Call the meeting to order. >> Start with the pledge of allegiance. [Music] >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. So make sure you turn on your microphones. >> Yeah, she helped me on that one. >> Approval of the agenda. Consider approval of agenda. >> I'll approve the agenda. I'll second it. >> Motion. Motion has been made to approve. Motion made second. Motion has been made and second to approve the agenda. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Carried. >> Probably should have discussion, shouldn't we? Business items. Approval of April 21st meeting minutes. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion's been made and second. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion carries. Review the business improvement grant program for 2026. Solicitation modifications. >> Thank you, Tom. So, our 25 solicitation is underway. Um for the projects we have let's see one two three four five out of the eight have been completed. I know Core Trust is working on theirs right now. Uh Madson Brent is still working on his and then Northstar Dental is upcoming here and they've got the building permit submitted. So we're looking forward to that. Otherwise, the rest of them have that in and they've applied for reimbursement. We got all the paperwork back. So, things are going along well there. So, as we're look we're getting into the uh period here where we get over the winter months, it's about the time where we take a look at the program, evaluate how we think it's been going. Is there any tweaks? Anything we want to do to uh make changes for the next grant goaround? Remember from the previous year to this year, we made some pretty heavy changes on the program, updated quite a bit of it and uh looking to see what the wishes of the EDR EDA are for the 26 solicitation. I felt that the process went well this last year. Um I like the changes we made by having it earlier. Um, did we have any feedback from the people receiving the grants of things that they weren't excited about or >> I didn't get any feedback, any negative feedback on it. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I think it went really smoothly. >> I agree. Yeah, I think it's set up pretty good. Unless you have some changes that you see, Nick, you talk to the people. >> Uh, uh, everybody that used it was appreciative of what they got. And like I said, I didn't get any negative feedback according to the process or anything like that. Um, one thing I just thought of is I know we have the March 14th deadline which allows for some, but is there any harm of possibly being closer to the start of the year with the process? Just I'm only saying that as I know the last time we were later in the year and it was just sometimes harder to get contractors in. So because now this is this first full year where we're actually kind of doing things. What if we're actually making decisions in March so that you they actually have more of a jump start on getting contractors because I do know that like for example some concrete work. We were told we were supposed, you know, >> get it in June and now it's, you know, wasn't going to be till August just because things book out so quickly at the beginning of the year for contractors and things like that because we're meeting already. We have this already set up. What's the problem with um because we don't have to meet before we post this? >> Well, you have to have a we have to have a program finalized. >> Okay. So, do that in January. >> Yes. If it gets finalized in January, said, "Yep, this is the program." Then you pick the solicitation deadline date. If you want to make that February, release it as soon as possible. That can be done. >> I mean, not that we have to change anything. That's not what I was looking for. But like, if we can do it closer to the start of the year, if the programs ago there, I don't think there's any harm because we already have the process and that just allows people more time to complete it that year, >> right? I think we opened this up for solicitation in I believe it was February of this year. So if we want to back that up to January. >> I mean we don't have to. I just was like >> no I this makes sense because these guys are scheduling when to do something and you just got to get ahead of it otherwise you >> and we've had such good success with it. I mean, I've seen um knuckleheads >> their new door. >> Um Core Trust, I think, was painting this last week. Um so, I definitely see the things that are exterior or outside facing. It's I really like seeing that. >> A lot of comments, positive what what people are seeing when you come to town. So, I don't know. I I would be flexible of just Yeah. If we did February, but just move it up a little bit sooner and then we approve after January in January have our first EDA meeting. >> Mhm. >> And then we would that would meet our kind of our quarterly time because then we would meet in March. >> Yeah. We would meet January. We meet that uh first in January. Approve it. Then it if there's no major changes and immediately goes back out, the edits are in and then I just email that out to everybody on the business listing. They'll have it to make the closing a month later, four, five, six weeks later and then uh for our April meeting, make approvals. And that's just when we meet quarterly. There's nothing to say we can't meet in March to make approvals. We probably should >> we should I would just say meet in March because there's times where we we might not have much going on in the summer and not meet at all. I mean there's times where we've only met once a year with this group. >> Mhm. >> Um do we have any like new businesses or like if there is a new business like making sure that they know that there's this program or >> Well, yeah. I guess the two new the two examples of new ones were the ones uh oh what a stitch and Northstar Dental. >> Okay. So I usually try to connect with them when we know they're coming in like when Leslie came in and then got a hold of I'm blanking on the dentist name at this >> Mark Mark >> he wrote >> but yeah I was talking with them early on >> um I was thinking you know looking at the list of applicants um you know like Elimodor you know they didn't maybe they weren't really understanding what this meant you