February 4, 2009 Albert Lea Post Authority Minutes

1) The Regular Meeting of the Albert Lea Port Authority was called to order on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at 7:30 a.m. by President Ellen Kehr and roll was noted.

COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: President, Ellen Kehr and Commissioners:  Al Brooks, Paul Field, Keith Fligge, Mike Moore, and Vern Rasmussen Jr.

COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Nancy Skophammer.

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT:  Randy Kehr, Business Community representative; Christopher Shoff, Freeborn County representative; Victoria Simonsen, City of Albert Lea representative (arrived at 8:05 a.m.).

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ABSENT:  None.

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Dan Dorman, Executive Director; Ryan Nolander, Assistant Director; and Nanciana Jensen, Board Secretary.

STAFF MEMBERS ABSENT: None.

Observer: Freeborn County Administrator, John Kluever.

Board members received their 2009 ALEDA Board books.

2)    APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 7, 2009 REGULAR MEETING.

The minutes of the January 7, 2009 meeting were reviewed. As there were no questions or comments, Commissioner Moore made a motion to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Commissioner Fligge. The motion carried with 6 in favor and 0 opposed.

The claims were presented for review and discussion followed. Commissioner Fligge made a motion to approve Resolution PA-09-04 authorizing the payment of claims in the amount of $5,254.51, seconded by Commissioner Field. Discussion followed. The motion carried, with 6 in favor and 0 opposed.

     Discussion was held regarding the support of locating a VA Clinic in Freeborn County. Freeborn County Commissioner Shoff noted that both the

     County and the City had already passed resolutions in support of the VA project. The VA is looking at the amount of veterans in an area, and the

     utilization of such a facility. As president of ALEDA, Ellen Kehr had sent an email to Tim Walz in Washington, D.C. acknowledging her support of

     the project. The office of Tim Walz contacted her by phone and acknowledged her inquiry. Commissioner Rasmussen made a motion to support  

     Resolution PA-09-05, endorsing the locating of a VA Clinic in Freeborn County. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Moore.   The vote to

     approve the resolution was 6 in favor and 0 opposed. Motion carried.

5)   REVIEW PLAN OF WORK.

Nancy Jensen distributed copies of the new Economic Development Plan for Freeborn County and Executive Director Dorman requested the Board’s opinion on the booklet. Discussion followed. Director Dorman informed the Board that this would be the basis for the economic plan of work for Freeborn County, and that it would be updated on a regular basis. After review, Commissioner Moore mentioned that the town of Freeborn was not included as part of the 2007 population statistics for Freeborn County towns. Nancy Jensen will make the correction. It was the consensus of the Board to approve the Economic Development Plan of Work booklet. Commissioner Field suggested that a ‘version’ or ‘date’ be added to the bottom of the economic plan booklet, so that whomever is using the booklet would know if it was the latest version or not. Nancy Jensen will add this to the booklet.

6)   PROPERTY TAX DISCUSSION.

Executive Director Dorman informed the Board that a former city council member spoke at a recent city council regarding a tax and loan issue he thought involved the Port Authority. Director Dorman also represented ALEDA at the meeting and responded to the issue, and he also discussed this on the local radio show. Commissioner Fligge also attended the City Council meeting and commended Director Dorman for his representation of ALEDA. Discussion followed. Executive Director Dorman said that this misconception on the part of a citizen only shows us that we have an opportunity for us to go out and inform the public as to ‘what we do, why we do it, and how we did it’. He felt we could do a better job of presenting the ALEDA story. Discussion followed. It was the consensus of the Board that we should try to do a better job of communicating the progress of economic development here in the City of Albert Lea and Freeborn County.

      On February 23^rd, bids will go out for construction of the new spec building.   Executive Director Dorman informed the Board that the State Port Authority statute dictates that we cannot utilize a traditional mortgage, but we must sell bonds for a mortgage, using security and property. A general obligation bond may get us a lower interest rate and will not impact the City’s bonding capacity. A suggestion was made that we give something like this to the banks and get financing proposals from them, as it is a good practice to work with local banks.

