ITEM 1 Special meeting topicsCITY OF
Otse:g
0
14INNBSOTA
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Adam Flaherty, City Administrator & Finance Director
DATE: March 25, 2019
SUBJECT: Special Meeting Topics
On Monday, Council and staff will convene for a special meeting for discussion of the topics below.
Business Outreach Program
In recent Strategic Planning sessions (2018 and 2019), the City Council has identified a priority of
improving engagement with the Otsego business community. The discussion at this meeting will
allow the Council to discuss more detailed expectations and outcomes from the business outreach
program. City staff has developed the following outline of questions that might help frame the
discussion:
• Why does the City want to meet with the business community?
• What is the City hoping to learn from the business community?
• How will the information obtained during visits be used by the City moving forward?
• Who will represent the City during these meetings?
• Will they take place at the business location or at City facilities?
• How many visits will be made during the initial outreach? And ongoing?
• Which businesses should staff attempt to schedule visits?
Materials Attached for Discussion
1) Otsego Business Directory
2) Examples of Site Visit Documentation
Franchise Fees
During 2019 budget discussions (November 13, 2018), the City Council concurred for City staff to
further explore franchise fees as an additional revenue source to finance the City's pavement
management program, including street maintenance, reconstruction and construction projects. The
discussion at this meeting will be very preliminary in nature, and will allow the Council to discuss
in more depth and provide staff with direction on moving forward.
Materials Attached for Discussion
1) None. City staff may have materials for distribution at the meeting.
City of Otsego 113400 9011 Street NE, Otsego, MN 55330 I Tel. (763) 441-4414 Fax (763) 441-9163
CITY OF OTSEGO BUSINESS LIST
Business Owner / Name
#
Street Name
Suite #
FocalPoint Flooring
5600
Queens Ave NE
North Ballet Academy
5600
Queens Ave NE
McAlpine Bros. Well Drilling
5650
Queens Ave NE
Canvas Craft
5781
Queens Ave NE
Metro Home Insulation
5861
Queens Ave NE
Brew's Engines, LLC
5873
Queens Ave NE
Franko Automatics
5881
Queens Ave NE
New Plastics Plus
6035
Queens Ave NE
Ste. #150
T.O. Plastics
6035
Queens Ave NE
Ste. #100
Midwest Landscapes
6221
Oakwood Ave NE
BluDot
6301
Queens Ave NE
Cummings Mobility
6540
Jansen Ave. NE
APEX Business Center
6551
Jansen Ave NE
Long Haul Trucking
6600
Jansen Ave. NE
Room & Board
6651
Queens Ave NE
Ruan Transportation
6701
Queens Ave NE
Kaleidoscope Charter School
7525
Kalland Ave NE
Riverbend Mobile Home Park
7535
River Rd NE
Otsego Elementary School
8125
River Rd NE
P & F Machining
8450
Quaday Ave NE
Twin City Orthopedic
8540
Quaday Ave NE
Tires Plus
8665
Parson Ave NE
MN Native Landscapes
8740
77th St NE
Nathe's 101 Market
8980
Quantrelle Ave NE
Accurate Home Health Care
9000
Quantrelle Ave NE
Cold Stone Creamery
9010
Quantrelle Ave NE
Ste. #155
Cowboy Jack's
9010
Quantrelle Ave NE
Ste. #100
Land Home Financial Services
9010
Quantrelle Ave NE
Ste. #107
Guardian Angels
9200
Quantrelle Ave NE
Nystrom & Associates
9245
Quantrelle Ave NE
Riley Martin CPA
9245
Quantrelle Ave NE
Ste. #110
Denny's Restaurant
9020
Quaday Ave NE
Holiday Gas Station
9025
Quaday Ave NE
RPHR Investments (Crestliner Boats)
9040
Quaday Ave NE
Otsego Dental
9075
Quaday Ave NE
Boondox Bar & Grill
9100
Park Ave NE
Rockwoods Grill
9100
Quaday Ave NE
Cartridge World
9125
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #101
Healing Hands Family Chiropractic
9125
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #102
Ink Kings Tattoo
9125
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #105
Xtreme Salon & Spa
9125
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #106
Biotanica
9125
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #107
Drake O'Neill's Irish American Pub
9125
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #108
Sarpino's Pizza
9175
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #108
Edward Jones Financial
9175
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #109
1 Do Two - Bridal & Consignment
9175
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #105
Fresh Squeeze
9175
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #112
Holiday Inn & Wildwoods Water Park
9200
Quaday Ave NE
Rejuv Medical
9201
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #203
Three Rivers Fitness
9201
