Minutes - 2005/06/20 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mounds View City Council June 20, 2005 Special Meeting Page 6 . there was a 40 million dollar TIF subsidy being proposed on that project. He noted this project was not the same thing because they were talking about raw land versus improved lots. Mike Szczepanski, 2385 Laport Drive, stated he has been on the Park and Recreation Board and The Bridges had never made money and would never make money, even though the "City sold its soul" to Clear Channel He stated he was for the transfer and sale to Medtronic and if most people did not like TIF, they should ask the City Council/EDA where they have used TIF in the past 25 to 50 years. He stated there have been no major projects coming to the City. He indicated all large companies required TIF financing in order to locate within a City. He noted corporations would come in and ask for everything, which was normal. He stated there was a lot of white pollution on the golf course. He believed the City should get rid of the billboards. He indicated the traffic was an issue and the City of Mounds View had promised a sound wall, which had never been constructed. Dave Hicks, 2749 Sherwood Road, stated he did not understand all of the figures and it looked way too complicated for anything to be right about the project. He stated he believed the ending cash value of the Medtronic development would be plus $31,000 due to somebody having to pay the 20.5 million dollars to improve the road. Community Development Director Ericson responded with respect to the transportation improvements, those were funded by the State of Minnesota, which were being made available to Mounds View for this development. He noted those funds were in the State's general fund and if Mounds View did not use it, then another City would get the money. He noted the northern metropolitan area was historically under-funded • regarding transportation improvements. Tim Mitchell, 2280 Knoll Drive, stated he has lived in the City for 49 years and believed The Bridges was the best 9-hole golf course in the metropolitan area. He asked where else were people supposed to go to learn the game. He stated he wanted the golf course to remain a golf course and Medtronic to find other land. Stan Meyer, 2812 Sherwood Road, stated he did not like subsidizing fortune 500 companies. He stated he did not have the opportunity to defer his taxes. With respect to traffic, his road was busy also and the issue was enforcement. He believed their quality of life would go down with this proposal. He stated Medtronic employees would not live in the City; they would commute and believed there would be a bad impact on Highway 10. He stated $43,000 a year to the City for taxes for 25-years was nothing and this was not a good deal for the City. He wanted some other City to pay the cost for Medtronic. Bob Musil, Visit Minneapolis North, stated he was here representing the recreational assets, parks and trails, and the lodging and hospitality business in the northern metropolitan area. He noted Visit Minneapolis North marketed and promoted 11 northern cities as a regional destination and they supported this proposal. He presented to the Mayor a letter and Resolution in support of the sale of The Bridges Golf Course to Medtronic. He encouraged the Council/EDA to vote in favor of this project. He stated this might be a developmental • opportunity of a lifetime for Mounds View and he hoped they did not pass it up.