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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005 [09] Sep 21CITY OF ST. JOSEPH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Meeting Minutes -Wednesday, September 21, 2005 Present: EDA Board Members Bruce Gohman, Ross Rieke, Richard Carlbom, Ken Jacobson and Tom Skahen. Also present: City Administrator Judy Weyrens, Jerry Hettwer, Hettwer Real Estate Services and Cynthia Smith-Strack of Municipal Development Group. Chairperson Rieke called the September 21, 2005 meeting of the St. Joseph EDA to order at 3:05 p.m. Agenda. Chairperson Rieke introduced the agenda. Moved by Skahen seconded by Gohman to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 5-0. Approval of Minutes. EDA Chairperson Rieke noted the minutes from the August meeting were included in the packet. Motion Carlbom, seconded by Jacobson to approve the August 3, 2005 Regular EDA minutes as presented. Motion approved 5-0. EDA Accounts Payable. Rieke introduced the topic. Strack noted the accounts payable included expenses from both July and August as the July payables were not ready for presentation at the August meeting because it had been rescheduled. Strack further noted two principal and interest payments to Borgert Products for the final TIF payment from 2004 and the first half TIF payment from 2005. Strack noted an adjustment by the City Auditor would reflect the final 2004 payment in the 2004 audit. Other payables included the publication of TIF report summaries in the local newspaper and MDG, Inc. invoices from July and August. Motion by Carlbom, second by Gohman to approve EDA accounts payable for the months of July and August 2005 in the amount of $21,447.01. Motion carried 5-0. Financial Report. Rieke introduced the agenda item. Strack noted the August financial reports reflected activities in both the months of July and August. Reports presented included: revenue, expense, check register and fund balance. Motion by Carlbom, second by Skahen to approve July and August financial reports. Motion carried 5-0. 2006 Budget. Rieke introduced the agenda item and noted that Administrator Weyrens was present to update the Board on the Council's establishment of a preliminary 2006 budget. Weyrens stated that the Council certified a preliminary 2006 budget to Stearns County. Weyrens reported the budget increased slightly but the levy rate remained stable. The City Administrator noted the Council had agreed to place the approximately $25,000 investment it is requesting be released from the Minnesota Community Capital Fund in EDA Fund 150. The investment is to be earmarked for land acquisition but may be used to retain membership in the St. Cloud Area Economic Development Partnership if desired by the EDA. In addition the "Professional Services" line item was increased by $13,000 to accommodate an additional staff presence. Rieke stated the idea is to either use the additional $13,000 to share a Planner with the Administration Department or to help fund a Community Development Director position while allowing for a gradual transition from consulting to city staffing. Weyrens noted a human resources staffing study was currently EDA Minutes -September 21, 2005 Page 1 underway for City Administration. The study is being conducted by Springsted. The study is to be completed by October 3151 Skahen asked if the Council thought there was a need for industrial land acquisition. Weyrens noted that the Council did embrace a need to provide for industrial lot development. Rieke noted the EDA did not need to immediately decide whether or not to renew membership in the St. Cloud Area Economic Development Partnership. Southern Corridor Collector Street Study. Rieke introduced the agenda item. Strack referenced the memo and map in the EDA packet. Strack noted the Technical Advisory Committee was continuing to meet regarding the potential design of a southern collector street and a potential corridor for the roadway. Strack noted the concept currently being reviewed included atwo-lane divided urban collector street with 100' right of way and a shared bike/pedestrian path extending from 20tH Avenue to CSAH 121 and from the westerly edge of the monastery property to CSAH 2. The remaining section is proposed to be a parkway with a portion placed underground. For EDA Board Member's information, Weyrens further pointed out the portion of the roadway proposed to be underground on a map. Consideration of Rezoning Request. Chairperson Rieke introduced the topic. Strack noted that over the previous two months EDA staff have been interacting with a commercial retailer