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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10 10 2011 EDA meeting minutes 4646 Dakota Street SE Prior Lake, MN 55372 Economic Development Authority Meeting Minutes October 10 , 2011 1. CALL TO ORDER President Hedberg called the meeting to order at 4 p.m. Present were Hedberg, Choudek Hitchcock, Morris and Myser ; Finance Director Erickson, Assistant City M anager Kansier, Co mmunity and Economic Develo p- ment Dire c tor Rogness, Executive Director Boyles and Suesan Lea Pace . 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA MOTION BY MYSER, SECOND BY CHOUDEK TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED . VOTE: Ayes by Hedberg, Choudek, Hitchcock, Morris and Myser . The motion carried. 3. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES MOTION BY MYSER, S ECOND BY HITCHCOCK TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 16 , 2011 MEETING AS PRESENTED. VOTE: Ayes by Hedberg, Choudek, Hitchcock, Morris and Myser. The motion carried. 4. P UBLIC HEARING No public hearing was scheduled. 5. OLD BUSINESS A. Approval of 3 Quarter Financial Report rd President Hedberg asked about the amount of the fund balance. Treasurer Erickson responded that it is $342,000. A MOTION WAS MADE BY MYSER AND SECONDED BY MORRIS TO APP ROVE THE THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL REPORT. VOTE: Ayes by Hedberg, Choudek, Hitchcock, Morris and Myser. The motion carried. 6. NEW BUSINESS A. Rain Source Fund ing Follow Up and Action City Attorney Pace distributed a brief outline and clarified her thought that we cannot participate in Rain Source as presented. Myser commented that historically the Rain Fund businesses tended to continue o p- eration as follows: 35% seven county m e tro; 33% state and 33% region/national. Pace stated that M.S. 469 cites restricti ons where local government can invest. Investment does not a p- pear to meet the public purpose doctrine. This would be a gift to wealthy people to make more returns. Pace commented that the contract seemed “loose” and did not see reason to review it since we have three areas that indicate we cannot use it. Pace reviewed documents from Rain Source with EDA members and confirmed that they are not working with any municipalities, but rather organizations working on behalf of municipalities . Pace checked and the State Auditor says we cannot participate. Phone 952.447. 9800 / Fax 952.44 7 . 4245 / www.cityofpriorlake.com Choudek stated she is looking to get started and asked if we would be able to tell businesses that we have this. Would have ties to the City through the residents. Hitchcock : T rying to get high risk invest ors. Hedberg : Wondered if we could structure this in a way that could work . Pace : Suggested that the EDA could sponsor an event that provides a number of things: tool box, spa, grants, business growth. Have the event have different components which sup port business . Myser : Looking to help people through investment. Hedberg : Hotbed of business formation. Pace : Needs to be a full day seminar including lunch and various activities. MOTION BY MYSER, SECOND BY HITCHCOCK TO DIRECT THE STAFF TO PREPARE FOR A “VE N- TURE FAIR” AS OUTLINED ABOVE TO SUPPORT BUSINESS GROWTH AND RETENTION IN PRIOR LAKE. VOTE: Ayes by Hedberg, Choudek, Hitchcock, Morris and Myser. The motion carried. B. Fiber Discussion / Direction to Broadband Advisory Subcommittee Rogness provided an oral report summarizing the written report. Morris: Expressed concern about the rules . He is concerned that the committees be independent and i n- formal . Morris: Would like to contract with E. Lampland. Pace: Indicated that the EDA would have to follo w a process to select a firm. She suggested that requests for qualification could be prepared and reviewed. We could pick three for proposal and interview. Hedberg: Use the engineering pool concept. Morris: Stated he was concerned that Hiawatha does n ot have the capability to do it. If we build a data center, we will have the expertise. Hedberg: Should go through some sort of process. Morris: Upfront design and planning is appropriate to go ahead with him. Hedberg: Clarified we have to do an RFP p rocess. Reviewed the engineer process. Believes we should hear from others. Pace: Asked if the EDA has talked to Mediacom. Hedberg: Integra is doing this. Hedberg: Stated that Morris and Hitchcock have been recommending a City - own ed system. Likes the n o- tion of the City owning the infrastructure. Pace: Franchise ordinance can be used as leverage. Partner with Shakope e, SPUC, Matt Schmit. We can s ay we coordinated and collaborated. We could keep a short RF Q . Hedberg: Could turn documents back to staff. Lampland could re - submit. Just qualifications and select three, and ultimately one. Myser/Morris : Then we work together to identify the elements of a contract. Staff was directed to prepare RFQs, distribute them, receive quotes and distribute t o fiber subcommittee members. The fiber sub committee will reduce firms to two or three and proposals will be sol i cited. The EDA reviewed the guidelines for all of the committees. The following guidelines were retained: Dan Rogness will act as staff co ntact and should be advised in advance of each meeting so he can attend. Meetings will be posted on the City Website. Meetings are open to anyone who wishes to attend. A committee member should take minutes or notes. The subcommittee may not expend public funds. 10 10 11 EDA meeting minutes 2 The EDA agenda will be modified so that reports from the EDAC and from the subcommittees are part of the “Old Business” portion of the meeting as standard agenda items. MOTION BY MYSER, SECOND BY HITCHCOCK TO APPROVE THE GUIDELINES AS AMENDED. VOTE : Ayes by Hedberg, Choudek, Hitchcock, Morris and Myser. The motion carried. C. Incubator Discussion / Direction to Technology Business Incubator Subcommittee Rogness questioned whether the EDA wants to provide further direction to the group working on inc ub a- tors. Hitchcock: Nice to get direction. Ha ve not had committee meetings. Will be busy for the next three weeks. His biggest concern is a location for the incubator . Myser: What is the model, who is running it and what it costs. Hedberg : Could mak e a case that the City owns the building. Key question is who owns and operates. Pace : Some focused on specific businesses. Myser : Suggests that we develop a business plan. Hedberg : What is structural model? Hitchcock : Will expand upon the one they wrote before. Rogness : Will make the arrangements. Myser: Suggested a tag line like, “ Prior Lake – first incubator city.” Trade marked. Wonderful place to live, work and play for a lifetime. 7. OTHER BUSINESS A. Reviewed the d raft November 14 , 2011 Agenda ADJOURNMENT A motion was made by Myser and seconded by Morris to adjourn the meeting. With all in favor, the meeting a d- journed at 5:48 p.m. ___________________________ Frank Boyles, Executive Director 10 10 11 EDA meeting minutes 3