EDSR MEMORANDUM 01-10-1994 ELK RIVER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
TO: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
FROM: WILLIAM RUBIN, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COORDINATO
DATE: JANUARY 4, 1994
SUBJECT: AGENDA MEMO FOR JANUARY 10, 1994, EDA MEETING
5 . Financial Update
Finance Director Lori Johnson has provided summaries on
the following topics :
- Statement of Cash Activity,
- Micro Loan Fund (year end balance) ,
- Information on existing EDA loans .
A separate memo has been prepared for this agenda item.
These are informational items only and no action is
requested.
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6 . Annual Meeting Items
• Per the EDA's by-laws, the second Monday of January has
been designated as the Authority' s annual meeting date.
Therefore, it is in order to conduct elections for the
following offices:
- President
- Vice President
- Treasurer
Secretary
- Assistant Treasurer,
Current EDA Commissioners were elected to the following
positions at the 1993 annual meeting:
Jeff Gongoll, President
- Patrick Dwyer, Vice President
- Roger Holmgren, Treasurer
- Larry Farber, Secretary
- Hank Duitsman, Assistant Treasurer
Executive Director: Patrick Klaers is the current
Executive Director, but reappointment, in accordance with
the by-laws, must occur annually. It is therefore in
order to reappoint Patrick Klaers as EDA Executive
• Director.
P.O. Box 490 • 13065 Orono Parkway • Elk River, MN 55330-1743 • (612) 441-7420 • Fax: (612) 441-7425,
Equal Opportunity Housing and Equal Opportunity Employment
Official Newspaper: The EDA' s official newspaper is the
Elk River Star News, and it is in order to re-designate
• the Star News as the EDA' s official newspaper.
Official Depositories: Typically, the EDA has designated
the same depositories that are used by the City of Elk
River. For 1994, the City of Elk River has designated the
following banks as the depositories for its funds:
- The Bank of Elk River
- First National Bank of Elk River
- Metropolitan Federal Bank (Elk River)
- Primevest
- Prudential Bache
- Smith Barney Shearson
- Norwest Bank
- Dain Bosworth
- Paine Webber
Following past practice, it is in order to designate the
above-referenced banks as the depositories for EDA funds
in 1994 .
Committee Appointments/Assignments: The EDA currently
has three committees; Finance, Marketing, and Research and
Development. Membership on the committees is outlined on
a separate attachment in the agenda packet. Past practice
has been to reappoint the same persons to these committees
- assuming that the members desire to remain on the
respective committees . The Finance Committee is active
throughout the year in its review of micro loans; the
Research and Development Committee has been reactivated
and several members serve on the EDA' s Business Park Task
Force; the Marketing Committee will likely be asked to
review such things as the 1994 Community Profile and the
annual novelty marketing item.
By-laws/Enabling Resolution: The annual meeting also
provides an opportunity to review the EDA's by-laws and
enabling resolution for suggested changes, if any.
However, subject to proper notice, amendments to the
by-laws may be made during the year as well . The enabling
resolution may be modified throughout the year, too.
7 . EDA Main Street/Redevelopment Project/Kjellberg TIF
Request
As EDA Commissioners will recall, the public hearing for
TIF District No. 12 was held on December 13, 1993. The
agent for the developer requested that no decision be made
at that time. Discussion on the TIF request continued at
the Council ' s December 20 meeting. On a 3-2 vote, the
Council denied the request but agreed to reconsider its
40 action at a special Council meeting on January 10, 1994 .
Concerns expressed by Councilmembers voting against the
request include both the size of the TIF grant and the
time required for the City to be repaid. Staff has met
• with representatives of the developer to present other
options related to these concerns in hopes of finding
"common ground" .
The Chamber' s Board of Directors will be discussing the
TIF request at its meeting on January 11 . Therefore, the
developer has requested that no action be taken at the
City Council meeting on January 10 . This item will appear
on the January 18 City Council agenda.
8 . Business Park Task Force
EDA Commissioners will recall that Anoka Electric
Cooperative (AEC) has agreed to participate in Elk River' s
pursuit of REA funds for infrastructure improvements
associated with the business park. Another meeting with
AEC has been scheduled for the afternoon of January 10 .
An update will be given to EDA Commissioners later that
evening.
The City Planner is in receipt of a comprehensive plan
amendment which affects the I-1, Light Industrial
designation of a portion of the property on the western
part of the community. This amendment will also affect
the area designated as a future business park.
• The proposed comprehensive plan amendment seeks to change
the land use from the I-1 designation to that of H-B,
Highway Business . The Planning Commission is scheduled to
conduct a public hearing on this request at its meeting on
January 25 . The City Council will consider the request at
a public hearing in mid to late February.
The proposed plan amendment has significant consequences
for the EDA's Business Park Task Force and the proposed
request for REA funds. If approved, the plan amendment
would bring an additional 45 acres of land for retail uses
on the western end of the community. The City, in turn,
loses 45 acres of industrially-zoned property from its
inventory that is ordinarily available for immediate
development
ACTION REQUESTED
The EDA may wish to take a position on the comprehensive
land use amendment. The Business Park Task Force will be
meeting on January 12 to also consider the proposed
amendment.
9 . EDA Task Force
• At its meeting in September, 1993, the EDA created a new
Task Force to review the City's permitting and plan review
processes . The intent of the Task Force is to receive
feedback from the business community and to possibly
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streamline the permitting and plan review processes and to
also improve the City and business relationships . With a
new year upon us, it is hoped that this Task Force will
begin developing a direction on these issues . EDA Vice
President Patrick Dwyer may have additional insights on
the direction of the Task Force.
10 . Estimated Jobs in Elk River
A separate memo has been prepared for this topic.
11 . 1994 Community Profile
In an effort to streamline and individualize Elk River' s
Community Profile, a new initiative has been undertaken.
Previously, the Department of Trade and Economic
Development prints a standardized profile from information
sent to it by the respective cities . These profiles are
generally late in arriving, and, tend not to allow for any
"uniqueness" . As a result, an alternative profile is
offered. Working in conjunction with the Area Chamber of
Commerce, staff has designed a new profile for 1994 and.
subsequent years . It is expected that the Elk River EDA
would incur the cost of the design work and the printing
of this profile and make it available for distribution at
both City Hall and the Chamber Office.
411 ACTION REQUESTED
The EDA is asked to approve the new format for the 1994
Community Profile.
12 . Prospect Status Report
The Prospect Status Report has been sent under separate
cover.
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