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HomeMy WebLinkAbout[04a] August 26th Meeting Minutes CITY OF ST. JOSEPH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Meeting Minutes—Wednesday August 26, 2015 Present: Board Members: Larry Hosch, Gary Osberg, Rick Schultz, and Dale Wick. Also present: City Administrator Judy Weyrens and EDA Director Cynthia Smith-Strack. Absent: Doug Danielson Call to Order. Chairperson Wick called the August 26, 2015 meeting of the St. Joseph EDA to order at 5:00 p.m. Agenda. Chairperson Wick introduced the agenda. Strack requested a discussion of the 2016 annual budget and capital projects be added to the agenda and that BFA Grant Disbursement to Kurt Schneider be removed from the agenda. Motion by Schultz to approve the agenda revised agenda. Second Osberg. Motion carried 3:0. Public Comment. None. Approval of Minutes. Chairperson Wick introduced the minutes from the July 22, 2015 regular EDA meeting. Motion by Osberg, Second Schultz to approve the July 22, 2015 regular EDA meeting. Motion carried 2:0 with Wick abstaining due to absence from the July 22nd meeting. Accounts Payable and Financial Report. Wick introduced the agenda item. Motion by Osberg, Second by Schultz to approve accounts payable and financial reports. Motion carried 4:0. 2016 Budget and Capital Projects. Wick introduced the agenda topic. Strack stated that the EDA approved a preliminary budget at the July meeting. A couple of items have come to light since the meeting and the City Council has not yet acted on certifying the preliminary budget, so additional discussion is requested. The first item relates to an internship position for 2016. The Board at the July meeting decided to retain the internship position in the budget. It was, however, not presented as being in the preliminary budget to the City Council. The EDA is asked to comment on the intern position and verify its inclusion in the 2016 budget. The Board confirmed its intent to include an intern in the 2016 annual budget calculated on a 15 week program with a maximum of nine hours per week. The next item discussed related to the capital projects preliminary budget. The EDA recommended a budget containing $85,000 in projects for 2016. That is $25,000 for Let's Go Downtown, $50,000 for Business Development/TIF, and $10,000 for the BFA grant program. The EDA is asked to consider alternative revenue streams for capital projects. For example, transfers of cable advertising revenues versus a tax levy. Weyrens was present to offer additional information. Weyrens stated a member of the community who was a longtime broadcast employee has stepped forward to offer various services, mostly volunteer, to capture revenue from cable TV advertising and August 26, 2015 EDA Meeting Page 1 services. Weyrens suggested such revenue could be designated for economic development capital projects, especially if business advertising is a revenue stream. Schultz opined the proposed capital projects budget recommended by the EDA in July was evidence of the importance of growth and redevelopment within City priorities. He noted the City Council had difficult decisions to make regarding the 2016 annual budget and capital projects. Wick agreed that alternative revenue stream support for capital projects could be a means of supporting capital project and lessening levy impact. He noted the City Council needed to reduce the preliminary budget and capital projects. Osberg agreed the City Council should keep spending low. A motion regarding the internship position and a recommended capital projects budget was requested. Motion Schultz, second Osberg to include internship position in 2016 annual budget and reduce capital projects from$85,000 to $35,000. Motion carried 4-0. 2016 Internship Position Description. Wick introduced the agenda item. Strack noted the EDA included an internship position in the preliminary budget for 2016. She also noted that the EDA had discussed reaching out to potential intern candidates sooner when debriefing with 2015 Intern Erin Speltz. Included in the packet was a draft 2016 Intern Position Description. Although distribution of the internship offering can wait until the City Council acts on the 2016 budget consideration of potential intern activities is requested at this time. This will allow a few months of advertising and outreach after the City Council approves the preliminary budget and prior to the adoption of the final budget. The goal would be to have an intern start in early 2016 provided the item is included in the 2016 budget. The suggested intern project is to research, develop, and administer a checklist of essential features of an age-friendly St. Joseph. For EDA information a sample checklist created by the World Health Organization of such features was included in the packet. The 2016 internship project will help the City assess strengths and deficiencies with regard to age-friendly city features. Proposed essential internship components include: • Researching and reporting on essential features of age friendly cities. • Identifying an acceptable checklist for age-friendly cities and/or creating a checklist for an age- friendly St. Joseph. • Coordination, facilitation, and oversight of checklist completion by a wide variety of citizens, business owners, interested groups/organizations, and elected/appointed officials. • Time permitting, issuance a written report to the St. Joseph EDA summarizing internship activities and commenting on survey responses. Review/comment on proposed 2016 internship was requested along with authorization of position description distribution if warranted and subject to inclusion in the 2016 preliminary budget. Wick noted the City Council had not yet approved a preliminary budget. He expressed concern for potentially reaching out to interns without secure funding. Strack agreed but noted the position could be posted with interviews conducted late in 2015 in advance of J-term and/or second semester. Schultz suggested the intern project could also connect to possible programming at a community center. Strack agreed and noted