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(3) Business Retention & Expansion Program (BR &E) EDA agreed to tap into the BR &E resources that Greater MSP has to offer — creating local efficiencies (recording, developing reports, tracking, etc.) and greater regional cooperation to drive economic development. Staff has started to combine Ramsey's specific survey with Greater MSP's for use in visits in 2014. A priority list of businesses has been created (prior to Ted's arrival). EDA requested EDA Members be involved in business visits. If you are available to attend the below scheduled visits, please connect directly with Ted LaFrance. Update Staff has created one survey for use in Ramsey for BR &E visits. All information obtained during the visit is confidential. Aggregate data will be presented annually. All visits are logged through Greater MSP's Salesforce system. The following visits are in the process of being scheduled, have been scheduled, or completed: • Ace Solid Waste; complete (met with new principals) • Plants and Things; target • CountrySide Services; complete • Zero Zone; target • MN Waterjet; target • InTech Industries; target • Fabtech Plastics and Metals; target • MultiSource Manufacturing; scheduled • Green Valley Greenhouse; complete • Integrity Tool; target • Garden Farme; complete Staff is working to line -up additional business visits, labeled as "targets ". Staff requests the support of EDA Commissioners in arranging meetings. (4) 167/47 Commercial Node Staff held an open meeting on January 16t at 6pm at City Hall in the Lake Itasca room. This meeting followed a previous meeting and extensive conversations with area residents and business owners. The expectation of the meeting was to gather additional feedback based on the "Statement of Goals" from area owners and the general public. Through discussing the Statement of Goals at the January 16t meeting, the next steps and /or projects were created to work towards solving elements of the greater project. General feedback comments include improving aesthetics, co- marketing and /or branding, and securing more rooftops. This feedback evolved into 4 basic elements that require attention in order revitalize the node. The January 16 meeting created a roadmap to assist in reaching the main goal: To improve and /or remove blight from properties of concern and encourage sustainable market - driven redevelopment of the 167/47 Node that will benefit the entire City of Ramsey. Prioritization of projects, based on community feedback, is as follows: 1. Rooftops: Additional rooftops are needed to sustain a retail node at 167 Ave and HWY 47. This "first project" may include an analysis of rooftops needed to sustain X sq. ft. of retail —can the project "work" is the first question to be answered.