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Item No: 7K Meeting Date: May 14, 2007 Type of Business: Council Business Administrator Review: ____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: James Ericson, Community Development Director Item Title/Subject: Authorization to Advertise to Fill the Vacated Economic Development Specialist Position Introduction: As the Council has been made aware, Aaron Backman, the City’s Economic Development Specialist since 2001, has submitted his resignation to accept a position in another community. In keeping with past practice, any time a position becomes vacant, the Council reviews the position description and considers the responsibilities associated with the position. This occurred at the May 7, 2007 worksession at which direction was given to move forward with the advertising for the position. Discussion: (The following information was presented at the worksession.) The resignation of Mr. Backman creates a large void in the community development department. While Staff is fairly certain the Council understands that the tasks and responsibilities as outlined in the position description cannot be absorbed by existing staff members, we feel that such acknowledgement should be addressed up front. The Council may question the need for such a position given the relative development saturation of the community; however no city—fully developed or otherwise—is a static community. City’s who do not embrace or plan for change or actively promote and encourage the redevelopment of its aging and under-developed properties risk a decreasing tax base and general disinclination of existing businesses and property owners to reinvest back into the community. Economic development, thus, should be a priority for communities at all stages of growth. Mounds View has been working for years on its vision for the County Road 10 corridor and many conditions have come together (Medtronic, Mounds View Square, etc.) to focus more attention on Mounds View which is presently in a redevelopment mode. The Premium Stop redevelopment area, the Saturn dealership and adjacent vacant Multi-tech parcel, the Pac building and liquor store site, the Steve’s appliance site and various other locations within the corridor, Old Highway 8 and Mustang Drive are all areas that will likely redevelop in the near future. The economic development Specialist is instrumental in helping the City to achieve these redevelopment goals. Staff is hopeful the City Council appreciates the magnitude and extent of the activities which are organized and conducted by this position. While it may sound like an overstatement, any delay in filling this position could put certain key developments at risk of either not occurring (i.e., Totino’s) or occurring to a much less desirable extent (i.e., the potential Saturn redevelopment.)