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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY <br />CITY OF RAMSEY <br />ANOKA COUNTY <br />STATE OF MINNESOTA <br />The City of Ramsey Economic Development Authority (EDA) conducted a regular meeting on <br />Thursday, January 14, 2021, at the Ramsey Municipal Center, 7550 Sunwood Drive NW, Ramsey, <br />Minnesota. <br />Members Present: <br />Members Absent: <br />Also Present: <br />Chairperson Jim Steffen <br />Member Brian Burandt <br />Member Scott Cords <br />Member Ryan Heineman <br />Member Chelsea Howell <br />Member Chris Riley <br />None <br />Sean Sullivan, Economic Development Manager <br />Tim Gladhill, Deputy City Administrator <br />Bruce Westby, City Engineer <br />Mark Riverblood, Parks and Assistant Public Works Superintendent <br />Grant Riemer, Public Works Superintendent <br />4. EDA BUSINESS <br />4.03: Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce: Manufacture Cohort: 2020-2021 Renewal <br />Economic Development Manager Sullivan presented the staff report. <br />Peter Turok, Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce, stated that in 2015 there was a need identified <br />for the manufacturing industry, which was different than some of the other business sectors. He <br />explained how the cohort was developed with input from the manufacturing businesses. He stated <br />that 30 percent of the Ramsey workforce is in manufacturing. He stated that the cohort is one of <br />the best things the Chamber has done. <br />John LeToumeau, Anoka Area Chamber of Commerce, reviewed the mission statement of the <br />cohort and highlighted some of the manufacturing businesses in Ramsey that the cohort has <br />interacted with. He stated that over the past several years the focus has been on workforce <br />acquisition, incumbent workforce development, and continuous improvement. He provided a <br />highlight of the different networking that took place in the third quarter of 2019 and into 2020 and <br />the issues that were discussed. He recognized that COVID-19 brought its own challenges, noting <br />that the cohort assisted in directing businesses towards PPP opportunities and other lending and <br />funding opportunities. He reviewed the work plan that was developed for 2020/2021 with input <br />Economic Development Authority/ January 14, 2021 <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />