The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About02-09-2007 Council Economic Development Committee AGENDA City of Iowa City City Council Economic Development Committee Friday, February 9,2007 9:30 a.m. City Hall Lobby Conference Room 410 East Washington Street 1. Call to Order 2. Approval of Minutes of January 23, 2007 Economic Development Committee meeting 3. Discussion of Proposals for Downtown Market Niche Analysis a. CLUE Group, Arlington, VA b. Downtown Professionals Network, Batvia, IL c. Economics Research Associates, Chicago, IL d. Gibbs Planning Group, Birmingham, MI e. Marketek, Atlanta, GA f. Progressive Urban Management Associates, Denver, CO g. Randall Gross Development Economics with the University of Iowa Tippie School of Business, Washington, DC h. University of Wisconsin Extension, Madison, WI 4. Select consultants to invite for interview 5. Determine Meeting Dates for consultant interviews and next regular Economic Development Committee 6. Committee time 7. Adjournment MINUTES CITY COUNCIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE January 23, 2007 LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM DRAFT Members Present: Regenia Bailey, Connie Champion, Bob Elliott Members Absent: None Staff Present: Wendy Ford Others Present: Nancy Quellhorst, Joe Raso, Tim Kenyon, Mark Nolte, DaLayne Williamson RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL: Approval of the document "Economic Development Strategies 2007-2008". CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chairperson Regenia Bailey called the meeting to order at 9:03 AM. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - DEC 12. 2006 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MOTION: Bailey moved to approve the December 12, 2006 minutes as submitted. Elliott seconded the motion. The motion passed 3:0. ACTIVITY REPORT - Economic Development Coordinator - WENDY FORD Ford informed the committee of status of the BIOWA application for Community Development Funds through IDEO. BIOWA is an Input/Output database designed to match the waste output and input needs for bio-based companies. At last month's meeting, the committee supported this application pending further clarification of BIOWA's financials That clarification was made and Ford sent a letter of intent to support the project, pending the full council's support. Ford received a call from Michael Ott reporting IDEO's award of $25,000 grant (pending Council's approval) rather than the requested $48,000. Ford asked Michael the reasoning behind the difference in funding, and he said IDEO did not indicate a reason. Champion asked how BIOWA plans to make up for the shortfall. Ford said the discrepancy would mostly affect the marketing aspects for the program and that the BIOWA membership may also have to ante up so they can complete their mission.. Elliott asked how large a region BIOWA plans to market their database. Ford said the marketing region for BIOWA is statewide, and focuses solely on bio-based businesses. The concern brought up at the last meeting as to whether BIOWA was a duplication of the Iowa Waste-Exchange (IWE) program was noted. Ford spoke with the director of the (WE program and the one of the people under the director, and concluded that BIOWA would be more focused on the bio-based industry, and would contain a lot more chemical information, useful for the input side of the matches that can be made with this program. Ford noted the caveat that BIOWA must be sure to communicate with the Waste-Exchange to avoid duplication. She said it seems clear that they can work effectively without duplication. Chairperson Bailey noted she assumes Council will support going ahead with this. Final Draft: Economic Development Strategies. 2007-2008 Ford noted the final draft of the Economic Development Strategies includes the six policies adopted in 1995. She reasoned putting those policies at the top of the document shows continuity. She inserted them at the beginning, to make a logical flow into the following objectives that support the policies. Discussion ensued about the meaning of the word industry and whether it was exclusive of commercial enterprise. Chairperson Bailey said she feels the document does not focus only on industry. Economic Development Committee Minutes January 23, 2007 Page 2 Elliott asked if the use of the word industry signals that the committee does not care about commercial businesses. Ford responded that activities directed toward industry would not be not at the expense of commercial industries. The policies are