HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005 [01] Jan 19CITY OF ST. JOSEPH
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Meeting Minutes -Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Present: Board Members Bruce Gohman, Ken Jacobson and Tom Skahen. Board Member Elect Richard
Carlbom
Members Absent: Ross Rieke.
Also present: City Administrator Judy Weyrens, Joel Sutherland, Kelly Sutherland, Marc Jerzak and
Cynthia Smith-Strack of Municipal Development Group.
Secretary Gohman called the regular meeting of the St. Joseph EDA to order at 3:02 p.m.
Agenda.
Moved by Jacobson seconded by Skahen to approve the agendas presented. Motion carried 4-0.
Oath of Office.
Gohman introduced the agenda item and Mayor Richard Carlbom. Strack administered the EDA oath of
office to Mayor Carlbom.
Annual Appointment of EDA Officers.
Gohman introduced the agenda item and noted each year at the January meeting the EDA elects officers.
Motion Gohman, second Carlbom to reappoint Ross Rieke as EDA Chair. Motion carried 4:0.
Motion Skahen, second Jacobson to appoint Carlbom as EDA Vice Chair. Motion carried 3:0 with
Carlbom abstaining.
Motion Gohman, second Carlbom to reappoint Skahen as EDA Treasurer. Motion carried 3:0 with
Skahen abstaining.
Motion Jacobson, second Carlbom to reappoint Gohman as EDA Secretary. Motion carried 3:0 with
Gohman abstaining.
Gohman turned the meeting over to nearly elected Vice Chair Carlbom as Chairperson Rieke was absent.
Introduction of Guests/Presentations
Mayor Carlbom introduced Joel Sutherland, Kelly Sutherland and Marc Jerzak of the St. Cloud River
Bats. Carlbom noted that EDA Chair Rieke, former Mayor Larry Hosch, City Administrator Weyrens and
EDA Consultant Strack had been meeting with Mr. Sutherland to discuss a possible River Bat's ballpark
in St. Joseph for the past several months.
Carlbom turned to Joel Sutherland who provided an update on the team, its goals/needs and a potential
presence in the City of St. Joseph. Sutherland reviewed plans for a privately funded 3,600 seat stadium
proposed for the Lahr property just east of 20th Avenue, shared his vision of the type events to be held at
the venue and the timeline for the project.
Sutherland noted the purpose of his presence at the meeting was to introduce the project to the EDA .
Approval of Minutes.
Vice Chair Carlbom noted the minutes from both the November and December meetings were included in
the packet.
EDAMlnutes-January 19, 2005 Page 1
Motion Skahen, seconded by Gohman to approve the November 17, 2004 Regular EDA minutes as
presented. Motion approved 4-0.
Motion Jacobson, seconded by Skahen to approve the December 15, 2004 Regular EDA minutes as
presented. Motion approved 4-0.
EDA Accounts Payable.
Strack provided an overview of the accounts payable for December 2004.
Motion by Gohman, second by Jacobson to approve EDA accounts payable. Motion carried 4-0.
Financial Report.
Strack noted she inadvertently forgot to make copies of the financial report for inclusion in the packet.
Strack provided an oral overview of the financial reports for December noting full copies could be included
in the February packet.
Motion by Skahen, second by Gohman to table approval of financial reports until the February meeting.
Motion carried 4-0.
EDA Project Prioritization.
Vice Chairperson Carlbom introduced the item and referenced the 2005 goals/work items worksheet.
Carlbom noted it was difficult to rate any of the items listed at less than 'very important'.
Gohman noted the purpose of the worksheet was to provide project priorities for scheduling purposes to
staff. Gohman indicated from an EDA perspective he believed the priorities should be expansion of the
industrial and commercial tax base and the inclusion of additional acreage between CSAH 2, CSAH 75
and I-94 in the annexation agreement with St. Joseph Township.
Carlbom noted he would be appointing persons to a downtown theme committee in the near future.
Jacobson stated industrial development was important and so was the development of the highway 75
corridor.
Skahen noted commercial and industrial developments were important.
Strack collected worksheets and will compile results for the February meeting.
Director's Report.
Strack referred to the prospect list/activity report outlining communication with various contacts that was
included in the EDA packet.
Board Member Announcements.
Carlbom noted he had attended his first meeting of the St. Cloud Area Economic Development
Partnership as a representative from the City. Carlbom noted a business retention visit was scheduled
for Sunset Manufacturing. Carlbom also noted the Partnership discussed working with the Department of
Employment and Economic Development on an initiative to bring biomedical facilities to the St. Cloud
area.
Adjournment
Motion by S~/kah~en~, seconded by_Geohman to afdjourn. Motion carried 4:0. Meeting adjourned at 4:23 p.m.
EDA Minutes -January 19, 2005 Page 2