21 May 2021 SE Indiana Regional Port Authority Meeting
Present: Jim Thatcher, Chairman, Alan Weiss, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Tom Palmer, Treasurer, Eric Krantz, Mark Drury, Benny Turner, EG. McLaughlin (via phone), Sarah Jordan (via phone).
ABSENT: Mark Drury, Derek Walker, Al Abdon, Kelly Mollaun, Lennie Fryman
Also present: Andy Baudendistel, Legal Counsel
ANNOUNCEMENTS- Baudendistel said the new law requires different rules on telephone attendance at meetings and roll call votes now that COVID restrictions are lifted.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: March 19th, 2021 Meeting- approved via roll call vote.
GUEST SPEAKERS- none
OLD BUSINESS
FINANCIAL REPORT / INVOICES
State Board of Accounts - $350.00- audit they did for us to get our records up to date from 2014- per Benny Turner. Approved to pay.
Legal Services – A. Baudendistel - $1,225.00- Approved to pay. Weiss asked what his per hour rate was- $175. He motioned to increase his rate to $200 per hour. All ayes to raise it to $200/
NEW BUSINESS
Presentation – Beam, Longest and Neff- John and Libby presented. Survey sent out by the firm to members of the board to help them focus on the mission of the board. This was not to be long term but to seek guidance on how to proceed. Some have not sent in the survey. They would like to encourage them to get it to them by the end of May.
They are trying to scope the workshop at an appropriate level to meet SIRPA’s needs. They want to set a July agenda and set a workshop date.
Strength is public sector planning and the banking and development areas. Noted that time to devote to this is somewhat limited for them. No full time staff focused on Port Development. Goals of Workshop: Authorities of the ports, Connections to Transportation Systems, Partnerships- how to work together
Lots of interest in Tanners Creek Facility and that old AEP site’s status.
Need a balanced commercial and recreation plan. Need a financial plan and also tourism. No one seemed interested in fright for example.
Weaknesses in lack of attendance, lack of knowledge of port development and knowing how to move forward.
Opportunities- Create a revenue stream, project identification, truck parking revenue and solar panel development were mentioned. Opportunities for the LARGER region for commercial and industrial revitalization.
Threats and Risks- lack of land and environmental issues, leadership turnover and also Lawrenceburg hesitancy. Hard to stay interested if the board is not moving forward on something.
71% were in favor of recreational etc and also a smaller percentage for freight moving.
Expected timelines- need to look at short term -2 year, near term and 3-5 years, and long term in 10-20 years.
SIRPA’s critical partners, such as One Dearborn etc.
Preferred sources of funding: Rents, leases, Grants, services, and loans. Some mentioned self-sufficiency. Federal rail grants for example. $4 million funding from Maritime development with no matching for example. These are 18-24 months before you enter into contract with the government. Surface transportation grants are focused on freight. It is not easy to use these funds for recreational goals.
Inland Port system to consider. Most board members do not have enough information to consider this yet. The inland river system is Mt Vernon, IN, Jeffersonville, IN, Cincinnati, Huntington WV, and Parkersburg WV. Libby showed pictures and stats on these ports. Huntington /Parkerburg is on a national water trail to encourage tourism and eco-travel.
OKI has launched a Recreational Digital Guide to the Ohio River. Port of Evansville is focused on a River City Revival.
America Marine Highway- MARAD - we are on a designated gateway. If you put together a plan to load and unload vessels as they come by that’s step 2. $10 million a year is available to the ports with this inland designation. This is containerization, if you want this on your list.
Resources that are absent- Vehicle infrastructure on US 50 was a concern among others.
Potential SIRPA headlines.
Libby said the potential elephant in the room is still the Tanner Creek site and what will happen there.
SIRPAs priorities: Typical planning such s plan, mission statement, learning about authorities and jurisdiction and so forth.
Workshop Dates- Friday- September 17th or Thursday, September 30th
Agenda Proposed- What Can a Port Authority Do? Evaluate a Cincinnati Market, Gove some light homework for port members, and Focus on next steps.
Comments were made in surveys to review the One Dearborn Plan and the Dearborn Franklin County 2020 Regional plan.
At the July meeting SIRPA and Beam Longest and Neff will set 3 items they need to decide prior to the Workshop. They will also decide on a workshop date as mentioned above.
Request to Speak to Board – Larry Boyd (via phone)- questions involving the marina in Aurora. He gave a brief overview until the next meeting when the mayor and mgr of Aurora are present. Larry Boyd owns the Bayview restaurant ( Old Tradewinds) and they have married the restaurant and the marina. The dredging of the Bay is an issue because of the silting that ends up in the bay marina area from Wilson Creek. He has 44 acres in the city of Aurora. Kayak and boat rentals and a small store for incidentals is planned. They would like some help with the dredging if that is possible. Eagle Hollow Marine Construction- $210,000, plus $100,000 2nd phase. Looking for $210,000. Campsite planned there also. SIRPC Board took it under advisement until July meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT- none
CONFIRMATION OF NEXT MEETING - Currently scheduled for July 16th, 2021. Thatcher encouraged all to be there for that. They have been having issues getting a quorum of 7 at the last couple meetings.
ADJOURNMENT: 2:05 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
