One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. >> Does anyone have any additions, deletions, or modifications to the agenda? >> Staff? >> Um, yes. Uh, Chair Ericson, if there is time towards the end of the agenda, we have a request from, uh, Commissioner Corgan. um to present an item uh through the uh Scott County Community Development Agency um if if there is time. If not, uh we'll um add a line going forward um on our economic development commission agendas um stating commissioner updates. Um, so if there's anything from a a board or a task force um or committee that you um serve on on behalf of uh the city or is related to the work that you're doing on the commission, uh there will be opportunity um going forward on the agenda for that. >> Sounds good. And I'd ask uh other commissioners that uh if we add that onto the agenda, if you have something that's of length, let Regina know well before the time that the agenda comes out. If it's if it's just a quick update, that's fine. Okay, great. Thank you for doing that. >> Uh, do we have consensus that the agenda move forward? >> Yes. >> As printed? >> Yes. >> Hearing no d. We'll assume that the agenda has been approved. Uh, approval of the meeting minutes for the meeting of July 16th. Those are in front of you. Does anybody have any comments on those changes, edits, additions? >> No changes from staff. Nothing from staff. >> I'm good. >> I hear a motion. >> So moved. >> Is there a second to adopt? >> Second. >> Second by Angie. >> All those in favor? >> I >> opposed. Minutes are approved. Moving on to general business. Uh the first item is the uh strategic plan consultant recommendation and I believe Regina will take over at this point. >> Great. Thank you. Um so I don't have a formal presentation for you. Um just as background for the viewing audience and for the economic development commission uh an economic development strategic plan um has been on the um the department community development department work plan um for at least a year or two. Um we have um there's been uh funds allocated through the economic development um fund that we have um here at the city. Um so we've began to move forward in uh making progress towards that. Uh back in April, I was before the Economic Development Commission with a draft scope of services um that we had hoped to launch um soon thereafter uh with um on our our city website to seek out proposals for an economic development strategic plan. Um so that went to the EDC in April. Uh we took that draft to the city council in May. they had some suggestions on edits, wanted us to come back um to further refine the scope and then we went back to them in June, got the okay to move forward. So, we posted and launched the request for proposal on June 23rd um of this year. We sent the RFP to um consultants within the area that we know that do that type of work um as well as posted on our city website uh as well. Um the highlights that we had in the RFP uh we had 11 goals within that RFP of work plan or task items that uh we wanted to be addressed. Um we did give a note that if a um proposal um saw something different or or wanted to propose something you know unique or different or saw maybe something that was missing a gap uh we invited um them to propose um you know kind of in addition to their their thoughts. Um so the top or the items that we had discussed in that scope were um studying a strategic purpose um and direction setting uh to perform a SWAT analysis uh to do a baseline assessment of our demographics um and economic data uh to provide information on market trends um and to focus on development nodes. Um so one of the uh we have areas within the city uh that could use some attention uh so that uh is something that uh our the council wanted analyzed a little deeper um this is a citywide effort not just focused on one specific area. So looking at development nodes, um looking at uh comparison cities, uh looking at best practices, uh providing a fiscal strategy and funding prioritization, um looking at in an inclusive economic development strategy, uh in the ready report, it alludes to um working with our BIPO businesses uh through the economic development work um plan that we've set for 2025. Uh we took that step further and looking at womenowned and um and veteranowned businesses as well. Uh whenever we do a plan, we always like to seek out information from our stakeholders. So stakeholder and community engagement um policy review, what do we do now? What can we change? And then um fiscal impacts and implementation costs is something that we wanted addressed as well. Um, we had a really >> Sorry, Regina. Was was item number nine removed or was it just a a numbering >> a numbering issue? Sorry. >> Um, we had a really great response. Uh, we received 22 proposals uh ranging in cost estimates from $55,516 all the way up to 186,000 um and some change. the um one of the goals I just want to point out um was that um the plan be cost-effective. So, kind of right off the bat, we um we did eliminate um some of the proposals from our review. Uh we ended up with uh a I would say kind of a top um tier uh of consultants that um met our criteria for review. Um which included firm experience, project management background, quality, feasibility, cost effectiveness and other other factors. Um, so we uh did have a review panel of seven city staff members uh that represented community development, public works, city administration, and finance reviewing those proposals. So, we took kind of that top half um and reviewed those further. Um, and a lot was based off of that first cut was based off of the the cost of the proposals. Um, just there were