What happened:

Funding for $333,000 from excess reserves was approved to use towards the SPI 2nd causeway project Environmental Impact Study.
Also approved funding for the RGV Commemorative Air Force to perform flyovers on Veterans Day.
Approved the recommendation from the Art Business Incubator Board of Directors to add Alexa Ray (former Program Director) to the ABI Board.

Why it matters:

Executive Director Darla Lepeyre explained that this was a three-way slice to fund the one million dollars needed from the City for the 2nd causeway Environmental Impact Study. "We have been asked to provide a local match to update the environmental impact study. The County will put in 2 million (one million from the RMA and one million from the County). The City is being asked to put in a $1 million split three ways. 333,000 from the City's access reserves, 333,000 from the CVB, and the last 1/3 from us."

Brought to the table by committee member Thomas Bainter, "I've been talking to these guys, and they'd like to do something to try to bring people to our island. So on Veteran's Day, which is 11/11 at 11:11 AM, they would like to fly two vintage planes up and down the beach and down the bay. It's going to cost approximately around $1,500 worth of fuel. That's all they asked for." Executive Director Lepeyre assured that this small expense could come out of their promotional budget, which is about 4,000 every year. "Every year, we budget four thousand, so we do have it in the budget." EDC Board President Ken Medders agreed it was money well spent, "If they fly, we're going to get local and state attention as well as national. When those two WWII birds fly, there will be a lot of nostalgia for that generation/group. I think it's money very well spent."

While the board approved the recommendation from the ABI to Add Alexa Ray to the ABI Board of Directors, newly hired Program Director Deanna Powell introduced herself to the public and board.

What now:

SPI's EDC meetings fall on the third Thursday of every month. The next EDC meeting is TBA.