06-16-2009 EDC Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Presentation by BLADC: Small Cities Update: Elissa Rogers and Erika O'Brien are working closely together on the Small Cities Development Program. Cost models are included in the report. Their discussions with DEED were not exciting; DEED probably wouldn't help as the commercial properties being addressed would not score high on the application. Housing and commercial rehab: Erika O'Brien completed a windshield survey. Maps are included in the report for residential as well as commercial. The key for the maps is included on the commercial map. The commercial side would be very difficult to include. Vacant buildings cannot be included. The properties in the downtown area are in great shape. The buildings didn't have the type of work needed to be included. Ms. O'Brien would not recommend including commercial properties on the application; it could hurt the application process. There are pockets of housing areas throughout the City that could be target areas. Lake properties were not included. Ms. O'Brien and Ms. Rogers recommend looking at a housing application with both rental and owner occupied included. Jenkins properties would also be included as a multi jurisdiction application. Crow Wing County will be the applicant and administer the funds. Contractors must go through an application process before they can be approved to do the rehabilitation work. The public meetings will help determine if we have target areas or a broader area. The public meetings would be advertised later in June. Actual letters will be mailed to the property owners of the yellow and red homes indicated on the map. The EDC members or a representative should attend the public meetings. It was the consensus of the group to more forward. The City Council will be updated in July. The public hearing is tentatively set for August. The public meeting will be held prior to that. The number of homes will depend on who wants to participate; we could see as many as 30 houses with$400,000 to $600,000 maximum. Participation letters will establish the dollar amount of the application. The pre-application is due in September. The final application is due in January and the final dollar amount would be announced in April. Local control of the monies would be ideal. Creative Marketing Ideas: Community development is one part of BLADC's work. Their primary focus is jobs and economic development. BLADC partnered with the Airport Commission and developed local commercials that are aired during commercial times on the flat screen TV's at the airport. Pequot Lakes could develop a commercial for the airport. BLADC presented several of the local commercials. It was suggested that quality education in the County, as well as senior health care, could be subjects to include in their commercials.