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HRA Special Meeting <br />Minutes – Monday, August 3, 2015 <br />Page 6 <br />1 <br />stated his interest in delving into those aspects more carefully, as well as researching other <br />2 <br />potential third-party contractors providing similar services. <br />3 <br />4 <br />Member Lee opined that marketing of other City departments beyond the HRA was of value <br />5 <br />outside housing-specific information, and questioned what other avenues the City currently <br />6 <br />pursued toward that tend. <br />7 <br />8 <br />As an example, Member Etten noted the event at Central Park tonight (Family Night Out) <br />9 <br />sponsored by the Police Department that included representatives of other City departments <br />10 <br />and their interaction with residents. Other examples listed by Member Etten included Discover <br />11 <br />Your Park and Park Grand Openings, but noted this was a more unique opportunity with other <br />12 <br />departments available at the Fair for residents to approach directly and informally, with those <br />13 <br />frontline departments being all together and in one spot, an aspect that he found vary valuable. <br />14 <br />15 <br />Member Lee stated she also didn’t want to lose that opportunity, with Roseville being a first- <br />16 <br />ring suburb and needing to entice and support first-time homebuyer opportunities, as well as <br />17 <br />encouraging those new residents to get involved with and participate in their new community. <br />18 <br />19 <br />Ms. Kelsey questioned if this provided an opportunity for the newly-appointed Community <br />20 <br />Engagement Commission (CEC) to the City Council to take on the role of coordinating the <br />21 <br />Fair or determining a venue that would serve the same purpose in engaging the community and <br />22 <br />allow for representation from all City departments. Ms. Kelsey noted that, prior to 2006/2007, <br />23 <br />the City held a City Hall Open House one weekend per year, with departments having <br />24 <br />information tables available for the public, as well as demonstrations by the Police and Fire <br />25 <br />Departments, and tours of the OVAL and Skating Center. <br />26 <br />27 <br />Member Lee opined that was an excellent idea. <br />28 <br />29 <br />Ms. Kelsey again asked if this provided an opportunity for the CEC to take on this initiative <br />30 <br />which she felt was appropriate, noting the potential interest of residents in finding out about <br />31 <br />other City functions beyond home and garden improvements; as well as providing an <br />32 <br />opportunity for residents to engage with other residents, City staff, and their elected officials. <br />33 <br />Ms. Kelsey noted other engagement efforts of the Fair had included neighborhood <br />34 <br />associations, area school representation, and community education opportunities; which could <br />35 <br />still be a function of a revised effort. Ms. Kelsey noted another element for citizen <br />36 <br />engagement included Roseville University, which was showing good attendance depending on <br />37 <br />the subject matter, but which could be built upon. <br />38 <br />39 <br />Member Lee spoke in support of those types of efforts in addition to offering the workshops <br />40 <br />addressing home and garden issues; but agreed that the Fair as it is currently operated be <br />41 <br />eliminated going forward. <br />42 <br />43 <br />Member Masche expressed appreciation to Ms. Kelsey for providing the alternatives and costs, <br />44 <br />as well as itemizing staff time, which had never been provided in such detail before this report. <br />45 <br />Member Masche opined that the HRA needed to prioritize cost benefits of staff time versus <br />46 <br />overall benefit in their analysis; noting the significant number and time commitment of HRA <br />47 <br />staff required with the current Fair as currently modeled. Member Masche opined that he felt <br />48 <br />there was some way that the CEC and Roseville University could get HRA programs promoted <br />49 <br />in some way other than through the Fair and at little or no cost. As the world continues to <br />50 <br />change and online resources become more prevalent, Member Masche opined that much of the <br />51 <br />information and resources provided at the Fair were available to residents in that venue, even <br />52 <br />though he was very appreciative of those vendors, sponsors, departments, and staff who <br />53 <br />worked on the Fair venue. Member Masche noted that a number of other cities had combined <br />54 <br />their Home & Garden Fairs as well; but for Roseville to mount a joint effort to revamp the Fair <br />55 <br />into something new and exciting would prove more commitment of time and dollars than the <br /> <br />