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #101
American Family Insurance
9201
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #201
Artistic Salon
9201
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #202
Tom Emmer Office
9201
Quaday Ave NE
Ste. #206
Lefebvre's Carpet
9301
Parrish Ave NE
Page 1 of 2
CITY OF OTSEGO BUSINESS LIST
LDS Church
9474
Naber Ave NE
Bury Companies
9901
73rd St NE
Trudell Trailers
9600
71st St NE
Knife River Corp - North Central
9625
71st St NE
Brett Admixtures
9660
71st St NE
Northdale Construction
9760
71st St NE
Riverwood National Golf Course
10247
95th St NE
Vintage Golf Course
10444
95th St NE
Riverwood Inn
10990
95th St NE
Prairie View Elementary and Middle School
12220
80th St NE
Linco
12786
60th St NE
Gordy's Truck and Tractor Repair
15266
70th St NE
Family Speech & Therapy Services
15590
90th St NE
AMVET (Elk River Animal Hospital)
15670
90th St NE
Bible Baptist Church
15670
90th St NE
Riverview Liquorette
15682
90th St NE
Bright Eyes Vision
15704
90th St NE
Ste. #100
Pour Bottle Shop
15704
90th St NE
Ste. #200
Pour Wine Bar & Bistro
15704
90th St NE
Ste. #300
Twin City Beekeeping
15751
85th St NE
KleinBank
15751
87th St NE
Starbucks Coffee
15800
87th St NE
SuperTarget
15800
87th St NE
Bank of Elk River
15800
88th St NE
Christ Church
15849
90th St NE
Great Clips
15850
87th St NE
Ste. #109
Napa Valley Liquors
15850
87th St NE
Ste. #111
T-he*jk)e - VACANT
15850
87th St NE
Ste. #102
EDCO Products, Inc (Arrowhead Distribution CentE
15851
85th St NE
CRAG Mini -Storage
15901
85th St NE
Nystrom and Associates
16201
90th St NE
Ste. #200
Business Cents
16201
90th St NE
Ste. #210
Otsego West Chiropractic
16201
90th St NE
Ste. #240
Ultimate Golf Carts
16401
60th St NE
Kwik Trip
16401
72nd St NE
Metro Appliance Recycling
16403
60th St NE
Anoka Equine
16445
70th St NE
Jump City
5889 (& 5895)
Queens Ave NE
Kaleidoscope Charter School
Page 2 of 2
Date: interviewer(s):
Company Name: Contact/Title:
Street Address & City:
Year Company was founded:
Corporate Structure:
❑ LLC ❑ C -Corp (privately held) ❑ C -Corp (publicly held) ❑ S -Corp ❑ Cooperative ❑ Professional Assn.
❑ Sole Proprietor ❑ Non Profit ❑ Partnership. ❑ Other
Has this company's ownership or top management changed over the last year? Q Yes Q No
Is this business locally owned? Q Yes Q No
Grow Minnesota Ism Visit Topics & Questions
Facility:
■ is this facility owned or leased? Q Owned Q Leased
■ Is there room for expansion at this site? Q Yes Q No
■ Type of facility? Check all that apply.
❑ Branch ❑ Distribution ❑ Headquarters ❑ Home-based business ❑ Manufacturing
❑ Office -operation (non HQ) ❑ R & D ❑ Sales Office ❑ Other:
■ Do you have other facilities in MN? Q Yes Q No
If YES, where?
Products/services:
■ What are your major products and services?
■ Have you introduced new products/services in past year? Q Yes Q No
■ Do you plan to add new products/services in the next year? Q Yes Q No
Explain new products/services.
■ Over the past year, has total company sales: ❑ Increased ❑ Decreased ❑ Stable
■ Over the past year, has company profitability: ❑ Increased ❑ Decreased ❑ Stable
Explain any sales/profit changes.
Workforce:
■ How many employees do you have? (Full time/Part time/& Seasonal?)
■ Has this number changed over the last year? ❑ Increased ❑ Decreased ❑ Stable
■ What change in workforce number do you expect over the next year? ❑ Increase ❑ Decrease ❑ Stable
■ Are you having difficulty recruiting workers? Q Yes Q No
■ What types of skills/workers are most difficult to recruit? Explain.
■ In general, what is it about the applicants that make the openings hard to fill (check all that apply).
❑ Lack of basic education ❑ Lack of technical skills ❑ Lack of candidates ❑ Poor work ethic
Other:
Revised 05.05.16
Market information:
In what geographic location/s are your primary markets?
❑ Local (w/in So mi) ❑ Minnesota ❑ Midwest (includes MN) ❑ US ❑ International
In what geographic location/s are your fastest growing markets?
❑ Local (w/In 50 mi) ❑ Minnesota ❑ Midwest (includes MN) ❑ US ❑ International
■ Is the market share of your company's major products or services:
❑ Increasing ❑ Decreasing ❑ Stable ❑ Unsure
■ Does your company export?
If YES, where?
Investment plans:
Q Yes ONO
■ Does this company have plans for new investments? 0 Yes ONO
■ if 'Yes', check all that apply:
❑ Invest in new facilities ❑ Make major equipment purchases
❑ Renovate/Expand current facilities ❑ Other:
■ What is the approximate date of this investment?
❑ Within one year ❑ Within two years ❑ Within three years ❑ Unsure
■ Where will your investment occur?
