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HRA Meeting Minutes – Tuesday, February 18, 2014 Page 8 1 Ms. Kelsey reviewed this most current request seeking HRA support for application by 2 Sherman Associates for a Ramsey County Community Development Block Grant 3 (CDBG)/HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds in 2014, as outlined in the staff report. 4 Mss. Kelsey confirmed that the housing portion would be for 110 units at market rate, with the 5 intent that grant funds would facilitate four (4) subsidized units within those 110 units; with 6 the second and third phases as detailed in Section 2.2 of the staff report. Ms. Kelsey noted that 7 the application was due to Ramsey County by March of 2014. 8 9 Motion: Member Elkins moved, seconded by Member Etten, to adopt Resolution No. 54 10 entitled, “Resolution in Support for Sherman and Associates, Inc. and their Application 11 for Ramsey County Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)/Home Investment 12 Partnership Funds in 2014 for the Redevelopment of 2785 Fairview Avenue.” 13 14 Ayes: 4 15 Nays: 0 16 Motion carried. 17 18 10. Information Reports and Other Business (Verbal Reports by Staff and Board Members) 19 20 a.Living Smarter Home & Garden Fair 21 th Ms. Kelsey provided a recap of the recent 18 annual Home & Garden Fair, estimating that 22 850 to 900 people attended, which was standard or average attendance over the last few years. 23 Ms. Kelsey advised that she had been happy with this year’s attendance given the heavy snow 24 that day. Ms. Kelsey also expressed appreciation for her observations with the extensive and 25 heavy engagement of those attending with exhibitors; as well as the reduced workshops and 26 kids’ activities having been well received and getting good feedback. Ms. Kelsey note that 27 attendees liked the separate kids activities in the solarium; and the great opportunity for 28 residents to engage with the City’s Public Works, Parks & Recreation, Fire, and Police 29 Departments; as well as clarifying the City’s new single-sort recycling program with Eureka 30 Recycling representatives and verifying what items could and could not be recycled. 31 32 While the survey is still pending with exhibitors, Ms. Kelsey opined that the right experts had 33 apparently been in place to serve the interests of those attending. Ms. Kelsey advised that staff 34 was consulting with the High School about possibly moving the event to that location next 35 year, as exhibitors expressed their interest in having everything under one roof. However, Ms. 36 Kelsey noted the logistical issues with not being able to guarantee the same day every year 37 without waiting until later in the year for a confirmation, creating scheduling issues for City 38 staff and exhibitors/vendors. Ms. Kelsey advised that another consideration may be only be 39 holding the event every other year, as some vendors had found responses so good they were 40 unable to accept more business at this time. 41 42 b.Business Retention and Expansion Update 43 Ms. Kelsey provided a brief summary of this process, noting that the Task Force had met 44 earlier today; and received recommendations for 25 to 35 different programs that could be 45 implemented. While there were a variety of recommendations, most fell within three subject 46 headings; and the plan for the joint meeting of the City Council and HRA is to have that 47 summary report available, along with findings and the Task Force’s top five suggestions for 48 implementation. Ms. Kelsey stated that she hoped that dialogue would be productive, and find 49 consensus, or alert staff to other priorities that maybe didn’t make it into the matrix that may 50 create the need for a bigger discussion. 51 52 10. Adjournment 53