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EDA board approves HubSpot Convergence CRM pending council confirmation
Summary
The East Grand Forks EDA voted to proceed with the HubSpot Convergence CRM (start-up fee plus annual subscription), pending city council approval; staff outlined costs and grant prospects to offset first-year expenses.
The East Grand Forks Economic Development Authority voted Jan. 22 to pursue Convergence, a HubSpot product, as its customer-relationship management (CRM) platform and to seek final city approval or confirm administrative authority to proceed.
Director Maggie presented two CRM options, one priced at about $2,000 per year and another (HubSpot Convergence) with a higher feature set. The Convergence package included a one-time setup fee of $6,000 and an annual subscription of $2,340; with a $1,500 grant application under consideration, staff estimated a first-year cost of $6,840 and subsequent annual operating costs of about $2,640 (subscription plus a service fee).
A board member asked whether other city departments would use the system; staff said some interfacing with building permits and the planning office might be possible but that primary users would be EDA staff. Staff also said data entered into the system would be downloadable if a subscription were later canceled; the vendor provides a limited window to export data.
After discussion, a motion to proceed with Convergence (HubSpot) "pending council approval" was moved and seconded. The EDA held a roll call vote and the motion passed. Staff noted they will confirm whether the purchase is below the city council approval threshold; initial counsel suggested the amount may be within the EDA’s budgetary authority but staff will confirm and, if required, place the item on a council agenda.
If implemented, staff said the CRM would centralize contact history, track deals and incentives and generate reports to help the EDA calculate economic impact when businesses locate or expand in East Grand Forks.
