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Mounds View City Council October 26, 2020 Regular Meeting Page 2 2 6. PUBLIC COMMENT 3 4 Joe Sullivan, 7875 Woodlawn Drive, stated with the YMCA contract not being renewed there 5 were questions about youth sports activities. He reported he represents the Irondale Youth 6 Baseball board. He explained he had interest in helping with future youth baseball programs. He 7 questioned who he should reach out to for future discussions. 8 9 Mayor Mueller encouraged all questions to be directed to Public Works/Parks and Recreation 10 Director Peterson. 11 12 Michael Hanson, 2401 Mounds View Boulevard, stated he represented the Irondale Baseball 13 Association. He explained his organization was interested in moving its youth teams over to the 14 City's parks and recreation program. He reported in the past three years his association has paid 15 over $10,000 in field costs. He commented this was a concern to him given the condition of the 16 fields. He stated there was some work that needed to be done to the City's fields. 17 18 7. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS 19 A. Resolution 9322, Recognizing Twin City Gateway Executive Director Steve 20 Markuson. 21 22 Steve Markuson, Executive Director of Twin Cities Gateway, thanked the Council for their time. 23 He provided the Council with a presentation on this most unusual year and discussed how the 24 tourism industry has been impacted. He provided an overview on the impact tourism has on the 25 State of Minnesota noting pre-COVID this was a $16 billion industry with 69% of Minnesota's 26 visitor spending occurring in the metro area. He described how economic development and jobs 27 follow tourism. He discussed the new website that was constructed in the last year. He reviewed 28 the print publication resources that were invested in for marketing purposes, noting there were a 29 number of digital and online tactics in place. He stated one of his goals was to enhance non -peak 30 period business, especially in the third and fourth quarter. He noted Al Stauffacher participated 31 in a tourism and leadership course from the U of MN. 32 33 Al Stauffecker discussed how the sports world had been impacted in 2020. He reported the 34 majority of the events had been postponed versus being canceled. He commented on the US 35 Figure Skating event that would be held at the Super Rink in November. He indicated he had 36 been marketing events virtually due to COVID. He discussed the events that were being bid on 37 and noted the 3M Open would be brought back to Blaine in 2021. 38 39 Mr. Markuson thanked Council Member Meehlhause for representing Mounds View well at 40 Twin Cities Gateway. 41 42 Council Member Meehlhause requested an update on the Twin Cities Gateway staffing model 43 going forward. Mr. Markuson reported he would be hanging up his hat on December 31, 2020. 44 He explained this had been a tremendous career opportunity for him and he was looking forward 45 to retirement. He indicated Al Stauffecker would be replacing him as the Executive Director