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Home My WebLink About12-20-2002 Minutes of the Economic Development Commission City of Mounds View Ramsey County, Minnesota Regular Meeting December 20, 2002 City of Mounds View, Council Chambers 2401 Highway 10, Mounds View, MN 55112 1. CALL TO ORDER: Chairperson Greg Belting called the meeting to order at 7:50 a.m. 2. ROLL CALL: Members Present: Dr. Greg Belting, Tom Field, Jason Helgemoe, Torri Johnson, and Stan McDonald Members Absent: Torri Johnson, Dave Fox Staff Present: Economic Development Coordinator Aaron Backman Others Present: Mayor Rich Sonterre 3. APPROVAL OF EDC MINUTES: Motion/Second: McDonald moved and Field seconded the approval of the November 20, 2002 EDC minutes as amended. Motion Carried: 4 Ayes 0 Nays 4. SPECIAL BUSINESS Chairperson Belting recognized outgoing Mayor Sonterre and thanked him for his public service to the City of Mounds View. The EDC appreciates his time and effort on behalf of the community. 5. REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS, STAFF AND EDA LIAISON A. Commissioner Reports: No Report. B. Report of EDA Liaison: Sonterre spoke about the lack of public interest and the need for continued citizen involvement in activities of the City of Mounds View. He thanked the Commissioners for volunteering their time in the service of the EDC. He highlighted the need to have a dedicated staff person, such as Backman, for focusing on economic development. EDC Minutes December 20, 2002 Page 2 C. TCN Chamber of Commerce Update: During the past month Backman participated in the various meetings, including the Gaming Oversight Committee (11/20/02), the Board of the Directors Meeting and the Membership Gaming Meeting on 11/22/02. The TCN Chamber sponsored a Multi-Chamber Expo at the Mermaid on November 21st. Metro North and St. Paul Chambers also participated in the event. Over 60 businesses had booths and food was provided at no cost by the Mermaid. On December 11th he attended the Public Policy Task Force meeting in Fridley. The focus continued to be action items related to state transportation funding. Letters will be sent to the new gubernatorial administration (Pawlenty). A legislative forum will be held focusing on north Metro transportation needs in January 2003. D. Report of Staff: 1. Activity Report: Backman distributed the Business Beat information that will shortly appear in the Mounds View Matters. Backman noted that he visited 24 businesses during late November and the first part of December. Additionally, he met with or had discussions with developers seven times. Backman also distributed to members an 11/25/02 article that appears in the Minnesota Real Estate Journal. It focused on various projects in Mounds View, including the Colonial Craft relocation, Hwy 10 Business Center, the NHHI residential facility (M.V. Gables), the Mermaid & SYSCO expansions. Submitted a business expansion report to DTED this past Tuesday (show latest news article). On the 18th Backman submitted a drawdown or disbursement request to DTED for the Edgewood Regional Pond for the Mermaid project. Assuming everything is processed okay, the City of Mounds View should get a check for $104,736 early next week. This would drawdown all remaining funds in the state grant. What remain for the pond project are to drawdown Ramsey Co. & Rice Creek W.D. matching funds, probably in January 2003. Belting also noted that after the last EDC meeting, members toured the new Blooming Prairie Natural Foods warehouse and discussed the business with its General Manager, Steve Lumsden. 2. I-35W Corridor Coalition Insert in Twin Cities Business Monthly: On Monday of this week Backman was interviewed by Vicki Stavig from T.C. Business Monthly re development in Mounds View this year. This is the 24-page insert that the Coalition is undertaking for publication in Spring 2003. This is the project where Backman obtained three sponsors— Metro North CVB, The Mermaid, and Wells Fargo Bank. 3. Rob Carlson Builders Activities—Hwy 10 Business Center: The former Perkins building was demolished beginning on November 19th. The pouring of the footings is taking a bit longer than expected due to Fabcon’s structural plans taking longer to be finalized. The City has already approved the necessary permits. The developer anticipates that footings will be laid in the latter part of December. 4. Planbook for Split-Level/Entry Homes: Backman added this item to the agenda. A website (www.split-level.com) has been added for Planbook #2 with the intent to seek input from people that own Split-Level homes. The website was designed to ascertain answers to specific questions about these types of housed. Robert Gerloff, the architect developing the Planbook, will use the information that is received for compiling design solutions to problems or upgrades. Backman distributed to members a postcard regarding the recently established website. 5. Developer Activities—Amoco Site Prospect: During November Backman was informed by Tony Strauss, the broker representing the former Amoco site, that there was a potential EDC Minutes December 20, 2002 Page 3 buyer for the property. On Tuesday (12/17) the broker informed Backman that the developer had made a written offer on both the BP Amoco site as well as the vacant property owned by Simon sisters (Judy Wright & Linda Miller). The name of the end user has not been released by the developer at this time. Backman also discussed a potential developer that may acquire both parcels next to the theater. 6. EDC BUSINESS A. Discussion of Tax Abatement Policy & Usage. He summarized the history and basic features of tax abatement. The State of Minnesota initially adopted its tax abatement policy in 1997. The City of Mounds View adopted its current policy on tax abatement in October 2000 (Backman previously e-mailed the M.V. Policy to members). Abatements were designed to give each jurisdiction a voice in economic and redevelopment efforts. The abatement is a tax rebate rather than an exemption from paying taxes. (The taxpayer pays taxes on the abated property in the same manner it would if the taxes were not being abated.) The property taxes on land and structure for a new or old building can be captured by the political subdivision and used to offset development costs. The maximum term of the abatement is ten years if all jurisdictions participate. If one or more entities decline, the maximum term is 15 years for all participating entities. Since 2001 property tax changes, interest in tax abatement as an economic development tool has increased. Backman distributed additional handouts to members—an Abatement summary by Ehlers, and Tax Abatement policies for the cities of Elk River and Roseville. Backman asked that the members review the tax abatement handouts so that recommendations for revisions of the Mounds View Abatement policy can be made to the EDA. B. Consideration of Resolution 02-EDC-35 setting the 2003 Meeting Schedule. The EDC’s regular meetings are currently held on the third Friday of each month. McDonald moved and Helgemoe seconded the approval of the proposed meeting schedule. This was approved 4 to 0. C. Other: Field would like to have members consider at the January meeting goal and objectives for 2003 for the Commission. 8. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Commission, Chair Belting adjourned the December 20th meeting (Helgemoe moved, McDonald seconded motion) of the Economic Development Commission at 8:56 a.m. Respectfully submitted, Aaron A. Backman Economic Development Coordinator \\Ntserver\CityHall\DATA\GROUPS\ECONDEV\EDC\Minutes\Min02\12-20-02.doc