Joint Budget Committee

Members if you get your safe we're gonna start in one minute. I just believe. Hey. Share sees a quorum call with your budget order. without objections we've got some lengthy testimony we're gonna skip over do our our little business on the. Our members amendments and then we'll get back to of the special language report. Of first item on the agenda is a representative needs. To me Senator a. I get you two guys still refused when you're in the House. You're recognized. Thank you Mr the mystery rules review subcommittee met on Thursday March eighteenth there are two rules on the agenda both which were reviewed and approved and I move adoption is report. I have a motion to adoption and to give a second we have a second any discussion. All in favor say aye any opposed. Report is adopted members we're going to a member's bills Mr Anderson. Thank you will pass over Adam one will go straight to Adam to the chairman items C. two in your bracket is on page four this has new special language was sentenced special language. Item C. three is on page nine this is an amendment by Senator Rapert Senator Rapert here. We'll pass over. Mr chairman item C. four is on page twelve this is an amendment that has for personal change in the personnel. On page seventeen item C. five this is Senate bill four forty nine by Senator L. Eads Elliott for the Arkansas housing trust fund payable at a miscellaneous and she's Fund for five million dollars Senator Elliot you're recognized I thank you Mr chair of members this is an appropriation only for the housing trust that we pass the bill in two thousand nine and generally with the housing trust it's it's of funds from the state those that city local that kind of funding but can also accept federal funding as well and so I'm just make a misappropriation in the event that we are able to get some kind of funding for the housing trust because at a time like this is when we could usually use that is very flexible funding and so I just thank you for a good vote for the appropriation. Mr believe you identify yourself. A J. plea DFA office of budget of this is. Not anywhere in the funding for the governor's balanced budget. I know this would be special revenue is not included in the at the budget for the okay any questions. We have a motion. Both do pass this motion do pass a second any discussion all in favor say aye opposed. Regulator Senator. Our. Adam six. Mr chairman that is on page nineteen this is the. Payment of approve claims this is based on the reports adopted by this committee to go ahead and pay those claims. They within a motion to adopt the member to pay the claims commission rulings. We have a motion and a second any discussion all in favor say aye. Any opposed. All right. One. Over. It's a. One in house back. The transfer you're recognized Mr we have one bill in the House packet. It's on page sixteen it's house bill seventeen fifty three this is the classification of compensation bill and it usually goes personnel will Senate personnel that's all we have is chairman all right. Senator call will. You want to come to the table. Members we're going take a special language special order. Jennifer you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman. In your packet you'll see there is a report of the special language subcommittee this item was held for further discussion it is for senate bill four forty seven university of Arkansas division of agriculture by Senator Caldwell and an attached amendment. Senator call will you've got if you got some yester to speak today on this. Mr chairman I do roll call District twenty three of they came in on their own behest I didn't know until this point they were coming in but Josh long and Charles Gaines with they come to the table side of you. And when both pool gym to get seated get there Mike's turned own dilemma identify themselves Senator you'll you'll begin. The question of. My name's Josh long. I'm Charles Gaines. Mr chairman I appreciate these two gentleman coming again of I didn't know until this morning that they were coming up they did not come the it might hit with their own behest and so I do appreciate him coming in the Williston of their testimony and and and what is being for them so thank you very much. Yet again my name's Josh long of first off thank you for the opportunity to be able to speak for this border there's this committee today we're we're very grateful of last week we were able to watch this committee in in action I guess and we appreciate all the support we've gotten so far pass the bill in the house I guess just last week very grateful for that so we're here today to advocate on behalf of pine street in the people that that use that property there were a couple of objections Argus challenges last week and some of it was about that a sale of this property would generate another hundred fifty thousand dollars for that we could use to pay teachers well that's that's inaccurate a check to the courthouse and check different property that stuff's obviously public information it's the rate is around eighty two cents an acre so this would generate five thousand one hundred seventy three dollars an additional revenue for our county so I don't think that pays for many teachers to be honest outside that it's It's it's going to damage the economy some local businesses that there there there's challenges that it's going to create more jobs will there are some businesses that'll be heard as well so it's there's a lot of the users property love this property so there was a another challenge about. I think it came from Senator Davis and it was along the lines of that or just saving trees and no that's not accurate I looked up drug addiction and outdoor activities and there's tons of drug rehab that used outdoor activities as therapy what these people had access to the outdoors before that would they be in that situation so in short no we're not just saving trees we're gonna be saving lives we all know though board opioid addiction and that S. that it calls here in in our state across the country so in drugs obviously everybody knows in their community colleges broken families and the generational effect from that so we're not just saving trees here we are we're saving lives and saving generations of people and in two thousand ten the the this body the Arkansas State Senate and