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NOTE CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES The following City Council meeting minutes were duly noted: 1) City Council 2) City Council 3) City Council 4) City Council 5) City Council 6) City Council 7) City Council public hearing and regular meeting minutes dated October 12, 1993. regular meeting minutes dated October 26, 1993. public hearing and regular meeting minutes dated November 9, 1993. regular meeting minutes dated November 23, 1993. public hearing and regular meeting minutes dated December 14, 1993. regular meeting minutes dated January 18, 1994. public hearing and regular meeting minutes dated January 25, 1994. Commissioner Ullen requested that the City no longer include minutes from meetings that occured more than one month ago. This would cut down on the size of the agenda packet and business older than that generally has been concluded and any comments from the EDC would be meaningless. Mr. Gromberg indicated that he would forward this request to Administrative Services. COMMISSION BUSINESS Case #1: Presentation by Peter Turok from the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce. In the past, the EDC has talked about the need to develop ties to the local business community. These relationships would facilitate the planning of the Business Expo and Business Appreciation Day. It would also allow the EDC to provide greater input to the City Council and Economic Development Authority as to the issues and concerns facing the local businesses. It is with this in mind that the EDC has in the past explored the possibility of forming a wing of the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce; not necessarily to act as an additional chamber group, but to act more as a business association of the businesses located in the City of Ramsey, which would then be a part of the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Turok is here to discuss that possibility and the future relationship between the EDC and the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Turok thanked the EDC for inviting him to the meeting and spoke about the fact that the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce is fully behind this concept and is willing to assist the City in the planning of the events that it hosts. Mr. Turok agreed with the EDC that closer ties to the local business community would make the planning function of these events much more efficient with a greater number of local businesses being involved. He also explained that when the decision was made to discontinue their business expo, it was made based upon the fact that they had a high turn- over rate of the businesses and did not retain a large number of businesses. This required additional effort to acquire new businesses to fill the vacancies. What they did find was that their attendance stayed fairly steady; however, it was felt that attendance would drop off as the turn-over increased. That is not to say that conducting a business expo is not worthwhile. In Ramsey, turn- over has remained low and attendance has been steady over the past few years. Based upon this, the EDC may wish to re-examine the format and timing of the expo or perhaps combining it with another City event which may boost attendance and business interest. One possibility it to combine it with the Ramsey Lions Community Picnic, which would allow both events to capitalize on the advertising and high attendance. Past history of attendance may encourage more and/or different businesses to become involved. Mr. Turok concluded his presentation by stating that the Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce looks forward to working with the EDC in the encouragement and development of closer ties with the local business community. However, at this time it may not be advantageous to form any additional groups; this is the reason the EDC exists. Economic Development Commission/March 3, 1994 Page 2 of 4