IEDC Minutes 11-05-2010 Monticello IEDC Meeting Summary 11/05/10
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MONTICELLO
INDUSTRIAL & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (IEDC)
MEETING SUMMARY
Tuesday, November 5, 2010
7:00 a.m., Mississippi
MEMBERS PRESENT: Patrick Thompson, Bill Tapper, Wayne Elam, Luke Dahlheimer, Dan Olson,
Wes Olson
MEMBERS ABSENT: Chair Don Roberts, Vice Chair Rich Harris, Chris Kruse, Elaine DeWenter, Dick
Van Allen, Marshall Smith, and Zona Gutzwiller
LIASIONS PRESENT: Glen Posusta, City Council, Clint Herbst, Mayor
LIASIONS ABSENT: Sandy Suchy, Chamber
STAFF PRESENT: Economic Development Director Megan Barnett-Livgard
Call to Order
Megan Barnett-Livgard led the meeting beginning at 7:03 a.m.
Economic Development Report
City Staff and Wayne Elam attended the Medical Design and Manufacturing tradeshow on October
6th and 7th at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The exhibit hall was packed with various types of
medical manufactures, consultants, sales companies, State agencies, and communities. Staff’s
overall impression of the conference was it contained many good exhibitors; however people in
attendance seemed to be mostly students and unemployed workers. One positive was we were able
to obtain a list of all exhibitors and their contact information. However, this is not a tradeshow Staff
would recommend being an exhibitor in the future. The City could attend the event at a lower price
and still receive a copy of all exhibitor information.
Wayne Elam attended the MNCAR Expo for the City on October 27, 2010. MNCAR continues to
be a good venue for the City to affiliate.
The LifeScience Alley conference is coming up on December 8th. Wayne Elam and Sandy Suchy
will be attending this event. The Economic Development Director will be in school this week in
order to complete the 2nd week of a 4 week certification course to become a certified Economic
Development Finance Professional. According to several other cities and Positively MN staff, the
LifeScience Alley conference provides a more focused attendance audience.
This year has a busy year in attending many conferences and tradeshows. City staff continues to try
to diversify the City’s exposure to end users and commercial brokers.
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BR&E
REFERENCE & BACKGROUND:
The BR&E Task Force Retreat was held on September 28, 2010. The University of MN facilitated
the meeting by first reviewing data collected through the surveys and then working with small
groups to discuss potential project opportunities. The meeting resulted in four viable priority
projects. Please see attached for a list of viable projects.
Staff was pleased with the number of people who attended the retreat and stayed till the end.
Subsequent to the meeting, a few of the groups have met to discuss the purpose of their group and
potential specific projects. Initial feedback suggests further discussion from policy perspective may
be needed to help each group optimize their resources and energy.
Please mark your calendars for Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 7:30am at the Community Center
for the BR&E Project Implementation Planning meeting.
It is important to work together as a part of the larger group in order to motivate and challenge one
another, keep abreast of what other teams are doing, where they are having difficulties, and where
they need help.
The agenda for the session is as follows:
1. Review the givens, background and previously made decisions
2. Envision the future - Imagine the day after completion of your project. What do you see, feel, and
hear?
3. Acknowledge the situation by talking through the potential benefits and dangers that would
result from succeeding with your action plan and listing the strength and weaknesses of the team.
4. Identify the tasks through brainstorming activities and clustering actions that overlap or could be
done by the same group.
5. Establish time frames - each project team plan its activities
6. Finalize details of coordinating leadership, budget and follow through mechanisms
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff would simply like to discuss the outcome of the BR&E Task Force Retreat and review the
selected priority projects.
ACTION:
No action is required.
Concierge Team
REFERENCE & BACKGROUND:
Barnett-Livgard has been attending several conferences and tradeshows this past year. The main
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concept continues to be discussed is a strong BR&E program. This is vital to the success of
retaining and attracting businesses into a community. Staff realizes we are in the process of
creating a strong BR&E program, however it seems appropriate to begin implement now.
In one of the conferences MBL attended in Arizona, discussion was held with another community
that recently implemented a Concierge Team. Most people know and can quickly relate to a
Concierge. Therefore the Concierge concept has worked well as it ties a community together.
A favorable response was given towards Concierges as they provide us with a wealth of
information in a friendly manner (as least they should). It is their job to help, we have the
preconceived notion that they will give us the information we need. It is quite apparent based on the
results of the BR&E survey that one of the main things we are lacking in the City is coordinated
communication. This would be advantageous as we have SO many task forces, resources, and
programs in the City. In any case, it is evident we are not communicating in a manner that is
catching people’s attention. The idea is if we mass market the term “Monticello Concierge” we
may be able to draw people’s attention quicker and give them the sense that we will help them with
all their need. We will hopefully be able to tie in what we already have in place and market it in a
coordinated and consistent manner.
Q. Who will be part of the Concierge Team?
*IEDC (2), City Staff (Angela and Megan), Chamber (Sandy), and 1 elected official
(Mayor).
Q. What will the Team do?
*Be the face and front line for Monticello existing and new businesses
*Meet every other month (could be right after an IEDC meeting)
*Attend Site Review meetings with new applicants
*Set up quarterly BR&E visits
*Establish a Concierge phone number and website and provide project, application, and
resource info
*Exchange information on what programs are available
*Coordinate marketing and communication materials to provide the business community
with less number but more effective information
*Address and bring forward business concerns to the appropriate body
*This Team will be the link and often times advocate for existing and new businesses in the
community
The best part is we already have the frame work in place. We have an IEDC that is instrumental in
advocating for a better business community in Monticello, a site review process is already in place,
the Chamber is already active. Now we just have to pull it all together in an aggressive marketing
and coordinated strategy.
Q. How would we market?
*PICTURES! Yes, people quickly associate with faces and people. We would hire a local
photographer to take professional pictures. We would print greeting cards an d all the
necessary marketing materials to do a mass media blitz about this team.
*Website. We just launched a new website. This website will be expanded to include a
Concierge page. This website will be the port for all community and business related
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resources. Several people will have access to update this website. This team will become
the umbrella for people to obtain all existing information throughout the community.
*Business E-News, Chamber, notify the Rotary, Workforce center, and any other
applicable groups.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
City Staff would like to implement the Monticello Concierge Team. Staff would like two IEDC
members to volunteer to be part of this effective and pro-active team. This would only add about a
half hour to an hour additional volunteer time every other month.
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 8:25 am.
Vicki Leerhoff __
Recording Secretary