house and obviously signed by the governor became law in two thousand ten that Arkansans have the right to hunt and fish and so the constitutional right according to the state and bye bye this property going public and it's gonna not people that right because some some people can travel an hour away to go do their form of recreation which is what a lot of us doing this region so well I'm interesting your we represent thousands of people each that could not be here today when when we're here we have to take off work and we lose revenue ourselves most everybody I see here except for maybe if you were are paid to just sit here last last week we had over a dozen people eleven signed up to speak on the house side and it's difficult for so the St Francis County residents obviously support County everyone knows that you show up and speak and take off from work so there's a lot of support behind the US and we appreciate all yours I'll be glad to take any questions. Mr Gaines yes of whether you're with long March. Yes Sir okay skewing. We've all kind of. The. I identify what you do what your relationship. in St Francis County and. That's good for my benefit okay so working the ag industry I've still fertilizer for a company out of Florida so I work closely with the with AG in the area across the state in itself of work at the university of Arkansas for years I've I've used this property since I was fifteen years old and it's near and dear to me that's for sure. Mr gains if you live in a feisty of and then we'll have opens to statement they will have questions on yes Sir my name is Charles Gaines I'm Susan St Francis County for for city of today I'd like to talk about different ways I've used the universe of Arkansas pantry experiment station that I've been a scout master for twenty nine years and with that True tool to enforce city. And we use that property in various ways we have called multiple merit badges I'm I I'm gonna leave some of the merit badges we all we thought plant science wilderness survival members study nature strani hiking first date fish and wildlife management hold on hold on. Members. So members could not here we've got to keep your conversations downturn we're taking back I would appreciate it thank you go ahead all right we've called back packing Burch thirty four street or in team physician and camping. All right for the kids of the delta. This is a great place that they can go. No fees no fate We will we've done nature hikes up there on a regular basis I know for a fact there's been too Eagle Scout projects conducted at the university pantry one of with true tone to they worked with the Arkansas game and fish commission officer of block Meyer two of the bill the boxes they're trying to enhance the water fail. Habitat there any way that those boys put in over a hundred hours. Working out there I also true eighteen there we and conducted need to scale project where they re claimed a cemetery that had grown up. It it it's off of. County road one oh seven out there but I mean you couldn't even tell the cemetery and now they they've maintained it for about seven eight years. So there's there's a lot to be said for educational purposes out there in case you don't know what these Eagle Scout projects do they're designed to the showcase for leadership ability and their problem solving skills able candidates. Anyway eighty eight that's a big deal but. You know I heard last week that was talking about education well there's a lot of different ways you for education to take place and it's not always in the classroom you know when the kids of the dell to have the opportunity to have this big open air classroom to go out there and you know conduct the physical science project you know what's drawn me that's one of the best places in Eastern Arkansas to go in and look at stores any telescope I know our kids love it but I just like to say that you know the University of Arkansas is a pantry there is a great asset need be a terrible mistake to get rid of it. That's all I got any questions. Members have any questions for the any of these two witnesses. This call will you get anything as you will see what you come back and closer to the U. of a give me just a moment. Okay I'll. Vacate the. I don't know who owes review a. Dr Cochran of CM. Good morning the morning entered identify both yourselves and then of you can lead offer testimony thank you Sir my name is Donna. Dr by the thank you my name's Donald Bobbitt at president the University of Arkansas System. I Mark Markakis and I served as vice president for agriculture in the U. of a system for Chrissy. Thank you committee for the opportunity to speak with you today about Senate bill four forty seven also I thank the two gentlemen who passionately described their experiences with this property it indeed is a property of of significant note in that county but as you'll see here today my testimony I understand that it also has important value for the future of agriculture in this state. As you know there proposed legislation result from the decision our board of trustees made to sell portion a portion of pine tree research station in St Francis County in order to provide more than seventeen million needed finds a division of agriculture for rice research and real really also for other critical deferred maintenance needs this conversation actually began two years ago the last session when I was called into a meeting with members of the General Assembly and and we discussed the infrastructure needs to the division of agriculture. The legislature in its wisdom to find additional funds one time funds for the Division but I was told also to look internally and a look at the resources we happen perhaps not come back to the legislature so frequently to meet these immediate needs because it existed for a very long time. Nationally we're not alone there is eleven point five billion an estimated critical deferred maintenance needs in the agriculture research facilities across this nation in our own Division of our culture in this state. A twenty one dollar twenty one billion dollar contributes to its economy rests one almost a hundred million dollars of deferred maintenance so this sale was designed provide funds to start to rest resuscitate these facilities. In addition several years ago the board of trustees charge me as president with