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3.1A EDSR 11-16-2015 DRAFT MIN [DRA f T Item 3.1a Elk ... Joint Meeting of the Elk River River Economic Development Authority and Housing and Redevelopment Authority Held at the Elk River City Hall Monday, October 19, 2016 EDA Members Present: President Tveite, Commissioners Burandt, Dwyer, Westgaard,Provo (4:55 p.m.), Olsen, and Wagner HRA Members Present: Chair Wilson, Commissioners Chuba,Toth, and Kuester (4:56 p.m.) Members Absent: None Staff Present: Economic Development Director Amanda Othoudt, Economic Development Specialist Colleen Eddy, City Clerk Tina Allard, and Recording Secretary/Senior Administrative Assistant Jennifer Johnson I. Call Meeting to Order Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Elk River Economic Development Authority was called to order at 4:45 p.m. by President Tveite. Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the meeting of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority was called to order at 4:45 p.m. by Chair Wilson. 2. Consider 10/19/2015 Agenda Moved by Commissioner Westgaard and seconded by Commissioner Dwyer to approve the October 19,2015,joint meeting agenda. Motion carried 8-0. 3. Golden Shovel Presentation Ms. Eddy presented the staff report. She introduced John Marshall with Golden Shovel Agency. He presented a PowerPoint presentation, outlining the fully customized site selection website design services his agency offered, an economic development web portal through the current city website. The site would drive website traffic directly to the opportunities available in Elk River, showcasing program and initiative information on both the EDA and HRA to jointly promote properties and programs. He explained the search engine optimization,monthly analytics to improve the online economic development experience, and complete customizing to each commission's needs. Joint meeting of the Economic Development Authority and Housing and Redevelopment Authority Minutes Page 2 October 19,2015 Commissioner Toth asked staff to explain how they felt using a tool such as this would benefit them. He expressed his concerns on how using a site layout such as this would fully benefit the HRA. Ms. Othoudt explained the desire and need for a website providing a one-stop seemless shop on the web to a target audience, explained how these opportunities overlap and can be laid out on the website,noting the current website doesn't highlight HRA opportunities. Mr. Marshall explained how the site is used to `drive' online traffic to the city, providing detailed content to offer to newcomers. The web layout markets to those interested by using portals and modules,generating interest and providing high detail information to prospective interested parties. Golden Shovel will also provide important monthly analytics to show who is showing interest in Elk River. Councilmember Wagner asked questions about the analytics of the current website. Ms.Allard explained the website analytics and the time required for staff to pull together, download,and review. Mr. Marshall indicated their company will provide detailed analytics for the city on a monthly basis and this reporting is included in the monthly fee. He also noted the unique position Elk River is in,in having an active HRA that works in conjuction with the EDA. He referenced five websites Golden Shovel hosts that have the similar type of situation and it's a sign of how well the city commissions work together,which is very favorable to potential customers. Councilmember Olsen asked what interested parties look for when researching locationing their business. Ms. Othoudt explained when companies are looking at coming into the city,they look at what the community can offer for a workforce, such as available housing and other resources. Councilmember Wagner indicated her concerns regarding outreach to regional and national companies but has heard from local businesses and having their needs met, one need being a website that allows for Adobe PDF editable and fillable forms. She said she can't see yet where doing such a big website changeover would be such a benefit overall. Ms. Allard explained the challenge of offering the public an Adobe PDF fillable form, such as costs and legal requirments for obtaining signatures. Mr. Marshall explained the Golden Shovel site would provide these tools, such as a loan module,which would allow potential businesses the ability to log into the secure site and fill out loan documents, or a survey module. � 1 • EIEI I NATURE Joint meeting of the Economic Development Authority and Housing and Redevelopment Authority Minutes Page 3 October 19,2015 Councilmember Westgaard asked questions regarding the current website host and if Golden Shovel could provide a benefit that our current site doesn't offer. Ms.Allard stated a company such as Golden Shovel has options and tools geared towards economic development that the current site doesn't offer. She stated Golden Shovel would also provide more management tools to lessen staff's workload but provide an overall greater benefit. Councilmember Wagner stated the need to curate the best,most professional and proper content for the new site and done so in a timely manner and wondered how quickly the commissions will see a return on investment. Mr. Marshall explained the content management process and how it would be specifically geared towards Elk River, and if needed a complete rewriting of current content as well as an ongoing monthly review and change of content. The initial upfront content would be provided by staff but a fee would be charged if content needed to be rewritten. He outlined the process for terminating the site's services should they feel it's not cost-effective. Ms. Othoudt indicated staff would be ready and able to curate the proper content for the Golden Shovel site. 4. Adjournment There being no further business, Chair Tveite adjourned the joint meeting of the Elk River Economic Development Authority at 5:42 p.m. There being no further business, Chair Wilson adjourned the joint of the Elk River Housing and Redevelopment Authority meeting at 5:42 p.m. Minutes prepared by Jennifer Johnson. Dan Tveite,EDA President Tina Allard, City Clerk / iERER 11 NATURE