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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - Economic Development Committee - 08/09/2022South Burlington Economic Development Committee Room #301 at 180 Market St South Burlington, VT 05403 AGENDA Participation Options In Person: Room #301 – 3rd Floor – 180 Market St Assistive Listening Service Devices Available upon request Electronically: https://meet.goto.com/SouthBurlingtonVT/edc-committee-08-09-2022 You can also dial in using your phone. +1 (872) 240-3311 Access Code: 196-080-437 Tuesday August 9, 2022 5:30 PM 1.Welcome, agenda review and approval 2.Public comments on items not on the agenda 3.***Approve minutes from July 12, 2022, EDC meeting 4.City Manager’s Update 5.Presentation from Community Development Intern Isabelle Menard on data 6.Review the draft Climate Action Plan and provide feedback to the Committee’s liaison to the Climate Action Plan Task Force (https://www.southburlingtonvt.gov/news_detail_T7_R883.php) 7.ARPA Survey Review and Discussion (https://www.southburlingtonvt.gov/news_detail_T7_R869.php) 8.Future Meetings a.Continue discussion on engagement with the business community 9.Adjourn (approx. 7:00 pm) ***Attachments included SOUTH BURLINGTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MINUTES of the Committee meeting on July 12, 2022 in Room 301 of City Hall, 180 Market Street, South Burlington, in person and remotely. Members present: Tom Bailey, Sriram Srinivasan, Michael Biama and Charles Johnson attended in person and John Burton and Ken Linge attended remotely. Members absent: Linda Norris Others in attendance: Jessie Baker, City Manager, Ilona Blanchard, City Development Director, Koleigh Vachereau, City Intern. Tim Barrett, City Councilor, attended in person for a portion of the meeting, and Betty Milizia and Darrlyn Peters attended remotely for a portion of the meeting. John Burton called the meeting to order at 5:35 PM and proceeded to address the items on the agenda. 1. Welcome and introduction of new members: The new members on the Committee, Michael Biama, Charlie Johnson and Ken Linge, introduced themselves and provided short personal backgrounds. Then the other members introduced themselves to the new members. 2. Agenda review and approval: The agenda was reviewed and approved. 3. Public Comments on items not on the agenda: Since no public was present at that time in the meeting, there were no public comments. 4.Review of Relevant City Policies: Jessie summarized the City bylaws applicable to the Committee noting that the role of the Committee is advisory to the City Council regarding policy. In response to a question Jessie emailed the Committee members the City Council resolution establishing the Committee which is on the City website at: http://sbvt-records.info/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=41905&dbid=0&repo=SBurl&cr=1 Then Jessie highlighted applicable conflicts of interest policies noting that members should avoid, and disclose, direct financial interests of a member or his or her household pertaining to a topic in front of the Committee. Finally Jessie cautioned against open meeting violations, especially having substantive discussions via email or in person by at least a quorum of the Committee members and otherwise having a debate in a public forum. 5.Elect Chair, Vice Chair and Clerk: After some discussion Tom moved, and Srini seconded, that the following slate of officers be approved, which approval was unanimous: John Burton, Chair Tom Bailey, Vice Chair Linda Norris, Clerk 6. Approve Minutes of the June 14 meeting: Tom moved, and Srini seconded, to approve the minutes of the June 14 meeting, which motion carried unanimously. 7. City Manager Updates: Jessie informed the Committee: - A committee member orientation will occur on the evening of August 4th. - The survey of priorities for ARPA funding, mentioned in prior meetings, (ARPA survey) is now on the City website and is available for completion. The deadline for completion is August 31st. (See item 9 below) - As was mentioned in the June meeting, Steve Locke has been appointed SB Fire Chief with previous Chief Francis staying on as Fire Marshall. - Prospect Place, a Snider/Braverman development on the south end of Market Street has been reapproved and construction will begin by the end of the summer. The development includes 120 market rate rental units. - The City Council retreat on July 10 resulted in no change in the Committee’s immediate taskings or workplan. The Committee’s advice may be sought in the future regarding child care expansion and possible industrial zoning redesign. - There will be 94 new affordable housing units in O’Brien Farms which are being developed by Summit Properties and O’Brien Brothers. - The City’s request for RFPs for affordable housing are due on or before July 22. 8. Presentation on Koleigh Vachereau’s work updating City data and profiles: Koleigh, with the assistance of Ilona, presented the results of her data research. She framed part of the data by dividing the City into four districts and honed in on each, including commuter patterns for each district. The data was updated from past data from 2015 to 2019. She also presented a “Community at a Glance”, a spreadsheet format type chart providing data on 11 catagories. The members asked about trends and enquired about how the data was compiled and the sources of it. The members expressed concerned that, as valuable as the data is, they wondered how it would be maintained over time. Michael asked about what the data showed about infrastructure and business growth which ignited a conversation among the members. Srini asked about who the intended audience would be. Koleigh and Ilona answered that the data would be used in the preparation of the Comprehensive Plan and for other planning. Jessie noted that, although the City had staff expertise in maintaining and updating the data, such staff was fully engaged in other jobs (so additional staff would be required to provide the data updates). Srini suggested use of Power Query, a data assembly program, that would greatly facilitate the updating of the data. Ilona indicated she would post the presentation slides on the City’s website under “Business”. 9. Review of FY23 Workplan and next steps: A discussion started with the “FY22 Policy Priorities & Strategies” with members expressing their priorities about which items the Committee should pursue and especially how. The Committee members agreed, as a part of their homework for the August 9 meeting, to complete the ARPA survey and bring their individual results to the meeting as a possible basis for the Committee submitting a survey result as well. Next followed a ranging discussion about how to engage the business community with the goal of, at least, finding out what the local business needs of, and expectations for, the City. Tom mentioned the possibility of inviting members of the business community to the Committee’s meetings every couple of months. Jessie noted that the Committee meetings are public, and that such a public forum might restrain a business guest’s frankness in expressing opinions. Michael commented that there were lots of businesses that should be surveyed as part of the Committee’s outreach. Charlie suggested using the survey results for a round table. Srini and John noted that Linda had proposed an approach for “green” businesses which the members should look at. Srini suggested that 10-15 businesses be identified that the Committee go talk to them. He added that the Committee needed a baseline including an understanding of the history and where we are, to have any idea where we’re going. The members discussed different types of engagement and, then, what types of data the Committee would like to collect from business. John tasked that Committee members with the assignment of bringing to the August 9th meeting a list of suggestions for items to include in a business survey and how to reach out. There was also a conversation about how City policy effecting businesses has been developed in the past and whether the City Council and staff would draw on the expertise of the Committee in the future. Jessie mentioned some future items that the City will be considering that the Committee may wish to engage with. She also noted that advisory committees have sometimes been frustrated by seemingly being ignored in the decision making process, which she hopes will be improved on with the “FY22 Policy Priorities & Strategies” process. John emphasized that the members complete their home assignments for the August 9th meeting, which are: HOMEWORK: 1. Complete the ARPA survey and bring our individual results to the August 9th meeting. 2. Bring to the August 9th meeting a list of suggestions for items to include in a business survey and practical ideas for business outreach. 10. Adjourn: Tom moved and Srini seconded a motion to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM. Next meeting: August 9th at 5:30 PM.