conducting inventory of all you have a property and they asked me to identify unused land to be sold to generate proceeds for the benefit the university. And also said such land could be returned to the tax rolls the benefit of the local communities. This section shall question pine tree property is made with the board with this board directive in mind decision was also made after several attempts to keep the property fully open to the public but you're selling it to game and fish commission or to another nonprofit entity unfortunately the funding was not available for your option to purchase land. This summer after we entered into the contract to sell the property through a public though to the board center call invited us to meeting which he shared his concern about the sale and its impact on local hunters at the meeting center Caldwell said he believed he could secure twenty million state funds during this legislative session to pay the division for the land I keep it fully in the public domain is a good faith offer effort by Senator Caldwell in order to allow time for this possibility we work with the buyers delay land sale for this option to be considered. We're now nearing the end of the legislative session state of funding we discussed we've only been presented with the idea of securing five million and state funds which we now understand that indeed is in jeopardy and we were told at a fund raising campaign would be conducted it just in hopes of raising the remainder of the money to pay the division for the land along with several pieces of legislation attempt to interfere with existing contracts thank you we were being asked to give up a good faith offer on this land return for a promise and a threat of legislation such as Senate bill four forty seven we face a very difficult choice we are to walk away from our pending contract we may face litigation for prior fires for breach of contract. Present to you a system I work for ten trustees to take very seriously a fiduciary duties safeguard university resources I have it is in this role for ten years have witnessed many dedicated public servants service trustees I've seen them give up their own time in order proche decisions like pine tree with great effort and diligence ensure they're making a decision eccentricity university and thus the state citizens I fully understand Senator call was perspective and is concerned for the loss of public hunting land in his district it's my understanding from information we received the game and fish commission there was an average of one hundred eight dear harvested from the land annually for twenty thirteen to twenty eighteen and that's certainly would represent a significant loss of those who funded their. But I would also note that the proposed sale is for roughly half of the pine tree property and that's the division is work is willing to work with game and fish to keep part of remaining lands open for public comment. In fact we propose to senator call well as Friday the Division was willing to donate two thousand acres remaining country property gaming session another public entity so we use for public hunting we're willing to allow center call when his constituents selecting a bridge from roughly three thousand acres land it's not part of the sale any state funding secured his property could then be used for improvements to donate land we're hoping this will present a compromise that allowed a division to secure the funding from the sale while also addressing the concerns centre Caldwell and his constituents four twenties declined our offer within work with the buyers to come up with something that might be of more interest to him we proposed a private sale of half a property which provided division to minimum funds needed to establish a new Rick rice research station with the other half of the property from the original sale to remain open and transfer to the state funding was available this offer of compromise was also rejected. You must understand that the division of agriculture is not a wildlife management agencies responsible for supporting forty nine thousand family farms in all seventy five counties across the state after serving as a mention state's twenty one billion dollar contribution to the state's GDP. There are also numerous businesses and seed and equipment dealers as we heard five fertilizer dealers representing many many jobs in our state's community decision to sell the land in question was made with constituents the division of agriculture might this is the way we approach all such decisions for each of our campuses are divisions and our units across the state. Nielsen says president system I do not support Senate bill four forty seven and ask you to please consider the impact this bill will have on the division's critical role serving the agriculture industry each of your communities across the state I'd be very glad to answer any questions but I also have with me Dr mark Cochran as the division of agriculture I have questions regarding the intended use these funds he would be our best person to answer we also one of our attorneys and general counsel's office was identified specific specific legal issues with us before forty seven he too would be willing to answer any questions you might have thank you again for your time. Darker europaeus Davis yes I'd like to go through and and talk a little bit about what we would tend to do with the proceeds from the sale off of it of we would take five million to match an endowment that the rice research and promotion board is put to us in our quest to a building new rice research and extension center on highway one south of Jones pearl this is going to be a great addition to our facilities and our ability to serve not only the rice industry but broader row crop industry and we think that we're we're positioned of very strategically in proximity to Jones brought to make this center and education center to come in and work with K. through twelve groups as well as the general public about the rice industry about the uses of rice and about agriculture in general off of it window the rice board approached us about billing willing to invest over twenty million dollars in this new facility I had indicated that with flat budgets that we had incurred it's a a situation where we're having to cut budgets to meet a rising costs already