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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-21-19 MINUTES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Regular Meeting November 21, 2019 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order by Chair Simmons at 6:30 p.m. Members Present: Simmons, Bernhjelm, Butterfield, Jolley, Wilson Members Absent: Cordes, Craig Also Present: Adam Kienberger, Community Development Director;Kalley Swift, Community Development Specialist 2. PLEDGE OFALLEGL4NCE 3. ROLL CALL 4. APPROVE AGENDA MOTION by Bernhjelm, second by Jolley to approve the Agenda. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. 5. CITIZEN COMMENTS/PRESENTATIONS 6. CONSENT AGENDA MOTION by Bernhjelm, second by Wilson to approve the Consent Agenda as follows: a) Approved Meeting Minutes (October 24, 2019, Regular Meeting) b) Received Monthly Financial Statements APIF,MOTION CARRIED. 7. PUBLIC HEARINGS 8. DISCUSSION ITEMS a) Business Retention & Expansion Draft Program Plan Kalley Swift, Community Development Specialist, explained that BR&E programs focus on two components—data and relationships. Staff is hoping to reach a balance between the two. The BR&E program directly relates to the EDA Strategic Plan. She presented a list of goals for the program. Staff suggested forming a sub-committee of 2-3 EDA members to develop this program. People doing the business visits will be a volunteer group who want to improve business retention and expansion. These people will be outside of the EDA or city staff. Volunteers could come from other boards and commissions, chamber members, etc. There would be one business visit a month with 2-3 people at each visit. The EDA sub-committee will take the data and information gathered from the business visits and direct actions for short, medium and long term follow-up procedures. EDA Minutes(Regular) November 21,2019 Page 2 The next step is to identify a list of businesses the program would like to contact. Staff suggested looking at businesses with less than 100 employees and top ten employers. It could also be businesses who have ground breakings and ribbon cuttings. Chair Simmons spoke about how the visit could be a little different depending on the size of the business and how familiar they are with EDA programs. Staff recommended a uniform approach to the visits so we get the same data sets back and can identify trends. Volunteers could come and go, but the program structure would stay the same. Member Jolley noted we have asked a business to complete a survey in past visits. In her experience a more effective way to accomplish the same goal is for us to look at the survey, know what's in it, know what information we are trying to get from that particular business. Everyone is not the same and business owners have different levels of time and patience. We need to know what is on that survey and we need to fill it out. You don't want to give the same questionnaire to a business that is struggling and one that has just doubled their staff. That is where the personal approach makes more sense. You want to talk to the owner and they are busy. So let's make it as easy as we can. Member Butterfield agreed. That is a great reason for having business visits and a more robust list of people going that have different perspectives. He envisioned it as having a casual conversation while learning what is on the survey. Member Jolley also felt we need to do more with businesses that are leasing. Member Wilson felt the concept behind the sub-committee to run with the program is the most exciting part. Member Jolley noted it will be a learning experience for the sub-committee. She liked the program, but let the program grow and develop. We do want to have something to be able to talk to owners or managers of the business. Staff presented a sample letter and there will be follow-up with a phone call or stop in to see if they received the letter and are interested in a visit. After the program is set up,we need to implement business visits and the business needs assessment. Staff provided assessment surveys from the University of MN and GreaterMSP. These should be used to develop an assessment survey for Farmington. Chair Simmons noted a couple questions deal with when the renter's lease expires. She agreed with Member Jolley that is an important factor to be proactive. Community Development Director Kienberger wanted to get the questions to the business ahead of time and provide the answers to us so the majority of the visit can be spent getting data and asking specific questions that we would repeat for every business, but it will not be impersonal. Community Development Specialist Swift noted a key part of the business is identifying red flags that would cause the business to close or leave the city. There would be a business visit training for volunteers before they go out. Stipends would not be paid to the volunteers. Training will be provided by city staff. There should also be a skip-it rule and a confidentiality rule. The skip-it rule allows a business to opt out of answering any questions. The confidentiality rule will allow businesses to increase their response rate if they are worried about giving a response about the business climate. EDA Minutes(Regular) November 21,2019 Page 3 There will be short, medium and long-term follow-up. The short term will be thank you notes and respond to any red flags. Information would be sent to them regarding programs useful to them. Medium-term could be a business spotlight in the Farmington Currents and social media. This would also promote the BR&E program and would be seen by other businesses to encourage them to participate. Long-term a summary report of the data would be prepared. The next step would be to create the subcommittee. MOTION by Bernhjelm, second by Butterfield to create a subcommittee to run the BR&E program. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. Members Bernhjelm, Butterfield, Wilson volunteered to be on the subcommittee. Member Jolley offered to be an alternate. Staff will reach out to absent members to determine their interest. The first meeting of the subcommittee would be the first week in December. One of the first things the subcommittee will do is determine volunteers for the business visits. Member Bernhjelm saw it as a posting for volunteers similar to that for board and commission members. Member Butterfield felt we are moving forward with a more formal BR&E program and that should be promoted within our social media channels. b) 2020 CDBG Allocation Recommendation Staff has received the actual numbers for the CDBG program for 2020. In 2019 we received $39,549 in CDBG funds. Current balances are: Home Improvement Loan Program $21,428.90 Commercial Rehab $34,999.50 Public Service—Senior Center $ 5,000.00 We will be receiving $38,897 for program year 2020, subject to the federal budget. Staff is proposing to allocate: Home Improvement Loan Program $33,897 (there is a wait list for this) Senior Services Financial Support $5,000 The Commercial Rehab of$34,999.50 still exists for program year 2020. MOTION by Wilson, second by Bernhjelm to forward this recommendation to the City Council for approval. APIF, MOTION CARRIED. c) City Council Update Member Bernhjelm noted there has been a discussion here about the EDA budget and how it is allocated by the City Council. It was brought to the City Council about bringing budget recommendations from boards and commissions. So if you want more than $40,000 you have the opportunity to explain it to the City Council. A meeting in the spring would be spent on the EDA budget and what is needed. Then the chair of the EDA would come to the City Council. A first draft of the budget is brought to the City Council in June for the following year. The tax levy is approved in September so the EDA will know how much they are receiving for 2021 at that time. EDA Minutes(Regular) November 21,2019 Page 4 9. DIRECTOR'S REPORT a) November Director's Report All EDA members will be attending the board and commission reception with the City Council on December 5. A summary of the work done will be presented by the chair of each group. Staff discussed an outline of the presentation. Because of this, the EDA will not have another meeting in December. The next meeting would be January 23, 2020. Chair Simmons asked about moving that meeting to January 30, 2020. Members agreed. Riste lot update—Homestead Community Church continues to have an interest in the Riste lot. Staff is working on a contract for private development. 10. ADJOURN MOTION by Bernhjelm, second by Wilson to adjourn at 8:07 p.m. APIF,MOTION CARRIED. Respectfully submitted, Cu wth%a Mi LLer Cynthia Muller Administrative Assistant