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EDA hears business-retention successes, permit activity and downtown murals fundraising idea
Summary
Staff reported two business-retention visits (including a manufacturing employer planning growth from 39 to 68 workers), 13 year-to-date visits, building-permit activity including a 21,000-foot addition for Great River Energy, five new local businesses and a discussion about murals and historic-downtown fundraising.
City staff gave updates on recent business-retention work, building and permitting activity and upcoming outreach events during the meeting.
Joe reported two recent business-retention and expansion visits: Marquette Jewelers, which has a new owner identified as Jenny, and Quality Flow Systems, a manufacturing employer that currently has 39 employees and is planning to expand toward 68 positions. Joe said the BRN program has completed 13 business visits year-to-date and will continue outreach for the remainder of the year.
Ken provided building- and permit-related updates. He said two new single-family home permits were issued in August, bringing the year-to-date single-family total to three and the total residential units for the year to 57 (including 54 apartments). Ken also reported a car lot relocation to Bell Plain, an alteration permit for a storefront at 314 East (a well center opening), a sign-variance issuance for Bohemia apartments and a building permit for Great River Energy for a 21,000-foot addition.
Staff previewed upcoming events and programs: an 11 a.m. educational session at the Center for Entrepreneurship featuring Lee Hall; a broker and developer event on Sept. 18 at Canterbury Downs with sessions from 1–4 p.m.; and the closing week to apply for the CEO Next program, which is targeted at employers with more than 10 employees and at least $1 million in revenue. Staff noted the county currently funds one application slot for CEO Next each year.
Chuck raised a community inquiry about downtown murals, describing contact from the Czech Heritage Club and noting the group received some funding from the Czech Republic for work on the band mural. He suggested the planning commission consider murals as part of a broader historic-downtown effort and said he would inventory existing murals and explore fundraising, including contacting Dan Gardner about fundraising help.
The meeting closed with a motion to adjourn followed by a notice that a closed session would follow.
Next procedural item: staff indicated the budget will appear on the next meeting agenda.
