Economic Development Commission - Regular Meeting

Right. Fantastic. Okay. Um, city of Alvette Economic Development Commission uh meeting for February 23rd, 2026, 7 p.m. is called to order. Miss Dowy, would you please call the role here? here.

Here. We also have city council member. And I said that all off uh all all off uh recording. So um we did the uh attendance. David Moons is the only absence and u in attendance we have council member Kate Pashan Helman, staff leaison Carlos Treyo and Dawn Dodie. And now, uh, Chairman Patter, do you want to go with the

agenda? We'll go with the agenda. Um, we have public comments. I do not see anyone in the attendance here, Miss. Is there anyone online with a hot burning question for us? Uh, there is not at this time. Okay. Please to call. We've had people. Yeah, I know. I will say please remember to always use your microphone or it will not make the recording. I'm I'm on Well, you are um but uh Commissioner Zalinsky.

Right. Right. Okay. Um moving along. Five-year economic development plan. Miss Dodie, do you have something? And I am not struggling, but I am gonna catch up. This is so much more difficult driving than you would think. Um, you're doing a fantastic job though.

I do appreciate the vote of confidence. So, uh, in our previous, uh, oh, sorry. In our pre, we usually do, uh, if there are people in, uh, attendance, then we have public comments. Every person from the public who attends is allowed to comment uh for up to three minutes. Our presentations uh are livereamed and recorded. You can always find our uh minutes and media on the website right in the agenda center. If you ever have problems finding a certain recording or something that you would like to reference, please let me know and I'm happy to do so. Uh we already went over public comments and um we are straight on to meeting minutes. Uh we did shift uh just a quick note before uh I asked the meeting minutes to be acknowledged. The reports um are shifted back to the end of the meeting. Uh so I appreciate uh

you know um your levity there. It's still here in the presentation. Uh in your packets, there are meeting minutes for October 28th. So, we are only one set behind. Um and I will post the January 26 meeting meeting minutes to our website as soon as possible. Uh you won't have to wait for the meeting to reference them if you like. Fantastic. Okay. And um if someone could acknowledge the reception of meeting minutes. I acknowledge with sorry I acknowledge the receiving of minutes.

Thank you very much Jacobs. Uh I do not have I do not believe they have to be seconded at all. They are simply acknowledged and we move on with me. Great. Thank you. Thank you.

Uh so fiveyear economic de development plan. Correct. So, we were asked for a an update on what we've done for like per line of the five-year economic development plan. This was put together in actually 2017 to describe what we have done and a lot of the things um as far as moving on and along it's uh I would say we've continued on with what we've done. Um did you did you have a question chairman?

No.

Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I thought there was something wrong. I can't read Chairman Patteruk's uh expressions. So, uh there is, uh the full report, uh and I do have it so we can go over on screen, but everything for goal one, uh is in your printed packets and was posted through our agenda. uh where it goes down the line of very individually what we have done or I should say started to do and kept on doing throughout these past five years. So, uh you're welcome to review these uh and uh we can discuss any if you have any specific objectives or anything. uh we do have more forwardlooking goals and what I would say is weed work right our next steps are to be more activated in form like the business survey that we're going to or that you're all hopefully going to approve and uh move on with is pursuant to these objectives um to call out one specific one of them is almost like a you know it's hard to call out which one each one of these things that has begun we have tried to you know keep going with obviously integrating the zoning and land use and business licenses uh that is you know something that h you know had been done some time ago we have looked at you know having more

or different kinds of zoning and that is not really a discussion for this uh commission however so um you can look at this obviously or I don't know how many of you took the time to look at the agenda ahead of time or to reference this but um you can review it and if there's any questions we can also discuss any of our current things that are on our website now or that you have questions regarding um um the floor is open. So basically what what we're doing is having a look at this on our own time not necessarily at this meeting to basically come up to see if things that we've put on this are relevant. Ideally,

you you need to push. Sorry, I did. Yeah. [laughter] Uh if you need help with that, I'll let you know when the button needs to be pushed. I'm a born button pusher. Thank you, chairman. Uh well, okay, it we do want to minimize the amount of time that we spend in meetings doing like the work of the meeting, but yes, I do understand that you did not exactly have a whole lot of time to plug through a lot of work. Well, that that being said, um we were planning a work session. Yes. And we haven't had that yet. We have not and we haven't had that scheduled yet. Correct.

Okay. And that's basically the kinds of thing that things that we would do at a work session. Yeah. Okay. Now I I note and I had a discussion with Miss Dodie today. The I mean every meeting is is a work session unless there's a specific agenda item that needs to be taken action on. So the format would be set or we can always sit uh down there. All the meetings have to be public. Uh they can't be closed doors. The term was used today that kind of got me a little concerned in there because it has to be transparent

in there. But uh but we can always if if if you want to have a round table discussion set up on the dis or go through these individually or or that discussion uh we we try to keep the agenda where it's broad. So, the five-year economic development plan, the business communication plan, those are your going to be your primary agenda items all the time because it gives a there's a lot of things to talk about under both umbrellas. And then if there was a specific item that was brought by council or something that the the commission needed to take action, we would identify it independently. uh in there. We can always put the term work session if need be, but it's it it will still be a similar agenda, EDC agenda and all that and we could always set up the format however the the commission wish as long as I can get it within the camera.

No, it makes sense. I mean, given the work session moniker being thrown around, just wanted to clarify what we were doing here tonight because I tell you what, there's pages and pages of points which need to be elaborated on. This is a lot of work. This is a lot of lot there are a lot of things to go along um go over here.

The goal was to provide a basic update. Um there are not a lot of big flashy things to point fingers at at this time as far as um you know the we haven't reissued the marketing brochure. Uh we have uh we have a lot of things in draft at the moment, but to move forward with at least some of the items that are in draft uh to, you know, get a sense of what we've done, but move forward with what we already have planned. So, so basically the way it's laid out here on the screen and on our um on our printout items in red are basically things that we have done uh to move towards the goals which are outlined in the points.

Correct. Good. Yeah, that's what I was uh also wondering about the So, the [clears throat] red is really what we're reviewing. I guess I just saw the link and didn't realize that there was the um updates [clears throat] you had already made to the the five-year plan. So, focus on the red, understand it, launch from there, talk, you know, then we can discuss how we launch from there. Thanks.

