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4.02: Continue Discussion RE Strategy for Marketing and Selling City Owned Land <br />Economic Dev. Mgr/Assistant City Administrator Brama stated the Board is requested to <br />continue discussion regarding the City's strategy for selling city owned land and marketing the <br />COR. <br />Economic Dev. Mgr/Assistant City Administrator Brama presented the staff report. <br />Chairperson Steffen asked if anyone believed they should not continue with the current method <br />of using a traditional broker. He thought this was an easier way of continuing because doing an <br />RFP and looking for a new broker would be a disruption and maybe a temporary setback. <br />Member Williams stated she thought the EDA has received what CBRE has told them they <br />would give to them. She stated they have a website that lists their sites, Brian answers questions <br />that are asked of him, and they are the largest market share in the Twin Cities. There is a lot of <br />other things that other firms/brokers could give them. Her biggest concern with CBRE is that <br />last year they took on transit oriented development site in Anoka and Ramsey was never told <br />about it. She stated when the City has asked CBRE and pushed them in both public and private <br />meeting she has never received what she thought was a satisfactory answer to her question as to <br />how that brokerage firm is distinguishing the uniqueness of Ramsey's property over the <br />neighboring city's property. She stated as more and more sites are being represented by the <br />same broker, closer to their properties, she was concerned that Ramsey's sites were just a <br />commodity that are listed on different sites and searches and if that is all they are interested in <br />having. CBRE is good at that. If they want someone to help make strategic decisions about <br />planning, she did not think that is what they will get with CBRE. She thought they should decide <br />if that level of expertise is something they are searching for. She thought there were a lot of <br />other resources out there that can help them make better decisions as an EDA that they are <br />currently not employing and she thought it was important they consider that. <br />Chairperson Steffen stated he agreed but, to get any of that, the EDA will have to pay for it <br />because they will not get that by just increasing the five percent commission to a higher <br />percentage. He thought they would still need to keep a broker and then add the services on top <br />of that. <br />Member Williams stated most of them are brokers and thought a better way of addressing the <br />question of how much the conversation would be is how do they want to structure that and do <br />they want to structure someone as a partner and pay them monthly payments for their services or <br />do they want to incent them by providing a structure where they get compensation on closing the <br />deal and she thought it was important to evaluate alternatives and consider how that incentive <br />has worked for them in the past in different ways. She thought there was also some positive <br />reasons for paying someone to come and consult and provide information and to be a champion <br />for Ramsey and their properties. Depending on what they pay them they could have <br />conversations on whether or not they would represent the City of Anoka as well. <br />Economic Development Authority/December 8, 2016 <br />Page 6 of 11 <br />