some that were very dramatically different. Um the top proposals that we received uh were companies um called Better City, um Bolton and Bank paired with Ellers, Goldstone Consulting, John Stove and Future IQ, uh Marketing Alliance, Maxfield, RKG Associates, Stantech, Thrive Consultants, and TPMA. So those were the consultants that we did a deep dive and reviewed further. Um in the end uh the review panel of the seven city staff members uh thought that Stantex proposal stood out um across the evaluation criteria. Um and um within your report there's further detail on why they were the standout. Um overall Santex approach uh demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of our vision um collaborative methodology and they have a strong alignment um with both technical and community um aspects. Um it was also the most cost-effective. Um we were able to kind of refine that scope um and now we have a proposed scope um not to exceed amount of 49,456. Um we are coming to you um as a commission to provide a recommendation um to city council um based off of uh city council um action they would be not only selecting the consultant but also um approving the standard scope of services agreement with the selected consultant. So with that, um, staff does recommend that the EDC recommend city council selecting Stantech as a consultant to lead the development of the city's economic development strategic plan. Um, if if or when and if approved. Um, I said that backwards. Um, the we hope to kick this off um later this fall. So ideally in um late October, early November. Um, and this could be about a six-month process. >> And the city council will consider this when? >> Uh, at their first October meeting. >> Floor is open. Any comments? Well, it appears you you did a a a very thorough investigation of all the the uh applicants and um for that reason I I see no reason to question what the results of what what you've come up with. So I with that in mind I would uh recommend that we recommend uh hiring the hiring of Stantech to do this um study at an amount not to exceed whatever the dollar amount was that you 49,000 something in there. >> Uh motion's been made to recommend to the city council to approve Stantech for this uh project to exceed number that was already previously said. Uh, is there a second to that? >> I'll second that. >> There's a second to that. Okay. Further discussion. I'll comment that uh after I read the report when the when the packet came out, I reached out to some people I know who are in the field not associated with Savage. Um, and the replies I got were uh very very positive about Stantech. So, >> this is more of a a question, but when I was reading through their their um proposal, I did mention there was just a a very brief mention of the downtown Savage redevelopment vision. Was that and apologies it was a few months ago. Was that part of the RFP or was that explicit that what whatever consulting company is selected takes you know builds upon I guess that that vision as well because it it was just mentioned very briefly. There's not a lot of of detail. >> Y a great question. Uh the goal is to um look citywide, but we can't ignore um the work that has been done and that will be done and those implementation implementation strategies that we have within that downtown redevelopment vision. So it'll build upon that, but it won't be the sole focus of of this overall plan. So that will be a separate initiative. It's the downtown that will the implementation of the downtown vision will be separate from the economic development plan. I mean related of course I mean interconnected but I mean a separate initiative. >> Yeah there will be um tie-in together. Um again we can't ignore the um I mean the downtown is a big part of the city but it's not the only part of the city. So um it will it will build upon some of that but um but again kind of looking more holistically citywide as well. >> Okay. >> A little mesh is what I'm guessing is what's absolutely right. Yes. Uh >> yes. >> Yes. For uh number seven, economic inclusive economic development strategy and I mean the RFP when you uh collecting information did you consider uh minority owned uh business um also or is just uh women and federal owned? Did you do that consideration if you clarify? >> Yep. Uh great question. Uh the goal would be to um include minority owned businesses, veteran and womenowned businesses. So um all three. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> And and I believe the act specifically mentioned that in there in the proposal you attached was all those were mentioned. Correct. >> Right. >> Any other comments, questions, concerns? Hearing none, I'll call for the vote. All those in favor of the motion say I. >> I. I. >> I. >> Opposed. Motion passes. We'll recommend to the council to approve Stantech. >> Thank you. We look forward to working with them assuming city council um moves this forward. >> Good. Thanks. Uh continuing business. Uh would you like to update us, Regina, on the uh last month's tour of the uh CDA entrepreneurship center? >> Um so we did a little field trip. Uh the economic development commission members uh Commissioner Corrian, Commissioner Zastro, Commissioner Rasmmanson, and Commissioner Ericson um were in attendance as well as one of our uh community equity commission members u was able to join as well. Um the um we were led a tour by Michael Wernerni uh with the Scott County CDA. Um he provided a presentation on all the great things that the Scott County CDA does um in relationship to um helping um our businesses in Scott County grow, attracting people to Scott County from a business lens, uh providing resources