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IDC Minutes 02-05-2008MINUTES MONTICELLO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Tuesday, February 5, 2008 - 7:00 a.m. • Bridge Room, 505 Walnut Street, Monticello, MN MEMBERS PRESENT: Vice Chair Bill Tapper, Dick Van Allen, Don Roberts, Dan Olson, Lynne Dahl-Fleming, Jim Johnson, Zona Gutzwiller, and Sandy Suchy. MEMBERS ABSENT: Chair Mike Benedetto, Barb Schwientek, Don Tomann, and Patrick Thompson. COUNCIL LIAISONS PRESENT: Mayor Clint Herbst and Council Member Wayne Mayer. STAFF: Ollie Koropchak, Jeff O'Neill, and Angela Schumann. GUEST: Scott Johnson, Manager, Community & Local Gov't Relations, Xcel Energy. Joel Jamnik, Campbell-Knutson Law Firm. IDC MISSION STATEMENT: To increase the industrial tax base, to create jobs at liveable wage-levels, and to maintain a favorable and desirable industrial environment in the City of Monticello. 1. Call to Order. (Please read the minutes and information prior to the meeting.} • Vice Chair Tapper called the IDC meeting to order at 7:04 a.m. declaring a quorum. 2. Vote to approve the January 8, 2008 IDC minutes. VAN ALLEN MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE JANUARY 8, 2008 IDC MINUTES. OLSON SECONDED THE MOTION AND WITH NO ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS, THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED AS WRITTEN. 3. Old Business: A. Review the IDC subcommittee recommendation and approve a motion requesting the City Council at their February 11.2008 meeting consider adoption of the resolution recognizing the Industrial Development Committee. Vice Chair Tapper referred to the copy of the proposed resolution recognizing the IDC as recommended by the IDC Subcommittee. Tapper, not a member of the subcommittee, requested Don Roberts speak on behalf of the subcommittee. Roberts briefly spoke of the history of the IDC as an independent voice and not a rubber stamp organization which has worked well and many good things resulted. The subcommittee (Benedetto, Van Allen, Roberts, Dahl-Fleming and Staff Koropchak) met on two different occasions to draft the • resolution based on the form Attorney Jamnik provided and based on the IDC members support for Option II: The IDC to operate as a separate group (similar as today) and IDC Minutes - 02/05/08 discussions at the January IDC meeting. The subcommittee's recommendation was submitted to Attorney Jamnik and O'Neill for comment. Attorney Jamnik responded it looked fine to him. O'Neill stated he made no comment because the document is an IDC document reflecting the wishes of the IDC as that was what the Council wants. Herbst had problems will the document noting that the council liaisons were non-voting members and, yet, the Council appoints the Economic Development Director as a staff member to the IDC, an independent organization. In that case, Herbst suggested each member of the IDC should send a company employee to work for the city one to two hours. Herbst further noted that the developer representing a large business requested the Economic Development Director not be present at apre-design meeting. Dahl-Fleming asked: If the document does not give Council enough control? O'Neill noted that the IDC is the most independent of all commissions and maybe autotelic. Roberts noted if the IDC is autotelic that's more like Option III. Given the amount of time the City dedicates to the IDC, does the City Administrator have any control of the positions/goals taken by the IDC or the Economic Development Director? Herbst agreed that there was no control over the person doing the IDC work. Tapper said that was an employee issue not an IDC issue. Mayer suggested the need to add verbiage that the supervisor has control over the employee and may assign other staff as needed. It was further noted that Council it not involved in selection of IDC members. Roberts explained the current process for solicitation of members by the IDC and in the future, the IDC will recommend individuals to Council for appointment. Koropchak noted IDC members would be appointed annually consistent with other commission appointments and the IDC meetings would be subject to the open meeting law. Tapper stated he was confused by the Mayor's comments since he was under the impression the IDC was doing what the Council liked. Roberts stated the goal of the . subcommittee was to complete the work as previously laid out. Mayer noted he had no problem being anon-voting liaison member. Attorney Jamnik stated the resolution defines the history and linkage of the IDC and City and the document can consist of four pages or one page. Words can be changed or paragraphs added or deleted. The intent of the agreement was to formalize or legitimize the linkage between the IDC and City providing documentation for compliance with the Office of the State Auditor. Tapper suggested the IDC consider, independently, the four concerns raised. 1. Vote on general concept of resolution as presented by the subcommittee. ROBERTS MADE A MOTION FOR THE IDC TO APPROVE THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF THE RESOLUTION PRESENTED BY THE IDC SUBCOMMITTEE. VAN ALLEN SECONDED THE MOTION AND WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THE MOTION CARRIED. 2. Vote to amend the resolution to: The City Council shall appoint the Mayor and a Council Member to the IDC as voting members. Since no IDC member entertained a motion for amendment, the meeting proceeded. 3. Vote to amend Item No. 4 of the resolution: DAHL-FLEMING MADE A MOTION TO AMEND ITEM NO. 4 ADDING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR MAY ASSIGN OTHER SUPPORT STAFF TO THE IDC AS NEEDED. JOHNSON SECONDED THE MOTION AND WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THE MOTION CARRIED. 