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Community Assets & <br /> Development Department <br /> <br /> MEMORANDUM <br /> <br /> <br />DATE: October 5, 2015 <br /> <br />TO: Economic Development Commission <br /> <br />FROM: Janice Gundlach, Asst. Director of Community Assets & <br />Development/Planning Director <br /> <br />SUBJECT: Business Retention and Expansion <br /> <br />The topic of Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) has been explored by the <br />Commission during the May and August meetings. Staff has attached both memos from <br />those meetings for reference. A wide variety of BR&E programs and initiatives have <br />been examined by the Commission and the local Chamber of Commerce has weighed in <br />on this topic as well, providing feedback at both meetings. At this time, staff is seeking <br />direction on how to move this topic forward. <br /> <br />In an effort to summarize what the commission has already examined regarding BR&E, <br />and a new offering, staff suggests there are three categories of initiatives. This includes <br />an active, passive, or hybrid approach to BR&E as outlined below: <br /> <br />Active <br />Taking an active approach to BR&E includes initiatives such as conducting a business <br />survey or doing business visits. These efforts focus on directly reaching out to the <br />business community and hearing what their needs are. Staff has provided a proposal by <br />the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce as well as the services offered by the University <br />of Minnesota Extension Service, both of which the commission seemed uninterested in. <br /> <br />Another more active approach to BR&E was a suggestion to do a luncheon and invite the <br />local business community. If this is a desire of the Commission, more details would need <br />to be discussed, including whom to invite, venue, meeting topic, etc. <br /> <br />Passive <br />Taking a passive approach to BR&E would consist of things like participating in <br />Chamber events or Grow Minnesota business visits with the Chamber (although the <br />Chamber indicated at the last meeting they were re-thinking their Grow MN initiative so <br />this may not be an option). <br /> <br />This effort could also include creating BR&E web based material that guides our <br />business public to existing programs through the Department of Employment and