2015.09.02 EDC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES New Brighton Economic Development Commission Regular Meeting — August 5, 2015 7:30 a.m. Members/Liaisons Present: Chair Paul Zisla, Commissioners, D.L. Beach, Monica Garcia -Perez, Kevin Peck, Al Potter, Mike Murlowski, Bob Benke and Councilmember Paul Jacobsen Members/Liaisons Absent: Commissioner Bruce Knight Staff Present: Janice Gundlach-Assistant Director of Community Assets & Development/Planning Director, Craig Schlichting-Director of Community Assets & Development, Dean Lotter -City Manager Also Present: Todd Kruse -President & CEO of Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce Call to Order Chairperson Zisla called the meeting to order at 7:30 a.m. Approval of Minutes Motion by Commissioner Garcia -Perez, seconded by Commissioner Murlowski to approve the minutes from the June 3, 2015 meeting. Approved 7-0 Report from Council Liaison Councilmember Paul Jacobsen indicated the City held approximately 130 neighborhood parties for National Night Out. He thanked all who were involved in organizing and sponsoring these events. He noted that was able to attend 10 of the events. He encouraged all to participate in Stockyard Days this weekend. He explained that the Council recently discussed expanding the City's liquor license and growlers could now be sold on Sunday. He reported that the City has restructured its precincts. Business Retention & Expansion Discussion Recap Chair Zisla explained that the EDC has been discussing business retention and expansion (BR&E) for the past several months. He thanked staff for providing the members with a summary of common BR&E themes found in neighboring communities. It was his hope that the EDC would take on a formal business retention program and make this recommendation to the Council, while also designing several steps or courses of action. It was his understanding that the County was interested in becoming more active in assisting communities with economic development and business retention. Gundlach stated she met with Jonathan Weinhagen, with the Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, who was working directly with Ramsey County Commissioner Blake Huffman and the Accelerate Ramsey County effort. She reported that this initiative was just beginning to develop. She was pleased to report that Ramsey County had one of the highest percentages of jobs per square mile in the region. She discussed the stakeholders participating in the Accelerate Ramsey County effort. Chair Zisla explained how Ramsey County was being perceived as less affluent than others in the metro area. For this reason, he believed the County was addressing economic development throughout the County and the need for advanced jobs and prosperity. Discussion ensued regarding the development of TCAAP and the remaindering of Rice Creek. Commissioner Benke commented that the County would be soliciting for a Master Developer for TCAAP but noted the land was not fully ready for development. He anticipated that infrastructure could