to them as well and highlighted the various programs that they have. um accelerated programs, um mentorship um opportunities, um the um leveraging Next Stage, which is um a consultant that comes in and provides resources um helps with business plans, access to funding um and highlighted those different programs. We also um were able to walk around um the floor um where they are located within the building. Um and um Michael was able to point out different um office spaces that are available to um entrepreneurs um small businesses. Um one was I believe a podcaster. Um there was uh someone in the more like medical staffing industry. um and and a few other businesses and and maybe some of our economic development commission members um that were there could could add on. But um it's really neat that they're able to there is also a um school uh that's associated with um the the building um that they share. Um so it's um the south south metro. I'm probably messing the name up. Um but there's students that come in and for example they have a photography studio and some of the businesses have been able to leverage the students um and their work um helping out with website design and photography for their website or head shot for um the businesses. So um there's a great partnership that happens there as well. So, I'd, you know, welcome any of the economic development commission members to add, you know, their insights and what they learned. And, um, I just, it's a great asset that we have in our community. And, um, something that our businesses and future businesses can can continue to leverage. >> Photography studio that you mentioned, if anybody saw the Chamber of Commerce newsletter, there was a photo of of us standing there in the in the photography lab that day. So, >> I enjoyed the tour. It was very uh informative for me. I was not aware of that type of center being available. Um so I I hope that the it gets a lot of use and and develops a lot of new business in Scott County in particular, but hopefully here in Savage that >> people from Savage will utilize it and want to bring a business here. >> Yeah, I enjoyed it a great deal as well. And uh thanks to Fred for >> Yes. Thank you. as kind of our quai host as a board member. So, >> well, thank you. If you weren't able to attend, um you know, I'm more than happy to set up some time um for you to see the space as well. Um it's open open invitation, so happy to help coordinate that. >> Good. Thank you. Uh followup on the food truck ordinance. >> Yes. Um so at the July meeting uh we had a um opportunity our um code enforcement coordinator Mitch Johnson presented information on what we do now for our food truck ordinances and then some potential changes for consideration. Um the economic development commission um heard that presentation. Um, also heard from a couple of our um, our property owners that own um, one owns a uh, strip center in our downtown area. Another um, owns Dairy Queen off of County Road 42. Um, an individual property owner. Um, they've been impacted by food trucks that have kind of established um, uh, roots, I would say, in the parking lots. Um, and the way our food truck ordinance um is currently written, the idea is that the food trucks kind of um turn over and they don't become a um established brickandmortar um location. Um and so there's been um some concerns and complaints with um with that um from um from brickandmortar businesses. you know, the the concern is they pay taxes. They um people are using their property um for to eat food and drink beverages and um and kind of spilling on to their properties and they had brought up some raised some concerns. Um so we brought this forward to the economic development commission. Uh the EDC recommended to make some um minor modifications um regarding uh no overnight parking of the uh food trucks as well as um right now we basically say that the food trucks need to hook up to generators. So if available u the food trucks could um access electricity if that's available. Those were the recommendations from the EDC. We um Mitch um Johnson at the next work session presented the recommendation from the EDC and an overview of um our current ordinance and and any ideas for um for potential changes. Um the council uh did agree with the economic development commission on the recommendation um as well as wanted to um put some restrictions on seating and chairs that would be available for customers. um as well as um and the thought there was that um it it shouldn't be an extension of like a building or um a restaurant that there really should be like turnover of people coming to and from. And if you're going to have a um if you're going to sit there and eat, it should really be in more of a kind of brickandmortar type of um establishment. Um the city council also wanted to explore buffers. So in some cities there's buffers between where like food trucks can be located or where um between each other um or between land uses or um business type of uses. So for example um a food truck that sells hamburgers can't be next to Buffalo Tap. Um or there has to be, you know, can't be right next door. there has to be, you know, a mile, it needs to be a mile away or it needs to be 500 feet away or um so we're exploring what that could look like and how that could be managed. Um and we're going to present that information back to city council in October. So we're exploring like is that feasible, is that manageable, is that enforceable? Um so those are some things that we're um looking at as a staff and to see what what would those buffers look like and what would those parameters be and um we're presenting just that item back on buffers