IDC Minutes 10-20-1994MINUTES
MONTICELLO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Thursday, October 20, 1994 - ?:OO a.m.
City Ha11
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairperson John McVay, Treasurer Ran Hoglund,
Arve u^rimsma, Don Smith, Jay Tdarrell, Harvey
Kendall, Tom Lindquist, Merrlyn Seefeldt,
Steve Lemtne, Dr. Glenn Nemec, Cyndie Johnson,
Bill Tapper; and Jim Fletning.
MEMBERS ABSENT: vice Chairperson Kevin Doty, Shelley Jahnsati,
Mayor Brad Fyle, and Ken Maus.
STAFF PRESENT: Rick Walfsteller, Jeff O'Neill, grid Ollie
Koropchak.
1. CALL TO ORDER ._
Chairperson John McVay called the IDC meeting to order at ?:OG
a.rn.
2. CONSIDERATIGN TO APPROVE THE SEPTEMBER 15, 1994 IDC MINUTES.
Arve u^rimsmo made a motion to approve the September 15, 1994
. IDC minutes. Ssconded by Bill Tapper and with na additions or
c~?rrections, the minutes were approved as written.
:3. CONSIDERATION TO HEAR AND ACCEPT THE MONTHLY IDC FINANCIAL
REPORT,
Treasurer Hoglund reported a balance of $3,85~i,59 at
Metropolitan Federal and a balance of $2,25?.48 at Marquette
Monticello far a total October balance of $6,114.07. Harvey
Ka.ndall made a motion to accept the Oc:taber IDC financial
report as given. Seconded by Cyndie Johnson and with rto
additions ar carrectians, the financial report was accepted
and filed.
4. CONSIDERATION GF PROSPECT UPDATES:
Tree printed praspect update was accepted by IDC members. Arve
Grimsmo reported of his conversation with an official from a
Winsted industry regardincg tYte state-wide shortage a.f labor .
Additi~?tially, he reported that approximately 423b of a skilled-
wags. employee's incatne Bass fesr bsnsfits. The increased cast
of benefits tna~.es it difficult for the sitiall business Hiring
nan-skilled individuals to catnpete therebye causing a greater
turnaver. In addition to the labor Shortage, Merrlyn Seefeldt
ra.f_erx'ed to the difficulty to finding, hiring, and ratain.ing
sonteane with high work--ethic standards. Mr. Grinisnto suggosted
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IDC MINUTES
OCTOBER 20, 1~9=P
the IDC address the labor shortage issue. In Koropchak's
opiliiari; T~lonticello's best labor force resource is tha young
people of this area grid our ability to work with tYie education
system.
BRE REPORTS;
a) Ken Maus, Rainbow Enterprises, Inc., no report.
b) Tam Lindquist, Fingerhut Corporation, no report.
c) Merrlyn Seefeldt, Electro Industries, reported of
reaching company record sales. Employment is 50 on---sate
and 10 temps at home. Their largest state account is New
Hampshire and they just picked-up Maine. The biggest
fall disappointment was the expectation of the electric
fireplaces which may be due to the lack-of-kriow-haw to
market the product.
5. CONSIDERATION GF AN ACCOUNTABILITY OF BANQUET TICKET SALES AND
BANQUET FORMAT.
Koropchak informed members of the BRE Subcommittee's
suggestions to assign seat:ir~g at t1_'se banquet to :ncaurage
mixing, to add a short description of each industry to the
printed program, and to insert a manufacturer's awareness
quiz. An accountability of ticket sales was taken.
6. CONSIDERATIONd OF AN UPDATE REGARDING ZONING PLANNING ISSUES:
a} In addition to the written update, Js.ff O'Neill reported
on the fallowing:
1} With the approval of the rezoning for 30-acres of the.
Gladys Haglund property from I-1 to PS, 205 acres of
industrial land remain.
