06-12-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Anoka County Multi-Jurisdictional All Hazards Mitigation Plan 53 boards and/or committees, totaling 109 persons, were established by the ACEDP to oversee separate entities or programs created by the ACEDP and help it accomplish its mission. ACEDP has been involved in a variety of economic development initiatives, such as: attracting businesses and events to Anoka County, including NCR/Comten/Aveda, Merit Corporation, National Sports Center, Burnett Senior Classic, Air Cure Technologies, Inc., Northeast YMCA, Possis Medical, Quality Sterilization, Biotest Labs, and over 30 emerging technology companies located throughout the county. ACEDP also assists businesses with relocating within the county by creating a business network "one stop shop" for area businesses to obtain financial and business or technical assistance through the ACEDP's network of public and private service providers. Other assistance includes: helping to establish business parks in Anoka County, including Minnesota Medical Enterprise Park in Coon Rapids and Pheasant Ridge Industrial Park in Blaine, conducting countywide labor force and workforce assessments, as well as a workforce development plan for the county, promoting Anoka County to businesses and real estate developers from other areas, both local to international, promoting speaking engagements, seminars, meetings with developers/realtors, public information, access to resources and the creation of a countywide marketing consortium with representation from all cities within the county, utility companies that service the area, area colleges, jobs and training organizations, chambers of commerce and Anoka County government. To accomplish its goals, ACEDP uses a variety of financial tools. The Anoka Sherburne County Capital Fund (ASCCF), established in 1993 by the ACEDP, provides seed money for start-up high technology companies to encourage them to locate in Anoka County or Sherburne Counties. The Anoka Investors LLC investors club provides an additional source of equity for start-up companies by offering an opportunity for private investors to invest in companies in the ASCCF and ACEDP's incubator program. The ASCCF and the Investment Club have their own governing boards, and pay ACEDP to manage their funds. The ACEDP's Business Incubator Program in Columbia Heights provides furnished office space in exchange for company stock. The ACEDP Business Loan Fund, part of the State of Minnesota Urban Challenge Grant Program, provides additional funds for start-up businesses in Columbia Heights as a match to equity investments made by the ASCCF.