Minutes - Council Work Session - 12/11/2007

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Interim Community Development Director Frolik stated that she was unsure if this topic needs to be brought back because she feels the direction from the City Council was clear. Mayor Gamec stated that he would like to at least see a letter sent to the City Council so it knows what has been happening with the new enforcement procedure. Councilmember Look reiterated that he feels that the City Council should review the current code to make sure that they are applicable today. 2) Discussion of EDA Land Acquisition City Administrator Ulrich stated that he has asked Economic Development Coordinator Sullivan to talk about the process used in selling land in the City. He stated that the EDA has tried to be transparent on land sales and noted that the sites are advertised on the City website. He stated that there is a point in the process where the EDA works as a body to negotiate a deal and the question becomes when the property is taken off the market. Economic Development Coordinator Sullivan stated that he is the initial contact person for land inquiries and reviewed the process he uses in evaluating whether the interest is serious or not. He stated that it is a difficult situation to determine which prospects to pursue and see how they can fit into the City. He stated that he brings them to the EDA to help determine the best fit and the properties move further into the negotiation process. He stated that he sees his role as trying to fit the needs of the City with the needs of the development that are amenable to both parties and then he brings it back to the EDA for further review. Mayor Gamec stated that he feels there was a question brought up at the last City Council meeting about why the City got grant money to clean up a certain property and why this was not charged back to the future buyers. Councilmember Look stated that he understood that the property needed to be cleaned up, but the issue he struggles with is that there was a neighboring business interested in buying the property. He stated that the City was also on record saying to a business that the City did not want this type of business in our City in the same industry that the City has now sold the property to. He stated that the City was favoring one garbage company over another. Mayor Gamec asked who the other business was. Councilmember Look stated that he does not want to bring up names, but to make his point that he is concerned about the City favoring certain businesses over others. He stated that he also feels the appraisal value that came back for this property was an absolute joke. Councilmember Strommen stated that at the City Council meeting, the phrase "deals under the table" was used and she feels this is a very serious allegation. She stated that springing this on staff and the City Council when no one was prepared to respond was not the best way to raise those concerns. She stated that a more appropriate forum would have been at a work session or working with the City Administrator. She stated that she feels the way it was brought up; there City Council Work Session / December 11, 2007 Page 5 of8