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<br />presented an overview of the Anoka County Economic Development Exploratory Committee <br />Report. The following findings are included in the Committee Report: <br /> <br />1. Anoka County is forecast to experience continuing growth through 2030. <br />2. Three distinct development patterns exist in Anoka County: 1) fully developed areas; <br />2) developing areas; 3) rural areas <br />3. 10 of the 21 Anoka County communities surveyed have a City EDA. <br />4. Tax base growth and job creation are major themes that emerged from the <br />committee's review of responses to the Local Government Inventory Questionnaire. <br />5. Transportation improvements and major development projects top the list of major <br />economic development goals which Anoka County communities hope will make <br />headlines in the next 10 years. <br />6. Staffing and funding are the most frequently cited challenges to economic <br />development encountered by Anoka County communities. <br /> <br />The following organizational options are included in the Committee Report: <br />1. Authorizing the Anoka County HRA to operate as an EDA would provide a <br />mechanism for the County's involvement in economic development without requiring <br />the establishment of a new entity. <br />2. Each Anoka County community must be assured that it could elect to participate or to <br />withdraw its participation with either organizational option. <br />3. Anoka County communities will need information on how the levy will be <br />determined and how revenues will be allocated between housing and economic <br />development activities. <br /> <br />Ms. Skepper indicated the recommendation included in the Committee Report is to authorize the <br />Anoka County HRA to operate as an EDA under Minnesota Statutes Sections 469.090 to <br />469.1081. Ms. Skepper stated on June 12, 2007, the County granted economic development <br />authority powers to the County HRA. She stated she is here to talk about how the County <br />envisions operating this program, and to let the Council know this is a voluntary program. If the <br />Council decides there is a value in the County providing economic development assistance for <br />their community the County is requesting that they pass a resolution to opt into the program. If <br />the Council does not see value, the City has the option not to participate. What the County <br />envisions for this agency is to take a regional approach to some of the very tough problems. <br />High speed internet access has been a recurring theme, and in the first year it is planned to do a <br />feasibility study countywide on how to bring high speed access to all the areas in Anoka County <br />and determine the best way to do that. Ms. Skepper stated there are other economic development <br />type projects the County EDA can partner with the City on. They believe they can provide some <br />technical assistance to the smaller communities. Ramsey has an active Economic Development <br />Department, but the County EDA could increase the City's access to capital and can provide <br />assistance with about anything the City EDA is working on now. This includes contamination <br />cleanup sites, housing rehab sites, acquisition and demolition of properties. The County EDA <br />can bring their resources and add them to the City's to help them get projects done more quickly <br />and bring additional dollars to that. <br /> <br />City Council Work Session / July 31, 2007 <br />Page 2 of 18 <br />