and I couldn't deep down to distill cuts in our or brought programs across the state to do this so this five million dollars would be a match to their five million dollars which would give us about a ten million dollar endowment that the interest off that would cover roughly half the cost of running to a research station of this size this puts us on very important soils that are western Crowley's Ridge and have characteristics it's a lighter soil in the water sources that are can be very valuable to our rice research program off of it will take six million dollars to invest in the technology that's associated with precision agriculture and smart farming there's a lot of technological change is coming and it could really revolutionise or our research our our our production systems and we need to ramp up our research in this to really show how farmers can earn money in in have. All savings in the investments that they would have in the sensors and the data collection since their. We'll take a million dollars to invest in the part of the pine tree station that we currently operate for improvements on that and that would include a Quitman storage irrigation land leveling and then fencing we have challenges with the deer and feral hogs coming in and destroying or or the integrity of our research property there in addition to timber management this is a property that we've not had the resources to really invest in managing the timber for its its commercial value nor for the wildlife habitat we take a million dollars for infrastructure improvements across where we have all of our two in their other locations would be in Batesville down and hope and then in support and Northwest Arkansas to help us invest in in the timber management of the wildlife habitat that we have there we have a million dollars is going down to our partnership university of Monticello in the college of forestry agriculture natural resources to operator laboratories in our classrooms and really take advantage of all of the excitement that we have with having to go virtual and using the information technology advantages that we have for our our training whether that's in the classroom or with our groups that are outside. Take a million and a half dollars to invest in infrastructure we're very very proud of our small fruit breeding program USDA through a fence runs in what they call a clean plant network that they work with universities to do diagnosis and certification of genetic material that needs to cross state and international boundaries the two institutions of done that for small fruits of Oregon state and university of California system are no longer going to be offering that for berries and end up of the stone fruit and so we need to invest about a million and a half dollars into a laboratory greenhouses to be eligible to be designated as the clean plant network that we think that will help not only Arkansas and trying to grow or specialty crops but the role in our genetics and we're very pleased that of almost all of the commercially grown blackberries any place in the world have ties back to to our station and in the north the Clarksville log off of that and then we'll have a million dollars that will go into an endowment that we're very optimistic that we can take that million dollars for waterfowl habitat research and there's a donor that has worked with the six or seven other universities that supplemented that first one million dollars with the three million dollars. In looking through there's been some discussion about why we signed a sales contract before we got the congressionally mandated waiver we follow the instructions of the Senate ag committee that they needed to know who the buyer was and what the intent for this property was going to do before they would entertain of doing any of that waiver and it's our expectation that the committee of that much of that intent with the code of fighting the waiver language there are buyers is we went through it they have hip a pledge and they're more than willing to negotiate with state or federal of elected officials to have this sale proceed they will invest five million dollars into the property for infrastructure improvements in repair and habitat development we're challenged and I think that the game fishes challenged if you look at some of the other language including House resolution on how we property what manage water in our art or flooded timber lands in our oak stand so that we have the appropriate force health that they can be the attractive habitat that they have the one million dollars that I always mention for the the indictment that would come to us off of it they would make portions of the property available for partner organizations in programming with game fish such as first steps outdoors in becoming an outdoor women they're very dedicated to the three our mission and trying to recruit and retain and reactivate our hunting population it's been declining bill open portions of the property for seasonal public hers use such as summer fishing bird watching including constructions of observation towers in stocking the the the ponds for for a better fishing experience they're working with us on research not only on water file but dedicated to quail research and education or youth introducing them into managing bird dogs and up on our hunting experiences Turkey research and trying to grow the per the Turkey population and the white tailed deer population and once again that they would to work with the partner with groups to. Try to develop youth and mobility and and impaired up up for for a hunting and fishing there is a twenty two acre parcel that we lease to the state that the state came back and returned to us they ran it as a boys camp for individuals that probably need some additional direction in light of it's costing us about fourteen hundred dollars a month to kind of multiple that we don't have any need for that particular property we insisted that they would buy it they would invest in renovating that structure and making it suitable for nature centers meeting facilities event of venues and lodging construction of shooting and an archery courses that could be done there they would probably fund to a wildlife biologist to work with game and fish on the field that they do in the areas they're talking about trying to supplement the Arkansas