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HRA Meeting Minutes Tuesday, August 13, 2013 Page 2 Proposal/Firm Proposed Cost for Services Kirstin Barsness, Maxfield Research, Inc. $17,745.00 Municipal Development Group, Inc. 11,000.00 Main Street Research & Consulting 4,699.68 U of MN Extension 9,700.00 BR&E Strategies Program 1 2 3 Ms. Kelsey introduced U of MN Extension Strategies Program Director Michael Darger, with 4 Chair Maschka extending a welcome on behalf of the HRA. Mr. Darger reviewed his 5 background and credentials; and provided a brief overview of the community approach to 6 BR&E, examples of suburban BR&E from other communities (e.g., Blaine, Forest Lake, Coon 7 Rapids), and specifics proposed for the for the City of Roseville effort. 8 9 At the request of Member Quam, Mr. Darger advised that those performing the actual visits to 10 businesses were anticipated to be from a broad-based spectrum, including City staff, 11 colleagues and representatives of the HRA, and other applicable agency, government and./or 12 business representatives. Mr. Darger noted the advantage of involving a diverse leadership 13 team and broad cross-section of the community throughout each of the steps in the big picture 14 (research, prioritization, and implementation). Mr. Darger further noted the advantage of 15 sponsoring or partnering agencies (e.g., Xcel Energy). 16 17 Chair Maschka noted that business visits in the past had typically been done by the Mayor and 18 City Manager. 19 20 Mr. Darger presented a brief video providing a sampling of similar efforts and community 21 interaction from other communities. Mr. Darger also provided sample portions of research 22 reports prepared for the Cities of Blaine, Hugo, Coon Rapids and Forest Lake; and provided 23 some actual hard copy reports. Mr. Darger noted that their services would include a detailed 24 research report, as well as a summary report. Other deliverables, as detailed in the proposal 25 26 BR&E Task Force; identification of businesses to be interviewed and surveyed; training for the 27 Task Force and the BR&E visitor panel on effective business interviewing, the full BR&E 28 research package; a summary report after the community made decisions and embarked on 29 priority projects; implementation; and a six- (6) month follow-up review as a report card for 30 both the U of MN and the HRA on the effects of the program. 31 32 Mr. Darger advised that Ms. Kelsey would facility the process through the HRA, with the 33 BR&E assisting with research outcomes and providing priorities through a Program Advisory 34 through the Extension office. As similarly done in the City of Owatonna, Mr. Darger advised 35 that the U of MN would essentially do the research and the community would then handle the 36 process. Ms. Darger noted that Ms. Kelsey and Community Development Director had 37 recently both successfully completed the BR&E class offered by the U of MN Extension. 38 39 At the request of Chair Maschka, Mr. Darger encouraged using area Chambers of Commerce 40 to the extent they were willing to get involved. However, Mr. Darger noted that the Minnesota 41 Chamber of Commerc 42 offered through their organization, which did not provide a community-driven applied research 43 approach as the U of MN Extension BR&E program offered. Mr. Darger opined that the 44 Chambers used a more business to business approach with annual visits to those businesses. 45 Mr. Darger stated that he would love to have either or both of the two (2) area Chambers 46 involved in the process; suggesting that they be involved in visits after completion of the 47 research portion of this program. 48