022304 EDA CITY OF NEW HOPE
4401 XYLON AVENUE NORTH
NEW HOPE, MINNESOTA 55428
EDA Minutes February 23, 2004
Regular Meeting City Hall
CALL TO ORDER President Enck called the meeting of the Economic Development Authority to order
at 8:21 p.m.
ROLL CALL Present: W. Peter Enck, President
Sharon Cassen, Commissioner
Don Collier, Commissioner
Mary Gwin-Lenth, Commissioner
Absent: Steve Sommer, Commissioner
APPROVE MINUTES Motion was made by Commissioner Colher, seconded by Commissioner Cassen, to
approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of February 9, 2004. All present voted in
favor. Motion carried.
SECTION 8 President Enck introduced for discussion Item 4, Resolution approving termination
CONTRACT of section 8 housing assistance payments program contract for administrative
Item 4 services with Metropolitan Council and approving contract for inspection services.
Mr. Kirk McDonald, Director of Community Development, stated the city of New
Hope has contracted with the Metropolitan Housing and Redevelopment Authority/
Metropolitan Council for the past 20+ yeats to a&minister the Section 8 Homing
Assistance Payments Program on a local level. The city employed a full-time
Section 8 housing coordinator to administer the program, the city provided
inspection services for the clients, and reimbursements from the Met Council/HUD
covered all costs of the program and position. In 2003, the long-time Section 8
coordinator retired and the city hired a new employee for the position, and that
employee has submitted a letter of resignation. With the primary focus of the
Community Development Department being on redevelopment at this time, staff is
recommending that the administrative services portion of the contract be returned to
the Met Council and that the city retain the inspection services portion of the
contract. This will enable staff to spend more time on redevelopment activities, yet
still maintain a close connection to the multiple family dwelling managers/owners
in the city via the inspection process.
To accomplish this objective, staff is recouuaending that the current contract with
Metro lIRA be terminated for administration and that a new contract for inspection
services be approved. Staff has discussed this change with Metro HRA supervisory
staff and they support thc change. A letter has already been sent to Metro HRA
advising that this recommended change would be presented to the EDA. They are
prepared to take over the caseload of the New Hope Section 8 clients. Staffhas also
discussed these changes with the city manager, director of finance, and others (all
who are supportive of this action). The change will have a rrdnimal budget impact.
President Enck noted his appreciation regarding the effective dialogue between the
Con-mamity Development Department and Metro HR.
Comu,issioner Gwin-Lenth expressed support for the change but questioned the
impact to the clients.
EDA Meeting February 23, 2004
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Mr. McDonald stated most of the communications are handled by telephone or mail.
The in-person meetings will be handled at the office in St. Paul.
Commissioner Gwin-Lenth recoamxended that staff offer New Hope city hall as a
satellite office (such as one day per month) to alleviate section 8 clients'
transportation issues.
EDARESOLUTION Commissioner Gwin-Lenth introduced the following resolution and moved its
04-11 adoption "RESOLUTION APPROVING TERMINATION OF SECTION .8
Item4 }lOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS PROGRAM CONTRACT FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES WITH METROPOLITAN COUNCIL AND
APPROVING CONTRACT FOR INSPECTION SERVICES." The motion for
the adoption of the foregoing resolution was seconded by Commissioner Cassen,
and upon vote be/ng taken thereon, the following voted in favor thereot~ Enck,
Cassen, Collier, Gw/n-Lenth, and the following voted against the same: None;
Abstained: None; Absent: Sommer; whereupon the resolution was declared duly
passed and adopted, signed by the president wh/ch was attested to by thc executive
director.
IMP. PROJECT 754 President Enck introduced for discussion Item 5, Update on potential redevelopment
Item 5 by Bear Creek Capital and CVS Pharmacy and motion author/zing preparation of
resolution of friendly condemnation for property at 7901 Bass Lake Road
(improvement project no. 754).
Mr. McDonald, D/rector of Community Development, stated at the January 26,
2004, EDA meeting, staffupdated the EDA on the status of the project and reported
that the acquisition of the residential property by CVS was moving forward, but that
there had not been any progress made on the Sinclaff site at 7901 Bass Lake Road.
Subsequent to that meeting, CVS and Sincla/r have been negotiating directly w/th
one another and Sincla/r has agreed to a sales pr/cc, subject to certain conditions.
One of the conditions is that the city approve a resolution of friendly condemnation
for the Sinclair site for monetary reinvestment purposes. If the development would
move forward, the resolution would be presented for approval at a later date.
Other issues that staff continues to work on with the developer related to this
development include:
· Preparing a more detailed site plan and addressing storm water issues.
Future meeting with School District officials regarding a potential minor land
swap.
*Developer responsible for all costs, including relocation of existing tenant and
soil cleanup issues.
· Coordination on potential creation of TIF district to benefit other development
projects in the area.
Commissioner Cassen recommended inquiring whether the School District would
be willing to sell its property outright rather than making a property trade.
The EDA authorized staff to .prepare a resolution of friendly condemnation for
property at 7901 Bass Lake Road in the future if the CVS project proceeds.
ADJOIJRNMENT Motion was made by Coum~issioner Cassen, seconded by Commissioner Gwin-
Lenth, to adjourn the meeting. All present voted in favor. Motion carried. The
New Hope EDA adjourned at 8:31 p.m.
,P.e~gpectfully submitted,
Valerie Leone
City Clerk
EDA Meeting February 23, 2004
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