HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-18-22 CITY OF FARMINGTON
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
January 18, 2021
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by EDA Chair Wilson at 6:00 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OFALLEGIANCE
Chair Wilson led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance.
3. ROLL CALL
Members Present: Bernhjelm,Hoyt,Porter,Wilson
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: David McKnight,City Administrator; Kalley Swift,Community
Development Specialist
Others Present: Nick Lien; Kara Hildreth,Journalist
4. APPROVEAGENDA
MOTION by Hoyt,second by Porter to approve the Agenda.APIF,MOTION CARRIED.
5. CITIZENS COMMENTS
6. CONSENT AGENDA
Chair Wilson asked city staff to review the Open To Business program.Specialist Swift
outlined that Open To Business is a partnership between the Metropolitan Consortium of
Community Developers (MCCD)and the Dakota County Community Development Agency
(CDA) and Dakota County cities and townships to offer and provide any business or resident
in Dakota County with free business advising.MCCD provides a business advisor to work
one-on-one with entrepreneurs and established businesses for developing business plans,
finding financial resources,identifying cash flow opportunities or challenges,etc.The EDA
pays roughly$5,000 a year out of their annual operating budget to this program.
MOTION by Hoyt,second by Bernhjelm to approve the Consent Agenda as follows:
a) Open To Business-Joint Powers Agreement
b) Monthly Financial Statement
c) Meeting Minutes (November 15, 2021 Regular Meeting)
APIF,MOTION CARRIED.
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS
8. DISCUSSION ITEMS
a) 2022 Redevelopment and Property Reinvestment Program
At the November 2021 Regular EDA meeting,the EDA approved allocating$30,000 to a
Redevelopment and Property Reinvestment Program for 2022.The EDA is now being asked
to review revised guidelines and application process for the program.
Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 1 of 2
Regular Meeting
January 18,2022
City staff reviewed the pilot year of the Redevelopment and Property Reinvestment
Program from 2021.The intent of the program was to spur investment on commercial and
industrial properties to foster property improvements,redevelopment growth and increase
the productive use of existing infrastructure within the City of Farmington.These projects
focused on property,building and code improvements otherwise seen as barriers for reuse
and redevelopment of a property.
For 2022,the proposed program mimics the updated Facade Improvement Program for
better EDA program cohesion.Major changes to the program for 2022 include new hard
deadlines and the addition of a scorecard which can be used as a tool when the program has
more grant funding requested than grant funding available.
Chair Wilson asked the EDA for input on the proposed program.Member Bernhjelm likes
how the proposed program is presented and is excited to see what another year of the
program will spur in the business community.Member Porter asked clarification questions
on the scorecard.City staff clarified that the scorecard is only used as a tool for the EDA
when accepting or denying program applications.The EDA has the ability to award a grant
to a business or property owner who scores lower on the scorecard than other businesses
or property owners who apply to the same program.The EDA grant programs have a
history of being over-applied for and the scorecard and hard deadlines are to help add
structure and guidance in the grant program process.
MOTION by Porter,second by Bernhjelm,to approve the guidelines and application process
for the 2022 Redevelopment and Property Reinvestment Program as presented.APIF,
MOTION CARRIED.
9. DIRECTOR'S REPORT
a) SourceLink Activity Report
City staff reviewed the August-December 2021 and November-December 2021
SourceLink Activity Reports.Member Porter inquired about the details of the report and
different reports which could give more information.For example,with the top ten
categories for the type of assistance requested,is it possible to get a breakdown of who is
looking for site location assistance such as the business type,size of property/building they
are looking for,etc.City staff said that right now only the highest-level report is pulled for
publication in the EDA packet.Staff can go into SourceLink to see what other types of
reports can be pulled for future packets which would provide additional details which can
also be posted publicly.
Discussion was had within the EDA Members about SourceLink as a CRM,it's future use
with city staff of adding more users and what its future options looks like.Chair Wilson
would like to see actionable items come out of SourceLink and its reports.
10. ADJOURN
MOTION by Porter,second by Hoyt to adjourn at 6:38 p.m. APIF,MOTION CARRIED.
Respectfully submitted,
Kalley Swift
Community Development Specialist
Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 2 of 2
Regular Meeting
January 18,2022