Council approves contract

On a unanimous vote Tuesday, the Odessa City Council approved the economic development contract Odessa Development Corp. had given the thumbs up sign to last week.

“Welcome to Odessa, gentlemen,” Mayor Larry Melton told Falcon International Inc. Executive Vice President Glen Fradenburg and Chief Financial Officer Barry Hayes.

The armament manufacturer will produce a composite armament material for installation in U.S. Army helicopters under contracts with the U.S. Defense Department.

City Council approval of the five-year ED pact was the final step in bringing the company to Odessa.

Following the meeting, Fradenburg said the company is looking forward to getting the company into production in Odessa.

He noted that about half of the nine employees it is required to have the first year will be hired here. The others are already employed with the company, he said.

“There are some people here we are confident we are going to hire,” Fradenburg said. “The real ramp up will begin in 2009. I believe the contract calls for us to have 25 employees then, and we’re hopeful we going to exceed that.”

Ed Rose, the company’s chief executive officer, is from Odessa originally and has relatives living here.

The company will be located at 3210 N. FM 1936 and is scheduled to start production of lightweight, composite armament panels that will be constructed in Odessa and shipped to Birmingham, Ala., for installation in military helicopters, Gary Vest, economic development director of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, said.

Vest said the armament will replace existing armament in the helicopters. He said Falcon International has contracts with WestWind Technologies and the U.S. Army. Vest also noted that the company was one of only 10 companies that received money from the Texas Emerging Technologies Fund. It received $850,000, he said.

During the first year the company will be required to spend a total of $600,000, have nine employees and a payroll of $360,000.

In other action at Tuesday’s meeting, the council:

>> Held a public hearing on an appeal by Gracie Cadena and approved on a 3-1 vote her operating a pool hall at 2318A Andrews Highway.

>> Approved an ordinance opting out of setting a tax on Super Freeport Goods.

>> Approved a speed limit of 40 mph on Parks Legado Road between Eastridge Road north to the South Service Road of State Highway 191.

>> Renewed Industrial Districts 2, 3 and 4.

>> Approved a consent agenda that included second and final approval for zoning changes for Buena Vida Health Services Inc. on land in the 3800 block of Englewood Lane, for MJRC LLC on land south of the intersection of Eastridge Road and Billy Hext Road, for Billy Bassett on land on the southeast corner of the intersection of Faudree Road and San Subia Drive and for MCM Properties on two tracts of land. On the land, which is in the vicinity of East 42nd Street and Tanglewood Lane and JBS Parkway Boulevard, MCM will locate Lowe’s Home Improvement as well as place sign identification for Lowe’s, MCM Plaza and future tenants.

>> Authorized acceptance of $12,842 from the Texas “J” RAC EMS-Trauma Care System.

>> Approved applying for a Hazard Mitigation Grant and a grant from the Department of Homeland Security for Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention and Safety.

>> Approved acceptance of a federal government grant to provide partial payment for bulletproof vests for the Odessa Police Department.

>> Awarded a bid for cellular telephone services to Alltel Communications of Little Rock, Ark. For $45,815; for crack sealing material to Valero Marketing & Supply of Corpus Christi for $46,080; for an extension of the second year of a three-year insurance contract to the Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool for $151,620; and for drainage improvements on Pueblo Street to Desert Paving Inc. for $418,316.

>> Approved an interlocal agreement with UTPB for street services.