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HRA Meeting Minutes – Tuesday, July 16, 2013 Page 5 1 sponsors realizing a minimum of three (3) jobs as a result of the Fair. Ms. Kelsey advised that 2 staff continued to come up with new ideas annually. 3 4 Ms. Kelsey noted that some cities have stopped having an annual fair, with the City of 5 Richfield moving to every other year and handled strictly by a volunteer committee. Ms. 6 Kelsey noted that other communities attempted not to overlap with other north suburban events 7 or approach vendors within that same area. Ms. Kelsey advised that the City of Roseville 8 wanted to attract vendors defined in this area, not the broader metropolitan area, with 9 marketing done outside Roseville, but no further than Mounds View, New Brighton, 10 Shoreview and other immediately adjacent suburbs all within the Lillie Suburban News 11 advertising area, even though staff was very aware that attendance was being drawn from other 12 areas. 13 14 Ms. Kelsey reiterated staff’s desire for the HRA to provide direction, noting that the Fair had 15 already been launched for 2014, but preferences were to get a Communications person on 16 board that could respond to HRA direction and provide value added to the group for 17 rebranding it for the City as a whole or for community outreach. Ms. Kelsey suggested some 18 options may be to include a City Hall Open House or engage other departments, events or 19 community activities as part of the Fair if a larger venue was available. 20 21 Chair Maschka agreed that the Fairview Community Center was not a contiguous venue for 22 holding the event. 23 24 Ms. Kelsey advised that comments from those attending speak to the great workshops, but by 25 attending them, they didn’t have time available to attend the Fair itself and visit with other 26 vendors. In response, Ms. Kelsey advised that three (3) workshops were scheduled this fall to 27 be held at the Ramsey County Library/Roseville Branch entitled, “Getting Ready for Winter,” 28 “Buttoning Up Your Yard,” and “Aging in Place by Making a Home for a Lifetime with 29 Universal Design.” 30 31 Member Quam noted that vendors needed to be expanded beyond single-family homeowners, 32 with the HRA’s new emphasis on market, upscale rental housing, serving a different clientele 33 beyond home ownership. 34 35 Member Willmus concurred that a segment of the population may be missed by focusing on 36 vendors geared toward home ownership. 37 38 Chair Maschka expressed confidence that this would become part of the marketing program 39 being put together to provide a cohesive marketing message. Chair Maschka encouraged 40 continuing to look at what is and what is not working, and who should be marketed. Chair 41 Maschka noted that the City continued to go in one direction to sell Roseville based on its 42 location and amenities; and questioned how this discussion fit with the additional focus on 43 economic development to support businesses in town and how to blend that message into an 44 overall marketing program. 45 46 Chair Maschka noted that, in the recent Finance Committee meeting, Member Majerus talked 47 about hiring a consultant versus an employee for one (1) year to see what their actual work was 48 worth, and being easier than hiring an employee, with many consulting firms having that area 49 of specialty and expertise. 50 51 Ms. Kelsey noted that there were pros and cons for each option. 52 53 Member Willmus suggested looking at that option, as well as exploring other venues if the Fair 54 was held at other times of the year outside tournament time at the High School. 55