know meeting with them again to say that there is this program, you know, available. Um, >> so theirs was, uh, they knew it existed. It just the timing of things wasn't quite quite right for them, >> right? So, just making sure because you're really good at talking with business owners, but um that you know the new co-op that owns the gas station, you know, right here, you know, letting them know that there's this program, >> you know, it it doesn't exclude like a Casey's or a Dollar General. >> Nope. Any any business in brickandmortar business in town is >> right. So, you know, I mean, just, you know, reaching out and not to say that I just trying to like throw, but I mean, it's I think it's important to know and maybe an existing business just never even heard of it. >> Yeah, I think that maybe not this go around, but the other go around he really >> No, yeah, he's on. I'm not Yeah, I'm not saying Nick isn't doing what he's supposed to do, but like just things I was thinking about, you know, that could be beneficial. >> So, we've got a spreadsheet for this. >> Okay, perfect. >> So, uh what we update this I actually work with Chad Helt on this to get accurate addresses since he works at the post office. >> Oh, yeah. Mhm. >> Um, so really I just go down the main roads, get a listing of everybody in town that we can think of that has brick and mortar, business name, owner contact address, taxpayer address if it's different off the county records, and then contact method. >> Okay. >> Best is always email because then I can just blast this thing out all in one go. We got that for most of them. >> Okay. If you could help Brad get his name up there a couple more times, that'd be nice. >> Couple more. There's room for >> Yeah. Before I we do the solicitation, I go through this list, update it. Has anybody new come to town? This is where Dollar General will get thrown in there. This is where uh the new gas station owners will get updated in there. And then I know uh Steve Flet's >> Plet, >> his um mini strip there, that's had a couple changeovers in it. Oh. >> Oh, good. I just Thank you for sharing that because that's um I really I like that and I think that's important to, you know, I know we have a lot of a lot of companies and we're fine with that that have, you know, utilized this grant program a couple times. Um, you know, I know we have that scoring sheet which I was really happy with. So, um I always just want to make sure people are aware of the program because to be honest with you, I think it's a really great thing. Anything else on number five? >> Do you have anything else? It looks like we're on the individual reports which is near the end. Yeah, that was the big thing uh as we're coming up towards end of year uh reviewing the program, making sure it's what you guys are looking forward to solicit for next year, staying ahead of it rather than getting last minute trying to make some wild changes if need be and go from there. >> Any comments from the audience? >> Uh I know that one of our members isn't here. Like is that a question you could ask that member outside of the meeting just to make sure that if he has any input? >> Yeah. Okay, >> I'll get I'll get Scott's input. I'm sure he'll have absolutely none. >> That's why I That's why I requested it. >> Not now, but maybe in the future as the town grows, maybe could get more, you know, possibility. >> Yeah. I mean, I don't think we didn't we only had what? We had one applicant that didn't qualify, >> but we >> Yeah, the ask was pretty close on things. We denied parts of some applications, but it made sense to deny to to deny those. >> Um, I think if you're looking from a funding perspective, I wouldn't go asking for more unless you actually have demand for more. You just don't want to >> I'd say you track what you you look at what your ask is from year to year and if you see an jump up in it then you go hey we've seen this we're getting a lot more interest but the opposite can also be true. You go through three years of doing this the businesses have taken advantage of it. >> Yeah there's nothing new coming down the pike. So now you it's not going to be like 50 grand every single year into eternity if there's no interest. >> Right. If interest drops off for whatever reason because the businesses are like, "Well, we're sitting really well and we just don't have projects." That's also a good thing, >> then the funding drops off because it's not just be like, "Well, let's build uh a war chest of cash in the EDA just for fun. >> What do we do if all we have is 10 seal coats?" And that becomes that becomes a discussion on the program itself. Is that what you want to be spending your money on? >> Yeah. >> And that that's where we talk about this. Is there anything in here that you look at and go, you know, we thought it'd be a great thing to potentially fund it, but maybe we shouldn't. >> Is that still in there? That seal coating driveways or >> Yeah. parking lots. Yeah, that would be under tier three. >> Tier three category, non-building property improvements. >> But it's tier three and like I know that some of our applicants, you know, used it to fix sidewalks that were, you know, kind of a hazard. Um, >> I mean, a new parking lot, that's a good thing. >> Yeah. So, I don't I don't see it being an issue. But again, you can address this if you start, you know, [Music] but I I'm just I think we talked about this long time ago when I was on EDA and it's just really I like seeing it come into fruition and actually being utilized. >> You still have everything like in a book or on an email where it's all there, the pictures before, after keeping up on that. >> Yep. So, as part of every grant grantee requirement, they have to provide before and after pictures and I we keep those on our share drive. >> Is that something I know that we can't share like our screen when we do our like live videos. Um, I think it would be really cool if we could, not that you don't have any time, like you're busy, but like just creating like kind of a um presentation that I would love for the EDA to to share with like the city council. Yeah, actually Scott and I talked about that >> and then and also share out like maybe put together like something that we can put on the website of pro I don't know projects that