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MINUTES FOR THE EDA MEETING OF JANUARY 11, 2010 <br /> EDA President Fran Miron called the meeting to order at 8:30 am. <br /> PRESENT: Jan Arcand, Tom Denaway, Jim Bever, Phil Klein, Brian Thistle and Fran Miron <br /> ABSENT: Mike Granger <br /> CITY STAFF PRESENT: City Administrator Mike Ericson, Community Development <br /> Director Bryan Bear, Associate Planner Rachel Simone, and Shayla Syverson, Economic <br /> Development/ Parks Intern <br /> APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE EDA MEETING OF DECEMBER t4, 2009 <br /> Klein made motion, Thistle seconded, to approve the minutes for the EDA meeting of December 14, <br /> 2009. <br /> All ayes. Motion carried. <br /> UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT <br /> The City Administrator gave an update on the Carpenters Steakhouse fire. He stated that staff <br /> and members of the Council met with the owners after the Fre to see if there was anything <br /> the City could do to help. The emergency response to the fire was excellent. The State Fire <br /> Marshal has completed his investigation on the cause of the fire. The building is ready to be <br /> demolished and the insurance company is providing the money for the demolition. The CD <br /> Director stated he is talking to the owners to see if the building to the north can be <br /> demolished at the same time. He stated that the City's purchase of the property is on hold for <br /> now. <br /> UPDATE ON BR&E PROGRAM <br /> Shayla Syverson, Economic Development/ Parks Intern gave an update on the BR&E <br /> program. She stated that 38 businesses have been visited and surveyed by the BR&E <br /> program leadership team and task force members and each has received help locating <br /> business resources they requested. Staff was at the U of M on January 7, 2010 for a meeting <br /> with the extension educators to discuss the outcomes of the surveys. There will be a meeting <br /> on February 8, 2010 to showcase the results of the survey and for the task force members to <br /> come up with implementation items and project ideas. In the beginning of March 2010 the U <br /> of M Extension staff will present the full report of the survey results and the implementation <br /> strategies identified. <br /> UPDATE ON CITY-WIDE INTERNET/2010 LMC LEGISLATION <br /> Staff updated the EDA on their meeting with Quest and the information that they provided. <br /> There are complexities of the internet system to provide high speed internet to everyone in <br /> Hugo. The urban area is covered, but the rural area is more complicated to cover because <br /> properties are spread out. It will cost a lot of money to provide high speed internet to <br /> everyone in Hugo. The League of MN Cities Bulletin was discussed. New legislation for <br /> 2010 will focus on telecommunications and municipal involvement. <br /> 2009 EDA ANNUAL REPORT <br />