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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-22-1999 Minutes of the Economic Development Commission City of Mounds View Ramsey County, Minnesota Regular Meeting July 22, 1999 City of Mounds View, City Council Chambers 2401 Highway 10, Mounds View, MN 55112 1. CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at approximately 7:40 a.m. by Chairperson Cindy Carlson. 2. ROLL CALL: Members present: Cindy Carlson, Tom Field, Julie Olsen, Wendy Marty Members absent: Sean Walther, Jerry Kahn, Rosemary Goff, EDA Liaison Lynn Thomason. Staff present: Community Development Director Rick Jopke, Economic Development Coordinator Kevin Carroll 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Motion/Second: Field/Olsen to approve the minutes from June 22, 1999, with the understanding that the list of those in attendance will be revised to reflect Community Development Director Rick Jopke’s attendance. Motion Carried : 4 Ayes 0 Nays 4. SPECIAL BUSINESS Economic Development Coordinator Carroll provided the EDC with an update regarding DTED’s decision to award Mounds View a grant in the amount of $333,333 to assist with stormwater handling improvements in connection with the proposed Mermaid redevelopment project. Carroll indicated that the project will not move forward unless or until the developers are able to obtain ownership of certain adjoining parcels of property. If they are unable to acquire the parcel on which the new [proposed] sedimentation pond was going to be located, alternative locations for the pond will have to be investigated. In addition, the City must match the amount of the DTED grant, so if the City declines to provide the project with at least $333,333 in tax increment [or other] financing, the City may be forced to decline acceptance of the grant. Carroll also advised the EDC that at its next meeting on 7-26-99, the EDA might be taking action on a request or proposal to remove the Realife and Holiday parcels from TIF District #2. Commissioner Walther, who anticipated that he would be out of town on the day of the [7-22-99] EDC meeting, had contacted Carroll prior to that time to (among other things) convey his belief that the EDC’s opinion/advice should be sought by the EDA before removing any parcels from any TIF District(s). Chair Carlson agreed, but indicated that the topic in question should be deferred until after the completion of the EDC’s work on the Economic Development section of the Comprehensive Guide Plan. 5. EDC BUSINESS A. Comprehensive Guide Plan -- Economic Development Section The EDC members extensively discussed the most recent draft of the Economic Development section of the Comprehensive Guide Plan. 1. In Section Two [Priorities], Commissioner Olsen requested that the word “priorities” in the section title and in the introductory paragraph be replaced by the word “objectives.” The EDC voted 3-1 (Olsen dissenting) to leave the section title as is, but to add the words “and objectives” after the word “priorities” in the introductory paragraph. The EDC members also unanimously agreed to delete the phrase “Beyond the preceding general priorities and objectives” from the beginning of the first full paragraph that follows the six bullet points. 2. In Section Three [Resources], Commissioner Olsen requested that the fifth (“Ongoing efforts to enhance…”) and eleventh (“A coordinated approach…”) bullet points be deleted. The EDC voted 3-1 (Olsen dissenting) to leave them in. 3. In Section Four [Challenges], Commissioner Olsen reiterated her belief that the entire section should be eliminated, but that if it is to remain, she would at least like to see the fifth bullet point (“In order to counter the possible perception…”) deleted. The EDC voted 3-1 (Olsen dissenting) to revise the italicized portion to read, “In order to strengthen Mounds View’s ‘identity’…”, but to leave the remainder of the paragraph intact. The EDC members unanimously agreed to eliminate the 9th (“Although a competitive…”) and 10th (“In light of the fact….”) bullet points, although Chair Carlson wanted the record to reflect that with respect to the latter, the EDC recognizes the significance of the workforce issue and encourages City staff members to continue working collaboratively with others to address the issue. The EDC members unanimously agreed to revise the [formerly] 11th bullet point to read: “In light of the limited selection of “tools” that are available to the City to finance or promote economic development, monitor developments affecting economic development and (where appropriate) make recommendations regarding alternative, new or improved methods of providing advice, assistance or encouragement. 4. It was agreed that Section Five [Financial Incentives] would be deleted, but that the “essence” of the section would be incorporated into Section Three. In particular, it was agreed that the [previous] seventh and eight bullet points would be combined, and that “sub- bullet” points would be created to address the City’s past use(s) of assistance, the City’s past and future adherence to written policies regarding the use of assistance, and the City’s plan to regularly review its related policies and programs. The three EDC members who were still in attendance at this point in the discussion agreed that all of the EDC members should review the “final” draft of the ED Section when it is received, and that Economic Development Coordinator Carroll should be contacted as much in advance of the 8-26-99 EDC meeting as possible if anyone believes that the “final” draft is not yet ready to be submitted to the EDA/City Council. B. Discussion of TIF options Inasmuch as a quorum no longer existed when the EDC got to this topic, it was agreed that discussion of the topic would be deferred to the EDC=s next meeting on August 26, 1999. 6. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Commission, this meeting of the Economic Development Commission adjourned at approximately 9:08 a.m. Respectfully Submitted, Kevin Carroll Economic Development Coordinator