Right. And we don't need to linger on this. I did make slides just in case anybody had something that was just amazing that they wanted to talk about. However, um if we would prefer and and this is totally I think a good option where you we discuss the next steps um at our next meeting which will be more of a work set which can be that work session format. I actually had [gasps] the the chairs all look very straight because I had destroyed them earlier and put together a center table that work looked really beautiful until it was more you know presentationoriented. So uh at this time to give to give everybody some time to look over this and our next meeting be more of a work session where we push through with what we know and what we can do next I think would be a wise option.

So when we say we I just want to make sure when I'm reading this I can understand you know what we're saying here. So for example on objective 1.1 we say you know inventoried for industrial parks we have that inventory of the industrial parks that includes will we would need to discuss what that includes but we know that we have that piece in the puzzle. Yes. To work with and similarly the plant science master plan is available available plan finalized plan. Yeah.

Okay. Um, so all these things that are in red are, you know, unless they say otherwise, final items that have actually great. And is there, for example, the plant science master plan, is that online somewhere where we would, you know, could hunt it down or these um I'm not sure if we have it on our website. Should be a link on our website. Okay. Yeah, the 39 North master plan. Um I actually was fortunate enough to work on that myself. So, um it's impressive. Sounds cool.

It's you know really do I will I can send out the link from our website or from for theirs. They just had their newsletter this morning. So I know it's still still kicking. Okay, thank you. So, could we as a council commit to coming back at the next meeting and making it through goal one having reviewed, marked up any suggestions you have to changes on objectives or new tactics we may need in place if we've already finished some of the tactics? Is that reasonable to tackle goal one at our next meeting provided we don't have anything else on the agenda? I think having a road map is a really good idea.

I think that does sound great. you will find and I'm sorry I have this printed out um that it's between goals and objectives they overlap um so you'll find it that they permeate you know you uh certain action items permeate through multiple so it it is it feels very obtainable you know to or attainable to do the goal um an objective one if we'd like to or not goal objective one but goal one um and then we'd have three goals

and Nate could you restate your suggestion for what reviewing entails you mentioned a couple things I just want to make sure I I mean I I guess I would ask you know this plan is nine years old and the structure I mean no pride of ownership I think I helped fill this nine years ago. So the structure like the goals seem like normal goals. Um I would question are all the like objectives and even maybe the objectives are fine but like 1.3.1 do we still need to gain understanding of criminal unloyment or like should that still be in the plan right? Are we like no we've got that we're good let's just cross it out but isn't something like that an ongoing thing?

Well it hasn't been like we've done it once maybe. Or that's I guess that's a good question to ask is what is right. I mean if we're analyzing available regional economic trends we should always be doing that that we well right I mean when we have and when I've pres presented it um

I think that the it was wellreceived however uh I think there was a mindfulness to what might be missing and although it was just a presentation to edify uh the commission so um perhaps it needs to framed better in the information that we provided in the past. Our business licenses are uh due for renewal this year in May. So you will later on this year have a very big update on the business licenses and I did not provide or did not prepare one for this meeting because a couple meetings back everybody was seemed like they'd had enough numbers. So so I just pumped the brakes. Anyway, uh and I'm always happy to provide the business license analytics. Uh so because I take great pride in how much data we've collected. However, I don't also don't want to feed you at the fire hose. So, we can do that. I think I saw, you know, that they're supposed to be updated quarterly. um we meet every two months and that throws it off a little bit, but I think that we can get back to that kind of schedule and then it would make more sense and you'll have more of an expectation.

So, it sounds like as I mean as I'm reviewing I'm going to be thinking in that stoplight form. What do we keep doing because it's a continuous activity? What is that's the green and what's the yellow is the keep you know what do we need to change how do we alter this to make it fresh and then red what have we completed and we can cross off I like that I like that's a really good metaphor

well and [clears throat] partially for the use of this is kind of it's an ongoing touchtone to make sure we're on track to keep doing the kind kinds of things we need to be doing over time. So there's a mixture of um higher level sort of 30,000 foot things that we need to be con concerned about whenever anything comes before us we can always refer to this and say does this fit into our objectives goals wants needs whatever and given that we can also look at the past and see if we have completed some of these things and just make note of them

so I guess that's what we would be doing at the next meeting had given uh Nate's um suggestion of looking at um item one. Yeah. Good. And to be clear clear coming in with our perspective baked. Yes. And discussing. Yes. Yeah. So we have homework. Yes sir. And madam.

Any other questions, suggestions, comments or complaints? I like it. Okay. Now, given that, was there u was there anything pertinent discussion of any items that any um they wanted to discuss this evening on the five-year plan or I guess um having just a general overview of where we're going over the next few meetings with regards to this looking at section by section. So, the way I see it, um, as far tonight, um, our big item would be to discuss the, uh, business survey, kind of give your, uh, approval. Uh, it, it's the four questions that we've discussed previously. I'm going to actually go to our website and or no, sorry, not our website, but go to the business survey, which I'm just realizing is not in the most handy place. Um, so it'll just take me a minute and uh and it will take me quite like more than a minute. What can you guys talk about while I'm doing this as far as the business communications? Okay, so here are the four questions. It's in a very typical survey format. Uh I really thank you guys for giving uh lots of other questions uh that businesses or you know great questions. I I think um Chairman Patteruk and

Commissioner Zalinsky, did that come from you? Was it I can't remember or Commissioner Moons. Uh the commission. Well, I'm sorry. The commission.

