IDC Minutes 08-16-2001MINUTES
MONTICELLO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Thursday, August 16, 2001 - 7:00 a.m.
City Hall - 505 Walnut Street, Academy Room
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Dick Van Allen, Vice Chair Tom Lindquist, Don Smith, Bill
Tapper, Don Roberts, Mary Barger, Susie Wojchouski, and Dan Olson.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Kevin Doty, Tom Ollig, Mike Benedetto, Barb Schwientek, and Ellen Perrault.
COUNCIL LIAISON ABSENT: Mayor Roger Belsaas.
STAFF PRESENT: Rick Wolfsteller, Jeff O"Neill, and Ollie Koropchak.
IDC MISSION STATEMENT: To maintain and increase the industrial tax base and to
create jobs in the City of Monticello, Minnesota.
Call to Order.
Chair Van Allen called the [DC meeting to order at 7:00 a.m.
Anorove the June 21.2001 [DC minutes.
Lindquist inquired to the meaning of the importance of understanding the position of the farmer
in the township. Van Allen clarified the meaning. Secondly, Lindquist asked ``Has the City
marketed the Remmele property?" Wolfsteller responded "N o. the property was used as a card
to swap land with Chadwick and prior to that the City had considered it for use of dispensing
bio-solid sludge. However, with utilities now to the property, the city could market the
property." Bill Tupper made a motion to approve the June 21, X001 IDC minutes. Seconded by
Sz~sie Wojchouski and N~i~h nn corrections or additions, the minutes were approved as written.
Subcommittee and Other Reports:
A. Marketing, July 26 meeting -Smith reported on the marketing meeting held July 26. The
group revisited the marketing brochure for necessary revisions such as the H-Window and
Midwest Graphics no longer in operation within Monticello. [t was the goal to disburse the
x,000 brochures ordered in 1998 by January 2002 and with the direction of the Council to
continue marketing the City of Monticello for industrial development, the members agreed to
meet with Eric Lecy, Lecy Design, for suggestions and cost estimates to update the brochure.
Additionally, the group discussed the IDC breakfast/luncheon. They agreed the last luncheon
was modestly successful and that unless the breakfast/luncheon has the right speaker or topic, it
best not to continue. Instead, the group decided that the IDC would go to the industries which
will be covered under item 4 of the agenda. Koropchak indicated that Excel Energy may
contribute up to $2,000 toward revision of the brochure per Paul Ammerman, Senior Consultant
Economic Development. An application for funding is required. Additionally, Koropchak noted
two optional dates have been scheduled for meeting with Eric Lecy.
IllC Minutes - 8/16/01
B. Long-Tenn, Cooperative Land Use Decisions, Council Meeting of Jules -The [DC
discussed the existence of the MOAA. Wolfsteller informed the IDC that the City Council
determined that the MOAA no longer exists; although, the MOAA still holds meetings. As far as
application for annexation, it is a wait and take-a-see position. The MOAA is appealing the
Supreme Court relative to the court decision that the land use map within the Plan is not valid
because of no public hearing notice. The Plan adopted July 1999 is null and void. Smith
reported that the MOAA adopted a Plan last week with the two Council members voting.
Wolfsteller noted that the action taken was unauthorized by the Council. Van Allen proceeded to
inform the IDC of his second visit to the Council on July 9, 2001, as he personally requested the
Council to forget the MOAA See Attachment A. Wolfsteller informed the committee that the
Council requested the Planning Commission schedule a meeting date to discuss the Gold Nugget
property and R-1 housing standards. The date is set for September 18 and is an open meeting.