services in demand may evolve from that currently considered. She noted personal outlooks of Baby Boomers are that they are life-long learners who see themselves not as aging but as continuing to discover what the `want to be when they grow up'. Typical past demand for August 26, 2015 EDA Meeting Page 2 programming such as card playing, bingo, and social events will likely transition into demand for opportunities involving continued education, physical activity, and discovery travel. Schultz inquired as to intended outreach to St. Cloud State University and the College of St. Benedict. Strack noted that is what she had envisioned. Wick confirmed intern candidates from 2015 were from both institutions. Wick suggested including in the internship position a disclaimer noting the intern opportunity was contingent on approval in the final budget in December 2015. The Board agreed. Motion Schultz, second Wick to approve the 2016 internship position description with the aforementioned disclaimer included and authorize distribution of said position description. Motion carried 4:0. Marketing Map. Wick introduced the agenda item. Osberg stated he requested a discussion of the map be placed on the agenda. Osberg opined the map was not accurate and not appropriate for distribution to site selectors and potential parties interested in development in St. Joseph. He inquired as to who authorized printing of the map. Strack stated she approved the marketing map. Hosch opined his recollection was the map was to be used for marketing purposes, for distribution at various points in town for way-finding purposes. Osberg stated the street locations and building locations were not accurate. Schultz noted he didn't envision the map being distributed to professional leads and/or developers. He suggested next time the map was updated it could feature more businesses. BFA Grant Disbursement Request— Randy Schmitz, Scenic Specialties. Wick introduced the agenda item and the EDA Board discussed details. Motion Schultz, Second Wick to approve a BFA Grant disbursement in the amount of$1,000. Motion carried 4:0. BFA Grant Disbursement Request— Melissa Kolstad, Babygiriz Boutique. Wick introduced the agenda item and the EDA Board discussed details. Motion Schultz, Second Wick to approve a BFA Grant disbursement in the amount of$1,000. Motion carried 4:0. BFA Grant Disbursement Request—Aaron Rieland, Bad Habit Brewery. Wick introduced the agenda item and the EDA Board discussed details. Motion Schultz, Second Wick to approve a BFA Grant disbursement in the amount of$1,000. Motion carried 4:0. BFA Grant Disbursement Request—Tanya Finken, Sliced on College Ave. Wick introduced the agenda item and the EDA Board discussed details. Motion Schultz, Second Wick to approve a BFA Grant disbursement in the amount of$1,000. Motion carried 4:0. Business Development Report. Wick introduced the agenda item. August 26, 2015 EDA Meeting Page 3 The Board discussed attendance at a meeting convened to review three alley project design concepts developed by the City Engineer. The concepts included a high, medium, and low volume of public amenities and enhancements which could be included in an alley/stormwater improvement project in the 100 block of Minnesota Street West. Attendance at the meeting was minimal —only two of ten property owners invited showed up. In addition Strack met/spoke with three more property owners prior to the meeting. Opinions varied, but none supported a high volume of public amenities/enhancements, some supported a medium amount, some only supported a mill/overlay of the surfacing. Strack noted City Engineer Randy Sabart indicated storm water improvements i.e. pipe installation was mandatory for the alley resurfacing to achieve design life. Strack also noted those attending thought a second attempt at getting property owners together should be scheduled for October. Schultz and Wick commented on the meeting attendance and proposed level of interest in public amenities/enhancements. Hosch referenced past efforts focused on the Downtown including a visit by the Minnesota Design Team. Osberg requested potential concepts be brought to the EDA at some point in the future. The Board also addressed the status of the Farmer's Market move to Downtown. Strack noted relocating the Farmer's Market has been the subject of two previous rounds of rather intense discussion. In 2012 several months of discussion ultimately ceased in 2013 for lack of consensus about exact location in Downtown. EDA Intern Erin Speltz re-engaged the Farmer's Market Board earlier this year. The discussions resulted in a suggested location including the City Hall parking lot and part of Ash Street West. Discussions with the Market Board were set to reconvene in September of 2015 as any move required a commitment on the Market's behalf by October or November. Strack requested discussion of reconvening discussions and requested EDA Board Member volunteers to attend such discussions. Osberg suggested reconvening discussions with a goal of moving the Market to the Downtown in 2017 versus 2016. Wick noted 2017 may be more realistic in that the future of the City Hall property is fluid at this time. Wick and Osberg volunteered to represent the EDA at discussions with the Farmer's Market Board if needed. Strack provided an overview of the remainder of the report. September Meeting Date. Wick introduced the agenda item. Strack noted there are five Wednesdays in September and requested input from the Board on the potential to either(a) move the meeting back from September 23rd to the 30th or(b) move the meeting up to 4 p.m. versus 5 p.m. on the 23rd Hosch noted moving the meeting to the 30th was preferable. Other Board Members concurred. Motion Wick, Second Schultz to move the September EDA meeting date from the 23rd to the 30th. Motion carried 4:0. Board Member Announcements. Schultz asked Strack to check into space currently being leased by a video store which is closing. Adjournment. Motion Schultz, Second Hosch to adjourn. Motion carried 4:0. Meeting adjourned at 6:02 p.m. August 26, 2015 EDA Meeting Page 4