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EDC Minutes <br /> Draft July 18,2008 <br /> Page 2 of 5 <br /> • 5. SPECIAL BUSINESS <br /> A. Introduce Mounds View Community Development Director Ken Roberts <br /> Economic Development Specialist Heidi Steinmetz introduced the new Community <br /> Development Director, Ken Roberts. Mr. Roberts has been with Mounds View for about five <br /> weeks. <br /> Mr. Roberts provided the Commission with his career history,which included nineteen years <br /> with the City of Maplewood and prior to that, he spent a couple of years with a planning <br /> consulting firm. He is looking forward to the challenges and opportunities in Mounds View. <br /> Commissioner Johnson asked Mr. Roberts what his top two or three priorities are with the <br /> City of Mounds View. Mr. Roberts stated that the Comprehensive Plan update needs to be <br /> completed and he will be assisting Planning Associate Heidi Heller with a proposed 96-unit <br /> senior housing project. <br /> Commission members introduced themselves to Mr. Roberts and shared their role with the <br /> Commission. <br /> 6. EDC BUSINESS <br /> A. Discuss Future Business Retention Efforts <br /> • Ms. Steinmetz reminded the Commission that this item came up at the May 16, 2008 EDC <br /> meeting. The Commission had been discussing business recruitment in regards to their <br /> targeted business list but business retention is just as important(if not more important)that <br /> business recruitment. <br /> Ms. Steinmetz reported that a business database is going to be developed for City Hall so <br /> there is one master business database for city use rather than separate databases for each <br /> department. During this process, staff will be able to visit with each and every Mounds View <br /> business in order to obtain the most recent information. These meetings could serve the <br /> purpose of informal business retention visits as well. The visits have not been scheduled yet <br /> but staff would like to know if there are certain businesses that Commissioners would like to <br /> visit. <br /> Commission members expressed interest in meeting with businesses that may have shown <br /> signs of wanting to relocate but staff should schedule the meetings prior to alerting <br /> Commissioners. The most important thing is to schedule the meetings so they are <br /> convenient for the business owners. <br /> Commissioner Wagner talked about a more intensive business retention program through <br /> her place of employment. That program is a Business Retention & Expansion (BR&E) <br /> Program through the University of MN Extension Service. Chair Helgemoe suggested that <br /> staff provide the EDC with more information about the program. <br /> • <br />