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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – FEBRUARY 26, 2025 6 <br />Commissioner Gronquist said she doesn’t receive a newsletter at her business address. She said <br />newsletters aren’t mailed to specific addresses; they are “dropped” via zip code. The zip code is <br />55112. When carriers are delivering mail, they are to drop a newsletter in every box with a 55112 <br />zip code. Her business is in a small section of the City with the zip code 55126. <br /> <br />Council Liaison Rousseau said with a large business like Bethel, if one newsletter is dropped, <br />there is no way everyone will see it. <br /> <br />Commissioner Gronquist said you can sign up to have an electronic newsletter delivered to your <br />email address. <br /> <br />Commissioner Daniels asked if email addresses were collected as a part of the survey. <br /> <br />Commissioner Gronquist said that was a question. They asked for email contact information and <br />asked if it was okay for EDC to contact them via that email. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Fransen said that information is also collected with the Business License process <br />however, that can be a corporate email, not necessarily the local contact. <br /> <br />Commissioner Poelzer said hearing that businesses list the newsletter as a resource for City- <br />specific information, it should be a priority to let people know they can receive it electronically. <br /> <br />Commissioner Sorenson asked how the newsletter is being promoted. He is in the 55126 section <br />of town. He didn’t even know there was a newsletter. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Fransen said that is something to keep in mind. There is an opportunity to make <br />recommendations for how the City can leverage the newsletter. If the EDC wants to generate <br />content for the newsletter featuring businesses or events, that can be added to the work plan list. <br /> <br />Commissioner Poelzer asked what the business license fee is in Arden Hills. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Fransen said it varies, depending on the type of business. <br /> <br />Commissioner Gronquist said service businesses apply for a registration, which has no cost. The <br />License fee is based on the type of business. She said some fees are regulated by the State and the <br />City has no say in the amount. The City’s fee schedule establishes the fees for other businesses. <br /> <br /> <br />Commissioner Gronquist said the list of license fees is provided on the City website. <br /> <br />Chair Murchie asked about a business breakfast. He wonders if there is interest in piloting a <br />business open house, over breakfast or lunch. Members of the EDC could have a table, and they <br />could have the newsletter available. EDC members could collect some data by talking to the <br />business owners who attend. He understands there are costs to that type of event but he thinks that <br />may be a way to provide some networking opportunities for owners who don’t live in town. <br /> <br />Commissioner Brausen said when these events happened regularly before, there were a lot of <br />people who attended. <br /> <br />Chair Murchieasked why the breakfasts stopped happening.