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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 27 2013 Economic Developmetn Advisory minutes 4646 Dakota Street SE Prior Lake, MN 55372 CITY OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES – June 27, 2013 1. Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 7:35 a.m. in the Wagon Bridge Conference Room at Prior Lake City Hall. Members present: Bill Henry, Lloyd Erbaugh, Mark Peterson, Sandi Fleck, Bernie Carlson, Wade Larson, and Michelle Choudek. Members absent: Greg Schweich, Thane Tande, Mike Stout, Kris Pauna and James Ford. Staff present: Frank Boyles, Dan Rogness and Casey McCabe. 2. Approval of Meeting Minutes. a. May 23, 2013 MOTION BY ERBAUGH and SECOND BY LARSON to approve the May 23, 2013 meeting minutes as submitted. Motion adopted unanimously. 4. New Business a. Discussion With City Manager, Frank Boyles Boyles: provided the EDAC with an update of interviews he has conducted with developers, business owners and residents. Mr. Boyles stated that he is sampling customers who have recently completed, or were in the process of completing, development or redevelopment projects to find out how the process went; what is the city doing well, what are the areas where improvement is needed, etc. Mr. Boyles shared some of the comments received with the committee which included the need for better staff communication with the developer prior to and throughout the project and the need for follow-up meetings prior to the end of the project to avoid “surprises” which can be costly and cause project delays. EDAC Members: thanked Mr. Boyles for his presentation and discussion and were pleased he was taking proactive steps to address many of the same comments and concerns the EDAC received during the recent Business & Industry Forum. 3. Old Business a. Business & Industry Forum Follow Up Action McCabe: presented the agenda report and asked the committee to discuss the best process to respond to the comments received during the Business & Industry (B&I) Forum. Mr. McCabe stated that in previous years the committee has divided the comments into short and long-term goals. Henry: suggested the committee respond to all comments and either detail the action that has occurred, the proposed action, or note if action is unnecessary or desired results are not achievable. Mr. Henry added that the response to all comments should be sent to all meeting attendants. 1 Erbaugh: recommended the committee expand the list of those who will receive B&I Forum follow-up. Choudek: suggested any communication be linked to the EDAC page on the city website and a link can be sent to meeting attendants and others interested in reviewing action and receiving meeting follow up information. EDAC Members: directed city staff to respond to as many comments and suggestions as possible prior to the next EDAC meeting for review by the committee. Committee members will then respond to the remaining comments and suggestions during future meetings. b. Business Retention & Expansion Survey Status McCabe: presented a list of approximately 20 businesses in the Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) survey target area of Deerfield, Waterfront Passage and Welcome Industrial Park who have not been contacted to complete a BR&E survey. EDAC Members: removed two businesses where a survey has been completed and two businesses which are no longer operating in the target area. EDAC Members: agreed that a face to face interview is important and agreed to contact the remaining businesses and give them an opportunity to complete a survey. EDAC members in attendance volunteered to contact individual businesses listed and an EDAC member has been assigned to contact each of the remaining businesses. Henry: asked the committee if they felt the target area should be expanded to another area of the community. Erbaugh: responded that it may be most beneficial to collect and review the existing survey data before the committee moves onto another target area of the community. EDAC members were in agreement. Henry: suggested a status update of this agenda item be placed on the July agenda for discussion. 4. New Business b. City of Prior Lake Open House / Grand Opening Policy Discussion McCabe: introduced the agenda item and invited a discussion to determine if the EDAC feels there is a need for the City of Prior Lake to develop an open house or grand opening policy. Fleck: when asked, Ms. Fleck shared the procedure used by the Prior Lake Chamber to support open houses and grand opening events. EDAC Members: commented that the needs and desires of businesses vary between businesses. EDAC Members: after discussion, agreed that it is very important for both the City of Prior Lake and the Prior Lake Chamber to show support of businesses during open house and grand opening events. However, the committee did not see a need to recommend developing a formal City of Prior Lake policy related to these events. MOTION BY PETERSON and SECOND BY ERBAUGH, while noting their encouragement of City participation in open house and grand opening events, felt an official policy related to grand opening and open house events is not necessary. Motion adopted unanimously. c. EDAC Bylaws EDAC Members: reviewed the proposed amendments to the EDAC Bylaws and discussed the mission statement and purpose of the committee as well as the potential benefits of adding liaison positions from the Prior Lake Chamber, SMSC and other organizations. EDAC Members: recommended the following amendments to the proposed Bylaws: Section 201 – Last sentence states, “… paragraph 205 herein.” This should be amended to read,  “… paragraph 206 herein.” Section 204 –  LIASIONS: The Economic Development Authority, and the Prior Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and other organizations deemed appropriate by the EDA and EDAC, may appoint Liaisons to serve on the Committee. The role of a Liaison is to act as a conduit and resource for information for the Committee. The Liaison shall not participate in the discussion or deliberation of any matter pending before the Committee, except where the Committee is meeting in a study or work session. The Committee, at its discretion, may ask the Liaison for input on the subject under consideration. The Liaison shall never use this occasion as an opportunity to communicate their personal position regarding the matter under consideration. Section 409 should be amended to Section 408.  Section 202 -  DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE: The duties and responsibilities of the Committee include: 1. Serve as a liaison between city government and the community through interaction with business leaders and community residents. Erbaugh: clarified that the primary role of the EDAC is to work with and support existing businesses while the EDA works with and supports existing and new businesses. MOTION BY ERBAUGH and SECOND BY CARLSON to recommend approval of the EDAC Bylaws subject to the four proposed amendments identified by the committee. Motion adopted unanimously. d. Economic Gardening Program Rogness: provided the committee with an update of the new Scott County Economic Gardening Program. The program supports entrepreneurship through research, recognition and education. Eligible businesses include (1) for-profit, privately held companies headquartered in the participating counties; (2) companies that generate annual revenue of between $1 million and $50 million; (3) companies that employ between 10 and 99 full-time employees; (4) companies that can demonstrate growth over the past five years; and (5) companies that provide products or services beyond the local area. Rogness: stated the EDA was asked to identify potential participants in Prior Lake who may be interested in participating in the Economic Gardening Program. The EDA identified businesses in Deerfield Industrial Park, Waterfront Passage and Welcome Avenue Industrial Park as the area to target for initial participation. Mr. Rogness added that city staff will contact and provide program information to businesses in the target area; applications are due by mid-July. 5. Other Business a. EDA Updates Rogness: provided the committee with an update of EDA activity from their June 17, 2013 meeting related to the following items: 2012 Annual Financial Report  Revised Business Subsidies Policy  Funding Options for Sewer/Water Fee Deferral Program  County Highway 42 Study Area Follow-up  Extension of Sewer/Water to the Orderly Annexation Area  Economic Gardening Program  b. Member Ideas/Recommendations Rogness: informed the EDAC there would be an open house to review the CR42 corridor study being completed by WSB at City Hall on Tuesday, July 9 at 6:00. Mr. Rogness added staff will provide the th committee with an update of the CR42 corridor study during their July meeting. 6. Next Meeting Date. The next regular meeting of the EDAC will be Thursday, July 25, 2013 at 7:30 a.m. 7. Adjourn. MOTION BY HENRY and SECOND BY FLECK to adjourn the meeting. Motion adopted unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:05 a.m. Submitted by: Casey McCabe