Minutes - 2004/04/12 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council April 12, 2004 Regular Meeting Page 7 • Mr. Settman indicated that he is a businessman and he believes it would be a good business move to have Bethlehem come to the City. Mayor Linke indicated he had worked with Mr. Settman on a building in Monticello in the past. John Grahno indicated he lives in New Brighton and has children at Irondale High School. He then read a top l O list of economic reasons to have Bethlehem come to the City. Those include 250,000 visits to the downtown facility last week, a $5.6 million dollar investment in an unfinished under utilized building and another $2.5 million for future improvements; Wednesday evening meal and the building would not have a kitchen in the beginning so the meal would need to be catered by local establishments; weddings; $20,000 to $25,000 in building permit fees; the $25,000 project service fund every year; and the TIF administration fee. He further commented that they are willing to negotiate because they feel that God has called them to this place and they want to be a partner with the City in the community. Mr. Grahno indicated he feels this is a win win for the City because, if they fail, the City gets all the improvements to a building that someone else could come into and the Church has brought it back onto the tax roles earlier than it would have been. Mayor Linke asked if there is a north campus now. • Mr. Grahno indicated that 800 to 1,000 members are meeting at Northwestern College. Council Member Quick asked where the parishioners come from. Mr. Grahno indicated that they are spread out but a large number come from the 35W/610 and that is almost the epicenter. Jackie Madsen indicated she has lived in the City for 24 years and there has not been a lot of outreach from the local churches. She then said that based on information received from Bethlehem that they are very involved in the community and this community needs a Church that ministers to the Community the way that Bethlehem does. She further commented that she has seen business growth in Mounds View and now it is time to welcome a new place of worship. Greg Sole, an attorney and member of the Church, addressed Council and asked them to consider the request from purely a planning standpoint not an economic one. He then commented that the Church is tax exempt but has offered payments for services and a fund to use for programs within the City but does not want to sign a contract as that would jeopardize future churches and their tax exempt status. Mr. Sole suggested that the Planning Commission reports and findings have all been positive based on zoning and land use perspectives and he asked Council to consider the zoning and not • the economics of their request.