05-14-2007 EDA MINMEETING OF THE ELK RIVER
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
HELD AT THE ELK RIVER CITY HALL
MONDAY, MAY 14, 2007
Members Present: President Gongoll, Commissioners Dwyer, Farber, Klinzing, Motin, Tveite
and Zerwas
Members Absent: None
Staff Present: City Administrator Loxi Johnson, Director of Economic Development
Catherine Mehelich, Assistant Director of Economic Development Heidi
Steinmetz, Community Development Director Scott Clark, Pazks and
Recreation Director Bill Maertz, and Recording Secretary]essica Miller
1. all M sting To Order
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Economic Development
Authority was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by President Gongoll.
2.
4.
5.
n id r Agenda
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER FARBER AND SECONDED BY
COMMISSIONER DWYER TO APPROVE THE MAY 14, 2007 EDA AGENDA
MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
~.ons~aer ns n Agenda
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER MOTIN AND SECONDED BY
COMMISSIONER FARBER TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS
FOLLOWS:
3.1. APRIL 9, 2007 MINUTES
3.2. CHECK REGISTERS
3.3. BALANCE SHEET
3.4. REVENUE/EXPENDITURE REPORT
3.5. NOTICE OF QUORUM OF EDA ATTENDING TARGET DATA
CENTER TOUR MAY 21, 2007
MOTION CARRIED 7-0.
n Mik
No one appeared for open mike.
Consider Re of •„ten Approving Lrace Agreement Bett~een the E onomi D velopm n
Economic Development Authoriro of i of Elk Rives
Economic Development Authority Minutes
May 14, 2007
Page 2
City Administrator Lori Johnson reviewed the lease terms between the YMCA and the EDA
and the ground lease between the city and the EDA as outlined in her staff report Ms.
Johnson stated that the CouncB approved the leases at a special meeting held earlier this
evening. She noted that the Council approved the lease with the alternate language as
proposed allocating 100% of any grant proceeds received from the Sherburne County
Legacy Grant.
President Gongoll stated that the YMCA will be a welcome addition to the community and
thanked staff for working so diligently on the project.
Commissioner Motin indicated that he believes the Council should stand by the
Memorandum of Understanding and allow one-third of the grant proceeds to go to the
YMCA.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER KLINZING AND SECONDED BY
COMMISSIONER FARBER TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 07-02 APPROVING
THE LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF ELK RIVER AND THE YOUNG MEN'S
CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF METROPOLITAN MINNEAPOLIS AND THE
GROUND LEASE BETWEEN THE CITY OF ELK RIVER AND THE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF ELK RIVER
MOTION CARRIED G-1. Commissioner Motin opposed.
Harold Mezile, President and CEO of the Metropolitan Minneapolis YMCA -thanked the
EDA for their part in helping to bring a YMCA to Elk River.
6. Consider Business Retentir~n and Expansion Me Ling Srh ~i I
Assistant Director of Economic Development Heidi Steinmetz explained that business
retention and expansion (BRE) visits have been held with Elk River manufacturers since the
formation of the EDA. She stated that in 2005, EDA Commissioners joined staff in
conducting informal lunch or breakfast meetings followed by facility tours. She outlined the
proposed schedule of visits for the remainder of 2007 and asked that EDA Commissioners
let staff know which visits they would be interested in attending.
Director of Economic Development Catherine Mehelich noted that staff s goal is to conduct
12 BRE visits per year.
Update on Propoce~l r'RE Elk River Ren hl F 1 Fa 'I is
Director of Economic Development Catherine Mehelich explained that at the March 12
meeting, the EDA was made aware that Great River Energy (GRE) was pursuing legislative
action for an appropriation from the State of MN to support development costs For a
proposed RDF-to-Methanol project. GRE questioned the EDA's willingness to serve as a
fiscal agent under proposed language in a Department of Agriculture appropriations bdl.
Ms. Mehelich indicated that staff was recently notified that the Governor signed the
Omnibus spending bdl that contained $200,000 from the State general fund to the Elk River
Economic Development Authority to be provided as apass-through grant to GRE for the
evaluation of the RDF to Methanol project. She stated that GRE is currently ht the
evaluation phase to determine if this project makes sense both technically and economically.
Economic Development Authority Minutes Page 3
May 14, ?A07
She noted that GRE is hopeful they will be at the point of making an internal decision
whether or not to proceed with this project within the next month.
8. lpdate on Do~mrn~~n Red I pme r Plan Ta kfor
Commissioner Tveite provided an update on the Downtown Redevelopment Task Force.
He stated that this was the first actual visioning meeting and they were broken into small
groups to brainstorm their visions. He stated that at the next meeting the group will discuss
visioning as a whole.
Other Bn in
There was no other business.
10. A~joumment
The meeting of the Elk River Economic Development Authority adjourned at 5:58 p.m.
Minutes prepared y]essicaMiller.
~j
Tina A1lazd
Ciry Clerk