Economic development retreat tentatively scheduled for last Thursday in February; committees to define agendas

Members present tentatively agreed to hold an economic development retreat on the last Thursday in February (meeting participants identified the date as the 26th) to focus breakout sessions on committee structure, grant resources and the city’s role in economic development.

Speakers urged that the retreat be organized with a clear purpose and actionable outcomes. Proposed topics included committee goal‑setting and breakout work led by committee chairs, an overview of available federal and state grant programs (participants suggested inviting Small Business Administration or Main Street program representatives), and city updates on infrastructure and development projects that affect businesses.

Logistics discussed included holding the retreat locally, scheduling during a weekday (participants favored Thursday), and starting around midday (noon or early afternoon) with lunch and a mixed program of presentations and breakout sessions. Members recommended inviting a broader audience for selected sessions so businesses could learn about grant and technical resources directly.

Organizers asked committees to consider how they would participate and to prepare presentations or “secret sauce” explanations — for example, the education committee was suggested as a model to share how it connects schools and businesses.