Jul 24, 2023 Economic Development Corp. (Type A)

AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

[1. CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:02]

I AM NOT DAN MCCLENDON.

DAN IS OUT OF TOWN, AND SO I DREW THE SHORT STRAW, UNFORTUNATELY.

BUT OUR FIRST ITEM IS OUR CITIZENS APPEARANCES.

AND THIS IS A CHANCE FOR ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE TO COME SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.

I DO NOT HAVE A SPEAKER CARD.

IS THERE ANYBODY THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME SPEAK? SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 3A.

[3.A. Consider approval of the minutes from the July 10, 2023 Economic Development Corporation (Type A) meeting. (Staff Contact: Amanda Campos, City Secretary)]

IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? AND IF NOT, WE'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

AND WE DON'T. SORRY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT ON THE COMPUTERS.

WE'LL JUST DO OLD SCHOOL MOTION TO APPROVE.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION BY SCOTT AND A SECOND BY JOHNSON.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.

OPPOSE? NO.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

ALL RIGHT. ITEM THREE B, WE WILL CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION FOR.

[3.B.Consider approval of Resolution 4A072623ProjectU approving changes and budget for the Project U Leadership Conference. (Staff Presenter: Alex Philips, Director of Economic Development)]

OR IS IT? OKAY, GOOD.

A LOT OF EXTRA NUMBERS.

SORRY. APPROVING CHANGES TO THE BUDGET AND PROJECT U LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE.

ALEX. AND YOU'RE GETTING FOUR BOARD MEMBERS HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE THAT WE PUT ON EVERY YEAR.

JUST KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND WHERE WE GOT THIS IDEA FROM.

OUR TEAM HAS GONE TO DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT CONSULTANT CONNECT HAS PUT ON.

THEY'RE BASED OUT OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

THAT THAT EVENT PROVIDES AN AVENUE BETWEEN SITE CONSULTANTS AND THE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS.

THEY PROVIDE EVERYTHING FROM CONFERENCES DOWN TO PODCASTS, WEBINARS, EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS FOR OUR PROFESSION, LEADERSHIP SUMMITS, WHICH IS A SMALLER GROUP THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH WITH WHAT THEY CALL NEXT AND THRIVE, THEIR ECONOMICS CONFERENCE.

WE DO ATTEND EVERY DECEMBER.

IT'S A SITE SELECTOR CONFERENCE, BUT IT'S ALSO HALF OF IT IS KIND OF A LEADERSHIP ASPECT CONFERENCE.

IT MOVES AROUND EACH YEAR DESIGNED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS AND IT'S HELD ANNUALLY.

CATALYST UNIVERSITY IS KIND OF A COORDINATION EVENT BETWEEN CONSULTING CONNECT, KALAMAZOO PROMISE, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE BURLESON OPPORTUNITY FUND AND THEIR CHAMBER SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN FIRST IN KALAMAZOO, THEY HAVE UP TO 3500 ATTENDEES.

IT'S HELD OVER A COUPLE OF DAYS.

IT'S FOR EVERYBODY IN THE REGION, PLUS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT ATTEND THIS EVENT DESIGNED TO SPARK FRESH IDEAS TO EMPOWER YOUR BEST AND ENERGIZE YOUR COMMUNITY.

THEY DO A GREAT JOB OF OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, JUST NOT IN THEIR COMMUNITY, BUT IN THEIR REGION FOR EVERYBODY TO KIND OF GET MORE INVOLVED WITH LEADERSHIP ASPECT, BUT ALSO EXPANDING BUSINESS.

ONE OF THE, I GUESS ANOTHER EVENT THAT KIND OF CAME FROM CATALYST UNIVERSITY WAS THE GROUP IN TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI.

THEIR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN TUPELO STARTED IGNITE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE.

THEIR CHAMBER IS SET UP A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

THEIR CHAMBER IS THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

SO IT STARTED BACK IN 2018.

THEY HAVE ABOUT 650 ATTENDEES EVERY YEAR.

IT'S HELD AT A LOCAL CHURCH IN TUPELO.

OUR TEAM DID VISIT WITH THEM BACK IN 2019.

WE WENT OUT TO THEIR CONFERENCE AND SIT DOWN WITH THEM TO KIND OF GAIN SOME IDEAS AS WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO MAYBE CREATING OUR OWN EVENT HERE IN TOWN.

SO THE MISSION BEHIND THE PROJECT YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, THE CITY OF BURLESON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, CREATED THIS EVENT TO PROMOTE THE CITY OF BURLESON AS HAVING A DYNAMIC AND INNOVATIVE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT.

