Loading...
IDC Minutes 09-02-2008MINUTES MONTICELLO INDUSTRIAL & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Tuesday, September 2, 2008 - 7:00 a.m. Bridge Room, 505 Walnut Street, Monticello, MN MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Mike Benedetto, Vice Chair Bill Tapper, Secretary Lynne Dahl- Fleming, Dick Van Allen, Dan Olson, Barb Schwientek, Don Roberts, Wayne Elam, Patrick Thompson, Marshall Smith. MEMBERS ABSENT: Jim Johnson, Don Tomann, Zona Gutzweiler, Rich Harris CHAMBER LIASON Chamber Director, Sandy Suchy PRESENT: CITY STAFF PRESENT: City Administrator, Jeff O'Neill IEDC MISSION: To increase the tax base and the number of livable wage-level jobs in Monticello by promoting industrial and economic growth and working to maintain a desirable business environment. Call to Order. IEDC Chair Mike Benedetto called the meeting to order at 7:06 a.m. declaring a quorum. He also pointed out that in the packet for today's meeting, members should take special note of the enclosed IEDC Action Statement that was recently approved by membership at the May 6, 2008 meeting. This document should be kept on file and used as a reference and guide to provide direction for the work completed by the IEDC. Benedetto also obtained confirmation from membership that they approved of receiving the agenda, meeting minutes and additional information via email rather than the previous mode of delivery via printed packets sent by U.S. mail. The only comment from membership was that if detailed or color maps were included that better copies be provided with more clarity or to have those hard copies available at the actual meeting. 2. Welcome new IEDC member and introductions. Welcome was extended to the new Economic Development Director, Megan Barnett, even though she was not able to attend the meeting. She was recently hired by the city and started work on August 11. She will be attending the October meeting. Welcome to new IEDC member, Marshall Smith, Administrator/CEO at the Monticello- Big Lake Hospital. This is his first meeting. 3. Vote to approve the May 6, 2008 IEDC minutes. (Note: IEDC meetings were not held during the months of July or August.) Secretary, Lynne Dahl-Fleming noted that the acronym (IEDC) designating the newly adopted name of the group -Industrial and Economic Development Committee required to be consistent throughout the set of minutes and would be corrected. She also noted a correction for the Chamber update portion of the minutes to read as follows,: Director Suchy reported that the Main Page of the Chamber's website: www.MonticelloCCLcom listing educational college classes. This web page was added for community awareness and shows classes open to the public and offered by colleges who are Chamber members. BARB SCHWEINTEK MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MAY 6, 2008 IEDC MINUTES. SECONDED BY BILL TAPPER, THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED WITH A REQUEST TO MAKE THE NOTED CORRECTIONS. 4. Old Business: A. Planning Workshop and break-out groups for IEDC sub-committees including_ Business Retention, Marketing/Communication, Land Use and Transportation. Chair Benedetto stated that an IEDC planning workshop for sub-committee work had been planned for one of the summer meetings but had not yet taken place. This meant we would be devoting the major portion of the meeting to complete this task. Members were asked to divide into a group(s) that they were interested in and to provided input and comment as to what they felt should be priorities for IEDC. Members met in sub- committees and then came back to the table to review the information as a group by review of each category. The information was recorded as follows: BUSINESS RETENTION • Identify issues as well as the positives within the business community. Stay in touch with the business community - Newsletter from IEDC sent by direct mail to business community - Business survey with questions developed by IEDC with input from City Staff. Survey interviews done face-to-face by non-staff and in written form with opportunity for anonymity by businesses to allow freedom to express honest viewpoints. The objective would be to obtain information from the business community that reflected both strengths and weaknesses so both could be addressed. The survey would initially be done first with the manufacturers and industrial businesses since this is the primary focus of IEDC. - Personal visits to manufacturing and industrial businesses on a regular basis as a means to stay connected in this order: new 2 companies recently located in the community, growing companies and those who have recently acquired new neighbors. • Networking event in the form of an annual banquet for socializing - Evening event with main speaker yet ample time for social hour and sit-down meal that encourages socializing before and after. - Event could be a joint planning effort with Chamber but should be focused on the manufacturing and industrial business segments. MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS Note: Some of the items overlap with the above Business Retention list. • Create an understanding and awareness of IEDC. - Newsletter developed by IEDC with articles written by IEDC members and spotlighting various manufacturing and industrial businesses in the community. Make the business community aware of the IEDC Action Statement, our Mission along with the results and progress of our sub- committee work in the areas of. Business Retention, Land Use and Transportation as they are all interrelated with marketing and communications. - Evening social event to encourage business fellowship. - Provide input, ideas and recommendation to the Monticello Marketing Committee for development of a strategy for marketing Monticello to the type of business we wish to attract (especially in the area of manufacturing and industrial related businesses) by defining what attributed we have as a community and what type of business we want to bring to the city. The Monticello Marketing Committee may decide to include a more comprehensive view of promoting Monticello to include not only input from the city side but also from Chamber, schools, hospital district and major utilities like Xcel as more of a group effort. Depending on the funds available, this effort may include hiring an outside commercial firm for assistance with a strategy and development of a plan to market Monticello as a whole. TRANSPORTATION • Third Interchange for City of Monticello. - Provide input to staff and City Council for development of interchange and its location. An interchange needs to be completed to enhance the Monticello business community as an interchange is a key driver for a business location, especially for manufacturing and industry. • Key transportation routes in the City of Monticello. It was noted that the City of Monticello is completing its