❑ At current location ❑ At another location -same community ❑ in another community in MN
❑ In another state ❑ In another country ❑ Unsure
If in another community, state, or country — Top reason/s why?
■ Will your expansion add jobs? Q Yes ONO
Explain,
Community strengths/weaknesses:
N What are the strengths and weaknesses of doing business? (In this community? In Minnesota?)
Public policy:
■ What legislation are you watching or tracking?
■ What local/state/federal policies affect your business most?
0 Minnesota Chamber of Commerce - Any use or reprinting is strictly prohibited without prior consent of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
2017 — 131111 E Common Conversation Questions
COMPANY INFORMATION
Company Name:
Contact Name/Email:
Visit Date:
Would you be willing to participate in the MN Manufacturers week? YES NO
BUSINESS AND FACILITY DETAILS:
Primary Business Sector?
Type of facility (select all that apply):
_Branch _Distribution _Franchise _Headquarters _Home-based
_Manufacturing _R&D _ Sales -Office
Is this facility owned or leased? Owned Leased
Does company have a succession plan? YES NO
Has the company ownership changed? YES NO
Or is change imminent? YES NO
Over the past year, has company sales (select one):
_Increased _Decreased _Been relatively stable _Fluctuated widely _Not identified
What has contributed to the increase or decrease in sales?
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
What are the company's major products and services?
Have you introduced or planning to introduce new products? YES NO
Briefly describe:
Are products manufactured locally or through a global/overseas manufacturer?
Do you have any customers or suppliers outside of MN that would make sense to locate in MN?
EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE
How many full time employees are at this facility?
Has the number of employees at this facility changed in the past year:
_Increased _Decreased _Stayed the same
1
If increased, how many employees have been hired in the past year?
In the next year, do you expect the number of jobs at facility to:
_Increase _Decrease _Be relatively stable _Unsure
Do you plan to hire in the next 2-5 years? YES NO
If yes, how many employees do you anticipate hiring? _
What types of jobs are you hiring?
If you have hired in the past year, was it difficult to fill positions? YES NO
What contributed to the challenges in filling positions? (select all that apply):
Poor work ethic Lack of basic education Lack of technical skills Lack of candidates
_Challenging location _Competition _Other
What positions were the hardest to fill?
Do you anticipate needing to train employees: YES NO
What type of training is needed?
MARKET INFORMATION
Company's primary market (select one):
_International _United States _Midwest (including MN) _Minnesota _Local
What is the fastest growing geographic market:
_International _United States _Midwest (including MN) _Minnesota _Local
_Other
Do you export or have clients outside of the United States? YES NO
If no, would you be interested in exploring the possibility of exporting or selling internationally? YES NO
If yes, how many countries do you currently export to?
Are you interested in expanding to new overseas markets? YES NO
Do you have any other export -related issues or challenges that you would like assistance with?
F
INVESTMENT PLAN
Does the company plan to (check all that apply)
_Invest in new facilities _Make major equipment purchase —Renovate/Expand current facilities
None
Approximate date of investment:
_Within one year _Within two years _Within three years _Unsure
Do you currently have room on your site to expand? YES NO
If relocating, what reasons contributed to the move?
_Access to labor _Access to markets _Environmental permit obstacles _High state taxes
_High local taxes _Labor costs _Lease expiration _No room at this location
_Quality of workforce —Transportation/infrastructure _Other
Are you interested in learning about financial resources or tools? YES NO
Examples: SBA, banks, VC, Angel Tax Credit, State or Local Incentives, Utility programs, other?
COMMUNITY
What are the strengths of the community?
What are the weaknesses of the community?
Have you interacted with any of the departments at City Hall or the County? If so, what department and please
describe your experience.
Are there any priority projects or initiatives the City or County should consider in order to enhance the business
climate?
Does the community have enough housing and the right type of housing for your employees? YES NO
Is transportation or transit a concern for your employees?
If yes, please explain what infrastructure or modes of transportation are needed?
3
POST DISCUSSION VISIT
Does this company require follow up? YES NO
If yes, what organization(s) should assist (select all that apply):
_City _Chamber _County _College _State _Workforce _GREATER MSP
Other
NOTES:
RANKINGS
Education and Training
K-12
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Higher education
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Customized Training Programs
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Overall Workforce Quality
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Transportation/Location
Public Transportation
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Highway Infrastructure
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Air Service
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Proximity to Suppliers
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Quality of Life
Recreational Opportunities
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Cultural Opportunities
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Crime Rate
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Social Organizations and Networks
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Housing Supply for Workforce
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Local Access to Capital
Lending by local financial institutions
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Assistance from local governments and/or non -profits
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Local Government
Attitude towards business
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Permitting/Zoning
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Local Taxes
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Localfees
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Utilities
Telecommunications/Broadband Service
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Telecommunications/Broadband Rates
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Electric Rates
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
Electric Reliability
1
2
3
4
5
n/a
5