Laserfiche WebLink
Regular City Council Meeting <br />Monday, September 14, 2015 <br />Page 23 <br />cient due diligence for the process. Mr. Bilotta advised that the RHRA was <br />scheduled to meet tomorrow night; and anticipated tonight's City Council discus- <br />sion and intendecl action would be addressed in their discussions allowing that <br />feedback to subsequently return to the City Council. If the RHRA chose to move <br />down the by-law amendment route on their own, Mr. Bilotta noted the need for <br />staff to perform much more substantial due diligence as part of this process than <br />would be available by tomorrow night. <br />Councilmeinber Willinus noted his consideration of the HRA model for a number <br />of years when serving on the RHRA as well as afterward, and his focus in broad- <br />ening that HRA fiinction toward economic development needs. However, as time <br />went on, Councilmember Willmus noted the difficulty in accomplishing that fo- <br />cus with the existing HRA model. Therefore, Councilmember Willmus opined <br />that moving in a different direction with a different model allowed the City to re- <br />tain the housing coinponent while also accomplishing economic development ef- <br />forts, and provide more leeway to staff to market Roseville to the business com- <br />munity and achieve redevelopment efforts. Councilmember Willmus opined that <br />the City of Roseville continued to be behind the curve in marketing Roseville <br />compared with other communities and their redevelopment efforts; thus causing <br />his interest in wanting to pursue this move. <br />Councilmember Laliberte agreed with Councilmember Willmus' well-stated <br />comments; and while not having the experience of serving on the RHRA Board, <br />since her tenure on the City Council, she had wanted to accomplish more options <br />that currently being done. Councilinember Laliberte opined that considering an- <br />other model provided a number of opportunities to market the City and tell devel- <br />opers that the City wanted living wage jobs with tools in place to act and react to <br />make that happen in Roseville versus in competing communities, creating her in- <br />terest in considering other inodels. <br />Councilmember McGehee seconded the remarks of Councilmembers Willmus <br />and Laliberte; stating that she had been and continued to be a strong proponent of <br />increasing the City's tax base and living wage jobs. Councilmember McGehee <br />opined that the RHRA had done an excellent job, specifically with past housing <br />efforts; and sought to avoid any implication that this action in any way was reflec- <br />tive on their work for the City, offering them her highest praise for their accom- <br />plishments. Councilmember McGehee stated that this action simply provided the <br />City Council the authority to improve the City of Roseville's economic environ- <br />ment within the metropolitan community by allowing the City to move more <br />quickly with one decision-making body. <br />Councilmember Etten recognized that this action may open more doors for the <br />City of Roseville and provide access for funds to accomplish some potentially <br />major things, which he hoped was the result. However, Councilmember Etten <br />noted that in order to play in that game, the City Council needed to be willing to <br />