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Special City Council Meeting <br /> Thursday,July 18,2013 <br /> Page 14 <br /> spections and depending on how the buildings were classified. Mr. Trudgeon <br /> opined that there was no question that there may be a need for additional staff to <br /> field complaints, and to manage the program administratively, since there was no <br /> specific person assigned to that function at this time. Mr. Trudgeon anticipated a <br /> minor expense to facilitate that administrative staffing need in 2014, and suggest- <br /> ed reviewing and possibly adding to the current part-time work responsibilities of <br /> the Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP) or Business Enhancement Pro- <br /> gram (BEP) or a seasonal person funded by the HRA, and extending the position <br /> into the fall to get notices and baseline standard information to multi-family rental <br /> property owners; estimated at approximately $10,000 to $15,000 for 2014. Mr. <br /> Trudgeon noted that the position would need to be full-time in 2015 to gear up for <br /> additional hours and duties. <br /> Mr. Trudgeon addressed the economic development focus under discussion for <br /> several years by the City Council, and the HRA's involvement in conducting a <br /> business retention and expansion study over the next few months, with a work- <br /> shop planned and intended as a community-led event with a consultant to facili- <br /> tate discussion to better understand the needs of the business community and get <br /> their input for creation of programs, a revolving loan fund, of creation of an in- <br /> formal Chamber of Commerce, as well as sponsoring/hosting events supporting <br /> businesses. Mr. Trudgeon advised that this would evolve in 2014 into 2015 and <br /> would require staff support. As he had previously advocated for, Mr. Trudgeon <br /> noted the need for a full-time Economic Development person to meet those busi- <br /> ness community needs, not to attract outside businesses but how best to grow ex- <br /> isting businesses. Mr. Trudgeon noted that there was currently few if any re- <br /> sources available to perform that type of outreach in the business community; ad- <br /> vising that the Business Retention proposed for 2014 by the HRA to get started, <br /> with dedicated staff time detailed in 2014 to accomplish it. <br /> Mr. Trudgeon noted that the Twin Lakes Redevelopment Area never went away <br /> as a priority, and depended on future discussions scheduled at an upcoming City <br /> Council meeting with property developers in that area and results of those discus- <br /> sions and indications for future development. Mr. Trudgeon advised that options <br /> following that initial discussion may include setting aside funding for a consultant <br /> or third party study to provide expertise for future consideration. Mr. Trudgeon <br /> advised that the Community Development Department typically maintained <br /> $10,000 for third party studies and consulting services in its annual budget; and he <br /> didn't see this as a large budget item. <br /> Specific to budget opportunities, Mr. Trudgeon noted that it was fortunate on the <br /> Community Development Department side that funds could be leveraged, and <br /> while $1 million was significant, the City had been able to work with the HRA in <br /> their provision of seed money, using the 2006/2007 rental registration program as <br /> a result of one of the HRA's efforts and studies for single-family homes registered <br /> and data administered in the Community Development Department, with the cur- <br />