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2) EDA Commission Direction <br /> <br />EDA Chairperson Rielley stated that he would like to do more with the EDA and requested some <br />direction fi'om the City Council. <br /> <br />Councilmember Hendriksen stated that the EDA should start requesting more facts rather than <br />opinions. <br /> <br />Councilmember Zimmerman stated that it has been difficult to develop a highway business plan <br />along Highway #10 with the proposed redevelopment of the highway and the City can't survive <br />with leaving the businesses along Highway #10 once it becomes a freeway. He stated that the <br />City will need to have a core area for the businesses to survive, which is something the EDA <br />could begin working on. <br /> <br />Councihnember Hendriksen stated that the City goes out of their way to attract new businesses <br />with incentives, but what about the businesses that will be displaced by the relocation of <br />Highway #10. He felt that the existing businesses should be the City's first candidates for trying <br />to retain them in the City. Secondly the area that is very pertinent to the EDA is the reality that <br />in Elk River or Coon Rapids certain development will be in the ground before it is developed in <br />Ramsey. If the City goes head to head with those things in those communities they might <br />redirect some of it, but he did not think they should go head to head with something that might <br />have a head start. The EDA should be looking into other possibilities. The number one issue is <br />really net tax base. For years he has been trying to get hard numbers as to what the net tax <br />revenue is on different types of developments. Take the gross tax and reduce the costs <br />incumbent by the use. If it is a home it is sending the kids to school, law enforcement, <br />snowplowing, etc., if it is a business what is the net tax generation. The City needs to make sure <br />they have a mix to make sure the City remains viable. <br /> <br />Mayor Gamec stated that the EDA needs to look at right of way funding from the state to retain <br />right of way along Highway #10. They also need to focus on right of way for the future river <br />bridge crossing. He also suggested that the EDA work on amending the commercial sign <br />ordinance and become involved with the Town Center Task Force. <br /> <br />Councilmember Kurak stated that it was very important for the EDA to focus on tax base issues <br />as well as working together with the Town Center Task Force. There will be a lot of changes <br />with the town center and they need to determine what will be viable in the town center and the <br />impacts of those uses. <br /> <br />3) Mayor/Council Salaries <br /> <br />City Administrator Norman presented a survey of the Mayor and Council salaries. <br /> <br />Councihnember Kurak inquired as to what time there was a last increase. <br /> <br />City Council/June 4, 2002 <br /> Page 5 of 8 <br /> <br /> <br />