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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-21-1988 Council Minutes 450 A special meeting of the Canton City Council was held on November 21, 1988 in Council Chambers. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OPENED THE MEETING FOLLOWED BY THE INVOCATION GIVEN BY CITY CLERK NANCY WHITES. Mayor Edwards asked for roll call at 6:30 p.m. Present: Aldermen Kovachevich, Zilly, Steck, Sarff, Meade, Bohler, May, Chapman. Absent: None. PURPOSE OF THE MEETING: Read by the city clerk as follows: To consider whether the terms and conditions of Resolution No. 2042 have been met; to take final action with respect to the sale and transfer of the Liza Foley/CIC stock; and, to take such other and further action in the premises as may seem in the best interest of the City of Canton. Mayor Edwards said he appreciated and understood why the large audience is attending this meeting, as most of the audience was CIC employees. Nelson Carlo of Abbott Products presented his background and ideas for CIC. Nelson said he is the owner of Abbott Products, which is of government nature, particularly defense contracts with the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army. Abbott Industrial Supply was then incorporated expanding the already ample capabilities of the group. The company today is a full stocking distributor of nationally known manufacturers of industrial supplies and specialty products. Nelson Carlo said he wants to come here because there are hard-working people, a large plant with a lot of capacity that's being under utilized and capabilities that are unlimited. CIC will stay a separate company from other Abbott firms and that turning CIC in to a viable firm is my adrenalin, my energy. You can't imagine how desperately I want to come to Canton and operate that business. I'm putting my own money in here. I'm not a consultant. I'm a business person. Equipment, employees, and local management at the Canton plant would remain under his ownership. He would bring in Jesse Walden from his firm who would serve as vice president and general manager at CIC. Local management of Larry Krulac, vice president of manufacturing, would remain. Shareholders in CIC will recapture their losses and be a part of a very successful enterprise, and local representatives could serve on the CIC Board of Directors or an advisory board to the CIC Board. City approval of the stock sale would mean he could have additional work at the plant within 30 days and increase the 200 employee work force at CIC to 300 within a year. He expects the local plant to eventually have 500 to 600 employees working on government and private sector manufacturing contracts. My firms currently have a backlog of federal manufacturing work that totals $12 million and the backlog has never been lower than $10 million. Also speaking was Shawn 0'Donnell, representative of the business development firm, Companies Organized to Respond Effectively. Shawn 0'Donnell proposed the City maintain its ownership of CIC stock and allow CORE to form a five-member trustee board to oversee management. Offer his firm an option to eventually purchase 100 percent of the city's CIC stock which could eventually be sold to local employees and management who would then own the company. 451 CONTINUED November 21, 1988 Nelson Carlo said he had $250,000 ready to invest in CIC, and that employees would have work to do. I have an open line of credit. Shawn O'Donnell declined to reveal the amount of money he was willing to invest in the plant, his firm works on behalf of others, with managers, employees, or the people of Fulton County, and that he deals exclusively with the transfer of ownership of plants ready to close or change owners. He suggested a three-year option for the purchase of the Foley stock and proposed an Employee Stock Ownership Plan within that three years. He proposed the council wait three weeks until he could bring in representatives of three unnamed firms interested in using the local plant. O Jim Malmgren City Attorney requested permission to speak ~ to members of the council in executive session. ~ Motion by Alderman Zilly, second by Alderman Kovachevich, = to go into executive session. Voice vote, motion carried. m Council recessed at 7:31 p.m. a Council reconvened at 7:47 p.m. • Nelson Carlo told the council that he would continue to pay on the RDLF loan and would attempt to have the federal government forgive the loan. Nelson said if he is approved he would bring work to the CIC plant within the next 30 days. We can get government work that others can't. I intend to build the company up right here in Canton. Nelson Carlo pledged he would not merge CIC with any of his other Companies and that all minor stockholders would not be frozen out, but would see the value of their stock rebound. Shawn O'Donnell was unwilling to discuss in public how much his firm, or firms he represented, might invest in CIC, and also refused to name any of the firms and manufacturers he represented. He would only reveal the names in closed session. Motion by Alderman Steck, second by Alderman Bohler, to go into executive session to hold discussions with Shawn 0'Donnell of CORE. Voice vote, motion carried. Council went into executive session at 8:06 p.m. Council reconvened at 8:42 