game and fish of on the participation in the The with the rice industry to compensate surrounding rights of the farmers that they keep water on their their property try to enhance the overall duck population the fund feral hog eradication so we think we've got some buyers that are open to continuing the public purpose and our dedicated to working with that at pine tree itself we've identified on the portions of the property that we're going to keep all three to three different stands and and types of of area here will invest some of the proceeds to improve the forest health and the habitat here or oak stands we need to invest in vegetative control we need to invest in fire control of on the the C. P. C. R. P. the conservation reserve program grassland sitters kind of a transition entrance with open area and the forested area will work up to restore the natural grasslands work on that feathering that edge of the force to make that of a more suitable habitat and then we'll convert some of the flood prone areas to in hounded does a green resin force for habitat and work on on plan some more hard woods the floor flooded timber areas will just do restore the natural flooding regime that's so important and once again tie to work on that that it up area that this bill in addition to of having the appropriation for the sixteen and a half million dollars it also prohibits is private sale to go through we're more than willing to work with the any the state agencies and and would encourage that if you don't want this to go into of the these current contract that we have come up with the money and help us to do the things that we can do by converting this resources and resources that will help us with our research and extension mission that we think will have a broad impact on on the the surrounding area in the row crop area and so we're open to the source of. Funding but we would like to be able to convert this landscape into resources that would directly help us with our research admission it also code of fights for the use of this things that are not part of the mission of the division of agriculture and be much more appropriate for the mission of of a another day of a state agency in terms of the list of activities that the this bill would mandate be done on this property so thank you for for the the time thank you for your support in the past with the division of agriculture we think we create great value across all of our programs there and we were trying to be innovative and find alternative of funding so that we didn't have to come back to the state as we go through but we think that we can do a lot not only in the areas and in agricultural efficiency and or efficiency in agriculture production processing but in our or programs in natural resource stewardship or programs related to the safe affordable nutritious food supply or programs and youth and family in our programs in in community and economic development so thank you for your attention to glad to answer any questions that we would we've got questions Revengers Springer. You're recognized for a question yes eight thank you Mr chair. May I have a compound question a yes or no answer and then the question with thank you of my question is for chancellor Bobbitt. I'm over here I heard you say that you've received a charge from the board of directors to identify unused lands of throughout the state that were owned by the university is that correct that is correct okay so that my follow up question is did you do so important besides this particular property for the other lands that were identified two of four of the of similar purposes right yes we have systematically been identifying properties and then dealing with someone a one off basis because it's complicated we have to obviously get appraisals we have to a real estate agent but we have sold two properties in Northwest Arkansas and both of them were sold for the appraised value correct mark no we actually sold five in the division of agriculture or not question was for all of the other properties that or. But the five in yes yes so the answer is yes we have identified other properties we continue to do so core core are the property. Where the property where the property is located beside the pine forest property in St Francis County or the other properties of of three were in Washington County of one was in I believe Johnson County and of the the other was I think in Washington County as well I'm sorry what was the other Washington County as well a smaller piece. And have those already been sold yes service that yes those have been sold and the proceeds from that we're going into infrastructure in trying to improve our our laboratories that are so essential for us to be able to do the cutting of science and we we pride ourselves on we think that we have some of the internationally recognized scientist and be able to recruit and retain them and to have those so they're going primarily into laboratory and and of of space on on or or farm up in in of Fairfield north of the Fairfield campus or or Michael J. short right of agriculture research and extension center. All right members will have a question and a follow up we got a link the amount and if you want to come back after another one get back in the queue. Thank you representative Senator Ballinger. I have one question and a follow up yes thank you Mr that so so my question is my assumption is that you already contract contingent upon having the the the the reversion removed from the contractor. That is correct the sales is contingent upon the congressional waiver okay so so where are we at in that process we're trying to get this to you to the stage to where our own our car the dark pot turn yours off we're getting some feedback I thought and I'm under my nose Mr. Okay of we're in the process of trying to work through this we knew that there was there was uh of some opposition in some discussion that needed to be at the state level and so when we get this resolved and we would move on to the congressional we actually started back in two thousand seventeen so this is been a long process and we've had discussions with with the our congratulate elevations up of a due date as we kind of moved through it. Okay so I'm a little bit confused like how is this process actually now I understand what we're doing here looking for trying