4. Final vote. • ROBERTS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING 2 IDC Minutes - 02/05/08 THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WITH THE APPROVED AMENDMENT TO ITEM N0.4 AND TO REQUEST THE CITY COUNCIL AT THEIR FEBRUARY 11, 2008 MEETING CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. GUTZWILLER SECONDED THE MOTION AND WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THE MOTION CARRIED. Mayer commended the IDC for development of the resolution which gives recognition to the IDC and their commercial and industrial viewpoints. 4. New Business: A. A status report on the electrical substation at Lake Pulaski near Buffalo and plans for a new substation in Monticello. Scott Johnson, Xcel Energy, informed the group that the number of local outages has improved since resolving the bird and animal issues. Within two to five years, a new sub-station in the southwest corridor of the City of Monticello is planned, ideally, somewhere in the vicinity of the theater and the transmission lines. The purpose of the new substation is to accommodate growth and very little for relief of the Lake Pulaski substation. Koropchak noted the importance of staff to identify the substation within the comp plan land use and the need to ensure the electrical demand is adequate for existing businesses and potential upcoming fiber optics users. Johnson informed the IDC that Xcel Energy has filed papers for the planned upgrade to the Monticello Nuclear Plant. B. Motion to accept the resignation from Marv Barger. VAN ALLEN MADE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF MARY BARGER. OLSON SECONDED THE MOTION AND WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THE MOTION CARRIED. C. Update on recruitment of candidates for IDC membership and motion to confirm. At the direction of the IDC, the Executive Director recruited three candidates to fill vacant positions on the IDC. Replacing Barger under the professional category of manufacturing is Richard (Rich) Harris, CFO/Co-owner, Midwest Precision Machining, 108 Chelsea Road. His father, Bill Harris (previous Remmele Engineering employee), purchased the company from Andy Anderson several years ago. Rich is a graduate of Monticello High School and practiced law in Chicago prior to moving back to Monticello and becoming co-owner in the business. Replacing Feaski under the professional category of service contractor is Wayne Elam, Executive Vice President, Allied Properties & Management/Terra General Contractors, Rogers. Previously employed by Nelson Builders, Wayne was instrumental in spearheading a number of commercial projects in Monticello and is a board member of the Wright County Economic Development Partnership. Lastly, filling the health care profession is Marshall Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Monticello Big Lake Community Hospital District. Gutzwiller noted Mr. Elam has a high value for Monticello and is committed to Monticello. Koropchak noted she visited with each of the candidates and provided them a copy of the Monticello IDC Organizational and Membership Guidelines noting the attendance requirement and the Mission Statement. All three individuals later informed Koropchak they were interested in becoming an IDC member with Mr. Smith requesting a starting date of Apri12008. IDC members agreed they were good • 3 IDC Minutes - 02/05/08 candidates. DAHL-FLEMING MADE A MOTION TO CONFIRM RICH HARRIS, WAYNE ELAM, AND MARSHALL SMITH (effective Apri12008) AS IDC MEMBERS AND RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL CONSIDER APPOINTMENT ON FEBRUARY 11, 2008. JOHNSON SECONDED THE MOTION AND WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, THE MOTION CARRIED. 5. Reports: A. Mayor -Herbst reported a purchase price has been agreed upon between the seller and buyer and the County/City will lobby Legislators for about $8 million. The Comp Plan Open House was attended by approximately 80 individuals. Plans are for the Planning Commission to call for a public hearing date at their March meeting. Tapper said he read the Comp Plan and agreed with the general concept but questioned whether the 199? Downtown Plan was a realistic plan today. Schumann noted the Downtown Plan will be further addressed upon completion of the Transportation Plan. B. Fiber Optic and Marketing Committees. Mayer reported that eight companies responded to the request for proposal for engineering design and construction management. The subcommittee narrowed the field down to three companies for interviews. Plans are for the City Council to consider the subcommittee's recommendation on February 11. Dahl-Fleming noted the I-94 billboard will be up in mid-February, the Wright County Ad underlines city-owned fiber optics, and Baltos informed the subcommittee of the potential use of the city video and access. C. Economic Development. Written report accepted. D. Chamber. Sandy reported the Monticello Chamber is listed among the top 25 • Chambers in the metro area by membership numbers. The Chamber has 275 members. The Chamber's web site lists commercial and industrial properties for lease/sale and land sites. 6. Review the draft copy of the February 6 2008 Planning Commission Agenda for industrial related items. Discuss and vote on an IDC position or action if necessary No industrial related items. 7. Other Business. A. Next IDC meeting -Tuesday, March 4, 2008 (Annual meeting). B. Other. None. 8. Adjournment. VAN ALLEN MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE IDC. OLSON SECONDED THE MOTION AND WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THE IDC MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:55 A.M. w ` ~ Ollie Koropchak, Recorder 4