Laserfiche WebLink
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 14, 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 fire 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 />