08-21-96 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF ARDEN HILLS MEMORANDUM DATE. August 15, 1996 TO: Economic Development Committee FROM: Kevin Ringwald, Community Development Director SUBJECT: Banners The EDC at their July of 1996 meeting requested that Staff investigate the replacement of the banners which exist along County Road E, as they are currently in poor condition. Banners The banners are 24 inches by 72 inches. The banners are two colors and have Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter motifs. There were 40 banners (20 Spring/Summer and 20 Fall/Winter)which were purchased for installation. The banners were originally purchased, through private donations, in 1992. The funding for periodic maintenance and replacement of the banners has not been provided by, • nor sought from, the businesses along County Road E. The semi-annual replacement of the banners has been problematic for the City's field crews, since the City does not have a bucket truck. The crews have replaced the banners by standing in the bucket of a front end loader, which is not a safe construction practice. In discussion with vendors the 24 inch by 72 inch banner requires special cutting. The standard banner is 30 inches by 80 inches. Also, the Staff asked for quotes on replacing the banner brackets. Currently,the banner brackets are metal which do not flex in high winds and cause significant structural fatigue of the brackets and the banners. The Staff requested quotes for flexible brackets. Cost The Staff prepared an analysis of an alternate which replaces the 20 Spring/Summer and 20 Fall/Winter banners. The estimated cost of this alternate is $7,267.31. The Staff also prepared an analysis of an alternate which provides for 20 Spring, 20 Summer, 20 Fall, and 20 Winter banners. The estimated cost of this alternate is $14,271.33. Obviously, either of these alternates requires a costly undertaking. The Staff would conclude that if the businesses along County Road E wish to have the banners, then those businesses should be responsible for raising the necessary private funding for the project. The EDC may wish to facilitate the fund raising by contacting businesses or charitable organizations for donations. The EDC should discuss the relative merits of this activity against the activities which are anticipated to occupy the EDC's time in 1997 (ie., business retention, etc.,). The EDC may wish to discuss this idea with the affected businesses prior to identifying this as a potential goal for 1997.