2} Coulicil will meet with the City Attorney to discuss
litigation ramification if Council denies the zoning of
the previously approved preliminary zoning concept far
tYLe Eritmerich/Klein property which complies with the
Cornpx•er:ensive Plari.
3) A Dopy of the study corttpleted by Northwest Associates
for the Sunny Fresii area is available to IDC rnernbers.
The study was authorized to determine the ultimate grid
best use of the property ire the future. It is possible
that BN would exchange the T_,inn Street railroad crossing
far another.
41 IDC members were presented with a copy of the base
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IDC MINUTES
OCTOBER 2O, 13~~
residential sewer~'water hook up survey completed in
October with supplement notes relating to commercial and
a copy of the the corrtrnercial i industrial sc:wer~`water
access charge carnpar:isan:~ far existing Monticello,
Buffalo, Rogers, Elk River, and proposed Monticello ~~sing
Standard Iran, Aroplax, and Custarn Canopy as examples.
Additionally, O'Neill Hated reasons far the prapot~ed
increases and suggested the IDC lock at bath t}ie reality
and competitiveness. Comments by IDC members ranged frarn
what are the city objectives, Mor~ticella's greater
industrial competitors are Buffalo and Becker, t}ie actual
one-time access increase charge would Hat greatex~ly
impact the reserve funds nar industries; however, more
importantly is the potential barrier ar message of arz
anti-business climate sent by the City to prospective
businesses.
Based on the IDG's objective of industrial business
recruitment, Bill Tapper made a rnatior~ recommending the
City Council deny an increase of the water and sewer
access charges as :it related to :induatr•.ial businesaoa;
hawever, if the Council duly felt an increase wad
riacesaary to limit the incr•easti to are amount Hat-to-
exceed the industrial sewer and tivater access charges of
the City of Buffala. Merr•lyn Seefeldt second t}ie moticri.
Some members were uncomfortable to vote on a motiorY
without having access to t}ie total project casts of
cnnstr~3.ctiori. If industries are required t~5 install a
sprinkler aystern, dc}es t}iis require an enlarged pipe size
and penalize the business? What is the comparative long-
term effect of higher access charges and lower rates to
industries? What is the total development casts adhering
to Manticeila's r~equir•errier~ts far site .irnprovernents, plan
review, and permits acrd its comparison to other
cornrrrunities? W}iat is a local industry's pr•o jetted
construction cast compared to its actual completed cast?
Staff was directed to carnplete a cotriparatve study of
development casts charged by of}ter cities and actual
development casts iYicurred by industries.
Korc~pc}-zak repeated the motion, Chairperson McVay called
far a vote. Yeas: Eight. T3ays: Four; Arve Grimsma, Dcr~
Smith, Tam Lindquist, and Dr. Nemec. Thane voting in
favor o.f t}ie matian felt tree pro-business rrcessage seat by
the City of tYioiitiaella to prospective industrial
businesses far-autweig}ied t}ie small arnourit of revenu4
• anticipated frarn the propoaed industrial access charge
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IDC P~3I?JUTES
uCTGBER 2G , 1g~34
increases. Those voting iii opposition, felt the vote was
ps°eircature acid c:3pposed voting on ttie iitattex' uiitil rs~ure
infor~tiatiori was collected a,id pr~:sented. TYiis itetii is
scheduled for• the City Council Agenda o.f Gctotiev 2z.
7. ETHER BUSINESS:
b) The IDC acknowledged Charlie Pfeffex•'s request to appear
Y~efore ttie IDC aria the IDC earmarked 15--tiiitiutes of t}ie
November 1? agenda to accommodate his request.
8. AD30URNMENT.
Tom Lindquist made: ~ TnUtloil to adjourn ttie IDC ~iteetizig .
Seconded by Jiin Fleming and without further discussion thy:
triotioiz passed unanimously. Meeting adjourned at S:3G a.tn.
Ellie Koropctiak, IDC Executive Director
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