Meeting Minutes
FALMOUTH EDIC OPEN MEETING: May 27, 2020
Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 873 6518 7518
PRESENT
Christopher Land (C), Christopher Simmler (Ck), Michael Galasso, Thomas Feronti, Patti Haney
ABSENT
Susan Moran (VC) Recused, Paul Burke
8:04 am
CALL TO ORDER
Having established a quorum, the Chair called the meeting to order.
8:04 DHCD NOFA FUNDING for RENTAL & MICROENTERPRISE ASSISTANCE Michael Galasso
Galasso advised that Town Counsel Atty. Frank Duffy advised of a Notice of Funding Available from the State Dept. of Housing & Community Development. There is $19M available to communities for small business grants, rental assistance, and funds for Food Banks.
The Town of Falmouth has asked the Falmouth EDIC to consider partnering with them on the small business component; approximately $400K for microenterprise assistance in the form of grants.
The Town has not made a final commitment to submit the application. The FEDIC is assisting the Town of Falmouth to complete the application. The BOS will need to make the final decision to submit the application at a public meeting.
Applications are due on June 5th, 2020 so there is an urgency for submittal.
If the Town submits the application, and if the funds are awarded to the Town, the FEDIC will assist by administering the microenterprise grant assistance program.
Haney inquired about the amount of staff time it will incur. Galasso advised that 15% of the fund could be used for administrative cost. Haney is concerned about adding more work to EDIC staff in addition of many other projects in process.
The funds will go to and be held by the Town of Falmouth. The FEDIC will not administer the remittance of the funds to awarded businesses. The FEDIC will assist with the underwriting of the business grant applicants, among other things.
Galasso to send a copy of the RFP to the Board for review.
Galasso will provide more details at a later meeting, once the components and responsibilities are defined.
8:12 MARINE RENEWABLE ENERGY COLLABORATIVE OF NE – GRANT APPLICATION TO MASS SEAPORT COUNCIL, www.mreconewengland.org
John Miller, Director, MRECo
Chris Land recused himself from the discussion and left the meeting.
DiGiano advised that Susan Moran directed the MRECo to contact the Falmouth EDIC to see if they would consider sponsoring a grant application for MRECo to the Mass Seaport Council.
John Miller advised he is speaking about the Blue Economy which represents a Trillion and a half dollars a year in the U.S. In MA it represents 5,000 companies, 100,000 people and $6B in revenue.
These companies depend on information to be managed, and the information comes from Sensors.
Sensors are key and critical to the Blue Economy.
The problem with Sensors is that they are difficult to test in the ocean, and it is costly.
The Bourne Tidal Test Site, located in the Cape Cod Canal has a stable platform, structure and equipment to test Sensors. Miller reported they’ve already tested 4 different groups there and there future plans to test Sensors with other companies, one for a study being done by UMass.
To continue to be successful in testing, the Bourne Testing Site requires more power and broadband capability, which they do currently have.
The Mass Seaport Grant will provide the funding to tie them into the grid with broadband capability thru Open Cape.
Open Cape has an older line running thru and along the Cape Cod Canal, and part of the plan will be to replace this line – the 6 old telegraph poles that do not meet standards and are rotting. A third of the cost will be to replace these poles.
Discussion ensued about the project and the grant.
DiGiano reported the FEDIC does not need the Town of Falmouth’s permission to apply for grants.
The amount of the full project cost is $256K. MRECo is matching $43K, so they are requesting the remaining $209K in funding from the MA Seaport Council Grant.
John Miller built in a 10% Expense Line for Indirect Costs which will be split with the FEDIC – approximately $10K.
MOTION: Galasso made a motion to vote in favor of the FEDIC applying to the Seaport Council for a grant for $209K. Haney 2nd. Roll Call: Aye Michael Galasso, Aye Patti Haney, Aye Thomas Feronti, Aye Chris Simmer. Motion Approved.
8:22 am ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Simmler made a motion to adjourn the Open Meeting Session. Feronti 2nd. Roll Call: Aye Chris Simmler, Aye Michael Galasso, Aye Patti Haney, Aye Thomas Feronti. Motion Approved.
NEXT MEETING
June 9, 2020, 8:30 am, Zoom Meeting
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