IDC Minutes 12-02-2008MEETING MINUTES
MONTICELLO INDUSTRIAL & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 - 7:00 a.m.
Bridge Room, 505 Walnut Street, Monticello, MN
IEDC MISSION:
To increase the industrial tax base, to create jobs at livable wage levels, and to maintain a
favorable and desirable industrial and economic environment in the City of Monticello.
MEMBERS PRESENT:
MEMBERS ABSENT:
LIAISONS PRESENT:
CITY STAFF PRESENT:
1. Call to Order.
IEDC Vice-chair F
Vice Chair Bill Tapper, Secretary Lynne Dahl- Fleming, Zona
Gutzweiler, Don Roberts, Dan Olson, Patrick Thompson.
Dick VanAllen, Wayne Elam, Marshall Smith, Barb Schweintek
Rich Harris, Don Tomann
Sandy Suchy, Monticello Chamber
Economic Development Director, Megan Barnett
gill Tapper called the meeting to order at 7:03 a.m. declaring a quorum.
2. Vote to approve the November 5, 2008 IEDC minutes.
DON ROBERTS MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE NOVEMBER 5, 2008 IEDC
MINUTES WITH CORRECTION MADE TO THE NAME OF ZONA GUTZWILLER.
SECONDED BY ZONA GUTZWILLER, THE MINUTES WERE APPROVED.
3. Election of Officers for 2009 and Reappointment of Members.
Nominations were made to appoint Lynne Dahl-Fleming as Chair, Don Roberts as Vice-
chair and Megan Barnett as Secretary. THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS PASSED
UNANIMOUSLY. The following IEDC member's three year terms ended in December
2008: Don Tomann, Patrick Thompson and Bill Tapper and all were seeking to continue
membership. ZONA GUTZWILLER MADE A MOTION TO APPROVE
REAPPOINTMET OF ANOTHER 3 YEAR TERM FOR THESE IEDC MEMBERS.
SECONDED BY DAN OLSON, THE REAPPOINTMENTS WERE APPROVED.
Member, Barb Schweintek announced that she will not continue with her IEDC
membership. Barnett reported that Jim Johnson would not continue his membership but
would be replaced with another school representative, Elaine DeWenter and that
previously approved new member Charlotte Gabler will begin her 3 year term beginning
with the January 2009 IEDC meeting.
4. Economic Development Director Report. Megan Barnett provided the report.
Transportation:
City Engineer, Bruce Westby will be attending this morning's IEDC meeting at 8 a.m. to
provide a transportation report.
Monticello Marketing Committee: This group met on November 19~'. Review was
made of the 2009 Marketing Budget and was included in IEDC members agenda packets.
Don Roberts asked if many contacts had been made to the city for land or new business
inquiries given the current economic downturn in times. Barnett reported that site
selectors are making inquiries basically looking for information without disclosure of
actual business names. A couple of downtown development inquiries have come in,
mostly for leased buildings and smaller space use.
Don Roberts asked if the promotional efforts would continue for selling city-owned
industrial land for $1.00 per sq. ft.? Barnet reported that all reference to the $1.00 per sq.
ft. has been removed from the city's website and printed materials used. Barnet felt that
the city's industrial land is better advertised at the current market rate for land prices with
the opportunities that exist for financial packages that would assist in bringing the land
price and total cost down. The City of Big Lake is currently marketing their industrial
land for $1.60 per sq. ft. A consulting firm, Northland Securities, is reviewing the City of
Monticello's TIF (Tax Increment Financing) records and analyzing all of the TIF
Districts within the city limits to obtain an accurate record. This project should be
completed by the end of January 2009.
Higher Education Committee:. The Higher Education committee was formed to
address needs that came out of the Bioscience Park Study initiated by the IEDC and the
study conducted by St. Cloud State students in 2007.This committee will be completing a
needs assessment for the community to determine if Monticello is in need of a
establishing a Higher Education Center in order to provide additional training for the
area's workforce. This will serve as a place to bridge gaps between educational
stakeholders, community and business rather than duplicating existing programs and/or
workforce training currently provided. St. Cloud State students have offered to conduct
the study as a project and at no cost to the city in order to complete the needs assessment.
The student project could be launched in early January and competed in May
5. IEDC Sub-committee Planning:
A small amount of time (15 minutes) was available prior to the arrival of the City
Engineer's Transportation report, so IEDC members broke into small groups based on the
following sub-committees: Transportation, Land Use, and Business Retention/
Communciations. Members were asked to assign themselves to asub-committee they are
interested in to briefly discuss how to proceed in 2009 with the goals and objectives
discussed during planning workgroups earlier this year. Planning groups will meet again
next month due to the brief amount of time available today.
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6. City Transportation Study Update: Update provided by City Engineer Brice Westby.
Prior to Westby's report John Simola, Public Works Director for 30 years in the City of
Monticello (who will be retiring as of December 26, 2008) introduced the recently hired
replacement for his position, Bob Paschke and introduced him to the group.
Rather than transcribe the entire report that Westby provided, members will find a copy
of the Transportation Study outline from the November 19 public meeting included with
these minutes which was provided by Westby with his update.
Questions and comments from IEDC members following Westby's update included:
Q: When was the last time the City's Transportation Plan was updated?
A: The last draft of the plan was started in 1999 and worked on again in February 2005.
With changes constantly occurring in the area of transportation issues in the city, the plan
was never completed until now with the most current study now in its final stages.
Q: What's preventing the city from getting the Transportation Study completed or
updated?
A: In the past the city was attempting to get as much input as possible from a variety of
different sources, getting everyone's input sometimes delays the process and it should
just be completed so it gets done. The study can always be amended if necessary.
Q: Who ultimately approves the Transportation Plan?
A: The City Council will ultimately approve the plan. With the current plan the city has
also taken into consideration the transportation needs of surrounding areas such as across
the river and into Big Lake and Sherburne County. A Transportation committee has also
formed jointly between Monticello City, Big Lake Township and Big Lake City officials
to determine best use of areas for example just across the Mississippi River bridge on
County Road 11 and 14 since most. of Big Lake's development seems to be moving south
of Highway 10. Looking at the City's Transportation Plan from a regional perspective
and working with other entities assures it will all fit together.
Q: Has an analysis been done of exactly where the traffic is going to that crosses from
Monticello via the river bridge and into Sherburne County?
A: Every 5 years, MnDOT does conduct such a study and the report is available online
with the volume numbers listed. From MnDOT's perspective much of the traffic comes
across from Highway 10 to 25 and then on to I-94.
7. Adiournment. DAN OLSON MADE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.
SECONDED BY BILL TAPPER. THE IEDC MEETING ADJOURNED AT 8:31 A.M.
Next IEDC meeting -Tuesday, January 6, 2008 at 7 a.m.
Lynne Dahl-Fleming, IEDC Secretary
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