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Planning Commission Meeting Minutes – Wednesday, April 02, 2008 Page 4 Applicant, Mark Smith, 19545 Hampshire Court, Prior Lake, MN (owner and CEO of Cash-n-Pawn) Mr. Smith advised that he operated a combined eighteen (18) stores in the states of MN, MO and IN, with ten (10) of those stores in MN; and that the company had been in business for twenty-one (21) years. Mr. Smith noted a favorable article featuring his business in today’s edition of the Minneapolis Star/Tribune in Columbia Heights, with the proposed Roseville store to be modeled after that one. Mr. Smith reviewed his cooperation with all jurisdictions in identifying any stolen property; and his pro-active legislative activity and support of the Automatic Pawn System (APS) computerized purchase and inventory system in Minnesota and a few other states. Mr. Smith reviewed the purchase process, with every transaction posted to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) computer system, and available to all MN Police Departments and other law enforcement agencies. Mr. Smith assured Commissioners, and the public, that his business was under constant monitoring as part of the licensing process, and he supported and cooperated with all law enforcement jurisdictions and agencies. Mr. Smith advised that less than one percent (1%) of his business resulted in items stolen, due to improved digital photography and technology. Mr. Smith advised that he did not purchase guns, pornographic materials; did not perform check cashing or pay day loan services; with thirty percent (30%) of his business serving as a loan to advance money on items held, and if not repaid in a certain timeframe, he then could sell the merchandise. Mr. Smith advised that he was amenable to any conditions the Commission wished to apply; and assured them that that any municipal police department contacted would speak highly of his operation. Commissioner Wozniak questioned Mr. Smith on power equipment purchases and practices (i.e., gasoline remaining in equipment while in the store), due to the proposed location in a multi-tenant building. Mr. Smith advised that no gasoline containers were allowed, and equipment could only have fuel up to a certain level, in compliance with Fire Code requirements, based on the type of equipment. Mr. Smith advised that he and his managers made every attempt to monitor the equipment; and advised that landlords leasing space in multi-tenant buildings held lessees accountable for their operations, in addition to the City; and noted the similar multi-tenant facility operations in Coon Rapids, with the Coon Rapids landlord providing a letter of recommendation to the Roseville landlord on Mr. Smith’s business operations. City of Roseville Police Department, Lt. of Operations Lorne Rosand Lt. Rosand reviewed the Department’s experience with the existing pawn shop in Roseville, Pawn America, and noted that they maintained excellent relationships with all of those managers. Lt. Rosand concurred with Mr. Smith’s description of the purchase process, and noted that any spikes in police calls with pawn shops were usually “good calls” where a law enforcement agency was recovering stolen property, due to the superior computer monitoring of purchases. Lt. Rosand opined that, in his experience of performing investigations over the last ten (10) years, he had experienced no negative dealings in pawn shop businesses. Lt. Rosand noted that serial numbers entered into the computer system at the time of purchase, as well as imaging of those purchases, and requirement for identification and photographing of customers and that data being entered into the state-wide APS system; and unannounced visits by law enforcement agencies to compare records with actual pawned items all served to improve law enforcement recovery of stolen items and subsequent legal action as applicable. Discussion between commissioners and Lt. Rosand included no negative reports or information on any Cash-n-Pawn operations; licensing processes and investigations; lack of evidence of any increased crime around pawn shops; and identification of customers and their signed statements at the time of sale, along with their identification, as per City