The commission. uh for all the great um information that has been shared because it was truly a different um or a much more updated version of business questions uh than what I had. And uh as we had discussed at previous meetings, there would be ideally this first round uh with the business questions uh as they are decided. These uh this digital survey will be distributed to all businesses by email and by postcard. We uh I also I did forgot to hand these out. So I'm going to pick one down. [laughter] So we and and uh based on our previous meetings we had discussed there being um eight tiers uh from you know the largest employer I I went with employers rather than revenue generators since we have such a reduced number like it's only our merchants that provide their annual revenue. So, we really don't have any idea how what Murphy does or whatever. Uh, so I went with the employees as our um I guess you could say the the litmus, right? And these it's it's very randomized. [laughter] I didn't do this that on purpose with this report, but uh we have the top 10 employers. Those will be um staff scheduled meetings with city council members, with senior staff, uh our city

manager um and uh director of planning, Carlos Tjo, type of thing. But uh then when you get into anything really over 11, you know, um every so every business has a certain number of employees. If you have five businesses that have five employees, they are all the same number, right? So they this came down to one to 53 and that's how they got into the five different groups. um some so it's the smaller down you go but they are not in exactly the order of which one is the top employer within each group. Does that make sense? I just I as a data scientist I feel like I have to qualify it because if I were looking at this just for the first time I'd be like no I'm sorry this is not a good list because I know that that is not the top employer. What what does the the first one what does one to 10 represent? One to 10 employees.

No, those are the top 10 employ. Okay. And you will notice that there are actually 11 businesses in there because we have two companies that tie for 10. So, okay. But if you alphabetical order, not in alphabetical. No, these are in alphabetical order within the groups as opposed to numbers. That is the order, isn't it?

Yeah. I was I'm like I I was like 2B residential needs to be off. It needs to not be the first thing I see. But uh it has the desri business description uh and their quadrant. So, we do know a lot of people are very familiar with I'm sorry. Um, Commissioner Donaldson, did you have a question? Yeah. Um, it looks like there are more than 10 in the 21 through 30 and the 31 through 40 and then 41 through 50 has a lot. Yes.

Um, were you getting to that part? Oh, um, that was kind of that was explained with there. It's because are they tied? Yeah, they're they're tied. So more than one. Okay. There's more than one company with 50 employees. So they're all in the top 10 or whatever. Yeah. That makes it 11. And really, so the reason why there's more in the lower you go is because more places report that they have five employees. More places have zero employee. Well, yeah. More places have zero employees and have 300. Yeah. Uh okay.

And I'm sorry it it is not very linear in terms of you know these are you know your top employees are from the top down by number of employees but as commissioner Jacobs pointed out it is the top employees within groups and then alphabetical. Mhm.

So, um, what I do need you guys to do, and I know that this is a lot to review, but since there are, um, businesses that everybody knows, right? Um, we and we don't want to send everybody out overlapping these. I also don't I don't have the postcards to give you guys at this moment, but I can actually drop them off for you. um because our communications manager is out right now and we're still working on like the language. However, we do have the email and everything together. So, that will go out um I believe pretty pretty quickly after this meeting if you approve it.

Will the postcards Go ahead. Sorry. Are the postcards uh where people can actually like write on the postcard and mail it back in or drop it off or is it like a postcard with a QR code that goes to an online survey? Um it would have been the QR code. Okay. Um I'm open to doing differently how uh but no space is actually saying all that I would like to say. [laughter] No, good question. I was I'm glad. Yeah, it's keeping it digital.

Well, it's very hard for me to read some folks writing. Um, but also it's hard to it's hard to quantify open um open entry questions anyway to have them digitally makes it that much easier to uh digest. So, um, in looking at these and you can have, you know, all the time you need, but to look to see where you have, um, where you have contacts, where you would feel comfortable going to, approaching with a postcard, and just kind of a a friendly face telling them what it is. It'll match what they received in the mail. It'll match what they received in their email. So, it will hopefully get people to actually respond. Um, I don't know how the businesses are going to feel when they get the survey, but I put a lot of surveys in the trash personally. So, um, I am hoping that if they see you, then they will be much more likely to fill it out.

So, emailing out and do And that's done by the staff. Yep. And do we have an idea when that's going to be or will you just let us know when those are going out so we can reference the time frame? Yeah. Yeah. Um Yeah, that would be good. Uh I will definitely be able to give you a date for when they go out. Yeah. Um along with whenever I when I'll obviously let you know whenever I'm dropping off postcards. Yeah. Yeah. And then you said in the mail too, but the postcards are what we're hand delivering, right? Or is there a one that's coming in the mail to? Both. Yes.

Okay. So, they will get the one in the mail and the one that we hand deliver. Okay. I like that.

It's a little bit of an overkill, but uh the postcards are not a terrible expense. We want to be complete. if you guys go by there and say, and this happens to me a lot when I'm stopping by businesses, they're not open [laughter] or they're, you know, the person you need to speak to is not there. Uh, and so you've lost that time and you could go back multiple times and still not get that person. So to get that in the mail, to get that in their email covers that base. So, do we have contact bird people? We do from their business license, right?

And we're, you know, being business license season, um, I I really do hope that people will give me a piece of their mind. [laughter] And commissioners, are we able to just put this I mean hopefully it's digitized already where we can throw it on a spreadsheet and then we can put it on a shared document and tag our names to the ones that we have a relationship with. Divvy out the rest. Is that type of thing work? Um we had considered uh volunteering of uh was it two to three or three to four?

I think if we can get commitment to 3 to five before tonight. Sure. To be done by the end of by our next March meeting would be ideal. Five and picking which three to five that'd be ideal. Can't do that till time to look through this list. I don't honestly do not know these people. I don't. So yeah, I don't plan on knowing really any of them probably. So I am happy to do five and I can do any five. We just kind want to avoid the the overlapping. I think I think we all know our businesses.

You don't have to go by the list. Um yeah, we do need to get everybody because we've gone through this process before. It's part of your commitment to this commission, but at least three at a minimum uh to get into contact before the before our next meeting in March. And we don't expect to send you to every business. Why don't you just divvy them up because I don't know any of these people. Okay. I really don't. I know like three business owners in Alvette personally. I tell you what. Yeah. Go ahead to him up. And if anybody has any um anything that No, they would like to do. Oh, right. Send it. Yeah.

