6.6 EDSR 01-21-2014 ilk Request for Action
River
To Item Number
Economic Development Authority 6.6
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
General Business January 21, 2014 Brian Beeman, Director of Economic
Development
Item Description Reviewed by
Discussion of Modifications/Amendments to Jeremy Barnhart,Deputy Director, CODD
Statute and/or Enabling Resolution Reviewed by
Action Requested
Discuss modifications to Statute
Background/Discussion
As per Economic Development Authority Bylaws,it is suggested that the EDA discuss any modifications
or amendments to the Statute and/or Enabling Resolution. The EDA attorney has provided a review and
submitted an opinion as suggested each year,attached. Staff will review this report with the EDA at the
Annual Meeting.
Financial Impact
N/A
Attachments
• EDA Changes to Act
i ■ E i E 1 I T
NARWE
MEMORANDUM
TO: Elk River EDA Chair and Commissioners
FROM: Andrea McDowell Poehler
DATE: Friday, December 27, 2013
RE: Amendments to Economic Development Authority Act
Background
The bylaws for the EDA require an annual update of legislative changes to the Economic
Development Authority Act, Minn. Stat. § 469.090 to § 469.1082. Only one change to the Act
was adopted this past legislative session:
• Minn. Stat. § 469.107, subd. 1 was amended to convert the EDA city levy from 0.01813
percent of taxable market value to the same percentage of estimated market value. This
amendment took effect on May 24, 2013.
Other economic development legislative changes included the following:
• Minn. Stat. § 116J.5764, subd. 1, the statute authorizing the Department of Employment
and Economic Development(DEED)to administer demolition redevelopment loans to
development authorities. The law expands the acceptable means by which an authority
may secure a loan to pay for demolition costs from solely a general obligation of the
authority payable primarily from a dedicated revenue source to include other security
subject to review and approval by DEED, such as TIF or land sale proceeds. The
amendment took effect August 1, 2013.
• Jobs, economic development,housing, commerce and energy omnibus budget bill
Chapter 85 (HF 729*/SF 1057) is the omnibus jobs, economic development, housing,
commerce, and energy bill. It appropriates biennial funding for the Department of
Employment and Economic Development(DEED), Housing Finance Agency(HFA),
Department of Labor& Industry (DLI), Department of Commerce, Public Utilities
Commission(PUC), and various boards. The provisions relating to the jobs and economic
development portion of the bills of interest to cities are summarized below.
Article 1:Appropriations
Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF). Section 3, subd. 2(a) appropriates $15 million in
FY 2014 and 2015 for the MIF program. MIF funds are available to local units of
government to provide loans to assist expanding businesses:
• Minnesota Job Creation Fund. Section 3, subd. 2(b) appropriates $12 million in
FY 2014 and 2015 for the newly created Minnesota Job Creation Fund in Minn.
Stat. § 116J.8748 (see Article 3, sec. 8 below).
• Contaminated site cleanup. Section 3, subds. 2(c) and(d) appropriate
approximately $2 million in FY 2014 and 2015 for the contaminated site clean-up
and development grant program.
• Business development grants. Section 3, subd. 2(e) appropriates $1.425 million
in FY 2014 and 2015 for business development competitive grants.
• Jobs Skills Partnership. Section 3, subd. 2(f) appropriates $4.195 million in FY
2014 and 2015 for the Jobs Skills Partnership in Minn. Stat. § 116L.01.
• Redevelopment program. Section 3, subd. 2(g) appropriates $6 million in FY
2014 and 2015 for the Redevelopment program under Minn. Stat. § 116J. 571.
The program provides communities with grants to pay up to 50 percent of the
costs or redeveloping blighted industrial, residential, or commercial sites.
• Host Community Economic Development program. Section 3, subd. 2(r)
appropriates $875,000 in FY 2014 and 2015 for the Host Community Economic
Development program created in Minn. Stat. § 116J.548. Section 3 creates a new
program in Minn. Stat. § 116J.548 that will provide grants for the acquisition and
betterment of public owned capital improvements to communities in the seven-
county metro area that host waste disposal facilities. There is no local match
required. Effective July 1, 2013.
Article 3: Department and Economic Development(DEED)policy provisions
• Small cities development block grant changes. Section 4 modifies Minn. Stat. §
116J.8731,subd. 2 to allow DEED to provide a forgivable loan from the Small
Cities Development Block Grant Program directly to a private enterprise without
requiring an application from the local community, other than a resolution of
support. Eligible applicants include development authorities,provided they have
municipal approval. Effective July 1, 2013.
• Minnesota Investment Fund loans authorized. Section 5 amends Minn. Stat. §
116J.8731, subd. 3 and authorizes the Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF)to fund
loans (in addition to grants)for infrastructure. Effective July 1, 2013.
• Minnesota Job Creation Fund. Section 8 creates the Minnesota Job Creation
Fund, an initiative of Gov. Dayton designed to replace the expiring JOB-Z pro-
gram. Unlike JOB-Z,the Job Creation Fund is available statewide. The fund will
provide up to $1 million to businesses that meet job creation and private invest-
ment requirements. To qualify, a business must create at least 10 jobs and make
$500,000 in private investment. A qualifying business must be engaged in
manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, information technology, finance,
insurance, or professional/technical services. "Professional services"does not
include work performed primarily by attorneys, accountants, business consultants,
physicians, or health care consultants.
Local government approval required. In order to qualify, a business must
submit an application to the local government where the facility will be located,
and the local government must submit the application and other required materials
to DEED. Effective July 1, 2013.