6.1. ERMUSR 08-09-2011(~~1
Elk River
Municipal U
ties
13069 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 430
Elk River, MN 55330-0430
UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
Phone: 763.441.2020
Fax: 763.441.8099
TO: FROM:
Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission Troy Adams, P.E. -Utilities Director
John Dietz -Chair
Daryl Thompson -Vice Chair
AI Nadeau -Trustee
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
Au ust 9, 2011 6.1
SUBJECT:
Staff U dates -Utilities Director
DISCUSSION:
The storms that rolled through Minnesota on August 1 sc caused damage to Great River Energy
(GRE) transmission poles on the DC line which delivers electricity to Minnesota from their Coal
Creek Station power plant located in Underwood, North Dakota. Coal Creek Station is GRE's
lazgest generation facility. Because this DC transmission line is out of service, GRE is unable to
run Coal Creek Station at full output. This has caused GRE to purchase power on the market
while the transmission line is repaired. The transmission structures that have been damaged will
be temporazily repaired with wood structures to expedite service being restored. This may be
complete as soon as August 4a'. The steel structures will then be repaired or replaced as time and
materials permit.
Attached is a memo regarding the branding and mazketing project being conducted by the Elk
River Economic Development Authority from Annie Deckert, Director of Economic
Development for the City of Elk River. Michelle Martindale, Credit 8c Collections Specialist for
ERMU, is one of 13 branding and mazketing subcommittee members contributing to the project.
The final results from the project will be presented at a City Council and EDA joint meeting on
September 12, 2011.
The 2011 Elk River Community Profile is attached for your use.
Also attached for Commission review is a 2011 Mirmesota utility rate survey.
MEMORANDUM
TO:
FROM:
City Boards and Commissions
Annie Deckert, Director of Economic Development
DATE: August I, 201 I
SUBJECT: Final Branding and Marketing Presentation- chandlerthinks
WHAT IS BRANDINGt
"Your brand is what people say about you behind your bock"
What do people (residents, businesses, employees, outsiders, etc.) see when they look at our
community? We want to ensure they see a community working together and a City that gives off
a strong, unified message. A branding and marketing plan will send a unified message to the
community as well as those outside of Elk River. Currently, there are different messages that the
City conveys to the community, businesses and outsiders. Some of the examples include:
Elk River Economic Development location-~ciency-innovation
The Light Indurtrial Hub of the Northwert Metro
Elk River Parkr and Recreation He pingyou lead an active, healthy lifertyle.
Elk River Energy City Energy City provider the opportunity for the City of Elk River
to be a hub of energy technology, energy manufacturing, energy
demanrtratianr, recycling, ure ofgreen productr and education.
This may cause confusion and may not portray Elk River as having a solid identity. These
different messages may create the misconception that different departments within the City do
not work together, when in reality, they do. It may also appear that there is no cohesive message
of the City. To encourage economic growth it is beneficial that communities have a strong and
competitive image.
Think about some of your favorite brands...what do you think of when you think of Target?
Wal-Mart? There's a good chance that you don't think the same thing about each of the big
boxes. Think of some communities throughout Minnesota...what comes to mind when you think
of Stillwater? Maple Grove? Ely? No two brands or communities make us think or feel the
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Boazds.doc
city/community branding efforts. It is not something that literally gets communicated in a
broadcast manner throughout the community; it is something to fuel and inspire messaging for
advertising, websites, names of community events, programs, etc. Communicating to residents or
externally for marketing to others needs to reflect the spirit of the statement. It will be used by
key Elk River brand driving organnzatons such as the City of Elk River, and other interested
organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Axts Alliance, River's Edge Business
Association, etc.
Input and suggestions from the committee have been incorporated into the final brand and two-
year plan. This meeting is also intended to build momentum, instill pride, confidence and buy-in
of the plan.
Final presentation of the brand and two-yeaz strategic mazketing plan to best support the brand
will be presented not only to the EDA and Council For approval, but to all interested board and
commission members, City staff, the branding subcommittee and all who participated in the
initial market research to engage and prepare them to help champion the brand. Finally,
chandlerthinks will be holding `train the trainer' sessions with City staff, interested organizations
and civic groups to demonstrate how the community brand can be incorporated to their
respective marketing efforts. This will provide the tools needed to explain, advocate for, interpret
and integrate the brand strategies and tactics into their work in the community.
NEXT STEPS
Staff will be seeking authorization to approve and adopt the final brand and strategic marketing
plan. This plan will be executed by the Assistant Economic Development Director under the
supervision of the Director of Economic Development and City Administrator. The brand plan
will be revisited one year after execution and applicable tune-ups will be made. Staff plans on
revisiting the plan annually.
Citizen Satisfaction Survey
After approving the 2011 Vision and Goals on May 16, the City Council authorized staff to enter
into a contract with chandlerthinks to execute a citizen satisfaction survey. Executing this survey is
a step that will allow us to support two goals identified in the visioning process: "Develop new
programs and reruicer to meet the needs of the communit~', and "Enhance and Expand community Involvement
and publicparticipation" in addition to supporting a number of tasks that rely on a better
understanding of City residents, and how they use, receive, and want city information and services.
This survey will help us understand the state of existing programs offered by the city, how and if
they axe used, as well as help us identify any new programs, services or processes that should be
offered. We will also learn how citizens currently receive information, as well as their preferences
moving forward.