Send an email to Dawn with a request that I would like to do these and otherwise divvy them up. And also who it is that those businesses were looking for. Yes. Right. Because they're not here obviously. Yeah. Just basically a visit is preferred. I'll take all of Warson Bower. I mean I was walk around the industrial park and visit everybody. It's not that hard. Yeah. And although I didn't see the rock school on here. Is there a reason? I feel um you know they might be in a rares at the moment. Well then I'll go visit them too. But no, I'll take all of Orson and Bower. I mean, I'll It's easy. That's like 15 businesses right back there. So,

there are quite a few more than that. There's 50. Okay, there's 25. Then I'll take them all. It' be a nice afternoon walk. And to that point, um, you know, if we did five each, it wouldn't nearly cover the list. Um so I think more more at uh I guess more at people's leisure right and so we also we don't expect them all to be handd delivered it uh I mean I do admire the gumption

so are you heading out to go and see a specific person at these businesses and have a conversation with them that lasts how along and what do you want us to say to them? We were hoping that it would be more of a uh well that you might be able to volunteer for ones that you know um

but I'm telling you I don't know them. So what is it you're asking us to do specifically so that I don't I could just walk in there as a receptionist. Could you give this to your boss and boogie? But I don't think that's what you want me to do. Um, I don't I definitely did not intend for you anybody to like do the survey in person or anything, but like I guess to just hand them off the survey and tell them that this means something to you, you know, that it's uh it's what it's in pursuit of the goals of the EDC to kind of

here's what I'm going to do. I'm gonna go to five plus businesses. Gonna walk in, won't know anybody. I'll see a receptionist or somebody else. I'll ask for, you know, whoever you tell us. Yeah. Is there a manager here? Is there the owner here? And then if they say no, could you please put this in a spot where they can see it? Um, you know, we're obviously playing a multiple touch point game. um to to I think what's part of your point is I'm not planning to really sit down or spend an extended amount of time asking in interviewing these people.

Well, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's not what I meant, though. But I I don't want to walk into a place and just say, "Here, could you give this to the boss?" Because that that has not no effect, right? For what we're trying to achieve. It has no effect. But if I if I know who I'm supposed to call, I would like to reach out and say, "I would like to stop by. when will you be in the office? I need three minutes of your time. This is why I'm calling. This is why I'm coming by. Because then I have a better chance of actually talking to the person that we need to fill out the survey. If that's our goal is to get them to do it. We have to we have to actually talk to the person that we need to talk to, right? No, not the point. Is the point

if it's possible. Yeah. Like give it a good college try. I would say to to go ahead and do that. go, you know, try and make an appointment. You should have a phone number and a contact if I at least know who I'm calling on or who I need to see. I can walk into a business and say, "Is George here? I need to speak to him for three minutes. I'm from I'm I'm on the EDC for the city of Alvette. I just want to talk to him for three minutes." And we can put a couple we can put a couple done and then we leave it up to the commission to select, but we can like put together for 10 each with actual individuals. we, you know, that that we know and then you can select from that from that grouping. We'll give uh, you know, Rob a different 10 and

give me however many you need to give me and tell me who to call and I will take care of my list and that'll be fine. Thank you. That's just fine. But I just don't want to just walk in cold or piss people off. I'm a business owner. I sit in my office a lot of times during the day so that when people walk in and ask for me, they don't just get to talk to me because they want me to give them money or they want me to do this or whatever. You know, I want to know who's coming in to see me before they show up. It's very disruptive. Understandable. The ones that the staff is scheduling for or the top employers by employees. Is that where does that line? That's in the one to 10. One through 10. Yeah.

Great. So, does does the grouping make sense? I guess not really because it's I did it more mathematically than it's hard without the employee count. Yeah, it is. We withhold that because it's part of what they uh like they submit on their applications. Yeah. So it makes it private. We can't we can't specifically outline how many employees they have, but we can we've in the past put them in groups. Yes. So you know over 100 is this group 100 to 75 75 to 50 50 to 25

that's helpful. Yeah, technically it is then uh 80 and up uh 25. Okay, so we have so we have five people here on the uh on the commission. So 25 uh businesses. I would suggest we um do the the the larger employers, okay? rather than, you know, your like the ones mom and pop because they have the most um investment in the in the city more so than

That's really funny. I think it's the other way around. As a small business owner, I think it's the other way around. I think I have more investment in what's happening in the city and what my benefits are to receive from the city than an electrical company because they don't really care. They just they pay their rent, they pay their taxes, they don't want to be bothered. The biggest thing that a big company wants to know is how come there's 17 potholes in front of my space or or something, you know? I mean, something that really affects their employees, but they don't really care that there's coffee with the mayor, those big companies, they just don't. Unless you're Emerson, you say go to coffee with the mayor as a small business owner because I want the mayor to know who I am, right?

But if I'm head of, you know, I don't think Mr. Alyss really gives a Sorry, I know. Well, actually, yeah, that actually makes a makes a lot of sense. I was looking at it from a standpoint of they're paying more in terms of property taxes, etc., and the their investment that way.

Sure. But we're not asking them about the things that they're I don't that's why I'm asking you what is it you want us to find out from them? What is it you want us to tell them? Because do you think Emerson, Fisher, Rosemont systems care cares about some of the stuff that we can do is I mean they probably care about um you know grants that are available to them or things to improve their business or access to that but I don't know that stuff so I'm not going to tell them that right

and and that's why those like those bigger big big fish are in that one to 10 though and and for the large ones uh in that 11

y down. Um I I I see both ends of the argument because and that is why all of the businesses that we have are represented on the list. Uh I think Emerson is really an outlier because they are very interested in being uh ingrained into the community and doing more. I would like to find more of those. You know, I think I think that there are more of those out there. I don't think that our business owners are sitting around, you know, their storefronts day in and day out just waiting for a commissioner to ask them what they feel.

Yeah. But I think I think you know my comment was predicated on the fact that larger companies have bigger tax bills and they'd like to see what they're getting in terms of that and the being on city council previously too. So I guess I understand and I understand your point too as to sorry um smaller businesses understanding their relationship with the city can be um leveraged more. Yeah.

Think of it think of it this way. If I'm a big company and I'm paying a lot of taxes, certainly I want to know what my taxes are being used for. But in a small city like Alvette, there aren't a lot I mean from my recollection from when I was in Kate's role, there aren't a lot of things that our tax dollars are used for to support big businesses. Streets, sure, but most of our industrial courts are private. They have to pay for that on top of their taxes, right?

