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Home My WebLink About[04a] Minutes CITY OF ST.JOSEPH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Meeting Minutes—Wednesday January 23, 2013 Present: Board Members Chair Wick, Doug Danielson, Steve Frank, Larry Hosch (5:05 pm), and Gary Osberg. EDA Director Cynthia Smith-Strack. Call to Order. Chairperson Wick called the January 23, 2013 meeting of the St. Joseph EDA to order at 5:02 p.m. Oath of Office. Wick requested Strack administer the oath of oiffice to Gary Osberg. Osberg took and signed the oath. Agenda. Chairperson Wick introduced the agenda. Motion by Frank seconded by Danielson to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 5-0. Public Comment. None. �i Election of Officers. � Wick introduced the agenda item. Strack stated the EDA is required to hold an annual meeting at which officers must be elected. The EDA appointments for 2012 were: Wick, Chair; Skahen, Vice Chair and Treasurer. ' Frank nominated the following officers for 201�: Wick, Chair,�Danielson, Vice Chair;Hosch, Treasurer,� and Frank Secretary. Nominations seconded by Osberg. Motion carried 5:0. Approval of Minutes. I i ecem er 19 2012 re ular EDA meetin . Motion b Chair Wick introduced the m nutes from the D b , g 9 Y Danielson, Second Frank to approve the December 19, 2012 minutes as presented. Motion carried 4-0, with Osberg abstaining. Accounts Payable and Monthly Report. Chairperson Wick introduced the agenda items and reviewed accounts payable for December 2012 in the amount of$2,521.35(MDG contract and milea�e). � Motion by Frank, Seconded by Osberg to app�ve the accounts payab/e as presented. Motion carried 5- 0. Osberg asked how the EDA received funding� Strack noted the general fund is capitalized through an allocation from the general tax levy. The tax abatement and increment funds are self supporting and dependent on capturing taxes paid by the participating property owners. The capital improvement budget is also allocated from tax levy and in accordance with capital improvement program. Strack requested consideration of the following line item transfers within the capital improvement budget: transfer $5,435.45 from project # EDA1202 to project #EDA 1207; t�ansfer $329.89 from project #EDA1202 to project#EDA1205. I Motion by Wick to transfer$5,435.45 from prdject # EDA 1202 to project #EDA 1207; transfer$320.89 from project#EDA1202 to project#EDA1205, Second by Hosch. Motion carried 5:0. Motion by Frank, Second by Osberg to approve the December financial reports. Motion carried 5-0. January 23,2013 EDA Meeting Page 1 � EDA Annual Report. Chair Wick introduced the annual report and r�oted that each year the EDA is required to submit a report to the Council summarizing its activities over the previous year. Strack noted that compiling the annual report is a time consuming process and that it usually takes well over ten hours to gather the data needed for the report. As an overview of the report she noted it included eight charts, five figures, and eight tables with data from eleven sources. Strack reviewed the break-out of all contract hours by EDA core function: organizational development, infrastructure development, business development, and market devefopment. Strack opined the breakout lends itself to accountability and gives the public a snapshot of how the EDA is allocating its time and resources. Strack noted the annual report also documents board members, terms, and meeting dates of the EDA. In addition, the report provides a summary of construction activity, market and tax capacity composition, and employment which assists the EDA in tracking the efficacy of its programs. The next portion of the report examines economic indicators including unemployment, wages, housing starts, sales tax/use data, and population/household information. The information is intended to give readers a snapshot of the local economy. The next section of the report provides information on projects as a means of updating the Council on projects on which the EDA has been working. Finally, the report includes progress reports on annual goals and establishment of goals for the current year. Input is sought on the progress reports aMd 2013 goals. The Board Members paged through the report and requested the following changes: • Typographical errors on pages 2,3,20,a2,30 • Page 18—allude to 2002 Comprehen5ive Plan and goal increase the percentage of the tax base relating to commercial/industrial property • Page 22, add first two quarters of 2012 to the table and chart(most recent data available) • Add a `temperature gauge' to the listing of prospects/technical assistance/coordination for added clarity The Board reviewed proposed goals for 2013 and accepted them as presented. Frank noted the upcoming CSB 100"' anniversary and the monastery's sesquicentennial indicating perhaps downtown merchants could capitalize on activities. Motion Osberg, Second Frank to accept the 2b12EDA Annual Report and authorize submittal to the City Council. Motion carried 5:0. Downtown Master Plan. Wick introduced the agenda item and referen�ed Strack's memo noting the EDA agreed by consensus that prior to charting any alternative uses on a map for public viewing, outreach to owners of property in the downtown was planned. Strack referenced a list of property owners contained in the packet and requested assistance in finding phone numbers of the six listed without published numbers and in establishing a few specific questions to ask each the owners of property. Frank suggested that prior to the phone call a letter be mailed to the individual property owners making them aware of the phone survey and requesting participation. The letter will be signed by EDA Chair Wick and be sent to each property owner. January 23,2013 EDA Meeting Page 2 � The Board further discussed the intent of the survey and potential questions to be included in the brief phone call. A question relating to each property owner's planned use of their property in ten years will be included on the survey. A follow up question will ask if there are any `road blocks' to using their property in the way they would like in the next ten years. There will be a question regarding parking, one for business owners relating to from where their business comes, and a final question seeking interest in shaping a vision for the downtown. Potential Ordinance Changes to Commercial and Industrial Zones Motion Wick, second Danielson to postpone discussion on this item until the February regular EDA meeting. Motion carried 5-0. Business Development Report. Strack referenced a business development report which was included in the packet. She reminded the EDA members of the McDonald's grand opening event on January 29th and noted the biotech company the EDA has been working with had secured U.S. patents for their technology. Board Member Announcements. Osberg inquired as to why Bello Cucina didn't have a merchant sign like other businesses in the Millstream Shops and Lofts. Frank noted the EDA had approved the sign several meetings previously. Strack to inquire. Adjournment. Motion by Hosch, Seconded by Osberg to adjaurn fhe EDA meeting at 6:31 pm. Motion carried 5-0. i January 23,2013 EDA Meeting Page 3 � � i _