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CHANGES TO CITY STRATEGY, Since 2013 <br /> (1) Template PA: The City has developed a template purchase agreement and policy for selling City <br /> owned land. This has drastically increased the efficiency/effectiveness of negotiations with prospects. <br /> (2) Pricing Strategy: The City has developed a detailed pricing/ land sales table that clearly outlines all <br /> basic data (numbers) needed to make decisions on deals (offers) that come into the city. This table <br /> tracks the number of listings, asking prices, deal ranges, actual sales, sales dates, brief site <br /> specific notes, etc. This table has drastically increased the efficiency/effectiveness of negotiations with <br /> prospects. <br /> (3) Community Profile: The City has developed a detailed community profile. This profile outlines basic <br /> demographic information on Ramsey. Additionally, as suggested by CBRE, this document was created to <br /> clearly identify the great momentum taking place in Ramsey--within the development community. This <br /> document has helped staff convey basic information on Ramsey quickly and professionally. Additionally, <br /> this document helps "sell"the city. <br /> (4) Marketing Materials: The City has completed a basic refresh of all materials/documents/marketing <br /> materials (2015). This basic refresh has allowed staff to update a handful of basic marketing materials, <br /> and make custom marketing materials on-the-fly and as-needed. This has helped staff be more <br /> consistent, professional, and efficient with the materials and messages sent to potential customers. <br /> (5) Shovel Ready: The City is in the process of completing MN DEED Shovel Ready Certifications for the <br /> majority of city-owned parcels. This process essentially prepares all information needed by a developer <br /> to conduct a preliminary analysis of a land purchase--upfront and ahead of time. This increases the <br /> efficiency of the city's development team, and makes city-owned land more marketable. <br /> (6)Website Upgrade: The City Council has budgeted enough dollars in 2017 to allow for a website <br /> revamp. Said redesign could be an opportunity to improve the functionality of the City's economic <br /> development pages--including a mobile friendly website. This is an opportunity staff plans to explore with <br /> the EDA/Council in 2017. It should also be noted, in 2014, for the first time, the City began keeping an <br /> inventory of available properties within the community online--which has made communications with <br /> prospects/developers much more effective and efficient. <br /> (7) Infrastructure Analysis: Staff is planning to bring a work order request to the EDA/Council <br /> specifically related to The COR. Staff would like to complete a preliminary infrastructure analysis, sign <br /> plan, and regional stromwater plan for The COR. For a number of reasons, not having this work <br /> completed creates complexities/ambiguities/and delays when negotiating land transactions in The <br /> COR. Additionally, not having this work completed now could put the city in a disadvantaged position in <br /> future (as we may not understand what obligations we are assuming, or pushing off, as master developer, <br /> when working on isolated deals today). Attached is an overview of outstanding master developer items <br /> for The COR. <br /> (8)2017 Additional Resources: At this point, it appears the City Council will be approving a 2017 budget <br /> that will include a $25,000 increase in the EDA marketing budget and a 20-hour per week position to aid <br /> the economic development manager. Although the exact scope of the work to be completed with these <br /> additional resources is not 100% finalized today--these resources will certainly put the City is a position to <br /> take a stronger, and more pro-active, approach on economic development in 2017. <br /> Page 4 of 4 <br />