List members, particularly lurkers,
I would like some help, OFF LIST, with a task force I'm serving on. Lee Sheehy, Interim Director of CPED (Community Planning and Economic Development) has us looking at the city's Economic Development functions. This is everything from bricks and mortar development and redevelopment, to the City's ownership of the Target Center, theatres, the Upper Harbor Terminal; loans and other assistance to new and expanding businesses, business associations, and relating to NRP neighborhood groups. There's also an item called "ensure Business Subsidy Act/Living Wage Policy compliance."
I'm on the "neighborhoods" committee and would like to hear constructive suggestions relating to any consistent patterns you've observed in your economic development contacts with MCDA. How can operations be made more efficient while giving neighborhoods a fair amount of notice through open process, and treating developers and businesses cordially, fairly and ethically?
Are there ways that dollars could be re-applied to have more bang for the buck, accomplishing the actual goal? (Example: The recent, albeit controversial, NRP Policy Board action to back mortgage insurance rather than build new highly-subsidized "affordable" units--I think that's brilliant, and hope everyone will work together to make it work, and smooth whatever ruffled feathers.)
Perhaps there are "lines of business" MCDA should not be in. Drop me an email if you have any suggestions, [EMAIL PROTECTED] I would even appreciate tips on (kinda like KARE-11's "Follow the Money") where we should concentrate our questions and research, whether or not you have a solution. The first committee meeting is March 6 so anything sent before that would be very helpful.
Thank you!
Margo Ashmore
Northeast Minneapolis
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