who is interested in expanding to the City of St. Joseph. The name of the retailer and the nature of the establishment is proprietary at this time. The retailer has been in contact with Mr. Jerry Hettwer from Hettwer Real Estate Services regarding the purchase of two parcels within the Buettner Business Park. Strack stated that Mr. Hettwer had attended a Planning Commission meeting on the 121h of September and requested that the Planning Commission initiate an amendment to the official zoning map to rezone the industrial parcel to highway commercial. Noting the parcels were within the Buettner Business Park, the Planning Commission deferred consideration of the request favoring the EDA review the rezoning request first. To those ends the EDA was asked to make a recommendation to the Planning Commission as to whether or not the Planning Commission should initiate a request to rezone the property from industrial to commercial. Motion Carlbom, second Gohman to recommend the Planning Commission initiate an amendment to the City's Official Zoning Map to rezone a 7.836 acre parcel adjacent to TH 75 and Elm Street from Industrial to Commercial. Discussion followed. Hettwer explained the history of the site and the fact that the property owner wished the zoning change to be approved. Gohman questioned whether or not rezoning the property was the most logical means of allowing the confidential development to proceed. Weyrens noted the rezoning could not be contingent upon approval of a site plan. Hettwer stated the purchase agreement would not be executed if the rezoning was not approved. The Board addressed potential industrial uses of the property. Rieke requested the motion be the subject of action. Motion approved 5:0. Director's Report. Strack referenced the report included in the packet. Strack noted Gohman had informed her of a "Boot Camp for Development Proposals" being coordinated through the SCAEDP and sponsored by Great River Energy. Gohman indicated he considered the 'Boot Camp' to be a very important opportunity for the EDA in that the Board could learn what goes into submitting a proposal and how the City compares to other communities in terms of what they are offering. Strack noted she had tentatively requested to respond to a manufacturing request for proposals. Strack noted the event was scheduled for Wednesday, October 191h - in direct conflict with the October regularly scheduled EDA meeting. Gohman noted he thought it would be helpful for the entire EDA to attend the afternoon portion of the event wherein the individual proposals would be critiqued by a search firm. The EDA Board concurred and decided to change the regular EDA from the 19th to the 261n EDA Minutes -September 21, 2005 Page 2 Strack noted the Downtown Committee was continuing to meet regarding the creation of an identifiable place of reference within downtown St. Joseph. Strack noted Professor Kent Robertson, Director of the Community Development Department and St. Cloud State University Professor, was a published expert in the field of downtown redevelopment. Strack had spoke with Professor Robertson about addressing the Downtown Committee and other Boards/Commissions regarding revitalization in the Downtown. Strack noted the cost of the lecture was estimated at $300. Strack noted sufficient funds were available to cover the anticipated cost of the presentation from within the professional services line item in Fund 150. Strack requested the EDA sponsor the event. Motion Gohman, second Skahen to authorize expense of up to $300 for the purpose of inviting SCSU Professor and Downtown Expert Dr. Kent Robertson to speak about revitalizing downtown St. Joseph. Motion carried 5:0. The Board requested the City Council, Planning Commission, EDA, Downtown Committee and Chamber of Commerce Members be invited to the lecture scheduled for October 26'h at 5:30 p.m. MDG, Inc. to prepare flyers for the event. Board Member Announcements. Board Member Carlbom distributed a flyer created by members of the Downtown Committee announcing a meeting of downtown property owners at the College of St. Benedict on October 6'h Carlbom left the meeting at 3:57 p.m. Rieke noted the City had purchased a 49 acre site for the future development of a water treatment plant. Rieke noted the site is west of Interstate 94. Rieke noted the plant may be online as soon as the close of 2006. Gohman requested development fees be added to a future EDA agenda for discussion purposes. Adjournment Motion by Jacobson, seconded bey Skahen to adjourn. Motion carried 4:0. Meeting adjourned at 4:12 p.m. EDA Minutes -September 21, 2005 Page 3