So what are those big businesses actually getting from us for their tax dollars? I'm getting something as a resident because my tax dollars help with the streets. They I mean depending on what kind of business they we pay for their police fire protection certainly, but that's everybody, right? Um so I'm just not exactly sure why the I guess Emerson was a bad a bad example since you said they do want to be involved in the city and they would be interested. Yeah, that one well Intel rated systems a manufacturer of material handling equipment. What does what does that company want from the city?

So I wonder if maybe this is kind of a both and like I I to me as I'm like listening and trying to digest both what commission is saying and what staff is is bringing to forward. It sounds like at this point really the objective is to is to get feedback and we want that feedback from both the large businesses and the small businesses and we're trying to do it in a multitude of different ways to get that feedback that it's not necessarily at this point that we're doing the really intense sit down tell me all about it. No no he's not doing the survey face to face. I know that's not I understand that.

But I think it sounds like it's maybe would be helpful to just have a clearer direction of like which which one out of these do you want us to hone in on. I got because there's going to be some like McDonald's, you know, maybe you could help because I don't know this. This is what I think you guys all do. And maybe these guys know more than I do. But if somebody walked into my business, my small business, my little tiny micro business, and asked me questions about my tax dollars, I'd be like, I don't know. Are you fixing my street? I mean, because there's not a lot of big things from the city of St. Louis that they can help me with. Yeah. And my sense with this survey is that we're not asking about that.

But we also need to walk in and say, "Here's why doing this is going to be helpful to you." And it's going to be different whether you're a big business or a small business. That's kind of what I'm asking. I got that. Um, okay. So, we makes them want to talk to me or meet with me or say hi to me or, hey, I'm just coming by. I'm on the EDC. We care about your p perspective. if you fill this out, this is what we might be able to return back to you. And it needs to be a little bit more honed down depending on what kind of business it is. But I don't know what those questions are or what those benefits are. Right. Um that's what I'm I think I'm finally able to narrow down what it is I'm actually trying to say.

I think are does this is this add um a a script um for kind of a loose Yes. because it's not going to be exact and I wouldn't expect anybody to follow it exactly. So, um a loose script uh with some variation on the size of business and then we'll have the list of businesses in a an electronic format we can where each of you can volunteer um or and or be assigned.

Yeah. And and when I say a loose script, I mean it could be a list of, you know, here's seven questions you could ask. Pick the ones that you think are relevant to where you are. Yeah. Yeah. No, it'll be it'll be very uh it won't be very strict. I have I have an idea. Yeah. Uh why don't you send the postcards out, send the emails out, see what response we get, and then send the dogs. And we and we are the dogs. Yeah. I did not call you dogs. But um that's [laughter] a great idea. Note taken. That way we're going to the people that we really want their information, right? If it's in those if it's the top whatever we decide but they haven't responded, those are the people we want to hone in on. That sounds good. That's a good idea.

Yeah. Because the other way could be just duplicating. Oh yeah, sent it in last week. True. That sort of thing. Yeah. Luckily, we we control it, so we will know, you know, I won't have yesterday's information, you know, uh as far as when they've been contacted or if they've responded. That's super helpful. Yeah, because we'll be meeting on the March March 30th.

Yeah. So, we we have to get the the postcards out by the end of this week so they don't inter interfere with the business licenses that go out April 1st. Uh so the license the the postcards will go out this week. I don't know where we are in the status of the email assembly uh to get those out. So we should be able to come back with whatever responses we received uh to the commission by that time. Whatever you send out the Armenian 30th. This is for your benefit yada yada yada. Um this isn't a fishing expedition or anything like that. We're just trying to help you

and go back to one slide now just to make sure because I got a little confused on on what we're asking them. I'm assuming we we'll put a script together, but the goal of the city is to hear, you know, is what are we doing well? How's business been? What can the city do better? And what would you like the city to know? Are you saying that the there's a different set of questions we should ask? Well, to to to introduce

what I guess I'm saying is as I as I was able to sorry I'm a verbal processor so sometimes my thoughts need to come out of my head first. So having said that if I walk into a business, hey I I'd like to talk to you. This is why we'd like you to fill out this survey. This is how it will help you if you take the time to fill out the survey. here's what we're trying to find out and why we're trying, you know, because we want to be able to address concerns that maybe we're not meeting. But if you walked into my businesses or you asked me to fill out a survey that said how's business and what was the other thing you said?

How's business been with city? Well, I definitely like the question the one, three, and four, but how has business been is not a question I want to walk into any business and ask at this point, especially small ones, because I guarantee you they're going to look at me and go, I was I was actually at a small business, a very successful small business earlier today in Maplewood, and even though he's not in the red, he's like, I'm certainly not where I would where I've been or where I'd like to be. He was not happy. He made some profit but not like he's used to or like he wants to and because his customers are not doing well. So So that's kind I don't want to walk into any small business and say how's biz shake.

But it makes sense. It's it's putting that introductory script but telling them some of these questions why we're there is is what I want to know or what I want to say.

I think we have a plan. I guess I just have one little thing to add to these questions and depending on how you've, you know, created the postcard and the thing that's that's going out is maybe a a line at the top before these questions come out that says like in relation or when thinking about doing business in all of you know how has you know just something that makes it very clear that we want them to ask what is the city doing well as it relates to your business. Um, if if I'm assuming that's the that's like the more specific uh tact we want to take as opposed to just what is the city doing well? Well, it looks like people are happy here, you know, like my my assumption, my guess is that we want to know specifically what is the city doing well as it relates to your business.

I like that. Yeah, [clears throat] because that also helps hone in on how has business been. Yeah. That it's not just like Yeah. But like has business been we can actually answer by looking at their their um annual licensing because they have to declare their revenue. No. Yeah. You only the merchants like which is a Is there a flat fee on the licenses that aren't merchants? I can't remember. Yes, it's graduated by employees. Uh, yeah. Over five. If they have more than five employees,

that's their only that's the only level. If I have five employees, it's or more, I have to pay $200. If I have 800 employees, I have to pay $200.