Completing this survey is necessary to allow staff to obtain an accurate representation of the voice
of the community and gain a better understanding of the needs of our residents in several key
areas related to the provision of services. This information will ultimately be used to form and
communicate recommendations far the Council's use.
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Community Profile 201 I
Elk River, Minnesota
The City of Elk River is located 35 minutes northwest of Downtown Minneapolis.
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Population Estimates
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:5.000 ~3~IH7 "#899 23336
:1.549 '3Li50
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87.894
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Median Age:
Elk River 32.8 years
Sherburne County 32.9 years
state of MN 37.2 years
SnurYr UJ: leruru Bmxaur..lnrerianr Communih• Shrez~~
a007-?009 eAimn/s.
Phone: 763.635.1042
Fax: 763.635.1090
Bnurocielk-riaermntlc~ecalranrule~r! luau/
Median Household Income:
Elk River X70,517
Sherburne County $71,743
State of MN 656,704
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2807-3089 r.Minmin.
GYCITY
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13065 Orono Pazkway
Elk River, MN 55330
Education
K-12 Education
Dimict 718 Puhlic Schools Number Enrollment Grodes
District Total Elk River _ __
District 7btal Elk River __
_
Elemen[azy Schools 9 4 12,618 2,469 K-5
Middle Schools 4 2 1,444 6-8
High Schools 3 1 1,736 9-12
Area Learning Center 1 1 120 8-12
Elk River Fnrochfal/church Schools
St. Andrew's School 212 K-6
St. Jahn Lutheran School 120 Pre-K-8
Solid Rock Christian Academy 16 K-12
Elk River .Charter 5choa11Pu6fc)
__ -_
Spectrum High School 247 9-11
Area Post Secondary Schools
Technical college: Anoka-Hennepin Technical College zuww.ank.tec.mn.us
Distance: 9 miles
Community college: Anoka-Ramsey Community College zvwzaanokaramseuedu
Distance: 15 miles
Universities: University of Minnesota, 7ivin Cities zuzvw.umn.edu
St. Cloud Slate University zuzvwstcloudstate. edu
Distance: 35 miles
Independent college: Minnesota School of Rosiness zuunu.msbcolfege.edu
Elk River Campus
Community Contacts
Annie Deekert
Dir~lor of Bcrnzomic Development
City of Elk River
13065 Orono Parkway
Glk River, MN 55330
763.635.1042
adeckert@ci.elk-rivermn.us
Debbi Rydberg
President
Elk River Area Chamher of Commerce
509 Highway 10
Elk River, MN 55330
763.441.3110
debbi@elkriverchamberorg
follow us on
Elk River ED ~Y twitter.com/elkrivered
Utilities
Water
Municipal water source
Storm capacity:
Pumping capacity:
Tapwater hardness:
Average demand:
Peak demand:
Rates and billing:
Electricity
Electric utiEty:
Electric utility:
Wells
4,000,000 gallons
8.i mgd
17 grains or 213 ppm
2,000,000 gallons per day
5,400,000 gallons per day
Elk River Municipal UOlities"
763.441.2020
Elk River Municipal U[iH[ies*
763.441.2020
Connexus Energy"
763323.2650 Customer Service
Natural Gas
Gas service: CenterPoint Energy*
Rates and billing: 800.245.2377 Customer Service
Sanitary Sewer
Sewer service:
Plant capacity:
Average demand:
Rates and billing:
Municipal
3,200,000 gallons p/day
1,200,000 gallons p/day
Elk River Municipal Utilities
763.441.2020
Refuse/Recycling
Provided by the city through contracts with private haulers
Rates and billing: Elk River Municipal Utilities
763.441.2020
Telecommi
Company:
Rates and billing:
Company:
Rates and billing:
rnlcatlons
Qwest Communications
1-800.244-1111(Residenti al)
1-800-603-6000 (Business)
~ndstream
866.445.5880
Cable TV
Cable service: Charter Communications
Customer service: 800.581.0081
' Energy effidency and conservation programs anilable to qualifying reskents and businesses.
Community Services
Medical Services Newspaper
Clinics • Elk River Star News (weekly)
• Allina Medical Clinic (Elk Ridge Health) • Star Tribune
• Fairview Northland Clinics
• North Memorial Clinic
• NovaCare
• NOW CARE Medical Centers
• Health Partners RiverWay Clinic
Nearest Hospitals
• Mercy Hospital -Coon Rapids, l4 miles
• New River Medical Center -Monticello, l2 miles
Mail Services
• Elk River Pce[ Office 800.275.8777
Financial Institutions
• Central Bank
• First National Bank of Elk River
• Greater MN Credit Union
•MBclBank
• TCF Bank
• The Bank of Elk River
• US Bank
• Wells Fargo Bank
Transportation
(~jyhTavs
• interstate Highways
• Federal Highways
• Slate Highways
3ar
• Burlington Northern Santa Fe
• Northstar Commuter Train
Lfut
• NoNtstaz Link
• Spew Charter Service
• Vision of Elk River
• RiverRider
7 miles to F94
us. lo, us. 169
101
turat~lmsfcom
uxvrumelrofirmsit. or•~irortlutar
612.373.3333
888.528.8880
763.374.2114
763.441.4420
763.263.o1ot
Air
• Atoka County/Blalne Ahport
• St. Cloud Regional Airport
• Minneapolis/St. Paul international Airport