for pre-board meeting.

Nov. 29 Rob Nichols, Rocky Joy and Rich O. met with Joe Kiolbasa, Curt Penny at City
Re: CDOT work and IGA for traffic engineering downtown and “S” curve.

Nov. 29 Rich O. held conference call with Star Clean Oil attorney re: Logan County
Industrial Park.

Economic developments:

Project Green/New Industrial Park- UPDATE 11/1: Star Clean Oil, LLC, sent their Commencement Notice to Logan County Board of Commissioners to advise they are moving ahead with their rail development plans. There are planning to begin construction early in 2012. UPDATE 12/1: The ballot questions authorizing PID bond financing was approved at the Nov. 1st election. On Nov. 29, LCEDC and Logan County representatives participated in a teleconference call with SCO investor/partners and financing advisors.

State Prospect EP 11-0627- Blue Sky- LCEDC submitted our proposal on July 1 for this manufacturer of wind turbines. UPDATE 10/1: The State OEDIT has notified us that proposals from six Colorado counties have been reviewed by the prospect, but no further action has been taken. UPDATE 11/1: No progress to report. UPDATE 12/1: No progress to report.

State Prospect #11-831 Manufacturer of tree/brush cutting equipment- LCEDC submitted our proposal on Sept. 21. UPDATE 11/1: No progress to report. UPDATE 12/1: No progress to report.

Sterling Municipal Airport/ Crosson Field-. UPDATE 3/1: Joe Kiolbasa, Larry Fetzer and Rich O’Connell met with an airport operations consultant to discuss future development at the airport. UPDATE 11/1: Further discussions with operations consultants have been postponed until after new City Council members are seated.

Three Prototype Buildings- UPDATE 10/1: We have submitted our prototype buildings to the two State Prospects listed above. UPDATE 12/1: We are in discussions with Bruce Glass, Architects Group, to update contractor bids in 2012.

East Cheyenne Underground Gas Storage- UPDATE 6/1: Merchant Energy Partners, LLC, held their ground-breaking ceremony at the Peetz site on May 23rd. Governor Hickenlooper attended and also visited the NextEra Energy wind farm developments. UPDATE 10/1: The construction phase is rapidly moving ahead with Manzek Construction on site and delivery of the large compressor installation. At final build-out, this will be a $300 million project with up to 20 full-time jobs. There are 100 construction workers on site and that work is expected to run 2011 through 2012.

Colorado Highlands Wind, LLC, project north of Fleming continues as a viable project and the developers continue to seek a power purchase agreement (PPA) with various electric utilities. UPDATE 8/1: Colorado Highland’s managing partners have re-submitted their project to a utility located outside the State. UPDATE 12/1: No progress to report.

Executive Director’s Monthly Activity Summary for October 2011

November
30
2011

Logan County Economic Development Corporation
Executive Director Monthly Activity Summary
October 2011

The following summary provides a highlight of the various monthly activities for the Logan County Economic Development Corporation (“LCEDC”). All activities are not described in the summary, but rather some of the more visual activities of the LCEDC are presented.

General Meetings:

Oct. 4 Executive Committee meeting

Oct. 4 Rich presented the LCEDC annual budget request at City Council

Oct. 5 Joint Committee representatives met with Randy Finley re: Woolworth Bldg.

Oct. 5 Rich attended State CCC ceremony at Plainsman Grill

Oct. 6 LCEDC held its regular monthly meeting

Oct. 11 SURA held its regular bi-monthly meeting

Oct. 13 I spoke on the CrossTalk radio program

Oct. 13 LCEDC board members met to kick-off our membership drive

Oct. 14 Rich attended physician recruitment breakfast at Sterling Regional MedCenter

Oct. 14 LCEDC hosted Business After Hours (BAH) at our office

Oct. 15 Rich attended NJC ceremony honoring scholarship donations

Oct. 16 Rich, Rocky and Scott Stump presented at Rocky Mtn Farmers Union seminar

Oct. 18 Rich and Brad met with two prospects at the office

Oct. 18 Rich presented at Sterling Women’s Connection dinner at Plainsman Grill

Oct. 24 Rich attended Colorado Community College seminar in Denver

Oct. 24 Rich participated in Progressive 15 conference call board meeting

Oct. 26 Rich attended SIFE update meeting as member of Advisory Board

Oct. 27 Rich, Loretta and Scott Stump attended NECO meetings in Sedgwick, CO.

Oct. 28 Rich, Kim Sellers and Laurie Jones attended CSU Regional Engagement Center
planning session at Sterling facility.

Economic Developments:

Project Green/New Industrial Park- UPDATE 11/1: Star Clean Oil, LLC, sent their Commencement Notice to Logan County Board of Commissioners to advise they are moving ahead with their rail development plans. There are planning to begin construction early in 2012.

State Prospect EP 11-0627- Blue Sky- LCEDC submitted our proposal on July 1 for this manufacturer of wind turbines. UPDATE 10/1: The State OEDIT has notified us that proposals from six Colorado counties have been reviewed by the prospect, but no further action has been taken. UPDATE 11/1: No progress to report.

State Prospect #11-831 Manufacturer of tree/brush cutting equipment- LCEDC submitted our proposal on Sept. 21. UPDATE 11/1: No progress to report.

Sterling Municipal Airport/ Crosson Field-. UPDATE 3/1: Joe Kiolbasa, Larry Fetzer and Rich O’Connell met with an airport operations consultant to discuss future development at the airport. UPDATE 11/1: Further discussions with operations consultants have been postponed until after new City Council members are seated.

Three Prototype Buildings- UPDATE 10/1: We have submitted our prototype buildings to the two State Prospects listed above.

East Cheyenne Underground Gas Storage- UPDATE 6/1: Merchant Energy Partners, LLC, held their ground-breaking ceremony at the Peetz site on May 23rd. Governor Hickenlooper attended and also visited the NextEra Energy wind farm developments. UPDATE 10/1: The construction phase is rapidly moving ahead with Manzek Construction on site and delivery of the large compressor installation. At final build-out, this will be a $300 million project with up to 20 full-time jobs. There are 100 construction workers on site and that work is expected to run 2011 through 2012.

Colorado Highlands Wind, LLC, project north of Fleming continues as a viable project and the developers continue to seek a power purchase agreement (PPA) with various electric utilities. UPDATE 8/1: Colorado Highland’s managing partners have re-submitted their project to a utility located outside the State. UPDATE 11/1: No progress to report.

Funding Vehicle for Beautification Passes

November
02
2011

Referendum 2X, a 5% city-wide hotel tax for the City of Sterling, has passed in the November 1, 2011 election, according to unofficial results posted by the Logan County Clerk and Recorder’s Office.

The tax, which will be paid on the short-term leasing, rental or furnishingn of any specified lodging services in the City of Sterling, will be utilized for the purpose of raising funds to promote tourism, conventions and community beautification within the City of Sterling. Collected taxes will be held in a fund separate from the city’s general fund, and recommendations regarding use of the hotel taxe revenues will be made to the City Council by an advisory board appointed by the Council.

Thirty eight percent (38%) of the tax will be remitted to Logan County for the continuation of the County’s efforts to advertise and market local tourism, including the operation and maintenance of the Tourism Center.

The passage of Referendum 2X potentially provides additional support for the vision(s) generated by two state-assisted projects in 2010: the Community Economic Development (CED) Assessment and the CSU/DOLA Rural Technical Assistance Program. Progress toward achievement of the vision generated by these projects continues through the work of two committees within the community.