areas of focus given the limited resources of the Economic Development division and they do not comprise the assistance to and maintenance activities directed toward businesses that we already have. Elliott asked how a bank locating in Iowa City would be viewed. Bailey said that would be considered part of the banking 'industry.' Bailey noted that she doesn't think of 'industry' as a factory, rather as a sector. Elliott agreed, and said that the department shouldn't focus solely on what is traditionally understood as industry. Bailey reiterated she didn't read it that way, and Champion agreed. . With regards to Policy #2, Elliott suggested reversing the wording to put the emphasis on developing the workforce to company needs, as opposed to attracting companies for the existing workforce. Champion agreed . Bailey noted a partnership description would be helpful so it is clear that developing the workforce is not expected to be the responsibility of the E.D. division alone. Discussion about The Skills Advantage Work-Ready Assessment System ensued and whether there was a place it could fit into the draft. Raso asked what role the city could play in implementing the Skills Advantage assessment system as part of their own hiring process. This endorsement would promote the policy. Raso suggested discussing Skills Advantage with Human Resources. In discussion about supporting entrepreneurial enterprise, Bailey inquired about the possibility of Healthcare insurance poolS for small businesses, citing healthcare insurance as a major barrier to entrepreneurialism. Quellhorst offered insight into the state legislature's progress with this issue. The greatest concern is that the pools are affordable for those who are healthy, but discriminate against those who are either unhealthy, or use many health services. Most people view the issue as one that requires a national solution rather than a state one. Elliott remarked that it's difficult to insure people over whom you have no authority. Bailey mentioned this could be a strategy that the committee continues to explore due it being such a major issue for small businesses, artists and . Champion rejected putting it as a line in strategies because of the impossibility of the City being able to solve it. Joe Raso noted that this issue is not unique to our community, but solving it would ensure a competitive advantage. Bailey said this issue is one that they must continue to discuss but it may not be something included in the draft. Elliott noted that this will be a working document. Bailey concurred but added it was not a shifting target. The next step will be on drafting a time line, work plan and budget to implement the policy MOTION: Champion moved to approve the Economic Development Strategies 2007-2008 with the change in item 2 to be "Develop available labor force consistent with the needs of employment opportunities." Elliott seconded the motion. The motion passed 3:0. Committee Time The committee discussed the Downtown Association and the Farmers Market. Nancy Quellhorst said the inclusion of the Downtown Association in the downtown market analysis was a good thing. Proposals for the Downtown Market Niche Study are due Wed. Jan 31s1 and will be reviewed at 9:30 am Feb. 9th at a meeting of the Economic Development Committee, Chamber and D.T.A. execs.. Nancy Quellhorst asked about the possibility of moving the Farmers Market to the Pedestrian Mall. Bailey shared various proposals with moving it include the possibility of Iowa Ave and the Ped Mall. Elliott noted there was not much council enthusiasm about getting involved. Bailey talked about the possibility of creating a street fair every weekend much like Des Moines or other areas. Another reason the discussion has not progressed is due to the Parks and Recreation department's oversight of the Market and the reluctance of the vendors to move. It was suggested that an ,endorsement from the Chamber of Commerce might encourage a change. ADJOURNMENT Economic Development Committee Minutes January 23, 2007 Page 3 The meeting adjourned at 9:44 A.M. NEXT MEETING DATE: February 9,2007 Minutes submitted by Elizabeth Kennedy. Q) Q) ~ E E 0 u .... C Q)"C E 0 0.(,) o Q) -0:: Q)Q)..... >(,)0 Q)CO OC'GN (.)"g .- Q) E= O<C c 0 (.) w - .- (.) c ;j 0 U M ~ ~ ~ ~ ..... <FJ 00 00 00 S .~ 0 s:: 0 --- --- N N N Q) 0.. 0 0 0 t-< :0< --- --- --- ~ ..... ..... ..... 0 0 0 = Q .... ~ c. - a .... ~ ~ t: ..c ~ Q U ~ := .... - Q,l = ~ .... Q) = ~ Q,l = bl) ,Q ~ Q Q Z ~ U "'0 Q) <FJ ;::l u :0< =...~ Q) !:: !:: <FJ Q) Q) ~1515 A.. < < II II II ~ ~ Q) --- ~~oo