Transportation Study. The city's plan will be presented at a meeting scheduled for September 22 (S p. m.) - Second Mississippi River crossing needs to be looked at. Local jurisdiction will most likely have to initiate this effort and take it to the next level. Consideration of a way to jointly fund transportation issues on a more regional level especially since once you cross the Mississippi River form Monticello City limits you enter into Big Lake Township, Becker Township and the City of Big Lake. Perhaps they should be included in the planning. Currently there is a joint transportation group that the City of Monticello participates in along with Big Lake. How can IEDC have input with this? A Capital Improvement Fund could also be developed by the city for funding future transportation needs in order to establish a community commitment towards these efforts. - Take into consideration that Big Lake will soon have train transport along Highway 10 via the Northstar Commuter Rail. How do we take advantage of this and facilitate bus/van transport if needed between Monticello and Big Lake. - The Chamber is passing resolution to work with a group of other Chambers and communities to support expansion of 8 to 10 lanes along I-94 including areas between Maple Grove and Monticello. How can the city and IEDC take advantage of this (ie. bus/van from Monticello to Maple Grove?) - Market the fact that our community has the advantage of being located within driving distance to the St. Cloud Airport. - What is the timeframe for completion of access for Seventh Street? This route needs consideration as it is becoming a major route within the city because of Interchange developments. LAND USE (Industrial focus) • Identify industrial land available within the city limits currently and provide input and planning ideas for what will be needed in the future. - Identify what types of business are suitable to these areas and will provide livable wage jobs in Monticello. Evaluation to include business that is a compliment to industrial (ie. conference center, higher end hotels and dining experiences, etc.) - Determine if the city should purchase additional land for its own development and/or designate additional areas for industrial zoned land which could be purchased by developers. 4 • Define how infrastructure relates to land use - Identify what types of infrastructure are necessary for successful economic growth and development (ie. fiber optics, roads, sewer, water, etc.) and identify funding for infrastructure. Evaluate the possibility of a joint infrastructure plan on a more regional level (ie. sharing wastewater treatment plant or transportation costs.) Chair Benedetto instructed Secretary Dahl-Fleming to type up the notes from the sub-committee discussions and distribute them via email to members for their review prior to the next IEDC meeting. At the October IEDC meeting time will be devoted to polishing the priorities for each and developing an action plan. Review draft copy of the September 2, 2008 Planning Commission Agenda for commercial/industrial related items. The Planning Commission Agenda item presented was the North Chelsea Road Industrial to Commercial Rezoning Request for the Kohl's property. It was generally understood that due to the fact that this property is immediately adjacent to the I-94 Interchange and opposite the retail stores including Target and Home Depot that the north side of the interchange would fit for commercial use and its zoning. There was no recommendation from the IEDC on this matter. 6. Resorts. A. Cit~ndate. No city update was provided. B. Fiber Ontic, Marketing, Higher Education No report was provided for Marketing as the Monticelo Marketing Committee has not met recently. No report was provided for Higher Education. Lynne Dahl-Fleming provided an update on the city fiber optic project. The Council approved construction of the head-end building which will house the electronic equipment for the network and a smaller fiber loop build of approximately 11 miles of fiber optics which will connect important commercial, industrial and civic facilities. This contributes toward achievement of the economic development goals originally established for the FiberNet Monticello project. This build out of fiber includes the ability to connect up to 200 businesses that pass along the fiber loop route which includes the Monticello downtown area and most of the industrial parks. This connection includes Monticello City Hall, Community Center and Public Works buildings. Construction for both projects is anticipated to be completed by the end of the year. The service provided would be for high-speed data (Internet) only with no telephone or cable TV. 5 C. Economic Development Director Update No report was provided. Megan Barnett will provide an update at the October meeting. D. Chamber Director Sandy Suchy reported that the Political Candidate Forum will be held on Monday, September 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the Mississippi Room at the Community Center. Chamber's Business Expo will be on Sunday, October 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and held at the High School. She also reported that the annual IEDC Banquet (typically held in October) has been placed on hold pending discussion with the new Economic Development Director. Lynne Dahl-Fleming commented that perhaps with suggestion from the IEDC sub-committees of restructuring a banquet for socializing that it could be moved to a different month and be held at a later date. Regarding the current litigation resulting from the lawsuit presented by Bridgewater/TDS Telecom to the City of Monticello, a total of three Hearings have been conducted at Wright County District Court. Currently there is no other Hearing date set. Judge Jonathan Jasper, who is presiding over the case, said at the August 21 Hearing that he would be have an Order ready soon. The City is waiting to receive the Judge's Order and will not know anything until that time. 9. Other Business. Don Roberts presented a letter from the City Planner of Big Lake that his company, Cargill Kitchens Solutions (who has a Big lake location) received relating to the expansion of the city's industrial park. He commented that they were proactive in seeking assistance for referrals from current property owners in their existing industrial park for possible tenants in the expansion of their city-owned industrial park. Roberts thought this was an excellent idea and a good approach by the city. Lynne Dahl-Fleming asked to make a copy of the letter so it could be forwarded to Monticello City Staff. 10. Adjournment. BILL TAPPER MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE IEDC MEETING. SECONDED BY DON ROBERTS. THE IEDC MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:55 A.M. Next IEDC meeting -Tuesday, October 6, 2008. Lynne Dahl-Fleming, IEDC Secretary 6