Minutes - Economic Development Authority - 02/09/2004

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20th as to who will be attending the event. If the EDA is still interested in placing a personal phone call to designated businesses that have not given an RSVP reminding them to attend the network meeting, staff will coordinate such efforts through email the week of February 23rd. Staff is willing to supply a list of key businesses that should be in attendance but have not given an RSVP to the event. The EDA can then determine who should place the phone calls. Ms. Wald indicated staff Would like to utilize LeTourneau's Catering for the continental breakfast. LeTourneau's Catering provided fruit, muffins, and pastry trays at the 2003 event. The variety trays were well received, however if the EDA would like to provide input into an alternative menu choice, staff is very interested in obtaining any suggestions. The consensus of the EDA was to direct staff to forward a list of five businesses to each EDA member to contact with a personal invitation to the Business Network Meeting. Ms. Wald indicated she will supply the members with a list by Monday, February 23rd. She requested the members inform her when they receive RSVP's as she will be making name tags for those that will be attending. The consensus of the EDA was to direct staff to work with LeToumeau's Catering on the menu for the continental breakfast at the meeting. Case #3: Marketing Ramsey Ms. Wald informed the EDA the City has several hundred Balancing Growth and Don't Break the Bank marketing pieces available to distribute as desired. It would seem appropriate to utilize the pieces as a direct mailing to a "list" of determined companies or individuals. Staff would like to discuss this marketing initiative with the EDA. The cost to mail the pieces is 60 cents for the Balancing Growth marketing piece and 37 cents for the Don't Break the Bank marketing piece. Both pieces can be mailed at a cost of 83 cents. These costs include mailing the pieces in a manila envelope with a cover letter. Staff received a "Book of Lists" published by the Minneapolis - St. Paul Business Journal in December of 2003. The publication provides hundreds of lists outlining "Who's Who of Business in the Greater Minneapolis/St. Paul Metropolitan Area," for the year 2003. As an example, the publication lists the Top 25 Family- owned Businesses, The Top 25 Fastest-growing Small Public Companies, etc. Staff also received the Twin Cities Business Monthly "Business Information Guide" for the year 2004. Ms. Wald reviewed the list of businesses staff recommends sending the marketing pieces to. Mr. Sullivan explained in addition to these lists the City's Economic Development Consultant provided staff a list of local area businesses that would be well served to receive the marketing pieces. This list includes businesses that may be looking in the near future for land or a building space to relocate their expanding business. It would be appropriate to include these businesses in the master mailing list. Member Gromberg suggested the mailings be distributed to the tenants of the multi-tenant buildings in Ramsey, and that some of the businesses be eliminated from the list. He indicated Economic Development Authority/February 9, 2004 Page 9 of 13