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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020/09/21 - ADMIN - Minutes - Economic Development Authority - Regular Official minutes EDA meeting St. Louis Park, Minnesota Sept. 21, 2020 1. Call to order President Harris called the meeting to order at 6:20 p.m. 2. Roll call Commissioners present: President Harris, Tim Brausen, Larry Kraft, Anne Mavity, Nadia Mohamed, Margaret Rog, and Jake Spano. Commissioners absent: None. Staff present: Executive Director (Mr. Harmening), City Attorney (Mr. Mattick), Deputy City Manager/Human Resources Director (Ms. Deno), CFO (Ms. Lammers), City Assessor (Mr. Bultema), Finance Managers (Ms. Sledge), HR Manager (Ms. Timpone), Senor Management Analyst (Ms. Solano), and Recording Secretary (Ms. Pappas). 3. Approval of minutes 3a. EDA meeting minutes of Sept. 8, 2020 It was moved by Commissioner Brausen, seconded by Commissioner Rog, to approve the Sept. 8, 2020 meeting minutes as presented. The motion passed 7-0. 4. Approval of agenda and items on EDA consent calendar - none 5. Reports - none 6. Old business - none 7. New business 7a. 2021 preliminary HRA Levy certification. EDA Resolution No. 20-22. Ms. Lammers presented the staff report. Commissioner Rog confirmed that the HRA levy would be spent the same way as in 2020 and asked if funds would be directed especially to the affordable housing trust fund. She also asked if the amount for housing staff wages and the housing trust fund will change DocuSign Envelope ID: 9F69A768-7571-4A42-8493-2DA0A331703C Economic Development Authority -2- Sept. 21, 2020 from last year or remain the same. Ms. Lammers confirmed that funds would be directed to the affordable housing trust fund as they had been last year . Mr. Harmening stated wages for the housing authority staff come from the housing re - staff fund and were $200,000 for 2020. He noted the actual deposit will go up by $500,000 for housing, and staff would do this as directed last year. Commissioner Brausen asked if the HRA levy is adopted this evening, will it just set the levy level and if budget discussions would continue. He noted monies will be going to the housing programs as directed in the amount pledged by council and wanted to confirm this. Mr. Harmening stated this is correct, adding that state statute limits and restricts what these monies can be used for, but they can be used for affordable housing. Commissioner Kraft asked for examples of items that the affordable housing trust fund has been used for lately. Mr. Harmening stated the fund and its policies were created in 2020, so the monies have not been used yet, adding by the end of 2020, there should be approximately $1.2 million in the fund. Commissioner Harris asked what types of projects the fund can be used for, and if it is a worthwhile future study session topic. Mr. Harmening stated council has set the rules and procedures of how to use the funds for affordable housing and added this can be on a future study session agenda to discuss identifying projects. Commissioner Rog stated she has also asked for a study session agenda item on helping BIPOC community members afford purchasing housing. Commissioner Harris also noted a resident proposed this be conducted similar to the Work in the Park program. Commissioner Brausen added rental assistance as it related to the eviction moratorium would also be another topic for discussion. Commissioner Mavity noted the creation of an affordable housing trust fund in St. Louis Park has been a new approach, adding it is exciting dedicating these funds here. She stated she is very proud of the council for this and noted a good time to prioritize these topics is when the city’s housing report comes out in March. It was moved by Commissioner Brausen, seconded by Commissioner Mavity, to waive the reading and adopt EDA Resolution No. 20-22, authorizing the 2021 Preliminary HRA levy at .0185%. The motion passed 7-0. DocuSign Envelope ID: 9F69A768-7571-4A42-8493-2DA0A331703C Economic Development Authority -3- Sept. 21, 2020 8. Communications – none 9. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 6:39 p.m. ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Melissa Kennedy, secretary Rachel Harris, president DocuSign Envelope ID: 9F69A768-7571-4A42-8493-2DA0A331703C