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IDC Minutes 01-03-2006MINUTES - ANNCJAL MEETING MONTICELLO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Tuesday, January 3, 2006 - 7:00 a.m. • Academy Room -Monticello Community Center MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Dan Olson, Vice Chair Paul Kleinwachter, Mary Barger, Bill Tapper, Dick Van Allen, Barb Schwientek, Lynne Dahl-Fleming, Don Tomann, Tom Feaski, and Michele Hertwig. MEMBERS ABSENT: Don Roberts, Mike Benedetto, and Kelli Huxford. STAFF PRESENT: Ollie Koropchak. COUNCIL LIAISON PRESENT: Council Member Wayne Mayer. IDC MISSION STATEMENT: To maintain and increase the industrial tax base and to create jobs in the City of Monticello, Minnesota. Call to Order. (Please read the minutes and information prior to the meeting.) Chair Olson called the IDC meeting to order at 7:00 a.m declaring a quorum. Vote to approve the December 6, 2005 IDC minutes. Bill Tapper made a motion to approve the December 6, 2005 IDC minutes. Lynne Dahl- Fleming seconded the motion and with no corrections or additions, the minutes were • approved as written. Chair Olson welcomed Michele Hertwig to the IDC. Michele is the Chamber representative to the IDC as its 2006 Chair. Olson also welcomed Don Tomann back and Don expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to serve after a year of health issues. Mayor's City Update: A. Proposed I-94 and Countv Road 18 Interchange Project. 1. Status of Council negotiations with AVR. Council member Mayer informed members that the AVR going-concern issue is not resolved. Koropchak concurred stating Wolfsteller had not heard anything since the meeting between city and company representatives to discuss site and building design. 2. Status of I-94/Countv Rd 18 interchange construction. Mayer reported the city is investigating into the potential of a round-about at County Rd 18 and Meadow Oak Avenue as a left-hand turn from Meadow Oak Avenue onto County 18 is not allowed. The County supports around-about at County Road 18 and School Blvd but not at Meadow Oak. B. Status of YMCA property. YMCA completing an appraisal. C. Fiber Option Task Force. Mayer reported the Council approved the request for proposal (RFP) in December. Lynne Dahl-Fleming set up a web site where the RFP can be down-loaded and for questions. TDS Telecom can partner with the city. D. Other. None. IDC Minutes - 01/03/06 4. Annual meeting: A. Review Monticello IDC Organizational and Membership Guidelines for discussion and potential modification. Although initially the IDC was OK with the Guidelines later in the meeting they motioned to change the roles of the IDC secretary and Economic Development Director. B. Hear recommendations for discussion from Membership Committee and motion to appoint new members. Chair Olson reported Kleinwachter, Koropchak and he met on December 14. Given the resignation of Lindquist, they discussed his replacement and recommend the following for membership: Zona Gutzwiller for lender position replacing Lindquist, Jim Johnson for education position, and Mike Benedetto to continue as a member-at-large. Gutzwiller recommended based on long-term community involvement. Dan Olson made a motion to accept the recommendation of the Membership Committee. Lynne Dahl-Fleming seconded the motion and with no further discussion, the motion carried. Olson to follow-up with elected members. C. Review IDC 2005 Action Statement, the proposed amendment to the Mission Statement, and the proposed 2006 IDC Goals for discussion and approval. Kleinwachter reported Olson, Koropchak, and he also discussed 2006 goals at their December 14 meeting which were included in the agenda packet. Kleinwachter noted since his stay on the IDC, he felt the role of the IDC leaned toward maintaining and creating a favorable or desirable environment for industries rather than creating a tax base and jobs. Therefore, he proposed a change to the mission statement for discussion. The proposed change stirred. discussion with most members agreeing with Kleinwachter. Questions asked: What does it mean to be a desirable environment? What or can the town support additional industry? Is tax base and job creation important to the Council? Council member Mayer felt from the perspective of the Council, tax base and job creation was important. Members suggested verbiage combining the previous and suggested mission statement sending it back to the subcommittee. Next, the members reviewed the proposed goals. Because of the holiday break and the number of proposed goals, the IDC tabled any action to establish goals until the February meeting and suggested each member identify their top three goals. However, members did discuss the reliability of electric and telephone service and its importance. Schwientek noted the hospital's concern with electricity fluctuation ranging from 30 seconds to one-half hour to hours. This concurs with the concern raised by industrial businesses. Koropchak