HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 06 2013 Technology Village minutes
CITY OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA
TECHNOLOGY VILLAGE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MEETING MINUTES – June 6, 2013
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 4:05 p.m. in the Technology Village Conference Room at City Hall.
Members present: Gerry Hughes, Kris Pauna, Lori Frank, Bob Jader and Dave Rech. Members absent: Bob
Morris. Staff present: Casey McCabe.
2. Approval of May 2, 2013 Meeting Minutes
MOTION BY RECH and SECOND BY FRANK to approve the May 2, 2013 meeting minutes as submitted.
Motion adopted unanimously.
3. Old Business
a. Marketing/Promotion of Technology Village
McCabe: summarized previous board discussion about submitting an article focusing on Technology
Village and the programs benefits to entrepreneurs to be published in the Star Tribune South Extra,
Prior Lake American and The Collaborative newsletter.
Frank: offered to publish a press release on the PR Newswire.
Board Members: discussed the article and agreed the first step should be to identify funding partners
which will allow the article to identify funding availability as well as interviews with existing program
participants.
Frank: agreed to contact a few Angel Investor organizations to see if they would be interested in
serving as a Technology Village funding partner.
Board Members: directed staff to contact a representative of RAIN Source Capital to see if they would
be interested in becoming a funding partner of Technology Village.
Pauna: recommended staff review any potential conflicts with the EDA related to identifying specific
funding partners.
Hughes: suggested staff approach the Prior Lake Chamber and request the Chamber include a link to
the Technology Village website on the Chamber website. Staff will discuss with the Chamber and
offer to include a link to the Prior Lake Chamber website on the Technology Village website.
b. Prior Lake Chamber Memberships
McCabe: informed the board that the Prior Lake Chamber has agreed to provide chamber
memberships to Technology Village program participants at an annual rate of $175. Mr. McCabe
stated design a tivity, llc has been registered as a chamber member and Innovative Computer
Phone: 952.447.9813 / Email: drogness@cityofpriorlake.com / www.cityofpriorlake.com
Professionals, LLC (ICP) has also expressed interest. Staff will contact the Prior Lake Chamber to
provide registration information for ICP.
4. New Business
a. Technology Village Goals and Metrics
Board Members: discussed different program goals and metrics to track board progress. Goals
included identifying a third program participant by quarter three and metrics included tracking
program participant contacts, service provider support and applications (received, reviewed and
accepted).
Board Members: directed staff to formalize the goals and metrics for approval during the next regular
meeting of the board.
b. Funding Sources
This was discussed during agenda item 3.a.
5. Staff Update
a. Service Providers
McCabe: provided the board members with a list of four potential service providers who responded to
a letter which was sent out in April seeking service providers from the community.
Board Members: reviewed and discussed the list of potential service providers and agreed to discuss
this item during a future work session and identify the service areas which are not covered by the
existing list of service providers. If areas are identified where a gap exists, members felt the best
option may be to directly contact businesses or residents who live in the community for assistance;
however, there may be a need to go outside the community to identify service providers if they cannot
be found in Prior Lake.
Board Members: agreed that at this time the list of service providers will not be included on the
Technology Village website. In the future when a more substantial list of providers is identified the
board may consider listing the service providers on the website.
b. Client Needs Assessment – Innovative Computer Professionals
McCabe: informed the board the second program participant, Innovative Computer Professionals
(ICP) has been provided with the Client Needs Assessment form.
Hughes: agreed to review the Client Needs Assessment form when it is submitted and he will make a
recommendation of which board member should conduct the initial assessment review with ICP.
c. Client Discussions – Blackdog Computer Services, LLC
McCabe: informed the board that a potential program participant, Blackdog Computer Services, LLC,
has met with staff and expressed interest in the program. Blackdog Computer Services is a software
development company currently operating from a home office in Lakeville.
Jader: suggested a board member meet with Blackdog Computer Services to discuss the Technology
Village program and help answer any of their questions. Mr. Jader offered to meet with this company.
d. Board Member Ideas/Recommendations
Rech: commented on design a tivity’s progress and recommended board members share design a
tivity’s new flyer with any contacts the board feels may be able to utilize design a tivity’s services.
Board Members: agreed the next work session should include a discussion on potential funding
sources and “virtual” incubator assistance that can be offered to home based and other businesses
not physically located in the Technology Village space.
6. Adjourn
MOTION BY FRANK and SECOND BY PAUNA to adjourn the meeting. Motion adopted unanimously;
meeting adjourned at 5:00 p.m.
Submitted by: Casey McCabe