THE CONFERENCE PROVIDES VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR ATTENDEES TO ENHANCE THEIR CURRENT SKILL SET, COLLABORATE WITH LIKE MINDED PROFESSIONALS AND BETTER LEADERS WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY.

IT'S A FULL DAY CONFERENCE FEATURING NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SPEAKERS, AUTHORS AND BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS.

SO WHY DID WE WANT TO DO THIS BACK IN, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE 2017 WHEN WE REALLY STARTED KICKING AROUND THE IDEA IN THE OFFICE, PROVIDING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN IMPROVE MORALE, LOYALTY AND ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH, NOT JUST WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT WITHIN BUSINESSES AND COMPANIES THAT CALL BURLESON HOME AND WITHIN THE REGION.

THERE IS NO COST EFFECTIVE TOOLS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE DFW MARKETPLACE FOR JUST GENERAL BUSINESS.

THERE IS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES, BUT THEY ARE FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS OR OTHER PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE VERY NICHE.

PLUS, 80% OF NEW PROJECTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE COME FROM EXPANDING BUSINESSES IN THEIR HOME COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF PROJECTS THAT WE COME ACROSS ARE OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES LOOKING TO EXPAND.

[00:05:02]

ALL OF THESE CONFERENCES THAT WE TRAVEL TO OUTSIDE OF THE STATE, THEY'RE VERY THEY'RE NOT THEY'RE NOT COST EFFECTIVE.

THEY'RE $400, $500 REGISTRATION FEE PLUS THE TRAVEL TO GET TO THEM.

SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE IT'S NOT COST EFFECTIVE, EVEN DOWN TO THE SMALLER BUSINESS TO ATTEND SOMETHING LIKE THIS, TO GAIN TOOLS TO HELP THEIR BUSINESS.

BURLESON WORKS FILLED A GAP FOR BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THIS DOES THE SAME AS COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GROW THEIR EXISTING WORKFORCE IN HOUSE WITH THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

SO JUST KIND OF GOING BACK A LITTLE BIT.

SO BACK IN 2019, WE DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO LAUNCH THIS IN 2020 AND THEN COVID HIT.

SO WE HAD TO DO AN ABOUT FACE.

WE TURNED IT INTO A VIRTUAL SIX WEEKS, KIND OF A WEBINAR HELD ONLINE.

WE HAD 72 ATTENDEES FOR WHAT IT WAS WORTH.

ALL OF THE SPEAKERS WORKED WELL WITH US KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND WE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE ALL THE SPEAKERS THAT WE HAD PLANNED FOR THAT EVENT PROJECT YOU 2022 BECAUSE WE SWITCHED THE DATE FROM A SEPTEMBER DATE TO A FEBRUARY DATE.

IN 2022 WE HELD THE FIRST IN-PERSON AT FIRST BAPTIST BURLESON WE HAD 328 ATTENDEES.

WE IT WAS A SELL OUT.

AND THOSE ARE SOME PICTURES FROM THE EVENT AND AT FIRST BAPTIST BURLESON SO IN 2023 THIS LAST YEAR WE HELD IN PERSON AT PATHWAY CHURCH, WE HAD 372 ATTENDEES.

THEY TRAVELED AS FAR MANSFIELD, WICHITA FALLS, WACO, WYLIE.

WE HAD TWO TABLES WORTH OF PEOPLE FROM WYLIE, TEXAS, TABLES FROM MANSFIELD, AND I SAID 23 TABLES OF EIGHT SOLD.

THAT SHOWED US A LOT OF FROM THE FIRST YEAR TO THE SECOND YEAR, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT PROJECT WAS THE FIRST YEAR AND THE SECOND YEAR THEY DIDN'T JUST BRING THE CEO AND A PLUS ONE.

THEY BROUGHT THEIR LEADERSHIP TEAM FROM THEIR COMPANIES TO PURCHASE A TABLE AND THEY GOT TOGETHER.

SO WE HAD A LOT OF TABLE SALES LAST YEAR.

I WANT TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE VIDEO OF KIND OF A GLANCE OF WHAT LAST YEAR WAS ABOUT THAT WE HAD CAPTURED BY A LOCAL MEDIA OUTLET THAT PUT TOGETHER THIS VIDEO FOR US. WELL, I'LL SAY THAT.

WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO THE CITY OF BURLINGTON FOR HOSTING SUCH AN AMAZING EVENT FOR US.

