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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008 [01] Jan 23CITY OF ST. JOSEPH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AURTHORITY Meeting Minutes -Wednesday, January 23, 2008 Present: EDA Board Members Carolyn Yaggie-Heinen, Ken Jacobson, AI Rassier, and Dale Wick. Absent: Tom Skahen. Also present: Finance Director Lori Bartlett and Cynthia Smith -Strack of Municipal Development Group. Chairperson Wick called the January 23, 2008 regular meeting of the St. Joseph EDA to order at 3:01 p.m. Agenda. Chairperson Wick introduced the agenda and noted election of officers should be added to the agenda. Moved by Heinen seconded by Jacobson to approve the agenda as with the addition of item 3.5: Election of Officers. 4-0. Approval of Minutes. Chairperson Wick introduced the minutes from the December 13, 2007 regular meeting. Motion by Jacobson, second by Wick to approve minutes from the previous meeting as presented. Motion carried 4-0. Election of Officers. Chairperson Wick noted that since this meeting was the first in 2008, election of officers was required under the EDA bylaws. Strack stated officers from 2007 were as follows: Wick (appointed when resignation of Mayor Richard Carlbom left the position vacant), Chairperson, Jacobson Vice-Chairperson, Secretary Yaggie-Heinen and Treasurer Skahen. Motion by Wick, second by Rassier to re-appoint previous year's officers to same office positions in 2008. EDA Accounts Payable. Wick introduced the topic and introduced Finance Director Bartlett. Strack noted accounts payable for the month totaled $10,244.23. Strack noted payables included 2007 dues for the St. Cloud Area Partnership. Bartlett corrected the record noting the SCAEDP dues were for the calendar year 2008 and not 2007. Motion by Heinen, second by Rassier to approve the EDA accounts payable for the month of January 2008 in the amount of $10,244.23. Motion carried 4-0. Financial Report. Wick introduced the agenda item. Bartlett reviewed the 2007 year end financial reports (un- audited) with the EDA. Motion by Jacobson, second by Heinen to approve the December financial reports as presented. Motion carried 4-0. Existing Uses in the Central Business District. Wick introduced the agenda item. Strack stated that at the previous EDA meeting the Board reviewed information regarding potential impediments to redevelopment in the CSAH 75 corridor and the Central Business District. The EDA specifically reviewed information relating to: Location of non-conforming uses within both commercial areas; location of parcels with inconsistent existing zoning and future land use classifications; and, existing land uses that are inconsistent with planned future land uses. After reviewing several maps at the December meeting the EDA requested maps of actual existing land uses by tax classification be prepared for the Central Business District. Strack noted the information packets included several maps illustrating existing land use by tax classification and existing zoning. It is noted the CBD contains 93 parcels. The volume of parcels in each tax classification present is as follows: Pure commercial - 30 parcels within CBD; Mixed Use non hstd. resid (1 unit)/commercial - 7 parcels; Non-hstd resid. 1 unit (student rental) - 24 parcels within CBD; full hstd resid (owner occupied) - 26 parcels within CBD; mixed use non-hstd resid (1-3 units)/commercial - 2 parcels; mixed use - hstd residential/commercial - 1 parcel; non hstd resid. 4+ units -one parcel; and, public, municipal - 2 parcels The EDA discussed the maps and potential opportunities for (re)development in the Central Business District. As a next step, the EDA requested the information be included in an information packet to be distributed to City Council Members prior to an organizational retreat with the City Council, Department Heads and consultants. The EDA requested input from the City Council regarding a plan for student rentals in view of on-campus residency change. 2008 GoalsITransition to Staff Community Development Director. Chairperson Wick introduced the agenda item. Strack reminded Board Members the City included funding for afull-time staff level Community Development Director in the 2008 budget. In addition, as most EDA members are probably aware State Economist Tom Stinson has stated Minnesota in a recession. Strack stated that in an effort to provide background for the candidate selection process and ideas to help St. Joseph approach an economic downturn information had been assembled for EDA consideration. Strack stated that economic development is a process by which local communities organize and engage in tasks to stimulate or maintain business activity and/or employment as a means of improving an area's wealth and, thereby, quality of life for the geographic area. Economic development does not occur within a vacuum but rather functions as part of the community environment. To those ends, economic development is a long-term investment of time, people, limited resources and skills. Since the nature of economics is cyclical economic development and change will occur whether or not they are planned for or desired. However, proper economic development planning and administration can help communities anticipate change and guide development. There are only three things that can happen to a local economy: economic expansion, economic stagnation or economic contraction. As illustrated in the EDA's annual report to the City Council, St. Joseph's economy has been expanding and much of that expansion can be attributed to new construction and new residents locating in the community. With new building significantly slowing, a renewed focus on the basics of economic development may be necessary. Generally speaking most economic development professionals are advised to operate within specific target areas: organizational development, product (including infrastructure) development, business development, workforce development and market development. Additional information regarding each target area was included in the EDA information packet. EDA Minutes -January 23, 2008 2 The EDA reviewed the information included in the packet aRd requested the information be included in the packet for the City Council, Department Head and consultant retreat. The information will be useful when considering a staff level community development director. Board Member Reports. Heinen noted her business website will debut in one week; it is a major initiative for her business. Wick noted he attended the St. Cloud Area Economic Development Partnership Meeting. Jacobson noted several of the town holiday decorations are in severe disrepair. The holiday decorations were donated by the Legion and are installed/removed by the fire department. Jacobson noted the decorations retail for approximately $1,000 each but after-holiday sales can bring substantial mark-downs. Jacobson suggested the City, the Chamber and other organizations be ased to contribute to a pool to replace all the decoration over a period of several years. Members of the EDA who are elected officials requested Jacobson appear before the City Council regarding this request. Adjournment. Meeting adjourned by consensus at 4:03 PM. ~~ ~ ',,,~ ~c_ EDA Minutes -January 23, 2008 3