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EDC Minutes <br />March 4, 2015 <br />Page 3 of 5 <br />volunteers review the draft survey and provide comments on questions that could be added <br />which would be specific to Arden Hills. <br />Mr. Weinhagen reviewed the data on the business community from 2014. He noted that the <br />program will prioritize visiting companies within projected high growth industry sectors. <br />Landmark businesses that have been in the City for an extended period of time will also be <br />prioritized for volunteer visits. <br />Commissioner Von Holtum commented that there is a sizeable med-tech cluster of businesses <br />in the City and that it will be important that these companies are visited as part of the program. <br />Mr. Weinhagen noted that many of the smaller med-tech businesses are in a significant growth <br />stage and that these are exactly the types of companies that need to be engaged. <br />Commissioner Von Holtum questioned how the volunteer visits will be coordinated and the <br />expected duration of each visit. <br />Mr. Weinhagen expected that the visits would be a maximum of 60 minutes in length. He noted <br />that SPACC will be coordinating all of the business visits and that an online platform will be <br />created to help organize the volunteers. <br />Mr. Zimmerman asked if there was a certain management level at the businesses that would be <br />targeted. <br />Mr. Weinhagen commented that SPACC would be targeting senior level managers that have a <br />broad understanding of the operations and projections of the company. <br />Chair Heikkila requested information on the expected timeline for recruiting volunteers and <br />beginning the business visits. <br />Mr. Weinhagen commented that SPACC expects to have a refined survey and business <br />inventory list for the April EDC meeting. He added that the volunteer group should be finalized <br />by the end of April so that a training session could be held at the May EDC meeting for the <br />business visits. <br />B. Gateway Signs <br />Community Development Director Hutmacher provided background information on the <br />history and location of the City's existing gateway signs. She noted that the EDA has requested <br />feedback from the EDC on the design and location of future gateway signs from a business <br />perspective. <br />Commissioner Von Holtum commented that the proposed sign location at Highway 96 and I- <br />35W should be prioritized, especially considering the future redevelopment of the TCAAP site.