Hancock County redevelopment board schedules Aug. 6 hearing after recommending nonprofit to operate Amplify

The Hancock County Redevelopment Commission on July 16 reviewed an evaluation committee recommendation to name Hancock County Innovation and Education Center Inc. as the operator of the county’s Amplify facility and set a public hearing on the recommendation for Aug. 6 at 8 a.m.

Lisa Lee, who presented the committee’s findings, told the commission the RFP was opened on July 9 and that the committee met July 14 to evaluate the responses. "I think the evaluation committee definitely confirmed that the response was responsive to the RFP," Lee said, noting the committee judged experience with intended users, alignment with county workforce needs, budgeting and staffing among the key criteria.

Why it matters: the operator will manage user partnerships and cash flow for a facility whose operating revenues are not in the county budget; the commission must consider tax-exempt bond constraints and public input before authorizing an operating agreement.

The presenter said the recommended operator is a not-for-profit and "they are not requesting a management fee," adding the organization provided a one-year budget and a financial chart (referred to in the response as page 21) the committee relied on. Lee described a proposed reporting cadence: "they're proposing to semiannually report to the commission" for Jan. 1–June 30 and July 1–Dec. 31 periods and to maintain a reporting dashboard that could be accessed between reports.

Lee also identified proposed points of contact for operational issues: Stan Wilkinson as the proposed executive director and George Plesinski as treasurer of the operator’s governing board. She said the operator would set up a jointly monitored email and a direct line to Wilkinson for county inquiries.

Commissioners discussed process and timing. One commissioner requested the operating agreement include an organizational chart to clarify who holds bonds, who owns the building and how the operator will manage user partnership agreements and signatures. Lee said she would contact counsel to the entity, circulate a substantially final draft of the operating agreement in advance and expect to present a resolution for consideration on Aug. 6 that would (if adopted) accept the committee recommendation, name Hancock County Innovation and Education Center Inc. as the operator and authorize the commission president to execute the operating agreement with any counsel-required changes.

No final action was taken at the July 16 meeting; the commission agreed to advertise and hold a public hearing on Aug. 6 at 8 a.m. for public comment and formal consideration. The presenter said that if the commission declined the recommendation it could elect not to enter an operating agreement.

The meeting also included a project status update: Gary Poole reported that projects and fundraising are on schedule and ahead of plan, and commissioners announced a public open house with tours for July 28 (noon–2 p.m.) and a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m.

After scheduling the hearing and discussing next steps, a commissioner moved to close the special meeting; the motion was seconded, a voice vote approved adjournment and President Kent Fisk closed the session.

What’s next: the commission will hold the advertised public hearing on Aug. 6; if the commission votes to accept the recommendation it will consider a resolution and an operating agreement substantially finalized in consultation with counsel.