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<br />Councilmember Musgrove suggested some solutions. First, she would like to see more work with <br />the City on the Ramsey website to add a manufacturing page with a link for the pipeline with the <br />grants that are offered by the Office of Higher Education to get assistance in writing the grants. <br />She suggested that manufacturers in Ramsey go to the website. She would also like to see the <br />Staff engaging businesses without engaging a middle man. She stated the EDA had a good idea <br />of having a Facebook page. She stated the Council has to conduct their due diligence as elected <br />overseers of the residents’ money and she didn’t feel this was a good idea to support. <br /> <br />Councilmember Heineman asked other cities outside of the Anoka Area County Chamber of <br />Commerce contribute to the manufacturing cohort. <br /> <br />Mr. Turok replied just Anoka and Ramsey. <br /> <br />Councilmember Heineman stated it was important to point out from a marketing standpoint the <br />return on investment for cities. To be one of two cities that donate from the cohort and receive <br />only 10% seems like a poor return on investment. He stated he would not be supporting this either. <br /> <br />Mr. Turok replied the focus of discussion has been on the dual grant but there is so much more to <br />the cohort, which is so much more than Ramsey getting 10%, it’s 26 Ramsey businesses that are <br />part of the manufacturing cohort. He stated the grant is a piece of a larger puzzle and he thought <br />Ramsey does get their money’s worth. <br /> <br />Councilmember Heineman asked of the 26 businesses in Ramsey that are a part of the cohort, how <br />many applied for the grant. <br /> <br />Mr. Turok replied three adding one pulled out and two got it. <br /> <br />Councilmember Heineman asked about the remaining businesses, if they were aware of the grant, <br />and if they chose not to apply for it. <br /> <br />Mr. Turok replied he couldn’t speak to why they didn’t apply but stated they were made aware of <br />it with the premise of a first come, first serve. <br /> <br />Councilmember Riley stated that he was shocked by the response of Councilmembers towards a <br />respectable member of the community. He stated they were protecting the City from spending <br />$5,000 that has touched 26 businesses. He stated it was appropriate to be used in manufacturing <br />businesses in Ramsey, which is a largest sector of employers in the City. He stated this kind of <br />thing has been asked for repeatedly. He noted the Economic Development Authority suggested <br />this was a good idea by passing it. He read from a publication from the Economic Development <br />Authority which cited labor shortages and the need for high schoolers to be encouraged toward <br />manufacturing jobs. He stated if Ramsey isn’t going to be a part of this cohort, then they need to <br />come up with something to replace it because it is needed and businesses are asking for it. <br /> <br />Mayor Kuzma pointed out that businesses don’t have time to do the grants, which is where he <br />thinks the biggest value is. He stated the EDA supports this, which is why he does as well. <br /> <br />City Council / February 22, 2022 <br />Page 7 of 34 <br /> <br />