CITY OF EVANSVILLE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Special Meeting
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
6:00 p.m.
1. Roll call. The meeting was called to order by chair Wyse at 6:08 p.m. Present: Gene Bass, Roger Berg, John Decker, Cheryl Dickert, Fred Juergens, Tony Wyse. Absent: Dave Olsen, James Otterstein. Also present: John Morning, Mayor Sandy Decker.
2. Approval of agenda. Juergens moved, seconded by Berg, to approve the agenda as distributed. Approved by voice vote.
3. Defer approval of minutes of September 19, 2006 regular meeting until the regular meeting in October. So moved by Juergens, seconded by Berg. Approved by voice vote.
4. Citizen appearances, other than on items listed below. John Morning appeared on behalf of the Evansville Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Morning distributed a position description for Promotional Director for the Chamber of Commerce and stated that the Chamber Board of Directors was committed to filling the position as described. Compensation to be offered will be $30,000.00 per year, and a "cafeteria" type of benefits plan may be offered, subject to negotiation with candidates for the position. The Chamber requests that the City of Evansville Economic Development Committee commit $12,000.00 of its proposed 2007 budget toward remuneration for the position.
Juergens moved, seconded by Dickert, to request an amount of $12,000.00 for the Economic Development Committee's 2007 budget to fund a portion of the proposed Evansville Chamber of Commerce Promotional Director position.
Mr. Morning provided a further description of the Chamber's potential realignment of staff positions in the event the Promotional Director position, as described, is filled. Decker asked whether the Chamber could fund its portion of the proposed staff budget from membership dues alone, or whether supplemental fundraising would be needed. Mr. Morning stated additional fundraising would be required, but that the Chamber Board was confident such efforts would be successful.
Decker moved to table the pending motion to permit the committee to consider other funding requests, seconded by Wyse. The motion to table failed on a 3-3 voice vote.
The chair suggested it would be appropriate to consider other potential expenditures in the debate on the pending motion.
In the ensuing discussion, it was observed that the committee typically contributes $475.00 (or 1/2 of total cost) toward the cost of the "Evansville" page in the annual Rock County Visitor's Guide, and should contribute 1/4 of the cost of reprinting the 4-color Evansville Visitor's Brochure (or $850.00). The committee tentatively has committed $1,950.00 toward an outdoor advertising program for the 2007 Main Street reconstruction period (to be paid in 2006), and an additional $500.00 for the purchase of a web camera to provide images during the 2006 - 08 construction seasons in the vicinity of Main and Madison Streets. In terms of other 2006 expenditures, the committee has committed $160.00 to the on-line economic development courses through the UW- Extension. Finally, the committee is to pay the expenses of the supplemental "open to local businesses" signage produced by Main Street Signs for the current Madison Street project. The anticipated cost of a Trade Market Analysis will be covered as a project expense of Tax Increment District #6, approved by the Common Council on September 26, 2006.
Berg moved, seconded by Bass, to call the previous question. Approved by voice vote. Berg further requested a roll call vote on the question whether the City of Evansville Economic Development Committee should commit $12,000.00 toward remuneration of the proposed Chamber of Commerce Promotional Director position for 2007. Those votes were: Berg "yes"; Bass "yes"; Dickert "yes"; Juergens "yes"; Decker "no"; Wyse "no." The motion passed.
5. Discussion on EDC signing contracts for billboard rental during construction next year. Mayor Decker presented the proposed outdoor advertising contracts for the April - September 2007 period, as negotiated by the Downtown Reconstruction Task Force. John Decker moved, seconded by Bass, to authorize the committee chair to execute the contracts. Approved by voice vote.
6. Discussion of committee goals, objectives, and projects and create 2007 budget. The chair noted that the major portion of this agenda item was dealt with under item 4 Citizen Appearances, and invited additional discussion. Berg moved, seconded by Juergens, to urge the City of Evansville to pursue a "Preserve America" designation. Approved by voice vote.
7. Motion to approve 2007 budget. Berg moved, seconded by Juergens, to submit a total Economic Development Committee budget request for 2007 in the amount of $15,000.00. Mayor Decker observed that the committee's 2006 budget was $5,000.00, and that a preliminary budget proposal of $10,000.00 had been developed at her request, in order to meet anticipated additional promotional expenditures during and after the 2007 Main Street reconstruction. Juergens asked about committee expenditures in prior years. In 2005 the committee spent its entire budget, with the major expenditure ($4,000.00) being for the Sortis grant-writing program. In earlier years the committee usually did not expend its full budget allotment. Following discussion, Berg requested a roll call vote on his motion to submit a total Economic Development Committee budget request for 2007 in the amount of $15,000.00. Those votes were: Juergens "yes"; Decker "no"; Dickert "yes"; Bass "yes"; Berg "yes"; Wyse "yes." The motion passed.
8. Adjournment. Berg moved, seconded by Juergens, to adjourn to the next regular meeting of the committee in October. Approved by voice vote at 8:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
John Decker, Secretary
Note: Meeting minutes are not official until approved at a subsequent meeting of the committee.
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