to find the money houses process actually impeding you are going through with the sale. Well what what what we had is doctor Bob it described was that when it came up as to whether or not as we met with a group of senators and their questions came up with our buyers be willing to step aside and see if the state could raise money yet so we put a is an amendment on our sales contract that the buyer said that they would be willing to step aside and wait to see whether the this state could come up with the money to purchase the property during this session by July first it the appraised value within the the sales and so that put a hold on is moving forward with any discussions on the compression waiver to to go through an abide by that that the agreement that we had. All right Senator Rapert you're recognized for a question and a follow up. Got me. I'm not going to almost skip over some other questions but I'll just hit one of do you not think that it appears to be to the public after all this been said and done do not think it appears the public that this is some sort of sweet heart deal that benefits some or all of the people involved when it's widely regarded in the community that this land could be sold for a higher value. Is it on yep of of Willits we're selling it it it it the of the appraised value that we we went through the appraisal process and it was our contention from the very beginning if you look at the impact that we have on the broad array of people from our described purposes of it with there will be some that that to would only have about half of what they have been accustomed to to to to hunting through our property and then what I described was the intent of our buyers but we think that we're going to have to impact more our Kansans by what are uses would be in terms of the research and the use is that we would have and so that was kind of our thinking about it we realized there was some opposition but it was was how we we we view that debt through we've gone through the process that we as I said we've used for the other sales with the the board of trustees with an appraisal off of it and we've we've we've we're we've got a price that's that's at the appraised value. Do you not normally put these properties out for bid for people in the surrounding community that may be even joins the property might have an opportunity to buy at that do you not do that. Sir we have not done that historically in the past we followed a more traditional past with the real estate or broker who has knowledge of that particular business I will tell you that this sale was not without the tremendous conversation on the board of trustees they want to make sure they were carrying out their fiduciary responsibility and we had a long detailed conversation circumvent some members of the board that indeed this was the appropriate price there's always the assumption out there that there's a gold neck somewhere else at that we're not reaching but I felt more comfortable when we came that when the appraisal came back and was actually higher than the offer was at that particular time and the way the offer was written was that they would pay I think it was sixteen sixteen point five million or the appraised value whichever is higher and it came in at seventeen point seven million roughly. Represented in the uniqueness of this waiver of of greatly change the the made this very very unique in terms of the process that we were going through and we want to sell to only one buyer and we wanted to match the buyer that had intent that we thought would be just satisfactory on the public purpose and we didn't want to break it in which we possibly could have got more per acre if it was broken into smaller parcels but for each buyer then we would have had to go through and get a separate waiver which the the transaction costs on that we're we're not anything that we were inclined to want to pursue a representative Cavenaugh also she's too far right question and a follow up thank you Mr chair for the properties that you have identified and have already sold where they also available to the public for hunting recreation. As prime August. A no. Follow up. What were they used for. Of one of it was part of our our up to two that we sold that we're the biggest acreage that we had we're in the city of Fayetteville that were part of our our of agricultural of of research and extension center there we sold those two properties to the city of fate bill the first was a of a property that we at least to the city about for a almost a twenty year period they came back and they had converted it into some soccer fields and that to work with our folks on turf management and in converting agricultural land into that type of recreation they had different plans off of it so we sold that back to the city in the and the fate bill school district the other corner was a special arrangement that the city came to us in one of the corner of that slice for city of fire and police which we thought were in our interest and we were not particularly interested in selling it to anybody other than the city but that twenty four access and trying to be a good citizen in the communities we salt there was a third property that we had used for fruit research that was also into town that there's the other two were smaller properties that had limited access and use men and we had no formal hunting and fishing arrangements of for for public access on those properties. All right you senator garner you incentive Flippo C. yes Sir you're you're recognized for a question and a follow up. Wait a minute it again. Okay you pass. All right we're gonna go back to representative Springer. Thank you thank you Mr I would just like to know the price tag on the properties that were sold in Washington County and Johnson County. I'm trying remember off the top of my head of one of them was I believe in the neighborhood of three point two million and then the other one was slightly over two million dollars. Will you good represents runner. Our. A Johnson County that was in Washington County of the the property in Johnson County was in the neighborhood of of I think a hundred and sixty thousand. I'm sorry I don't have the exact figures if you like those I I can get those to you after I get back to my office and and look up those those were sold a couple of years ago