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EDC Minutes <br />March 2, 2016 <br />Page 2 of 4 <br /> <br />additional revisions to the report based on the comments provided by the EDA. The revised report <br />could then be provided to the EDA at a future meeting. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Bachler outlined the four key recommendations of the report as follows: <br /> <br />Transit Advocacy – Proposal to extend the Snelling Avenue Bus Rapid Transit corridor <br />into Arden Hills. Recommend the City invite Metro Transit to an EDA work session to <br />discuss what they are considering in terms of transit in the area. <br /> <br />Workforce Training – City staff to meet with local technical and community colleges <br />with job training programs to obtain valuable information that could be passed on to local <br />businesses in an effort to assist them in meeting their workforce needs. <br /> <br />Tracking Growing Businesses – City staff to create a system to check in regularly with <br />growing businesses to determine the status of their needs. <br /> <br />Continued BRE Program – City staff to put system in place to identify a targeted list of <br />businesses to visit each year. Coordinated effort with local Chambers and GreaterMSP. <br />Potentially share data with regional and state databases. <br /> <br />A discussion ensued regarding these four main recommendations. <br /> <br />A list of action steps to further the goals for each recommendation was created as follows: <br /> <br /> Transit Advocacy <br />• Meet with businesses that would be affected by expanded transit <br />• Invite Metro Transit to future EDA meeting <br />• Design infrastructure to accommodate transit <br /> <br /> Workforce Training <br />• Understand what skills are needed <br />• Identify a clear point of contact at the City <br />• Build employer relationships <br />• Investigate satellite programs and partnerships with local schools such as Century College, <br />Anoka-Hennepin Technical College, Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Dunwoody <br />Institute and Normandale Community College <br /> <br /> Tracking Growing Businesses <br />• Obtain data from SPACC <br />• Obtain and provide regular business updates <br /> <br /> Continued BRE Program <br />• Expand current site visits <br />• Coordinate with other entities <br />• Show value to existing businesses <br />• Share regional information <br />• Communicate information back to businesses