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Golf Course Billboards <br /> <br />One of the most important issues facing the City relates to the placement of billboards on the <br />Golf Course. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of MnDot, overturning the Court of Appeals’ <br />decision that the permits for the billboards should have been issued by the Commissioner of <br />Transportation. I will be meeting with Clear Channel Outdoor this week to ascertain what the <br />next step will be and will report back to the Council as to any updates or courses of action <br />which may necessitate City involvement. <br /> <br />TIF Audit <br />On May 14, 2003, the City and the State of Minnesota reached an agreement to settle the <br />State Auditor’s findings of non-compliance concerning the City’s TIF program. As you will <br />recall, the Office of the State Auditor (OSA) conducted tax increment financing (TIF) legal <br />compliance audit of the EDA’s TIF districts in early of 2001. In July of that year the OSA sent <br />a letter indicating four findings of noncompliance. The first three findings were that <br />properties purchased by the EDA were not identified by PIN number in the TIF plan. The last <br />finding related to the City’s inability to produce copies of letters that had been sent to the <br />School Board and County board in conjunction with the formation of the three original TIF <br />districts. The City disputed all four findings and responded in writing with the assistance of <br />Jim O’Meara. In November of that year, the OSA referred the matter to the Ramsey County <br />Attorney. After the county attorney took no action on the matter, in December of 2002 the <br />Auditor forwarded the issue to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). With the <br />assistance of Jim O’Meara, a settlement was reached with the OAG in which the City agreed <br />it would include with future TIF plans a description of properties within the districts it intended <br />to acquire, and that the City would not create any new tax increment finance districts or add <br />to any existing districts for a period of three months. No financial penalties resulted from the <br />negotiated settlement. <br /> <br />Economic Development <br /> <br />Aaron continues to be proactive in his tireless promotion of the City and the various <br />development opportunities here. Through his efforts the Velmeir Development Company <br />has signed an agreement to develop the vacant Amoco site and we are already in receipt of <br />a planning application. Aaron has also been instrumental in the reuse of the former <br />Community Ed space at the Community Center and has been assisting with the negotiations <br />related to the banquet facility. Other development opportunities are on the horizon due in <br />part to Aaron’s marketing and promotional efforts. Aaron has met with the owner and <br />management team of Moundsview Square in an effort to engage in a dialogue designed to <br />encourage reinvestment and potential redevelopment of the mall and reuse of the former <br />Hardee’s building. <br /> <br />The Woods of Mounds View <br />Aaron continues to work with ProCraft Homes in their effort to create an upscale housing <br />subdivision south of County Road H2. Negotiations are ongoing between the developer and <br />the property owners however the process has taken more time and is not as far along as we <br />had anticipated when the project was initiated earlier this year.