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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-23-24 EDC MinutesEDC AGENDA ITEM – 4 CITY OF ARDEN HILLS, MINNESOTA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OCTOBER 23, 2024 7:30 A.M. – ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL Present: Chair Frank Cupery, Commissioners Ted Brausen, Julie Gronquist, Rob Williams, Youth Commissioner Vincent Meyer, and Council Liaison Emily Rousseau Absent: Commissioners Bobby Bonine and Jud Murchie Also Present: Interim City Administrator Jessica Jagoe 1. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA A motion was made by Commissioner Brausen and seconded by Commissioner Gronquist to approve the agenda. The agenda was approved unanimously. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. July 31, 2024 A motion was made by Commissioner Gronquist and seconded by Commissioner Brausen to approve the July 31, 2024 minutes. The minutes were approved 4-0-1 with Youth Commissioner Meyer abstaining. 3. UNFINISHED AND NEW BUSINESS A. December and January Meeting Schedule Interim City Administrator Jagoe stated that the next EDC meeting is currently scheduled for Thursday, December 26, 2024 due to the holiday on Wednesday, December 25, 2024. Commission members are being asked to consider the cancelation of the December meeting and the additional scheduling of a January meeting. Commission members are asked to consider rescheduling options for a Wednesday meeting date of January 22nd or January 29th. The next regularly scheduled meeting date is February 26, 2025. Commissioner Gronquist noted that she would be available on January 29th. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – OCTOBER 23, 2024 2 Council Liaison Rousseau asked the Commission if it would be helpful to have a check-in meeting in December to get updates on in-person business visits since that would be almost three months since this meeting. Commissioners reviewed their schedules for alternate dates in December due to the holiday on their regular meeting date. Interim City Administrator Jagoe mentioned that City staff would not be available on December 18th due to a conflict with another meeting and that Senior Planner Fransen would still be out of the office on her planned leave. She asked if the Commissioners would be available on December 11th. There was general consensus amongst the Commissioners to reschedule their December meeting from December 25th to December 18th. B. In-Person Business Visit Strategy Updates Chair Cupery stated this would be an opportunity for Commissioners to provide a verbal update on their in-person business visits. Interim City Administrator Jagoe shared a visual of responses entered into the online Survey Monkey to date. Chair Cupery noted that he had not had an opportunity to start his route for the in-person business visits, but was planning to begin shortly. Commissioner Brausen stated that he was done. He shared that most businesses were willing to talk. Commissioner Gronquist mentioned that she was almost through her route and there were a few businesses where she had to leave the EDC handout. She was unsure if those businesses had gone online and completed the survey. Interim City Administrator Jagoe noted that City staff will need to go into the survey program to run a report of survey responses so it isn’t automatic. It was suggested that when Commissioners would like verification on whether a business has completed a survey to email City staff and this report could be downloaded. Commissioner Gronquist stated that businesses that she’s connected with have been interested in being included in the City’s newsletter or on our website. Additionally, a number of the businesses had indicated that they had not been receiving Arden Hills Notes. Interim City Administrator Jagoe indicated this feedback would be shared with our Senior Communications Coordinator. Commissioner Williams shared that he had also started his in-person visits and was looking for contact information for Colder Products Company and Delkor. Interim City Administrator Jagoe stated that she’d forward him that information. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION – OCTOBER 23, 2024 3 Interim City Administrator Jagoe mentioned that Commissioner Murchie relayed that he had not started his in-person visits due to business hours of operation, but he anticipates being completed by mid-November. General discussion ensued on initial responses and strategies for continuing to connect with businesses for the in-person visits. 4. COMMENTS AND REPORTS A. Staff Updates None B. City Council Updates Council Liaison Rousseau provided the Commission with an update from the City Council. She explained the Council approved the preliminary tax levy at 15.5% for 2025. She welcomed Commissioner Meyer to the Economic Development Commission. She noted the City Council will be holding a joint meeting with the Planning Commission on Monday, October 28 to review and discuss zoning code updates. There may be an opportunity for EDC involvement as a stakeholder in the process. PTRC members are considering a pilot program with the Lions Club for Adopt-a-Park. C. Economic Development Commission Comments None ADJOURNMENT A motion to adjourn was made by Commissioner Gronquist and seconded by Commissioner Brausen. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 8:45 a.m.