IT'S BEEN AMAZING BRINGING MY LEADERS IN TO THE CONFERENCE TO ABSORB EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN ABOUT.

IT'S BEEN SO MUCH FUN TO HANG OUT WITH THE PEOPLE IN BURLESON THAT I LOVE AND TO LEARN SOME REALLY HELPFUL LEADERSHIP TIPS.

WELL, I THINK IT'S GREAT TO SIT DOWN AND LEARN SOME THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND TO NETWORK.

IT'S FANTASTIC.

THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY BRAND LAND.

THEY'RE A COMPANY HERE IN TOWN, ALONG WITH TOUR MAX MEDIA THAT OFFICES ABOVE INDEPENDENT BANK.

SO THEY PUT THAT TOGETHER FOR US.

SO JUST TO KIND OF CAPTURE AND USE IT AS MARKETING MATERIAL AS WE GO INTO THE NEXT YEAR.

SO GETTING TO THE BUDGET NUMBERS FROM LAST YEAR, OUR SPONSOR REVENUE WAS $48,000, TICKET REVENUE WAS $32, 651. WE DID HAVE FOR A BUDGET LINE ITEM OF $30,000, OUR TOTAL EXPENSES WITH SPEAKERS WAS $87,000.

SO WE HAD TO USE ALMOST $6,500 OF THE $30,000 OF THE 4A BUDGET FOR LAST YEAR.

SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING THIS YEAR AND WHY I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT PROJECT TO YOU THIS YEAR IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME ANOTHER SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY.

SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SPONSORED REVENUE AROUND $50,000 TICKET REVENUE, AROUND 33,000.

WE'D LIKE TO INCREASE OUR 4A BUDGET FROM $30,000 TO $40,000.

AS FOR AN ADDITIONAL $10,000, BECAUSE WE'D LIKE TO USE THAT 4A BUDGET LINE ITEM TO PRODUCE BETTER SPEAKERS TO BRING INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP WITH BETTER TOOLS AS YOU GET TO MOST SPEAKERS ARE REQUIRING $10,000

[00:10:02]

YOU GET INTO IF YOU WANT TO BRING IN ANYBODY THAT HAS ANY ATHLETES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU'RE GETTING UP THERE TOO.

THERE'S ONE THAT WE CHECKED INTO JUST AS A, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT IT IS.

AND IT WAS $150,000.

SO THAT PERSON IS NOT PROBABLY GOING TO NOT GRACE THE CITY LIMITS OF BURLESON.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF DYNAMIC SPEAKERS OUT THERE THAT I THINK IN THE YEARS TO COME THAT WE CAN THAT WE CAN KIND OF RAISE THE BAR OF THE SPEAKER LINE UP AND NOT HAVE TO BE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO FILL A GAP THAT WE CAN'T REALLY FIND.

SO HERE'S KIND OF OUR LINEUP FOR THIS.

NEXT YEAR IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.

DAMON WEST IS A MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER.

WE SAW HIM IN KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

OUR TEAM DID.

KEEPING A POSITIVE MINDSET IS KIND OF HIS TALK.

I WON'T GO INTO A LOT OF DETAIL AND I WANT TO RUIN IT FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S ATTENDING PROJECT U 2024.

SO. JESSE EKSTROM, WE WERE GOING TO HAVE HER THIS LAST YEAR, BUT SHE WENT OUT AND HAD A BABY, SO SHE WASN'T HERE TO ATTEND.

SO WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING HER BACK.

SHE TALKS ABOUT OPTIMISM AND ACTIVATING PURPOSE.

DR. ED NICHOLS, HE'S THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS IN ALABAMA.

HE DOES ENERGETICS, PERSONALITY STUDY, COMMUNICATION.

CARLOS WHITTAKER CALLS HIMSELF A HOPE DEALER.

HE HAS A NEW BOOK CALLED HOW TO HUMAN.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT A LOT ABOUT EMPATHY AND REFLECTION.

AND THEN JOHN ACUFF WOULD BE OUR HEADLINER.

HE IS A NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR, TOP 100 SPEAKER LEADERSHIP.

SPEAKER. AND HIS TOPIC WILL BE HOW TO BEST HOW THE BEST TEAMS OVERCOME OVERTHINKING.

SO THAT'S KIND OF OUR OUR LINEUP THIS YEAR THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SECURE FOR 2024.

WE ALSO WERE GOING TO ADD A SPEAKER BOOKSTORE THIS NEXT YEAR.

