Laserfiche WebLink
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – JULY 23, 2025 3 <br />Commissioner Poelzer said it could be that the City had let go of bringing businesses together. <br />This is more than having individual contacts with businesses. This is the City bringing business <br />together. She was talking to other residents and they asked what she did for the EDC. They were <br />asking about the history of the business events. It was a tradition to get businesses in the City to <br />connect together. <br /> <br />Commissioner Brausen thought “connect” would be a good theme. <br /> <br />City Administrator Jagoe said we can work with the Senior Communications Coordinator to <br />refine the message. What she is hearing is this is bringing life back to past tradition and spring <br />board to what is ahead, without committing entirely to what that is. This is the first interaction and <br />a reminder of what was done in the past and bringing that back. <br /> <br />Commissioner Poelzer wondered who owned the event, in the past. <br /> <br />Commissioner Brausen remembers it came from a committee similar to the EDC. He thinks the <br />interest ebbs and flows depending on who is on City Council. He thinks the City being more <br />engaging with the businesses is wonderful. For the past ten years there wasn’t much interest from <br />Council. He said it’s easily been at least a decade since an event like this. <br /> <br />Commissioner Poelzer looked at the website to try to glean what we are supposed to be doing <br />here. She thinks we are here to facilitate positive interaction with the business community. That is <br />also a piece to share with the Senior Communications Coordinator. <br /> <br />Commissioner Daniels said Bethel has alumni events about six times a year. They are networking <br />events and there is typically a speaker. They are finding that people are hesitant to come to the <br />conversation piece. They are more comfortable if there is a program or a scheduled speaker. They <br />advertise for attendees to arrive 30 minutes before the speaker starts for networking. People don’t <br />come for that part. They changed the format so the networking is structured. People seem to be <br />more willing to come for facilitated networking. <br /> <br />Commissioner Poelzer said that is what we are thinking about. We thought of having an EDC <br />member at each of the tables. We thought about having a survey at the tables, too. <br /> <br />Chair Murchie said one of the outcomes we are looking for is to inform our work through building <br />relationships. We can say we will have facilitated discussion to inform the EDC’s work over the <br />next year. That will set an expectation. It’s not just asking them to come to the event and meet <br />your business neighbors. That will be part of it. It is building connections, facilitating discussions <br />to inform our work and building new connections. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Fransen said there has been a conversation about breakfast. She wondered how <br />that will fit in to the title. She thinks having pastries and coffee, it could be something like “Coffee <br />and Connection”. Hearing no other suggestions for themes and title, Senior Communications <br />Coordinator Michlig will work on a themed title based off of the discussion today. <br /> <br />Commissioner Brausen asked if we have a speaker yet. <br /> <br />Senior Planner Fransen that will be part of today’s discussion. <br /> <br />Commissioner Gronquist said the biggest difference with this is it is only Arden Hills businesses.