please do. Our representative Jett you're recognized for a question follows thank you Mr chairman Tucker blocked by representative to make remarks Bridget yes come as you guys know I'm I thought for years for funding but every session seem like I'm jim trying to get three million dollars for the universe of Arkansas that that being said is what John no I I'm I'm problematic with this so here's my problem so help me work through this issue when I got talks it was back on okay so the cut the ritual contract that was entered in years ago if the states in there that this ground will always remain public so long was that contract entered into the seller's it was actually entered into the to the people of Arkansas if you will so help me to help me what would you tell by constituents back home because everybody knows that provisions in a contract now help me to unlock my exit was back home how do we justify what you're asking us to do. Well as for public purpose off of it and if you look at the bank hit it Jones act that there been other releases and processes that go through this is not unique in we've done of the other ones last one we did was in nineteen ninety nine off of it so as I I tried to articulate to you that we were in a situation we had an under used resource we had signed an agreement with game and fish in ninety nine to two oh five to allow the public a hunting and fishing off of but that's really not our mission or arguments that were that were converting that resource into resources that are going to help us with that public purpose that we have in our research and extension in the people that would benefit from those activities on it as we went through the process in the intent of our buyers it's not it's not without some public purpose in in what they're planning on doing with so that there are some activities there are there some people that won't be able to to to have the the same access that they have enjoyed yes but we were trying to put it into the broader perspective there in so that was that was what our thinking was about it joined the junior attorneys know that that provision was in a cop the rental contract prior to the sale agreement with the new buyers yes that's why we we started with the discussions with Congress back in two thousand seventeen about the waiver process with that you're before that before anything was written down you knew that was there. Yes thank you yeah. Sir I mean that's that's standard bank a Jones. A language in in all the problems Senator dismay you're recognized for a question thank you Mr chairman and so you went through kind of a link to the list of things that you have a was going to license funds for I know that there are other members had been more in depth involved in conversations it possible to get that in list and then submit that joint budget we can send that out to the members so the sure I do that I would be glad to to provide the document that I have from the buyers about their public content and then what are plans would be on investing part of those proceeds in the improvements at pine tree for the wildlife habitat those three documents of be glad to send that to your anything else in and that would include I guess there was some type of proposed alternative regarding two thousand acres. We would have to commit that to to. Sure Sir we we can put down what we were proposing in those circumstances in to read if we can get that that I'd just like to see because I've not been a part of those great disconnect your chairman Jean clarification you did what the sale price is for the other properties all five of the other properties that we have sold please do okay thank you our members we need to get out here nine thirty so take that in mind Senator Elliot you have a question. Yes and I think it can pretty much be a yes or no questions a part of what I'm just contemplating is what's happening with delta land period and all right so just to yes and I would have to have a discussion are you aware of the extent to which well to do people are buying up delta land even Bill Gates and using this land for their own personal purposes and not anything in the interest of the public good. Are you aware of that of vaguely and in terms of what's in the public public media yes okay thank you. All right Sir thank you have a last question. Thank you Sir of will confuse back whenever we're talking about the realtor you said this property was listed or it was listed with a realtor but then it had a Clause I guess in the contract this is where they made a certain all for so you already there sell it at that price or the higher of the appraised value. It just seems a little a little different to me than what most realtors would do most the time you would say okay we're going to this is property we're going to put it in for thirty million dollars that's going to be the purchase price or going to be the selling price of it. So if you don't mind I'd like to be just to go through that a little bit wow that sounds a little bit different than not also like to know how many offers did you get on the property once it was listed with a realtor okay. Once again because of the uniqueness of the need for the congressional waiver this was a very very different process and what you would normally do our immediate needs for the the up proceeds from a sale where the five million dollars to come up with the match for the The New Rice station so we could proceed with getting that implemented we knew that we had a lot of acreage that was under utilized in the ECRI chat a lot of different characteristics with it so rather than coming in and saying this is the exact portion of the property that we want to sell at this particular price we were looking to have conversations with people that would do it or say are listing contract with our agent specified that he would start with potential donors that might make a donation to a nonprofit and work through those to those it might be donors or buyers and on to buyers and work through it of the difference in the in the terrain here that you have we have what we're using for our row crops we have the old conservation reserve program grassland sit there we have the oak stands the timber stands and then we have the flooded timber in each have different characteristics for different uses and hence different values with it so it