HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005 [03] Mar 16CITY OF ST. JOSEPH
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Meeting Minutes -Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Present: EDA Board Members Richard Carlbom, Bruce Gohman, Ken Jacobson, Ross Rieke and Tom
Skahen.
Also present: Cynthia Smith-Strack of Municipal Development Group.
Chair Rieke called the regular meeting of the St. Joseph EDA to order at 3:03 p.m.
Agenda.
Chairperson Rieke introduced the agenda. Moved by Gohman seconded by Carlbom to approve the
agenda as presented. Motion carried 5-0.
Approval of Minutes.
EDA Chair Rieke noted the minutes from the February meeting were included in the packet.
Motion Gohman, seconded by Skahen to approve the February 16, 2005 Regular EDA minutes as
presented. Motion approved 5-0.
EDA Accounts Payable.
Rieke introduced the topic. Strack provided an overview of the accounts payable for February 2005 in the
amount of $9,552.94.
Motion by Carlbom, second by Rieke to approve EDA accounts payable. The Board noted accounts
payable included dues to the St. Cloud Area Economic Development Partnership. Discussion followed
regarding the EDA's involvement in the Partnership as approved by the City Council. Strack noted the
Council, not the EDA, sets the budget and therefore needed to approve the City's participation in the
SCAEDP. Motion carried 5-0.
Financial Report.
Rieke introduced the agenda item. Strack provided an overview of the financial reports for February.
Motion by Carlbom, second by Gohman to approve January financial reports. Motion carried 5-0.
2004 Business Subsidy Report.
Chairperson Rieke introduced the item. Strack noted MDG, Inc. completed the annual business subsidy
report for fiscal year 2004 and referenced a copy of the report distributed with the packet. The report
details the progress of the beneficiary (in this case VicWest Steel/Jenysis) toward job creation and wage
goals upon which the business subsidy was conditioned. Strack reported the Vice President of Finance
for Jenysis certified to the City that the wage/job goals had not only been met but exceeded. As itemized
in the report to DEED a total of 12 new employment positions paying not less than $10.00/hour were
created and 31 positions were retained. The job/wage goals were met prior to the two-year deadline
specified in the TIF agreement.
Update: Southern Collector Corridor Study
Rieke introduced the agenda item. Strack provided an overview of her participation/interaction in a
technical advisory committee (TAC) which was established in conjunction with a corridor study bein~
facilitated by the engineering firm WSB. Strack stated the latest TAC meeting occurred on March 9
when the TAC discussed amission/purpose statement, considerations for the project and the impact of
future land use on the roadway. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 13th. Meeting topics will
include the development of standardized criteria for evaluating alternatives presented in the study and the
convening of an open house to receive public input on the proposed alternatives.
EDA Minutes -March 16, 2005 Page 1
Comprehensive Plan Update for Proposed Expanded Joint Annexation Area.
Rieke introduced the topic. Strack noted that at the February EDA meeting the Board discussed priorities
for 2005. A priority selected related to proactively encouraging/participating in the expansion of the joint
annexation agreement with St. Joseph Township. Strack stated that a public hearing on the expanded
annexation area had not yet been convened by the Township and therefore discussion by the EDA was
preliminary and conceptual. Strack reported the Township was expected to mail individual notices to all
owners of property in the proposed expanded annexation area prior to a public hearing but that those
notices may not yet have been mailed.
Strack noted the proposed annexation area expansion requires a Comprehensive Plan amendment and
that the EDA could recommend items to be included in the Comprehensive Plan amendment relating to
future development. Board members received copies of a reference map and spreadsheet containing
property owner information, a topographic map, a future land use map and an aerial photo of the
annexation area.
The EDA reviewed the handouts and discussed future land uses and staging of growth within the
proposed expanded annexation area. Gohman stated extension of the urban services area adjacent to
CSAH 75 appeared to be a better fit for industrial development initially than acreage abutting Interstate 94
which was not contiguous to existing growth at this time or presumably within the near future. Strack
noted municipal services were not extended to the western corporate limits in the vicinity of Watab Creek
at this time which may be an issue.
The EDA discussed the impact the extension of CSAH 3 to CSAH 2 would have on the development of
the expanded joint annexation area and the timing of any/all future development. Board members
acknowledged the importance of the future collector and the impact it would have on the expanded
annexation area depending on the route it followed. Strack noted the precise corridor for the projected
extension would coincide with a study of a northern east/west collector which was set to begin later this
year. Board member Rieke noted the project was included in the Stearns County capital improvement
plan for around year 2007.
The EDA discussed the utility service provider in the joint annexation area in terms of participation in
industrial development. Strack produced a map which indicated Xcel Energy was the designated electric
utility provider for the entire expanded annexation area.
Gohman suggested the EDA look at promoting parcel number 17 on the key map included in the packet
(Pueringer property) as a priority location for industrial development if/when the expanded annexation
area was approved.
Rieke inquired about the substation west of Watab Creek and how it related to the substation near Kay's
Kitchen. Carlbom noted he understood the substation near Kay's Kitchen would eventually be phased
out. City Administrator Weyrens briefly joined the meeting. Weyrens stated the substation by Kay's
Kitchen may have been planned to be phased out but was now expected to remain a permanent part of
the electric grid.
Gohman asked Weyrens if looking for industrial expansion adjacent to CSAH 75 sooner than that
adjacent to I-94 made sense to her. Weyrens indicated the EDA seemed to be on the right track.
Weyrens departed the meeting.
Strack reiterated that the township had not held a hearing on the expansion of the joint annexation area
and the discussion thus far had been preliminary and conceptual. EDA Board members agreed.
Gohman stated that he thought it was some of the most productive discussion the EDA had had in a
while.
Director's Report.
Strack referred to the prospect list/activity report outlining communication with various contacts that was
included in the EDA packet.
EDA Minutes -March 16, 2005 Page 2
Board Member Announcements.
Gohman noted he will not be able to attend the April 20th EDA meeting due to a schedule conflict.
Adjournment
Motion by Skahen, seconded by Gohman to adjourn. Motion carried 5:0. Meeting adjourned at 4:31 p.m.
EDA Minutes -March 16, 2005 Page 3