Not necessarily. It is more nuanced than that. There are two uh different uh tables and it breaks down the service businesses by the type that's based on their NACE code. There's a different rate that is there is a different rate that is for each type. Um if you are a service table B, then you add $5 for every employee over the first five. Not a lot of businesses in that service table B have more than five employees. So there aren't a whole lot of people paying a lot of extra money for their employees.

Uh now the merchants are anybody who has a retail license and and is a point of sale origin within the city of Alvette. It is uh you know we have homebased businesses. We have, you know, um we have we have the whole gamut. Um these were generalized questions and the introduction um is something that I've been working on with our communications manager and then uh just to have the postcard, you know, put together. But it's it was these questions that were something you know that have been discussed over the years and were what we proposed you know we go out to ask doing it digitally is much more effective or that we feel we hope um and I mean we've all discussed this

it is and and framing it we can do that in the introduction we can do that um in the email and the postcard We just we just need to make it important for them to fill out for us. We have to give them a reason to do it because like you said, how many surveys do you get that you just say, "Yeah, I'm not doing this." I would say all of them except for the ones that come for me from employment security and they send me three letters and said, "You better send this in. We're going to send out the boogeymen." I mean, you know, so there just has to be a reason for them to want to play. We don't have a whole lot of carrots, right?

And we don't have any. I mean, we we have sticks. Please, please. Please. Okay. Sorry to sorry to take it down that path. Just want to know what I'm what you're asking me to do. And just from the council perspective, the because it was discussed at a previous meeting, council is very happy to see this going out and is also um members of the council are happy as well to do some of that u outreach, individual outreach as well to support the work of the ABC. Right. Thank you.

All right. Um moving along. Um well I guess well just to just to put a stake where as to where we are. Um postcards are going out. We'll see what kind of response we get by the next meeting. And at that point we will divvy up yes whatever we have left to light a fire under some of these people and send out the dogs very very sweetly. Your kind puppy dogs. Puppy dog. without the puppy dogs. Right on.

So, will we be able to say the staff will divide up by the next meeting and come to the next meeting with it divided up if we have any preferences after reviewing this list. Um, like I noticed I, you know, do have a few light connections to a few. So, I'll email those to you to ignore until you're looking at that, you know, a month from now. Um, does that sound good as a goal for you and for us to get any preferences in? Absolutely. You know, between now and then. That sounds great. Except I read your emails first.

The only thing I say with that is that Mr. Moons wants to go to the baseball card. I know it's he's Yes, we have we have Commissioner Moons down for the 314 card shop in absentia. We'll we'll give him that. All right, great. Thank you. Um, next is annual business awards.

Okay, the business award survey is already out. It's already hot. So, please go nominate your favorite business and restaurants of the year. uh they have to be located in all of that. Uh they have to be in good standing with the city. That means that they have a business license. Uh we do vet the you know uh whoever's nominated uh and in the past we have based our um whenever we collect all the nominations the the business that wins is the b or the business that gets the most votes is the business that has been awarded historically by EDC. Uh I'm I'm not going to sway you all one way or another in that. Uh but we do have the calendar in front of us. Uh so uh yeah, the survey has actually been kind of open for a while now. Uh we are closing it on March 23rd. Uh our next meeting that March 30th to determine the awardees I think I got into that a little bit ago. Uh contacting the awards lunchon and the coffee with the mayor. Uh well, the awards lunchon is at the same same bat time, same bat channel, but the coffee with the mayor will be in July.

What does the same bat time same bat channel mean? It's not here. Uh it means it'll be the same week and date that it is usually uh with the Creek Corvette chamber. It's a throwback to Adam West Batman. No, no, that's part Thank you. better. [laughter] I'm older than you, so I probably get that one, too. Could you just be more specific as to what time the awards lunch usually is? May It's May 21st. I know that. Okay. It's on or it's at 11 uh 11:30. Okay. It's a lunchon.

And where is it? Oh, that uh it's usually at the Holiday Inn in Creedore. Could be a couple of places. Yeah, they do have it in different places, but I and I don't know it off the top of my head. One thing I I don't think I have seen the business awards like blast come out in the weekly newsletters. Oh yeah, it has. Um and it should be Yeah. Is it on there? it. Okay. Yeah, maybe it was hidden. I Yeah, I know it was on the very top of this week's um and then

and Creep Corvette Chamber for their weekly um little blast the week in Eloet. Oh yeah. Yeah. No, it's the first thing. My bad. No, you're good. But we got our logo into the Creek Alvette Chamber one. So, uh oh, let's see what else. Hey, vote early, vote often. Yes, you can vote as many times as you want.

But for but for real, I mean, it's it would be great to, you know, to to hear uh get your family, your friends, spread the word. It's on our website uh under the doing business in Alvette page which I was going to navigate to for your viewing enjoyment. Nice little bit of free marketing for just a little bit of effort. Right. Uh and I I do think that it has done well. Um it's not on the doing business page. It's on the economic development commission page where it should be under business awards which is on the left hand side and then there it is embedded.

Is there something on the front page of the website you there? Do you ever put banners on there that say, "Hey, do you ever put banners up there that says for something that you really want to catch somebody's att there?" Yeah. That this banner area nominate and all of it. There it is. Yeah. With a literal banner. Yeah. And a raining. Okay. Can you put a link to the If you click right on here

Oh, it takes you right to it. Okay, cool. Got it. And then it's in there. Got it. Okay. You can even look up. Look at that. You put a map in there. You are so good at this, Don. You're so kind. Jacob, but uh yeah. No. Uh mapping. Sorry. Plus, there are so many businesses that are nominated that are not from all of [laughter] Not really. only a only a handful every year, but it was enough for me to go. We're gonna have a map.

All right, next thing. Uh, and I believe we are, um, well, meeting minutes. Um, we did those and then reports. under reports.

