IDC Minutes 09-20-2001MINUTES
MONTICELLO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Thursday, September 20, 2001 - 7:00 a.m.
Standard Iron & Wire Works, Inc. - 207 Dundas Road
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Dick Van Allen, Vice Chair Tom Lindquist, Kevin Doty, Bill
Tapper, Don Roberts, Mike Benedetto, Mary Barger, and Ellen Perrault.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Don Smith, Tom Ollig, Susie Wojchouski, Barb Schwientek, and Dan Olson.
COUNCIL ABSENT: Mayor Roger Belsaas.
STAFF PRESENT: Jeff O'Neill and Ollie Koropchak.
CHAMBER REPRESENTATIVE PRESENT: Joanne Forbord.
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 IDC meeting of September 20, 2001 to order at 7:12 a.m.
2. improve the August 16, 2001 IDC minutes.
Van Allen requested the words (bring back) be replaced or corrected with the word (revise) on
page 3, item 4, first line of the August 16 minutes. Bill Tapper made a motion to approve the
August 16, 2001 IDC minutes as amended. Tom Lindquist seconded the motion and with no
further additions or corrections, the minutes were approved as amended.
STANDARD IRON TOUR -Rich Demeules gave a brief history of the company stating the company
has three facilities located in Sauk Center, Alexandria, and Monticello. The largest production facility is
located in Sauk Center and the smallest production facility in Monticello. However, Monticello is the
company's headquarters and includes 20,000 sq ft of office space. Standard Iron has a total of 167,000
sq. ft. of manufacturing space. The group then toured the production area. Anew product being
manufactured is a transport container for shipping snowmobiles.
Subcommittee and Other Reports:
A. Marketing -Van Allen reported on the brochure update stating the new photos have been
taken and the subcommittee will review the lay-out the week of September 24. Through the
assistance of Darrin Lahr, the contribution from Xcel Energy has increased from $2,000 to
$4,000.
B. Mayor's Report -None.
C. Economic Development Report -Accepted as submitted.
D. Long-Term, Cooperative Land Use -Combined with item 4
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4. U date and discussion relative to the Se tember 18 meetin =held between the Council and
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Planning Commission -Gold Nugget Land Use and Comprehensive Plan Update Scope.
O"Neill summarized the outcome of the workshop between the City Council and Planning
Commission held on September 18. The workshop focused on two items: Gold Nugget Land
Use and Comprehensive Plan Update Scope. First, in preliminary concept, the group agreed
approximately 70 acres of the Gold Nugget parcel along Highway 25 should be considered for a
land use of commercial/industrial. Perhaps atwo-tier approach with an I1 A use. The remaining
balance of the Gold Nugget parcel to be residential with green spacing between the I 1 A and
residential and no sharing of roadway. In order to amend the Comprehensive Plan, a public
hearing must be held. First task is to rewrite the Plan. Time frame perhaps 60 days. On other
matters, an interchange at County Road 39 West was not highly supported. The Orchard Road
interchange received the highest support although it was noted there are some sensitive areas.
The group requested a more detailed study of the Bohanon, Paumen, and Orchard Road areas.
Lastly, the CounciVPC agreed to draft an ordinance including standards and establishment of
districts for upscale housing. Other updates by O'Neill included discussions with Paul Bilotta
who has been retained by Chadwick for development of the 185 acres. Chadwick is not
requesting commercial land use along [-94 as they feel it's too far away from the interchange for
big boy users; therefore, the parcel will retain its light industrial use and is not part of the
Comprehensive Plan update. The parcel can be annexed by the 60-day petition process.
Additionally and relating to the Remmele and Groveland pa--cels, Council approved the
annexations by of°dinance on a 3-2 vote. O'Neill continued stating the County, not the MOAA,
now determines the land use of parcels on the fringe of the city. And lastly, MDOT is
considering 6 alternative options to improve the safety on [-94 at the overpass bridge and rail
area. One option includes a full interchange at County Road 18 and I-94. Proposed
improvements have been moved forwa--d to 2006.
5. Discuss the operating draft of the Business Retention and Expansion Visit Plan for changes prior
to acceptance to implement.
IDC members made comments on the operating draft of the BRE Visit Plan. The proposed
questionnaire, drafted from comments of the August 16 IDC meeting, drew the most discussion:
Is the questionnaire useful? Will the questionnaire and visit bring value to the business? Is it
necessary to collect historic data of a business? Would a business want to share information
about a management change? Do we want to measure customer satisfaction? If so, perhaps the
answers should be measured in quantitative levels of satisfaction. Additionally, members
discussed what qualifies a business as an industrial or commercial enterprise? Members
suggested Van Allen, Tapper, Barger, and Koropchak meet to revise the operating draft of the
BRE questionnaire and further discuss the list of industries. The visit must have value to the
business.
6. An update on the Industrial Banquet sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.
About 42 people have signed up for the banquet as of Tuesday. Forbord encouraged the IDC
members to RSVP.
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Discussion and input relative to the Monticello Commercial Market Analysis and Development
Potential Evaluation.
Due to a lack of quorum, no action was taken. Some members thought the analysis had merit.
8. Other business.
a) Chamber Lunch, September 20, 1 1:50 a.m., Silver Springs Golf Course.
b) Tapper expressed his concern relative to the clinics in Monticello not performing drug testing
for new employees. Anew employee was recently refused service at a local clinic. Forbord said
Standard Iron also had problems in the past and now uses a clinic in St. Cloud; however, this is
not convenient. It was suggested to contact Barb Schwientek.
c) Ellen Perrault informed members the Nuclear Management Company has hired a new vice
president. His name is Jeff Forbes. Additionally, she informed members that city staff and
council were invited to join other state representatives on a tour of the proposed dry-cast storage
facility or site near Las Va~as. She said about 8 people from Red Wing were attending and was
unaware of any Monticello people signed up. The first-hand experience of visiting the facility or
area would be of great value. This insight would be helpful particularly during the public
hearin~~s associated with the proposed re-licensing the Monticello Plant.
9. adjournment.
The IDC meeting adjourned at 8:40 a.m.
Ollie Koropchak, Recorder
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