was an open ended process is with this. What's the best deal that we could get with it and he came through and we had one offer that we thought matter characteristics that we were looking for in terms of generating the revenue that would be important to us to be able to refer to convert those resources into our programs up I've I've described in the intent of a buyer that would help us with the congressional waiver off of it so we had one offer we negotiated with them we left it open for any additional offers it was a negotiation that took us about three months to consummate bill the time that we work with our buyers in with the board of trustees before we ended up with the the signed sales contract. All right Sir call where you wanna come down close. We through your excuse thank you Dr Babar doctor Cochran. Members this is only amendment we're this is closing on the amendment. Owner of Senate bill four forty seven this is not the bill this the amendment. Thank you Mr chairman committee again only go back to the original deed this is very clearly that that the subject the father to the condition that the above described land shall be used for public purposes and if any time said land ceases to be so use this state convey shall immediately revert to income reinvested to the grant or they are selling this land to a private honey concern it will not be open to the public that they put some ideas out there that day you might go bird watching or might go fishing on occasion but you will not go to that land induction owner deer Hendren Turkey hunting or any of that nature so it is not going to be open to the public and and I will tell me where that of several things that came up the last week and today is it to many people thought that the sixteen happy dollars would be spent in my district adult Cochran Justice stated that a million dollars would be spent in infrastructure in a pine tree and the rest of this money is going to be spent statewide for agriculture the largest majority of it sent losses going your district for the rice research station which I'm I'm very proud of the but how are we allowing the state entity to take a million dollars of of the what should be state money and give it to a private endowment with the should not happen period it should not happen but that's what they want to do also they have offered to donate two thousand acres. The to the game fish that came with a price tag that price tag was the that I had to help get the federal delegation to get this through Congress senator Bozeman is quoted in for city paper and said this sale will not happen also that came with that was a stipulation that we would drop any investigation in the universe of Arkansas now. I read you last week I'm sorry I read this in in the. Of. House education this comes from cliff Gibson whose owner board of trustees he is the head of their audit committee he said I was flabbergasted to see that four out of five person panel gave allow proposal the highest possible score on pricing in the face of Laos pricing being fifty percent higher than mossy oak which sure will cost the University over three hundred and fifty thousand dollars just in real state fees. I have a Arkansas business article you can get it is they wrote this is the form that won a bid to broker the sale allow real estate incorporated Little Rock appears to have been coached on how to shape is proposal according to emails obtained by Arkansas business this is the bail between law real estate and apartment occult internal emails also indicate that a contract with Lyle had been drawn up before the rest of us you me before the request for proposal with every issue. The sale was not correct we need to keep it open to the public and I would appreciate a good vote you wanna make a motion doctor amendment I make a motion with the second. All right now for discussion. Senator after you're recognized. I want to make sure that we divide the house and roll call okay Senator Hickey you're you're recognized for a question or discussion that that was left on Sir from early okay all right. Read more the three hands for robo. All right. We'll start on the Senate side. This is for amendment. Two Senate bill four forty seven. Senator Elliot. Yes Senator Chesterfield. Yes Senator English. First alternate Senator Tucker. Senator mark Johnson. Yes Senator Hammer. Yes Senator Irvin. Yes Senator Ingram. First alternate Senator Sturch. Yes. Senator Flippo. Yes Senator Blake Johnson. Yes senator Wallace yes senator hill. Yes Senator Hendren. First alternate Senator Pitsch. Senator Hester. No Senator Eads. Senator Davis. No Senator Ballinger. Yes Senator Leding. Now. Senator Teague is that right. Burst out. Senator T. yes. Senator flowers. First alternate Senator Garner. Yes Senator sample yes Senator Clark. Yes senator Stubblefield. Yes Senator Hickey yes Senator Rice. Yes senator Bledsoe. No Sir Caldwell. Yes Senator Rapert. Yes. All calls House staff. House will call the House now yes Sir. Representive Shepherd. Here. First alternate representative Barker. Second alternate representative Dalby. Representative Eubanks. Yes. Representative Holcomb. Yes representative Kenneth Ferguson. Representative flowers. Yes. Representative Jett. Yes representative Payton. Yes president Hodges yes representative Tosh. Yes representative Cavenaugh. Yes representative Gazaway. Representive love. Yes representive McGee. First often represent Collins. Yes. Representive Eads. Second alternate representative and it. Representative Weldon. Representative Scott. Yes represent Springer. Yes represent Boyd. Yes representa Fortner. Yes represent Coleman. Representative Penzo. First alternate representative column. Second alternate representative clout. Represent Garner. No representative Lee Johnson. Represent Wardlaw. Yes representative Big Bear. Yes represent Womack. Representive eleven. Member state where you're at do not leave. Okay. Needing fifteen votes in the chamber got eighteen in the Senate and no through a few meeting in the House twenty the Senate the amendment is passed this bill is ready to do pass as amended to have a motion. I have a motion and a second. All in favor say aye. All opposed. The ayes have it congradulations Senator call will members we are done we will be back in here next using the thirtieth at eight thirty reshaped good work we're adjourned.