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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008 [10] Oct 22CITY OF ST. JOSEPH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AURTHORITY Meeting Minutes -Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Present: EDA Board Members Ken Jacobson, AI Rassier, Tom Skahen, and Dale Wick. Absent: Carolyn Yaggie-Heinen. Also present: EDA Consultant Cynthia Smith -Strack of Municipal Development Group. Chairperson Wick called the October 22, 2008 regular meeting of the St. Joseph EDA to order at 3:00 p.m. Agenda. Chairperson Wick introduced the agenda. No changes were requested. Moved by Skahen, seconded by Wick to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 4-0. Approval of Minutes. Chairperson Wick introduced the minutes from the September 24, 2008 regular meeting. Motion by Jacobson, second by Skahen to approve the minutes from the September 24, 2008 regular meeting. Motion carried 4-0. EDA Accounts Payable. Wick introduced the topic. Wick noted accounts payable for the month which totaled $2,362.58 for contracted services. Motion by Wick, second by Jacobson to approve the EDA accounts payable for the month of October 2008 in the amount of $2, 362.58. Motion carried 4-0. Financial Report. Wick introduced the agenda item. Wick noted the packet included financial reports. Strack referenced the Treasurer's Report which illustrated year to date expenses of $26,647.96 and a current fund balance of $30,930.56. Motion Jacobson, Second Rassier to approve the September 2008 financial reports as presented. Motion carried 4-0. BFA Grant: Randy Schmitz, Scenic Specialties Wick introduced the agenda item. Strack noted the EDA had received an application for the Business Fagade Architectural (BFA) Grant Program from Randy Schmitz, the owner of Scenic Specialties. The 2008 pilot program was designed to accommodate up to five projects totaling $1,000 each. The matching grant is for architectural services relating to facade redevelopment or landscape visible from public rights of way. The EDA has previously committed to four projects, three of which have not requested reimbursement at this time. The fourth project funded was for a building that the EDA 'design team' visited resulting in the creation of line drawings for potential facade enhancement. Mr. Schmitz is applying for BFA grant assistance in conjunction with the improvement of exterior facades of two 100-year old buildings. The project will include installation of new windows, doors, and repainting. The goal is to design the fagade enhancements to be consistent the time period during which they were constructed. Additional landscaping surrounding the facades will also be contemplated. The project will positively contribute to revitalization efforts by restoring two buildings that are each over 100 years old. The restoration would be sympathetic to the era when the buildings were constructed. The project will also include additional landscaping which will be visible from the public right of way. The project is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan. The landscape/remodel design will occur over the winter months with construction and installation of landscaping completed in 2009. Motion by Skahen, second by Jacobson to approve BFA grant application for Scenic Specialties. Motion carried 4-0. Conversion of Student Rentals Wick introduced the agenda item. Strack stated that since the September EDA meeting several tasks had been completed. Strack met with Representatives from the Stearns County HRA with the following results: the HRA is very interested in partnering with the City regarding conversion of units and will be a technical resource and a partner in the project. Direct ways the HRA could assist the project include SCDP grant writer and administrator, down payment assistance, MHFA program access, and property ownership potential. In addition Strack contacted CURA at the U of M and Dr. Mary Edwards at SCSU regarding an economic impact study. CURA is unable to match a graduate student with the project. Dr. Edwards has graduate students available and estimates the study would cost $1,500. Information has been assembled to assist with the economic impact study. Research conducted since the September meeting reveals other institutions converting to a four- year residency requirement have offered programs where the college assists with down payment and/or provides staff bonuses for moving into student rentals vacated as a result of a residency change. In addition other institutions have met with owners of student rental units on a regular basis to facilitate exchange of information in a direct manner. In another effort an inventory of student rental units is underway. The effort will assist in defining what future use may be most appropriate for each property. The EDA discussed the project including: when/how to get property owners involved, when/how to involve the college/university, and whether or not to pursue a economic impact study. Skahen suggested the scheduling of a meeting with the college/university occur at a later date following the receipt of additional information. Jacobson suggested approaching student rental property owners only after options for potential conversions of property were known. The EDA directed a working draft of the property inventory be presented at the November meeting for discussion. The EDA will discuss potential re-uses and/or conversion of rental property to different uses. The EDA discussed the fee for development of economic impact analysis by a graduate student from St. Cloud State University. Dr. Mary Edwards, Professor of Economics and Director of the Minnesota Economic Development Center estimates the cost for such a study would be approximately $1,500. The EDA discussed the type of study and potential outcomes and whether or not it would be appropriate to meet with the graduate student(s) at the November meeting. Motion by Skahen, second by Wick to authorize $1,500 for an Economic Impact Study to be conducted by graduate students from St. Cloud State University. Motion carried 4-0. Graduate student(s) conducting the study will be asked to attend the November EDA meeting. EDA Minutes -October 22, 2008 2 Comprehensive Plan Update Wick introduced the agenda topic, Strack distributed revised future land use maps. The EDA reviewed large-scale maps and noted a few changes to Map 4-6 appeared to be in order. Changes to the map addressed included: adjusting boundaries of the Central Business District to reflect current boundaries, reassignment of a portion of the CBD adjacent to Highway 75 as commercial, and reassignment of some areas in Planning District Nine from high density residential to original townsite residential. The Board noted that Chapter Ten (Economic Development) was updated in 2007 and just reformatted to fit into the revised 2008 update. Board Member Reports Wick noted the City Council had held a final hearing on the proposed 2009 budget. The EDA's capital improvement program request for $60,000 had been reduced to $20,000. The decrease was due in part to the balance in Fund 150. The council expects the EDA will be able to draw down the fund balance in 2009. Wick announced that although it was not official at this time, he was asked to join the Executive Board of the St. Cloud Area Economic Development Partnership. Adjournment. Meeting adjourned by consensus at 4:06 PM. EDA Minutes -October 22, 2008