Security issues will be on the agenda at the next regular meeting of the board of directors of the Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 10 at the PAEDC building, 501 Procter St. in Port Arthur.

The board will discuss and possibly consider security services/systems for the building. Bill McCoy, president of the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce who also shares the building with the PAEDC, will discuss security matters.

Some of the companies offering proposals include Hometown Alarm of Port Arthur, Patriot Security of Nederland and Triangle Computer, Telephone, Fire, Security of Beaumont.

The board will also consider a second renewal of an agreement with S&S Investigations and Security for security guard services at the Spur 93 Business Park.

The agreement was approved for one year with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods.

Up for possible consideration is a training agreement with Lamar State College-Port Arthur for Commercial Driver Certification Program driver’s training course.

LSCPA will identify applicants who need financial assistance to enroll in the program. After LSCPA determines the student is eligible they may receive financial assistance from PAEDC for the certification program.

The board will consider an incentive agreement with Good Times Bar & Grill.

The board approved the application project of a letter of intent from Good Times next to the Baymont Hotel on Highway 73 at their regular meeting in December.

Owner Tony Nguyen wrote to the EDC they purchased the old Twin City Kia building at 7500 N. Twin City Highway. They plan to turn it into a seafood restaurant called Reel Cajun.

The total project for Reel Cajun is $1.7 million that will be financed by Community Bank of Texas. The total amount they are requesting from the PAEDC is $105,500.

The board will deliberate on entering into an economic development incentive for Olive Packaging Company.

The company stated in a memorandum their business growth has necessitated the expansion of their existing facility to accommodate their continued growth.

“Our company facility no longer meets our needs, so without an expansion we would be forced to seek a new location for the business (in Port Arthur or otherwise),” it read. “The new building we intend to build on adjacent land to our existing facility would include a 24,000 square foot warehouse to be used for dry and cold storage in regards to the cold storage we intend to include walk-in refrigeration of approximately 3,000 square feet. The remaining warehouse space will include pallet racks to maximize space for finished and raw materials storage.”

It was last discussed at the PAEDC regular meeting in September.

The board deliberated on the approval of Phase I application for the Olive Packing Company, Inc.

The company received an economic incentive agreement three years ago to put people to work. Since then, the business is expanding and they need an additional 35,000 square feet warehouse at the old Mingle Motors on Gulfway Drive to be financed.

The business stuffs olives and ships them all over the world.

Lastly, the board will listen to a presentation from the Regional Economic Development Initiative about the economic outlook forum.

The event will be from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Jan. 11 at the Beaumont Event Centre, 700 Crockett St.

Speakers will be Chris Wallace, president of the Texas Association of Business; Sara Tays, chair of the Texas Association of Business and Jeff Branick, Jefferson County judge.

The program is presented by Mobiloil Credit Union. Platinum sponsor are the Small Business Development Center at Lamar University; gold sponsors are ISTC and LJA Engineering; silver sponsors are Entergy, CenterPoint Energy, Total, AOC and Parkdale Mall.

Tickets are $20 each and $150 for a table of ten. For more information, call 409-838-6585 or email ckizer@setedf.org to register.

David Ball: 409-721-2427