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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Joint Council/EDC Worksession <br />April 4, 2023 <br />5:00 pm <br /> <br /> <br />Present: Mayor Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas <br /> Councilmember Abdullahi Abdulle <br />Councilmember Graeme Allen <br /> Councilmember Pam Axberg <br />Councilmember Emily Dunsworth <br />Absent: <br /> <br />EDC: Chair Harry Carter, Commissioners Faycal Belkhous, Lynn Hilsgen, Michele Norman, Victoria <br />Prasek, Jacqui Sauter and Paul Zisla <br /> <br />Staff in Attendance: Devin Massopust, Ben Gozola, Carl Gillies <br /> <br />Guests in Attendance: <br /> <br />Policy Direction Discussion with the Economic Development Commission <br /> <br />Massopust asked that all in attendance go around the room and introduce themselves. <br /> <br />Massopust reported 2015 marks the last time the City Council and Economic Development Commission <br />convened a joint meeting to discuss Council’s “overarching focal points” which guide the EDC’s yearly work <br />plans. This meeting will change, update, or reconfirm those focal points, and will ensure the EDC is focused on <br />matters of import for our current Council. He explained this meeting would assist the Council and EDC in <br />understanding City Code guidance for the EDC, reconfirming the Commission focal points, provide time to <br />review the Commissions work plan for 2023/2024, and to address any other topics of importance for <br />Councilmembers or Commissioners. <br /> <br />Gozola reviewed the duties and responsibilities for the EDC per City Code. It was noted the Commission’s <br />current focal points were business retention and expansion, place-making initiatives, housing programs and <br />physical redevelopment opportunities. <br /> <br />Carl commented on how the EDC has been addressing the focal points since 2015. He reported the EDC <br />discussed business retention and expansion at 25 meetings since 2015 and put a business retention and <br />expansion program/policy in place in January of 2016. He explained the EDC addressed placemaking <br />initiatives at 16 different meetings. He noted the EDC discussed housing related matters at eight different <br />meetings and reviewed physical redevelopment opportunities at 28 different meetings. <br /> <br />Gozola asked the EDC Commissioners to speak to their areas of expertise at this time. <br /> <br />Commissioner Sauter explained she served as the Chair of the Twin Cities North Chamber of Commerce. She <br />discussed how she worked to get businesses involved both with the City and the Chamber of Commerce. <br />