ATTENDEES CAN PURCHASE BOOKS FROM ALL THE SPEAKERS.

WE USUALLY PURCHASE ONE BOOK TO PUT IN EVERYBODY'S SWAG BAG, BUT WE WANT TO OPEN THE OPEN THE BOOKSTORE A LITTLE BIT TO ALL THE AUTHORS AND ALL THE SPEAKERS. DURING BREAKS, ATTENDEES CAN MEET, DO MEET AND GREET WITH THE SPEAKERS AND HAVE THEIR BOOK SIGNED.

WE DO HAVE A LOCAL GROUP ASSIST OF RUNNING THE BOOKSTORE DURING THE EVENT.

IT'S ALSO AN ADDITIONAL SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN ADD TO THE EVENT TAKEAWAYS THAT WE'VE SEEN AND THAT WE'VE THAT WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER ATTENDEES HAVE SEEN THE COLLABORATION FIRST AND FOREMOST BETWEEN COMPANIES, CITIES THAT ARE IN THE EVENT.

THE ISD HAVING EVERYBODY IN THE SAME ROOM ALL DAY LONG HAS DIFFERENT BENEFITS THAN JUST LISTENING TO THE SPEAKERS, WHICH IS GREAT.

THE BEST PRACTICES WHEN IT COMES TO OWNING, GROWING OR CREATING A BUSINESS.

WE'RE BIG ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE BRINGING SPEAKERS IN THAT HAVE GREAT TAKEAWAYS FOR EVERY BUSINESS THAT MAYBE SMALL OR LARGE COMPANY.

MOTIVATING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO GET MORE INVOLVED WITHIN THEIR OWN ORGANIZATION OR WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

INSPIRING UP AND COMING LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP.

HOLDING AN EVENT THAT ALL BUSINESSES CAN BE A PART OF WHEN IT COMES TO COST.

OUR TICKETS ARE $125 FOR A FULL DAY.

WE FEED LUNCH SNACKS AND WE WILL NOT WE DO NOT WANT TO RAISE THE PRICES ANY MORE THAN THAT TO MAKE THIS EVENT WHERE IT'S COST AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYBODY. IT'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE EDC TO HELP BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND AND A UNIQUE AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO PROMOTE THE CITY FOR PURPOSES OF DEVELOPING NEW AND EXPANDED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.

SO THE REQUESTED BOARD ACTION TONIGHT IS TO APPROVE THE CHANGES IN THE BUDGETS OF PROJECT U LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE AS PRESENTED.

MODIFY THOSE CHANGES OR DENY THE CHANGES.

IT WOULD ALLOW US STAFF TO TIME TO BOOK THE SPEAKERS IN ADVANCE FOR NEXT YEAR AND ALSO MAKE SURE WITH THE INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, ALEX. I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

WELL, YOU ALL ARE CONTEMPLATING.

I JUST. ARE WE STILL GOING TO HAVE IT AT PATHWAY? YES, SIR. OKAY. AND THAT'S THE BIGGEST EVENT SPACE WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

AND WE CAN GROW MORE THAN THE 350.

HOW MANY CAN IT HOLD? SO IT'LL HOLD 375.

OKAY, SO THAT WAS 372 WITH VOLUNTEERS AND PAID PARTICIPANTS.

IT'LL HOLD 375.

WE WERE A LITTLE GUN SHY THIS YEAR BECAUSE I THINK WE OVERSOLD AT FIRST BAPTIST THE YEAR BEFORE BECAUSE WE WERE A LITTLE ANXIOUS.

SO IT WAS A LITTLE TIGHT.

SO WE MADE SURE WE HAD SOME ROOM THIS YEAR.

OKAY. I MEAN, IT'S SUCH A GREAT PROJECT, ESPECIALLY HAVING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT WITH ALL OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE IN TOWN.

SO IT'S A GOOD I REALLY LIKE THE PROJECT, SO I'M DEFINITELY FINE INCREASING IT.

I MEAN, YOU ONLY USE SIX LAST YEAR.

OF COURSE, WE'RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY SPEND A LITTLE MORE TO GET A GOOD QUALITY SPEAKER, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME MONEY.

[00:15:01]

IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD THING.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY? IF NOT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD.

OKAY. SECOND, I'VE GOT A MOTION BY JOHNSON AND A SECOND BY ANDERSON TO APPROVE.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND.

ALL OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ALEX.

AND I BELIEVE WE DO NOT HAVE A NEED FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO LET'S ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 3:45.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.