p.m. Mayor Edwards said he was recommending we go with Nelson Carlo. Mayor Edwards said Shawn 0'Donnell presented a consultant's view. Nelson Carlo has had input on a CIC reorganization plan filed with the federal bankruptcy court and will likely file an amended plan to the firm's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case; will maintain the Foley agreement in regard to leaving the stock with the city as colleteral on the prior loan; , and will make payments on a second loan of $400,000 the city had received from the federal government and loaned to CIC. 452 CONTINUED November 21, 1988 Nelson Carlo said he had $250,000 ready to invest in CIC, and that employees would have work to do. I have an open line of aredit. Shawn O'Donnell declined to reveal the amount of money he was willing to invest in the plant, his firm works on behalf of others, either managers, employees or the people of Fulton County, and that he deals exclusively with the transfer of ownership of plants ready to close or change owners. He suggested a three-year option for the purchase of the Foley Stock and proposed an Employee Stock Ownership Plan within that three years. He proposed the council wait three weeks until he could bring in representatives of three unnamed firms interested in using the local plant. Jim Malmgren requested permission to speak to council in executive session. Motion by Alderman Zilly, second by Alderman Kovachevich, to go into executive session. Voice vote, motion carried. Council recessed at 7:31 p.m. Executive session reconvened at 7:47 p.m. Nelson Carlo told the council that he would continue to pay on the RDLF loan and would attempt to have the federal government forgive the loan. Nelson said if he is approved tonight to purchase Foley stock he would bring work to the CIC plant within the next 30 days. We can get government work that others can't. I intend to build the company up, right here in Canton. Nelson Carlo pledged he would not merge CIC with any of his other companies and that all minor stock holders would not be frozen out but would see the value of their stock rebound. Shawn 0'Donnell was unwilling to discuss in public how much his firm or firms he represented, might invest in CIC, and also refused to name any of the firms and manufactures he represented. He would only reveal the names in closed session. Motion by Alderman Steck, second by Alderman Bohler, to go into executive session for discusion with Shawn O'Donnell of CORE. Voice vote, motion carried. Council went into executive session at 8:06 p.m. Council reconvened at 8:42 p.m. Mayor Edwards said he was recommending we go with Nelson Carlo. Mayor Edwards said Shawn 0'Donnell presented a consultant's view. Nelson Carlo has had input on a CIC reorganization plan filed with the federal bankruptcy court and will likely file an amended plan to the firm's Chapter 11 bankruptcy case; that Mr. Carlo will maintain the Foley agreement in regard to leaving the stock with the City as collateral on the prior loan; and will make payments on a second loan of $400,000 the city had received from the federal government and loaned to CIC. 453 CONTINUED November 21, 1988 Shawn 0'Donnell pleaded with the council to delay its decision and to give him time to present a creditor's plan and a bankruptcy plan. And he urged council not to approve a plan which maintained CIC Board of Directors Chairman Joseph Driscoll as a board member, which the current CIC reorganization plan does. Nelson Carlo stated any reorganization plan before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court has to list Driscoll as a director, but those plans could be amended and it is his intention to have Driscoll serve as a personal advisor only, and not a member of the board of directors. Once he is in possession of the CIC majority stock, he would call a stockholder's meeting and Driscoll would no longer remain with CIC as an official or in any other corporate position. Joe Driscoll will not be involved in the day to day O operation, I give you my word on that. I need Joe, he is well known in the farm equipment industry. I want to ~ use Joe's talent. ~ Motion by Alderman Zilly, second by Alderman Kovachevich, = that the terms and conditions of Resolution #2042 have m been met by Nelson Carlo. Roll call. AYES - Aldermen a Chapman, May, Bohler, Meade, Steck, Zilly, Kovachevich. NAYS - None. 7 AYES 0 NAYS 0 ABSENT 1 EXCUSED (Larry Sarff). Motion carried. Motion by Alderman Steck, second by Alderman Chapman, that it is in the best interest of the City of Canton to consent to the transfer of the Foley stock to Nelson Carlo. Roll call. AYES - Aldermen Kovachevich, Zilly, Steck, Meade, Bohler, May, Chapman. NAYS - None. 7 AYES 0 NAYS 0 ABSENT 1 EXCUSED (Larry Sarff). Motion carried. Motion by Alderman Meade, second by Alderman May, direct the mayor, clerk and treasurer to release the Foley stock certificate and to simply transfer and take all steps necessary on the Foley stock to Nelson Carlo in conformity to Resolution No. 2042. Roll call. AYES - Aldermen Chapman, May, Bohler, Meade, Steck, Zilly, Kovachevich. 7 AYES 0 NAYS 0 ABSENT 1 EXCUSED (Larry Sarff). Motion carried. ADJOURNMENT: Motion by Alderman Meade, second by Alderman May, to adjourn. Voice vote, motion carried. Council adjourned at 8:55 p.m. ~ . ~ C Y CLERK / APPROVED: MAYOR