noted Darrin Lahr was contacted and a monitor was put in place. She has not heard the results. Schwientek said the IDC needs the support of the businesses to supply monitored documentation for distribution to Council and/or the utility companies. Conclusion was to first check with Darrin. The members than discussed the status of Comprehensive Plan update stating the value of an updated plan to the IDC and that an updated plan is essential to the IDC goals. The Comp Plan update involves two questions: Has the RFP been drafted? Or what is the status of the process of the Comprehensive Plan update? Members felt it was importance for the IDC to give input or to have the latitude to give input. Council member Mayer suggested the IDC draft a letter to the Council for the January 9 meeting • requesting a progress report on the Comp Plan update. The Marketing Committee budget and actual expenditure report was submitted to the 2 IDC Minutes - 01/03/06 IDC for review. With about $31,000 of the $36,000 budget expended, the subcommittee needs to look at future marketing plans for the industrial center. D. Election of 2006 IDC Officers: Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. Dan Olson made a motion to elect Paul Kleinwachter as 2006 IDC Chair. Seconded by Lynne Dahl-Fleming and with no further discussion, the motion carried. Election of vice chair will be addressed at the February meeting when new members are in attendance. In order to prioritize and manage her time and due to the decrease in help by city staff, Koropchak asked if the IDC would elect a secretary to record the minutes per the IDC Organizational Guidelines. Dan Olson made a motion to elect the Economic Development Director as Secretary responsible to record the minutes of each meeting and the IDC Chair to be responsible for the committee correspondence. Lynne Dahl-Fleming seconded the motion and with no further discussion, the motion carried. 5. Reports: A. Economic Development Report - In addition to the written report, Koropchak noted she expected to hear from the State in a couple of days that the EDA was approved as a local development organization for the purpose of marketing the Federal dollars at 0% interest rate with balloon payment in three years or up to 3% below prime with balloon payment in five years. Lastly, she noted that Christmas cards were mailed to local manufacturing businesses. 6. Review the draft conv of the Januarv 3, 2006 Planning Commission Agenda for industrial related items. Discuss and vote on an IDC position or action if necessary. The Planning Commission agenda supplement for the amendment to the Zoning Ordinance for Open and Outdoor Storage was distributed to members. Tapper reported on a productive meeting with the committee before Christmas and stated his frustration that a copy of the agenda and proposed amendment was not mailed the committee members prior to the January Planning Commission meeting. Having just received a copy, Tapper was not prepared to give a summary but said he would attend the Planning Commission meeting that evening. The Planning Commission had told the committee and staff/consultant to take as long as necessary. Mary Barger made a motion to support Mr. Tapper and recommended the Planning Commission table any action on the request for an amendment to the Monticello Zoning Ordinance regulating Open and Outdoor Storage in I-1, I-IA, and I-2 arias. Dan Olson seconded the motion and with no further discussion, the motion carried. IDC members were encouraged to call members of the Planning Commission. The IDC reviewed the request from Walbord, Inc for a variance from the Zoning Ordinance to allow an 11,760 sq ft detached accessory structure in an I-2 district. Given a 6,330 sq ft accessory building already existed, some members felt an addition to the principal building was a long-term better investment for the company. Kleinwachter asked, "What the IDC thought was reasonable or what the standard should be?" The existing ordinance states an accessory use is limited to 30% of the gross floor space of the principal structure. The variance request is for 49%. Council member Mayer suggested to maintain the IDC's credibility and until the IDC mission statement is established, perhaps no decision is best or at least no decision until after • Walbord Inc. has been is asked. IDC members agreed they were OK with 30% and. moved-on. 3 IDC Minutes - 01/03/06 7. Other Business. A. Chamber Updates -Chair Hertwig reported that the Annual Chamber Board Retreat would be held tomorrow morning from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The Chamber plans to survey their members to see what the members want. Regular monthly Chamber meetings will now be held on the third Tuesday of each month at noon in the Monticello Community Center due to the size of its membership and attendance. B. Next IDC meeting -Tuesday, February 7, 2006. Adjournment. The IDC meeting adjourned at 9:15 a.m. Recorder • 4