We are as far as our um city staff reports. Um it's been busy. [laughter] It's spring in uh planning, you know, so uh there's lots going on. Um my niece is getting married uh next or this week. Oh my gosh. Um uh so I'm going on a little tiny vacation. Um so if there if there is a little bit of a lag for me uh at the end of this week, early next week,

uh yeah, that will be that'll be where I will be. Uh I will say though, um I looked on our website, we're having a new lunar New Year's celebration. It looks very cool. So, um, please come out if you are in town. And then Holy Festival is, um, which is something that I've never been to. What's it called? Holy festival. H O L I. Uh, it is a uh I actually I don't know much about it. I understand it's very fun and they throw water soluble colors um at each other. Is this a a Indian holiday? Thank you. Yeah. Uh,

there you go. Holiday. So now I know you're coming. Yeah, I've seen that before. That is really cool. It looks really neat. I mean, like all the pictures I've seen of it. And I don't know if any of you can share your experience, please do. Um, I would say um, please go ahead. It's fun. It's fun. It's loud. It's Stacy Park is packed. If you go, make sure you wear something that you are okay getting. Is it the idea to wear a white t-shirt to get all the colors? I think that's the idea. Yeah. Some people do. I wore a tie-dye because I didn't have a white shirt that I was okay because it it does most of it comes out. But like random people don't expect that only people you know will throw things at you. Random. Yeah. It [laughter] doesn't matter.

Yeah. But it is very fun, very festive and it really draws people from throughout the region. It has really become a big event or at least when I hear about it. Our next EDC meeting is on the 30th. We've talked about that. The next coffee with the mayor uh will be on the 8th of April. Uh and then big day, April 10th um for the brass tap ribbon cutting and grand opening. When is this? On April 10th. Nice. And that was from the

we have a soft opening just for you know dignitaries. So, I am I have been on the lookout um and I didn't get to darken um some doorways today for uh you know some hard hat uh tours or pre-opening tours uh or just even grand opening tours for uh our new Irvington Place Apartments which are you know rolling right ahead uh and and any of our other new opening businesses. But um I do look for us all to have uh you know be able to attend the grand opening I will give you guys as much of notice as possible for Brass Tap and I mean obviously you know Brass Tap but if it changes um and Paris baguette so oh and there's the Verizon store that'll be in there as well. So there should the the invitation piles should stack up as as you know in the next couple months.

Wonderful. Exciting. It's very exciting. Thank you. And what's the date on Irvington opening? Do you know that or do they have a date? Yeah. Probably be around April 1st. Oh, really? You're come along really well then. Yes. Right. And um did you have any other reports other than the events calendar? Uh did anybody No, I mean Irvington's moving right along there. There was a hiccup on the the complex because they were going to start March 1st. Uh but there was a water pipe burst on the first level at Irvington. Yeah.

So that kind of delayed things, but we anticipate that by April 1st they'll be up and leasing. Uh they got a great website, a lot of references to all of that and information. Do you get a chance to take a look at that? Fantastic. Because I know the Clover had a like an open house. I wonder if they, you know, if we hear about that, be great to hear if something like that happens because that was really well attended. Yeah. And that was kind of a because it was part of that tiff and the development project. I'm not sure if Arington will will, but we'll we'll take a look. They they've been pretty quiet on

that. Uh, one of the other businesses, a Carlton Bank finally opened up fully their administrative offices there at Dilman Industrial Park. Um, and they spent 18 months to two years renovating. Wow. And they just kept on adding like changes, changes, changes, changes. These, you know, let's put this, let's put this, let's put this. The building was um it kind had it was candle levered. Yeah. You know, Yeah, it needed a lot of work. Yeah, it was what? It's pretty impressive. It was It was candle lever. It was like they had a small

foundation and the the upper floors were canlevered out. I don't know what that word means. That was my question. It further than well can you have something stacked like this the second floor of Yeah. It it [laughter] it's levered out with a caner. [laughter] The caner. I have a question because I'm looking through these events. It's on. Oh, mine's on. I can't see.

Um, is it possible to put like like, you know, it's not on here? Is maybe it's somewhere else and I just don't spend enough time at in the website. Don't we have like large trash pickup? Is that in the book that I just got that I haven't looked at yet? Or is it could it be on the calendar? Like I think there's a Don't we have an electronics drive coming sometime this spring? And if not an electronics drive the large pickup is in April. Yeah, I believe there's been information. I I don't think I've seen it in the the weekly report. Well, I'm just saying if it's on this events calendar. Yeah, it um you know, I haven't seen it on the calendar, but um you're right. Uh there there's one almost every April April 20th through the 24th

which is big on there. Oh, it's on there. I I don't know how I didn't pick it up. It's not on this calendar though. I don't know if it's on the ribbon or not, but it's on there. Oh, I looked in the calendar. Just more places the better. That's what I was thinking. No, that's really good to know.

Well, one last thing. So the uh the the the planning community design commission is forwarding a recommendation to the council uh regarding the regulating data centers. We don't have any that have been petitioned and so but we're kind of trying to be a little proactive uh as a lot of local communities are facing some uh uh either initiating or or facing some petitions that have come in. Uh so the overall the the commission's recommendation that will go to the council um and they broke the data centers into three you know to four tiers. Well the first type of tier is when it's an accessory to a principal use like um Emerson may have a data center uh within their facilities there that that serves their customers or themselves in that process but it's not like the big public access access type uh in there. And then there's three traditional types. Now, even more, but um when a building's up to 20,000 square feet, they kind of call that a micro data center. And then 20,000 to 99,999 square feet is called a midsize data center. And anything larger than that is is the they were called like the large data centers. Now there's even a hyper center. You know, this is you're you're hearing a lot. Anyway, so the way the the ordinance has been crafted is right now in our light industrial parks if somebody wanted to apply for a data center, it's considered a warehouse and all they would do is, you know, apply with the building department to get an occupancy permit and if they're doing modifications, get a a building uh permit in conjunction to that. But there is no oversight beyond beyond that. Uh the recommendation is to you know call out the data centers and then require them to go through a special permit which means that they have to apply to the commission for recommendation and then it goes to council for final decision uh in their council adopts it

by ordinance. So the decision for every data center will be left to the council to decide if we want it or we don't. Correct. Okay. And and to be you know in to create some consistency with the process the thought process for them. They've also identified specific requirements that these data centers would have to meet. One, Go ahead. No, no, I mean it. You finish.

