HomeMy WebLinkAbout05 02 2013 Technology Village minutes
CITY OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA
TECHNOLOGY VILLAGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MEETING MINUTES – May 2, 2013
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. in the Technology Village Conference Room at City Hall.
Members present: Bob Morris, Gerry Hughes, Kris Pauna, Lori Frank, Bob Jader and Dave Rech. Members
absent: None. Staff present: Dan Rogness and Casey McCabe.
2. Approval of March 7, 2013 Meeting Minutes
MOTION BY RECH and SECOND BY MORRIS to approve the March 7, 2013 meeting minutes as submitted.
Motion adopted unanimously.
3. Old Business
a. Client Needs Assessment – design a tivity, llc
Hughes: reviewed the needs assessment interview conducted with James Vande Castle of design a
tivity on April 17, 2013. Mr. Hughes informed the board that the primary needs identified during the
interview were promotion and marketing of design a tivity and evaluation of the existing business
plan.
McCabe: informed the board that Mr. Rech will be meeting with Mr. Vande Castle to review promotion
and marketing and Mr. Pauna will be meeting with Mr. Vande Castle to discuss his business plan,
financial and sales forecasting.
Hughes: suggested each program participant be assigned one board member as their primary
contact.
Board Members: discussed the option of Technology Village providing a membership to the Prior
Lake Chamber to program participants to help fulfill the commitment to provide networking
opportunities.
Rogness: updated the board on a recent conversation with Sandi Fleck, the Prior Lake Chamber
Executive Director. Mrs. Fleck has offered to provide a Chamber membership to Technology Village
program participants at the annual rate of $175, which is the chamber rate for home-based
businesses.
Board Members: suggested staff has additional discussions with Mrs. Fleck to see if a more favorable
rate could be identified for individual memberships in the event the Technology Village Board
identifies three or four tenants in the near future.
MOTION BY FRANK and SECOND BY HUGHES to authorize the Executive Director to purchase
Prior Lake Chamber memberships for the Technology Village program participants. Motion adopted
unanimously.
Phone: 952.447.9813 / Email: drogness@cityofpriorlake.com / www.cityofpriorlake.com
b. Marketing/Promotion of Technology Village
Board Members: discussed methods to promote Technology Village to attract service providers and
program participants.
Hughes: suggested the board request or submit an article focusing on entrepreneur benefits and
Technology Village focus to be published in the Star Tribune South Extra and the Prior Lake
American. Mr. Hughes also suggested Technology Village is promoted on the Chamber of
Commerce website; there is currently no mention of Technology Village on the chamber website.
Pauna: discussed goals of the board to fill the existing space and receive regular applications. Mr.
Pauna suggested the board contact the local SBA and similar business start-up services [SCORE,
NBIA and Prior Lake Chamber] to make them aware of the Technology Village program.
Board Members: also discussed recent comments received at the EDAC Business & Industry Forum
related to broadening the scope of tenants beyond those focused on emerging technology.
Board Members: restated their understanding, based on previous board discussion, that all
applications received, no matter what type of business, would be accepted, reviewed and considered.
Members were in agreement that the promotion of Technology Village would be on emerging
technology businesses but all businesses are eligible to apply.
Board Members: also discussed the option of changing the language on the Technology Village
website to inform the public all businesses are eligible to apply and possibly downplay the focus on
“technology.” No consensus was reached to propose any changes to the website.
Rech: suggested the board ask the Prior Lake Chamber to provide a list of five businesses that may
be a good program candidate.
Pauna: requested staff review the Prior Lake Technology Village Bylaws to make sure the board can
review all applications and ensure there are no requirements that a business must be technology
focused.
Board Members: began a discussion of identifying board goals and metrics, which included a targeted
number of applications and contact with local business development groups. Board members
determined this would be a good topic to discuss during the next Technology Village Board work
session.
4. New Business
a. Client Needs Assessment – Innovative Computer Professionals
McCabe: informed the board the second program participant, Innovative Computer Professionals
(ICP) has emailed and informed staff they would be occupying their space within two/three weeks.
Mr. McCabe stated when ICP occupies the space the board will make contact with them and begin
the Client Needs Assessment process.
5. Staff Update
a. Business & Industry Forum
This item was previously discussed with agenda item 3b.
b. Board Member Ideas/Recommendations
Board Members: commented on the need to identify funding sources for program participants.
Board Members: developed a tentative agenda for the next work session, including; i) discussion on
funding sources; ii) Technology Village Bylaw review; iii) consideration of a “virtual” or other type of
assistance that can be provided to program participants not physically located in Technology Village;
and, iv) identifying goals and metrics.
Board Members: asked staff to provide a list of potential service providers who responded to the letter
requesting local support of the Technology Village program.
6. Adjourn
MOTION BY FRANK and SECOND BY JADER to adjourn the meeting. Motion adopted unanimously;
meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m.
Submitted by: Casey McCabe