Minutes - 2005/06/20 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council June 20, 2005 Special Meeting Page 11 • City. She stated this proposal would not make a bit of difference on her property taxes. She stated she had nothing against Medtronic and believed they were a good company, and that was not the debate, but they needed to do what was best for Mounds View and they needed to be sure that this was the best use of the land. She stated Medtronic's stockholders wanted them to negotiate as cheap of a deal as possible, but that did not mean that is what was best for Mounds View. She requested the City should look at all options. Sid Inman, Ehlers & Associates, responded the TIF Financing was 40 percent less than Medtronic could have asked for and this had been negotiated down. He noted the important thing to distinguish was that the multi-million dollar corporation could buy the land, but the reality is that they would not buy the land and Medtronic would want what was best for their stockholders. Ronald Strittmater, 2911 Wyoming Avenue South, St. Louis Park, formerly of Coon Rapids, stated he was introduced to The Bridges 8 years ago and he played there every weekend and sometimes during the week also. He indicated one of the reasons he left Coon Rapids was because of the traffic. He stated he enjoyed this community and he came up to this community two or three times a week to play golf. John Kulp, 8461 Spring Lake Road, thanked the Council for listening to them. He stated he had lived in the community for 10 years. He stated he did not want Mounds View to turn into a "little LA" and he moved here because it was a small community, yet it was close to the City. He • stated he did not want this community to turn into something it was not designed to be. He noted jets were being proposed to come to the Blaine Airport. He stated he was not anti-business and he understood Medtronic's deserved some help to come into the City, but Mounds View had very little available land and he did not think Mounds View was the appropriate place for this business. He stated he did not have a problem with growing the City, but this was a small city and everyone had to make choices. He stated did they really need to sell the golf course. He suggested the City do a better job of advertising the golf course. He stated there had to be a way to make The Bridges more profitable without giving it up entirely. He believed the City could do better. Cathy Olin, 8245 Spring Lake Road, believed her road was the busiest road in Mounds View. She asked if the City had looked at any other options. She stated the Mounds View residents moved here for areason -the land, the trees, and the community. She believed the residents should have the vote and not just the Council. She believed most people speaking tonight wanted to keep the golf course. She noted many people came from other areas to play the course because it was a good course. She indicated they needed something to draw the people to the community, like restaurants. She asked them why the City had not put a restaurant on the golf course to get more people to come into the community. She asked if Medtronic had taken any Council Members/EDA Commissioners out to dinner or for drinks, etc. Mayor/President Marty replied as a Council/EDA they had not seriously looked at any other options. He indicated Medtronic had not taken any Council Member/EDA Commissioner out and the only time the • Council/EDA had met with Medtronic had been at City Hall in Conference Room C.