Uh they they need to be uh I believe in uh for the smaller ones in a in a lot area that's 80,000 square ft. For the larger ones, uh 120,000 square feet, kind of like 3 acres. And we use those two tiers a lot in our zoning code. So that's why we reference the 80 and the 20. The large ones, the ones over 100,000 square feet will be prohibitive. We just find that they're incompatible with the character of our community. Good. Uh in there. We're not allowed to completely eliminate a use. So, we're not eliminating a use. Why are we not allowed to do that? Because you you can't do that through zoning. Uh in there, but can they do it through ordinance? Yeah. Well, yeah, the council could

the council could say that like Exactly. So, that would again those large ones wouldn't be permitted, but some of the smaller ones are or so. And then in the conditions for consideration of the the two those two tech type of tiers the medium and the micro uh there would have to be some performance standards they'd have to address. We hear those a lot about you know uh uh energy usage water usage uh noise. Uh then there would be some architectural or building uh performance standards that they'd have to address. they did include the uh 50% has to you know has to be renewable uh

energy uh within a fiveyear time frame. So just a heads up on that and then uh they they have to kind of recycle the water. They have to uh implement some storm water uh things whether they've made any improvements to the site or not uh in there. And then there's conditions about the use of the um the generators and uh and battery storage. Uh so that will go to the council. I believe it's March 10th is the next council meeting uh for a public hearing and and consideration. There's usually two readings. The second reading will be at their their uh the fourth Tuesday of the month, but I'm pretty sure the 10th is your next meeting. We're meeting tomorrow. Oh yeah.

So after the after the first meeting in March. Yes. So, do we really not allow tattoo parlors right now? They're in the code. They are prohibited. Didn't know it. You'll have to go somewhere else. You're sorry for a new city. That what I know. I don't really have much. Um,

it's on you. the the only other piece and Carlos my memory is uh failing me a little bit on where we where the council ended with this but uh there had been a discussion among this commission really through email about the need to have four members here for voting. Um and so I raised that with the council. Why why is the EDC different where you've got four members in a commission of five people that need to be present to vote on anything? And so, uh, city staff did a little bit of research and I guess previously the EDC at one point had seven members and that's when the four,

uh, was created. So, anyway, we're we are working on getting that getting that changed so that there's not a super majority needed to just pass anything simple in the, you know, basic quorum just like everywhere else. Thank you. or a majority. Sorry, not Oh, and we also the city council um also had our staff not our staff our city council retreat on Sunday um where we worked on and developed some goals. So, those will be forthcoming.

Well, thank you, Council Person Elman. Um and uh did we have any other questions? I guess u there's an election coming up. Two seats are open and three people are running to my knowledge. Yes, that's correct.

So the two seats that are open, three people running are Mike Solomonoff, who is currently um on council, so he's the incumbent and then Maxine While has decided not to run. So her seat um is also open and uh the two other people in addition to Mike who are running are uh Rob Jurgel and Bill Hansen. So three candidates for two April the day April first week first Tuesday in April. First Tuesday in April that's all I know.

Okay. I I have one um item I'd like to bring up um with regards to and this is kind of um relates to business somewhat, but it also rel um relates more to planning and zoning. Um the Great Rivers Greenway um is on the east side of um I70 and it is partially within the bounds of um of the city of of all of that. Um however, the ramp which connects Old Bonum to the Great Rivers Greenway goes south. It would be very helpful for the residents of all of that to work with Green River's great green well gruff TLA's and build one that goes north. Has that ever been discussed or looked at or would they be open to uh doing something like that just to have um an easier way for residents of Olivet to get to the new shopping centers? We'll take a look at it. I I I'm not sure if anybody ever inquired uh into that. I know the location and its placement. Uh

there were some proposed or so we have a map of trails um and there were some you know portions of proposed trails but not um specifically that one to my knowledge but um I mean it it's definitely something that we can look at. It's we worked on it with a comprehensive plan. So, but it was pretty much, you know, left there after we gathered the the information and mapped it. So, you can look at it. It'll be interesting to see what Graham GRG says with regards to funding, how it would be funded if they have something

and you're talking on because I I do know Old Bonum has the the share of the share of the lane because it's interesting because you have the all of that says bike. It's got the bike and it says end. And then on the other side it's got the bike and it says begin from the bridge. Yeah, I think somewhere right before the bridge. Yeah, right be right once you pass due because the bridge is um better. No, even be well. It's just the weirdest thing. Well, and those were done with an STP grant and don't actually have to do with GRG. So, right. Yeah, there I mean there are GRG trails and then there are other trails.

It's access to a GRG trail, but the access may not have anything to do with GRG. What's possibly uh Stone Temple Pilots, correct? Um [laughter] but state it was a transport. I believe it's state transportation and then Okay. So, we'll take a look at it. Someone's got the money cuz you go over the bridge and I thought that they're underneath. Yeah. Correct. It's going underneath. Mhm. But then there's the ramp going on the towards that goes towards Delmare. Correct. Yeah. And it's and it's pretty long and it's like it's very long down. Yeah. I was on it yesterday.

Yeah. Viking. Take a look. And then when you get to Delmare, you can go to shops. Yeah. Yeah. Crosses crosses Delmare. You got some funky lights there. Yeah. Anyways, I've never thought about that. I really I would love it. Right there. The funny thing is is that because of the way that the lines are drawn, the city of Alvette is actually on that side of the road, which I never noticed until right now. So 170 is still part of Alvette right there. Correct. Actually where

um down to just past Costco actually. Um just past Costco, I believe. Is this 170? Yeah. Okay. So where's our where's our This is Yeah, that's right. This is this is uh Costco right here. So, um, that abandoned rail line was all part of all of that, but it's now it looks like this little part though that would actually ramp it would be might still be. Well, actually, yeah, part of it would be. Yeah.

Go home and eat dinner till we be done. Anyways, my two cents. All right. All right, worth a dime. That Thank you. That being said, um I think if there is nothing else from anyone, any burning issues. All right. Well, fantastic. Um it is I don't know what time it is. 8:23. 8:23. Uh we will consider the Oh, do you want to do a motion? Make a motion to leave. Okay. Second. All in favor? Hi. Hi. All done. Nave, what did you call again? The uh horse and bower.

Horse. Yes. I like it. Is that right by you? Yeah. So, you're leaving us? You think? Yeah. You think? 13.