Wolfsteller continued stating water and sewer lines are to the northeast corner of the Gold
Nugget parcel and if used for industrial, the lines may need resizing and to rezone the land use in
the Comprehensive Plan takes a 4/5 vote of the Council. Van Allen asked for a motion from the
IDC supporting the abandonment of the MOAA because the MOAA never resolved problems
and it would not be fruitful to re-invent the MOAA. In 1974, the township and city agreed to an
NSP revenue sharing agreement and the MOAA was created. In 1995, the Plan was modified to
change the process for bringing land in and the makeup of the board. Asked about the
annexation process under State Statutes: For 60 acres or less, the City can pass a petition with a
public hearing and notices send. Then goes to the State Planning. The property must have the
capability to be served or served with utilities. "['apper responded to Van Allen's request stating
he felt taking the position to forget the MOAA was not the initial approach of the IDC. Initially
the approach of the IDC was to work as a small group with the township to develop a mutual
understanding of the MOAA Plan, to say '`forget the MOAA" would enhance animosity in his
opinion. We need an amicable relationship. Smith saw the solution as '`more land for industrial
development." Koropchak questioned what happened to the initial two approaches of the [DC
for industrial land -short term and long teen (20 year). With the Gold Nugget in a land use
conflict and the Chadwick parcel perhaps under plans for commercial and industrial
development, what is the short term land options? Lindquist asked "Does the City have
industrial land to sale? Perhaps, the answer is an agreement with a focus for a concentration of
industrial zoned land for both long term and short term. O'Neill saw the problem as two bodies
(jurisdictions) rather than one body making land use decisions and suggested the [DC
recommend the development of one land use plan. Van Allen concluded that the need for land
for industrial development was the main objective of the IDC and to work with the MOAA.
Roberts suggested Van Allen keep up the good work and continue to go before the Council
keeping the IDC's objective of the need for industrial land to solve problems in front of the
Council No recummendulior~ wcrs mode by the IDC.
C. Mayor's Report - MOAA existence and Chadwick parcel update - Belsaas
No report.
D. Economic Development Report. See Attachment B for Koropchak's report. It was
suggested that Koropchak contact Randy Hacker of UMC relative to the availability of the H-
Window facility. It was noted UMC is the same company as referred by Olson General
2
IDC Minutes - 8/16/01
•
Contractors.
Discuss the decision of the Marketing Subcommittee to re-invent the Business Retention and
Expansion Program BRE) it's~urpose and the role of IDC members
Van Allen informed members of the Marketing Subcommittee's decision to ri- back the
Business Retention and Expansion Program. Working though Koropchak, the IDC would visit
30 industrial businesses to generate over the long-term as one objective more interest in the
breakfast/luncheon and banquet. The preliminary concepts is for each IDC member to visit one
or two industries for a report at the following IDC meeting, the visit to include a survey (to be
developed) and a purpose which is worthy of the company's time and money. The right
questions must be asked and we must be listeners and a need to develop purpose and plan (new
industry, what surprises, relationship with city, report to city.) Smith saw the purpose of the
visits as public relations. A gathering of information as company products and management
change. Tapper agreed with Smith's approach for value and that the purpose of the visit must be
a good-will builder. It is the intent to start the visits in September or October. The IDC as a
group will continue to periodically meet at industrial businesses where facilities can
accommodate the size of the IDC.
•
An update and discussion on the Industrial Banquet sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce
(date and speaker). Wojchouski reported after about 20 inquiries for a speaker, the Chamber
heard two responses of "no". Optional dates at the end of September and early October remain
as an opportunity to entice a speaker. The speaker sought is the "Body Warmer", a local person,
sales entrepreneur and inventor. The banquet theme to center around beer and bar-b-que. The
Chamber is sponsoring three seminars and industrial web site has had several hits.
Other business.
a) Chamber Lunch, August l6, 1 1:50 a.m., Hero's in Big Lake, "DSL is Coming" by TDS
Telecom.
b) The regular September 20 IDC meeting will be held at Standard Iron.
c) Wojchouski distributed a marketing study by Jim McComb via Steve Johnson and asked for
input from the IDC. This to be on the September IDC agenda.
Adjournment.
By a consensus of the IDC, the meeting adjourned at 8:50 a.m.
c~.~. ~',~ ~ ~S~ ~s-~~
Ollie Koropchak, Recorder