B. Ring Can Building

Executive Director Dorman informed the Board that they have gotten bids back to paint an interior wall of the Ring Can building, noting that there is a need to make sure we don’t contaminate their product. Of the three bids, only one was local. Two of the bidders were APEX from Owatonna, and Doug’s Paint and Sandblasting of Albert Lea. APEX included the secondary confinement in their bid. Secondary confinement was not part of the local bid.  Discussion followed. The Board preferred using the local person if they can do the necessary secondary confinement of the wall. Directors Dorman and Nolander will follow up with Doug’s Painting and Sandblasting.

C. I35-I90 Business Park Update

       With the assistance of DEED, Executive Director Dorman informed the Board that he had submitted a revised grant application, appealing

       the denial of the $250,000 grant from the State. A letter from Pro Trucking was sent as an addendum to the original grant application. In this

       letter, Dan De Boer indicated that his business needs to expand as he is land locked, and that he has an interest in the I35-I90 Business

       Park.  Recently, Director Dorman received a letter from the State approving our request of the $250,000 grant to build 777^th Avenue.

       Executive Director Dorman discussed a Federal grant application which could also be made for the funding of building 777^th Avenue in the

       I35-I90 Business Park. Executive Director Dorman said that the Federal grant money would in the amount of $500,000 – $700,000 for the

       road project.  The money allocated would be under ‘flood relief’, and there would be a stipulation of having the money spent this spring.   The

       total cost of the 777^th Avenue project will be $1.4 million.  Once the road is completed, it will be City owned.  Director Dorman informed the

       Board that any grant money received would be applied to the project, and that the remaining balance would be assessed back to the

       property.

       Director Dorman suggested that if we are awarded only the $250,000 grant, we should build only half of 777^th Avenue at this time. This would

       allow us to begin selling lots in the business park. A road design bid for the entire road was received from Jones, Haugh & Smith and

       submitted to Board members for review and discussion. The Board also reviewed a second design proposal received from the SRF

       Consulting Corp for the traffic control system at the road intersection. This stoplight was not included in the bid from Jones, Haugh &

       Smith. Executive Director Dorman suggested that Jones, Haugh & Smith start on the design of the road, noting there is a bit of wetland on

       the road, and that the wetlands need to be mitigated. Director Dorman also suggested the Board authorize the road design, but informed

       them that he will need to check with the City first.   Discussion followed. It was suggested that 777^th Avenue be renamed, as it could be a

       dispatch issue, as it sounds like the road is located somewhere outside the City. The Board felt we should advocate for a different name.

      Commissioner Field made a motion to proceed with the road project design, granting project discretion to Executive Director Dorman and

      Assistant Director Nolander, seconded by Commissioner Fligge. The motion was approved by 6 voting in favor and 0 opposed. Motion carried.

D. Ventura Foods – Gary Walker

       Director Dorman informed the Board that he had visited with Gary Walker this past Monday regarding additional refrigeration space. At this

       time, Ventura Foods feels they may just want to enter into a long term lease as they hope to eventually construct their own building.

§ The County Commissioners passed a resolution in favor of locating a VA Clinic here in Freeborn County. Commissioner Shoff has also been in contact with Jeff Lamonteco, legislative assistant for Tim Walz in Washington D.C.

9) COMMISSIONER ITEMS.
Commissioner Fligge received a request for a membership in Positively Minnesota in the amount of $540.00, which he gave to Executive Director Dorman.

Commissioner Rasmussen, speaking on behalf of the City Council, informed the Board that the City ‘in-kind’ services that reimburse the Port for accounting services may be on the table as being eliminated if the budget deficit gets too bad. The challenge is how to make the situation better, i.e. get better on our customer service so that people know that the City ‘cares’. He also shared that it is a part of our job to inform the public that there ‘are good things happening in Albert Lea’.

The Minnesota Park and Recreation Association will host Disney in Plymouth on April 30^th. They will use this opportunity to teach their theories on customer service.

A discussion was held regarding media.