HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-02-23 BEDC Minutes
MINUTES OF THE BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
1830 COUNTY ROAD BEAST, MAPLEWOOD, MINNESOTA
6:00 P.M., THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23,2012
1. CALL TO ORDER
A meeting of the Commission was held in the City Hall Council Chambers and was called to order
at 6:05 p.m. by Chairperson Jenkins.
2. ROLL CALL
Commissioners
Gary Kloncz, Commissioner
David Hesley, Commissioner
Mark Jenkins, Chairperson
Jennifer Lewis, Commissioner
Beth Ulrich, Commissioner
Warren Wessel, Commissioner
Present
Present
Present
Absent
Present
Present
Staff
Michael Martin, Planner
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Commissioner Kloncz moved to approve the aqenda as submitted.
Seconded by Commissioner Hesley.
Ayes - All
The motion passed.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The June 23, 2011, BEDC Minutes are Tabled due to lack of commission members that are
present to approve.
Commissioner Ulrich moved to approve the BEDC minutes for September 22. 2011. as
submitted.
Seconded by Commissioner Hesley.
Ayes - Chairperson Jenkins,
Commissioner's Hesley
& Ulrich
Abstention - Commissioner's Kloncz,
& Wessel
The motion passed.
Commissioner Hesley moved to approve the BEDC minutes for January 26.2012. as submitted.
Seconded by Commissioner Wessel.
Ayes - Chairperson Jenkins,
Commissioner's Hesley,
Kloncz & Wessel
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Abstention - Commissioner Ulrich
The motion passed.
5. NEW BUSINESS
a. Capital Improvement Plan 2013 - 2017
i. Assistant City Manager, Public Works Director, Chuck Ahl gave the report on the Capital
Improvement Plan.
Commissioner Hesley moved to approve the Capital Improvement Plan for 2013 - 2017.
Seconded by Commissioner Ulrich.
Ayes - All
The motion passed.
6. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Continued Discussion of Commission Goals
i. Assistant City Manager, Public Works Director, Chuck Ahl and Planner, Michael Martin
presented the discussion.
BEDC Action Plan
1) BEDC Role in Maplewood Business Community
a. Education
i. BEDC Meetings - Guest Speakers (recruited by Commissioners and staff)
1. Invite businesses to attend meeting in person
2. Share links to guest speaker video with businesses
3. If speaker brings materials, put link to materials on BEDC website
ii. Small Business Resources Page on city website
1. Financial, Grant and Loan sources
2. Federal, State and Local resources
3. Federal, State and Local contacts
4. Area Business Associations
5. Property Finder
b. Listening
i. Encourage a "visitors presentations" participation at BEDC meetings for Maplewood
business owners
ii. Change retention tour from pre-call to drop in visits at Commissioners (and businesses)
convenience. Staff will maintain and distribute a list of Maplewood businesses visited for
Commissioner reference.
1. Focus on businesses near open space or in future development area
2. Consider businesses that have had some press attention, new products, just
expanded, etc
3. Visit new businesses after they have been in Maplewood for 6 months or so.
iii. Retention visits should include annual visits with Maplewood's top employers
1. Commissioner, staff and City Council representative present at each
2. Visit should be on employer's site.
iv. Include Maplewood Business Open House (meet and mingle) at close of annual
Maplewood Business event at the Maplewood Community Center. Strongly encourage
Commission, staff and Council attendance.
c. Advocacy
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i. Commissioners represent Maplewood and Maplewood businesses on area business
associations. Commissioners will give a short report at BEDC meetings concerning
activities and issues discussed at association events/meetings.
1. Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce - Mark Jenkins, already a member
2. White Bear Avenue Business Association - OPEN
3. Oakdale Business and Professionals Association - OPEN
4. Others - OPEN
ii. Represent Maplewood and its businesses interests when making recommendations to
Maplewood City Council and Maplewood Area Economic Development Authority
2) How to promote BEDC's new role in the business community
a. Create, print and distribute flyers describing BEDC meetings
i. Flyers should include:
1. Include mission statement or short paragraph describing BEDC and what it can do
for Maplewood businesses.
2. Include Commissioner's contact information for outreach
3. Include Mike Martin's contact info for staff representation and as contact point for
business visit requests
4. Include City Council liaison's contact info
5. Include website address and short list of resources available on the site
a. Can we get a shorter url for BEDC? (ci.maplewood.mn.us/business (or bed c))
ii. Flyers would be distributed
1. by mail to all registered Maplewood businesses
2. in a business welcome pack (yet to be developed) for all new business registrations
in Maplewood.
3. by BEDC members at association events and at individual business visits.
4. Available at City hall
b. Commissioners, staff and City Council promote BEDC meetings when meeting with
Maplewood businesses
c. Press release to Lillie News and Saint Paul Pioneer Press
i. Cc'd to area business associations for inclusion in their newsletters
d. One time BEDC article (summary of press release) in Maplewood Monthly
3) BEDC Role in Maplewood City Government
a. Become knowledgeable about various business development tools available to
Maplewood
i. TIF Financing
ii. Loan programs
iii. Federal, State and local business development tools available to Maplewood
b. Become familiar with open or vacant spaces for new and growing businesses
c. Become familiar with the City's future development/redevelopment plans (Gladstone)
d. Become familiar with the businesses in and around the vacant spaces as well as those in
and around any proposed development
e. Be willing to share your own unique business experiences with the Commission and the
Council
f. Attend or watch City Council meetings where BEDC advisories are considered
4) Recommendations
a. Use "consultant" dollars towards promoting the BEDC.
i. BEDC Commissioners should be the EDA's consultants
ii. Dollars could be used for
1. design and printing costs of flyers, .
2. association membership costs with area business associations
3. towards an annual BE DC/Council/Business open house at the Community
Center
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7. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS
None.
8. COMMISSION PRESENTATIONS
Chairperson Jenkins mentioned a new CEO at 3M in Maplewood.
9. STAFF PRESENTATIONS
a. 2011 Annual BEDC Report
i. Planner, Michael Martin gave the 2011 Annual BEDC Report
Commissioner Hesley moved to approve the 2011 Annual BEDC Report.
Seconded by Commissioner Wessel.
Ayes - All
The motion passed.
b. Development Summary
i. Planner, Michael Martin presented the report and answered questions of the commission.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Chairperson Jenkins adjourned the meeting at 8:36 p.m.
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