HomeMy WebLinkAboutEDAC Meeting Minutes 06-30-11 O* PRIp4
4646 Dakota Street SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES — JUNE 30, 2011
1. CaII to Order. Members present: Terry Gutowski, Bill Henry, Adam Blahnik, Troy Presler, Sandi Fleck,
Mary Vierieck, Deno Howard, Joe Passafaro, Jeff Matzke, Kelly Meyer. Absent — Ken Hedberg.
Guests: Maria Belden (Speiker & Co.), Mark Crysler (Triple Play Sports), Thane Tandy (Wagon Bridge
Marina)
Howard: Welcomed guests and provided an overview of the EDAC's role and goals. Encouraged guests
to consider membership in the group.
Existing members and guests introduced themselves.
Presler: Added that the EDAC's objectives are two -fold: to bring in new business, and business retention
and problem solving.
2. Approval of June 2, 2011 Meeting Minutes.
MOTION BY PASSAFARO and SECOND BY PRESLER, approved unanimously.
3. Old Business
Fall Meet -n -Greet on October 27, 2011 (5pm -7pm)
Project Leader: Passafaro
Passafaro: Talked about the purpose for the event, described the past event. Asked for feedback on the
image the EDAC wants to portray for the event and options for the location.
There was some discussion among members about possible locations, including Lakefront Park, Club
Prior, The Legends, City Hall, repeating at The Wilds, VFW and Fong's. The group is expected to be less
than 100 but as many as possible are welcome. Further discussed budget and other details.
Howard: Asked if the City could confirm the budget for the event.
CONSENSUS WAS REACHED TO USE FONG'S FOR THIS YEAR'S EVENT.
Passafaro to confirm availability at the location. Meyer to confirm budget.
Passafaro: Further asked for input on how to market the event to businesses.
Fleck: Suggested that City had a table at Fall Fest and that was used as a means last year. Also advised
that the EDAC had a table at the Lakefront Days wine tasting.
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After some discussion, CONSENSUS WAS REACHED TO USE THE FALL FEST AND LAKEFRONT
DAYS WINE TASTING TO ADVERTISE THE EVENT.
Howard: Asked City to confirm that it will pay for the booth at the Lakefront Days wine tasting. Suggested
this item be placed on the agenda for follow up to determine which members will staff the event, as well as
further discussion on marketing opportunities.
Short- and Long -Term Plans for Downtown
Matzke: Introduced the item explaining that the attached worksheets identified the feedback received
during the business retention interviews. Member Howard had asked that this item reoccur on the agenda
so that each item could be discussed and a decision made about how to address the items, or whether the
various comments did not require pursuit.
Communications Objective.
Suggestions where made by various members /guests of possible improvements to communication
between the City and the business community, including (1) providing links in an email blast or the
electronic newsletter to property tax information, and (2) sharing the business vacancy chart or making it
more available to businesses as a communication /marketing tool.
Howard: Suggested this should be an ongoing topic on the objectives list.
Guests provided feedback on what items would be of interest to them in a newsletter from the City,
including new projects, ordinance changes affecting businesses, who to contact with questions. Members
discussed adding a business feedback or notices section, a possible link to agenda reports, and that the
editions be sent as a .pdf file to eliminate any issues with ability to open the file. Also suggested that an
update on the Arcadia intersection be included.
Signs
There was some discussion on using signs to direct traffic to downtown, and also questions about what the
entry monument signs would /could look like identifying the downtown business district. Many different
ideas were suggested. Suggested that the staff bring back the streetscape plan for the Arcadia intersection
project, and examples of other wayfinding signage.
Presler: Advised that he had heard of an issue with some signage for Jim McMahon.
Matzke: Advised that he had worked with Jim in the past but would follow up to understand the
issues /needs.
Howard: Suggested that maybe the larger issue is monumemt signage in general for the Deerfield area.
Other - General
Meyer — Updated the members on the recruitment process for the Economic and Community Development
Director.
Passafaro — Threw out the idea of a vendor /consultant fair; the idea is to provide a vehicle to connect
businesses.
Some discussion occurred about how the event could or could not happen. No direction on proceeding at
this point.
4. Other Business
County Road 21 Update
Matzke: Provided a brief update on the next steps in the process, advising that the City Council is
tentatively scheduled to make a decision on an alignment in August.
5. New Business
EDAIEDAC Joint Meeting
Howard: Polled the members on their availability to attend the joint meeting scheduled for July 11 th. Since
a number of members were unavailable, suggested that the joint meeting be re- scheduled to the EDA's
August meeting.
Review Business Retention Survey List (DeerfieldlWaterfront Passage)
Howard: Suggested that the EDAC start approaching businesses in the Deerfield /Waterfront
Passage/Welcome Avenue area to move the retention survey forward into the next area.
Various members volunteered to contact some of the businesses. Matzke to send out interview questions
via email.
Next Meeting — Confirmed with members for Friday, July 29th at 7:30am. The August meeting is
scheduled for Friday, August 26th at 7:30am.
Meeting adjourned at 9:15am.
Submitted by: Kelly Meyer