HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-05-14 URA Minutes, Joint WorkshopJoint Workshop
CALDWELL URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY
CALDWELL CITY COUNCIL
May 14, 2012 - 6:00 pm
Caldwell Street Department Conference Room
A joint workshop for the Caldwell Urban Renewal Agency and Caldwell City Council was held
May 14, 2013 at 6:00pm in the Caldwell Street Department conference room with Chairman ElJay
Waite presiding. Those present:
URA: ElJay Waite, Rob Hopper, Kathy Alder, Theresa Hardin, Scott Syme, Leona Fouts
City Council: Dennis Callsen, Shannon Ozuna, Terrence Biggers, Mike Pollard, Jim
Blacker
Chairman Waite stated that the workshop is a joint meeting with the Caldwell City Council for the
purpose of discussing funding options for the Caldwell Economic Development Council (CEDC).
The primary discussion questions are: 1) What role will CEDC fill for the city? 2) How will CEDC
be directed and measured? 3) How will CEDC be funded both immediate and long term?
Chairman Waite provided and reviewed the following information:
• Current mission statement and scope of CEDC
• 2012 – 2013 Budget for CEDC
• Potential funding sources through TVCC lease payment allocations, URA & Freehold land
sales at SkyRanch, and increases in market values.
Scott Syme excused himself from the workshop due a previous commitment.
Discussion ensued regarding ways to structure, direct, measure and fund CEDC. The salient
comments and suggestions from participants were as follows:
• CEDC is an important engine to grow the city. We can’t lose sight of our accountability to
taxpayers. The value of new projects must be measured to ensure that every tax dollar spent
provides value and generates revenue.
• Recommend a contractual agreement between CEDC and the city that details expectations and
measurable goals.
• A 5 year plan is effective and manageable. The primary focus should be on the vision of the
city. CEDC should remain under the direction of the Mayor and City Council.
• CEDC is not fully funded and the Executive Director is not fully compensated at this time.
CEDC needs operating funds, marketing funds and professional staff assistance. The benefit
package for the Executive Director needs to be enhanced.
• Research should be done to determine why we didn’t capture potential business. We have lost
great prospects to other locations. What could we have done better? What did we lack? Is our
downtown not busy & vibrant enough?
• The FTZ is an important revenue source and must be marketed. Closing several FTZ prospects
will allow funding for dedicated staff for FTZ promotion and operation.
• CEDC needs to better publicize successes. The Chamber of Commerce and the Canyon County
Commissioners both requested more communication from CEDC to assist in sharing the good
news, promoting CEDC and keeping community awareness high.
• Increase CEDC’s fund balance to ease some stress for the Executive Director. Provide a
discretionary fund to assist the Executive Director in handling project expenses.
• Consider moving CEDC to City Hall or appropriate city location to reduce overhead expenses,
provide more efficient resources and provide access to meeting rooms. Must bear in mind that
CEDC needs to be independent of the city and not viewed as a government entity.
• In response to a question to County Commissioner Kathy Alder, it was noted that the County
has to fund county-wide and is not able to dedicate funding to CEDC. They can assist through
property tax exemption incentives, but not direct funding at this time.
Attendees unanimously agreed on three immediate needs:
1. The first, established FTZ needs to happen in 2013.
2. Develop a contract to measure outcomes and fund activities.
3. Hiring a professional to survey lost prospects to determine the reasons Caldwell was not
selected is a critical action to determine future marketing strategies and could potentially be
funded by URA.
Chairman Waite reported that Section 200.1 of the 2005 Amendment to the URA Plan is being
reviewed by URA attorneys for clarification.
Mayor Nancolas, UR Chairman Waite and Council President Blacker will meet to agree on an
implementation plan.
Chairman Waite thanked the attendees for their time and input.
Meeting adjourned at 7:30pm
Respectfully submitted,
Leona Fouts
Secretary