have you know that they're you know that are being funded by this grant program. >> Um just to show like where where where your tax dollars are going to and how they're improving this the city. >> Yeah, Scott and I talked about that. I think it was after the last meeting or he caught me at some place and he asked that exact same questions like is there something we could but it's like well yeah that's generally an an EDA's annual report had those in other cities. Uh Marshall was a great example of it. They put a boy that thing was deep and thick but they were also 10 times the size. At any rate um yeah you put together some basic demographic info into that. What is the commercial sector like in mayor? What's it been? keep track of things over time and then the what the grant has been from year to year to year to year and a retrospective of the what was funded and the improvements made in 20 what would be 2025 >> I that wouldn't be that's not hard to do >> that's not >> yeah no >> I think that would be really beneficial and then you know not that we have a lot of uh residents that come and you know demand and seeing proof of things. But I think it's just a really good thing to just share. >> Absolutely. It's cool >> because I mean I'm seeing it, but you know the taxpayer probably doesn't understand that like we you know like you're helping improve the look of the things that you do within the city. >> Okay. I'm talking a lot. that happened to me at my meetings today. So, I apologize. I have a lot to say. So, the changes for next year, just a quick recap, we'll have this ready to go for approvals in January and then we will plan to immediately have it out the door in January for solicitation. Uh deadline, I'll look at dates and I'll figure out January solicitation start and then deadline in February. We can get those back. That'll be in time. And then we can schedule a meeting either in February or March, whenever the deadline is. That works out in our schedules. Get together, review the grant applications, >> get going. >> Um, would we still meet another time this year or would we wait? It would just be till next year. >> At this point, it would be next year. Um there's no major changes that have been proposed that we need to come back and review the language, make sure it's right. Essentially, you've asked me to update the solicit solicitation date and the rest stay the same. >> Okay, >> I like it. I'm done talking. Yeah, sorry about that. Forgot I didn't have the PDF up. So, if that's what we want to go with, uh, I would, uh, seek a motion and a second to approve the 26 solicitation with the updated dates. >> I'll make that motion. >> I'll second it. Motion's been made and second to update that basically the date of it and everything basically is good. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Opposed? I think motion carries. [Music] I'm afraid to say it. Number six. I don't have any reports. >> I don't The only one I have is uh Dollar General. They were planning to be open here in September, but uh with how far Excel is uh and behind on what they're doing, they're actually looking towards end of October for opening date. Looks like they've got all the groundwork ready to go for paving. uh the turn lane as well as the parking lot. So, it'll be nice to see once it's all done. >> I think some of this like the Wayne coating or whatever and if they're going to put some trees in, but even the lights broke up the side of that building versus a a tin steel building. I mean, I shouldn't say it's might be live anyways. But instead of just a flat building, even the lights actually add to it and you know, so it's looks pretty good. I don't know. Was it bigger than most too by a little bit or >> I think it's about average size >> appears to it. Okay. >> Well, just it was nice to see it was a DG market. >> I I kind of think they're changing. I saw where they just left market on one of them, but uh even one person I thought you're getting a Dollar General it says DG market. I'm like they fooled you or what? You know, it's like really you can't figure it out. But uh thought well that's pretty good. You know, >> that's all I have. And that's probably Scott walking in right now. >> So, quick adjourn the meeting. >> Let's do it right when you walk through the door. >> Motion. >> Let's see. >> Yep. It is. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. >> Motion tojourn. >> Yeah. >> Perfect. >> No, we left it open for you. >> I can make a motion to >> No, you can say whatever you need to say. Do you have any individual reports? >> No. >> Anything that you were thinking of on your way over? >> I was thinking about this little guy in front of me. I think around him. >> Well, we can ask the question that you asked all of us about any changes. The only thing we >> uh thought about is just moving up the application date to earlier in the year. >> Sure. since we have a good, you know, open it up in January, um, instead of February, March, just move it up like 30 days just to give people more time. >> A great idea. >> And the dollar amount was going to stay the same or we're going to have a larger dollar amount available. >> Uh, we didn't. >> Nope. Everything was supposed to stay the same. build need. >> Okay. So, how much money do we have available then to distribute in the next round? >> Uh proposed is the same as this year, 50,000 and that was the same as last year as well. >> And we only had one that we just didn't didn't meet the criteria and one part of the project that didn't. So I don't I didn't see there was like a big demand in, you know, more funding to support more businesses. >> Okay, >> sounds good. Guys working hard. >> Do you see anything economically development out there that or any kind of business type of thing that is questionable or addressing or whatever? questionable. >> Whatever. I meant to address something >> like, "Hey, they're doing good." Or, "Hey, maybe that could change." >> Otherwise, I invite anybody to do number seven. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Motion's been made. Second to adjurnn. Is there any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Oppos? Carried. >> Beautiful. It was really nice to see you for two hot minutes. >> I just saw your husband. >> You did? >> Yeah. 2 hours ago.