10-08-25 EDC Agenda Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – AUGUST 27, 2025 10 cost for a licensed business but determined that business registrations don’t generate that same level of cost. Commissioner Daniels asked for clarification that we can’t raise the fees or that we can get more fees. City Administrator Jagoe said the fees that are charged for the business license are intended to offset the cost of issuing the license. Council Liaison Rousseau said it is interesting that during the budget discussions we account for 3% COLA increases for Staff and 15% health insurance. She wondered if we are looking at it from that perspective. Assistant to the City Administrator/City Clerk Hanson said this may be the right time for this discussion. After the Lexington Avenue project and COVID the Council decided to leave the fees static to help relieve some of the stress on businesses that were already struggling. Commissioner Gronquist said it wasn’t about raising the fees on the people who are already paying, it was about trying to get more people to participate. As a business owner the form is confusing. It’s all on one page and most of the information doesn’t pertain to her. It should be two different forms. We want people to register. As a business owner, she expects to pay a fee to the City. So when some do and some don’t, it feels strange. Commissioner Bonine thought the commissioners should submit their questions and thoughts to Staff and have Staff come back to a later meeting for discussion. Commissioner Poelzer thought that was fine. Her biggest concern is the disparity between some of the fees. City Administrator Jagoe said there have been some great suggestions. She said we are also looking for feedback on how the EDC can support this process. She was surprised to learn that such a small amount of businesses who are required to have a license are not complying. She thinks the question is how we reach the businesses that we don’t have on the list. That is where the EDC can help us capture that audience. The non-compliance isn’t with the 170, or so, businesses that we know about, it’s the unknown. Commissioner Gronquist agrees. There are a ton of businesses that she knows of that are not on the list. That’s when she started asking questions about the process. She thinks there has to be a reason for a business to register otherwise why do it? City Administrator Jagoe said between utility billing, building permits and Staff communications we try to identify when there is business change over. You can have a multi- tenant building where the utilities are in the property owner’s name and there are no interior improvements. That is a case where there is no need for the business to contact the City. There is a role that the EDC can play in helping create an inventory and ideas on how to keep the information current. She said it will be helpful for Staff to see the questions and comments from the commissioners and staff can bring this back to the September meeting. That will segway into the October/November fee schedule discussion.