back to city council at their work session um with the goal um in either their last meeting on October or likely their first meeting in November. We will propose an actual redline change of what their desires are. So that's where that is at. Um any other questions or any questions? >> Uh yeah, I I I do if we may. Um >> certainly. >> Last night I um took the or had the opportunity to have dinner down at the American Legion. And as I was driving into the downtown off of Dakota, when I got to the intersection by Niss's, I looked over into the parking lot where the the um farmers market is and I noticed two food trucks in there. So, is that a usual thing on Tuesday night or every night of the week that there are food trucks in operating in that parking lot? >> That's a really great question. Um, I'm not sure if they were were they operating and open or were they stored there? >> I didn't drive through the lot to know for sure or drive down the street any further, but in the quick look I had, they had their flags >> on their on their trucks. So, they gave the appearance that they were open, but I didn't see people on the street going to and from. And surprisingly, the parking lot was full of cars. So, I don't know if if Niss had bingo or something going on that they had a crowd of people or what, but there were a lot of cars packed in fairly tightly around these food trucks. And to me, I would have thought they were in operation because they had their big floppy flags going and everything. >> Yeah, we'll look further into that. Um I believe um the folks at Kasa Deli are storing um a couple of their food trucks um within the city parking lot. Um that's a separate issue because um Casadelli leases the depot building from the city. Okay. >> Um they don't lease space to store their food trucks. So that's um something that we're working with them on. I know when I've driven by during the day that they have just been storage. they have not been open. The food trucks have not been open for business. Um but um we can certainly look at the after kind of after traditional business hours to see if they're operating that and I'll I'll we'll work with them. >> Yeah, this would have been like 7:00 at night that they were there. And I don't mean to rat them out or anything, but I it was curious to see food trucks there. Two competing trucks 20 feet apart or what they I thought were competing trucks, you know, two or three parking stalls apart. um in that lot with a lot of other cars. So anyway, >> yeah, we can look into that further. Thank you. >> Generally, uh the situation that commissioner just mentioned, is that allowed in that area or would it not be? >> Right. >> Yeah. So, um, since the city, um, owns the parking lot, um, one would not only have to be a licensed food truck, um, within the city, but they would also have to seek permission from the city to be able to park there. So, um, and and open for business. So, it's not necessarily something that we would um, not entertain um, as far as, you know, someone having a food truck or, you know, we have the farmers market on Sundays. um that could be um looked at as a um community, you know, event and um an asset to the community. Um but um then you have the other side that you isn't competing with the food that's provided at the Legion or um Nison's or Buffalo Tap or Casadelli if it's not Casadelli. And so um yes, >> the answer is it depends. >> Depends. Okay, good. >> Any other followup on the food truck? >> Chair, I guess just a question. The city council has been concerned about staffing costs. Um, and it it as you were presenting the discussion about buffers. You mentioned that that would certainly take some staff time to to monitor and and enforce that. Did this council have a discussion about whether they are willing to put more money into enforcement or not at this point? >> I'm sorry. Could you I'm not sure everybody heard >> to put to actually dedicate revenues to enforcement >> to enforcement. Okay. G generally speaking, um the council um is talking about through their budget process authorizing an additional full-time employee within community development related to rental licensing and um some proactive code enforcement related to um the work that we do in community development. So from a citywide lens, yes, specific to, you know, what this may generate, I would say that hasn't specifically been analyzed. Um staff, you know, will include that in our um background report to city council on, you know, if we do have buffers, what that would look like for staff time and enforcement. We'll um put some budget considerations to that. >> Thank you. Is that additional body in the preliminary budget that's going to council right now? Okay. >> Any other questions on the food truck? >> Okay. Up toformational updates. First one's uh Chamber of Commerce update. >> Yes. Um so uh there was state of the schools um earlier this month. Uh school district 191 state of the schools. I should uh clarify. We have technically four districts within uh the city of Savage, ISD 191, the Prior Lake school, Savage schools, Shakipi, and then just a little bit of Bloomington um in the very northern portion of the city. But um there was a new superintendent um at 191. So we heard from her and um her ideas for um improving the school district and just making it a better place for students um the employees and the community. Uh the it was very well attended um kind of a partnership between the um ch Burnsville Chamber of Commerce, Savage Chamber of Commerce and a lot of community members were there as well. Uh there was a mural ribbon cutting um if you have not seen it up close um you I'm sure you've all driven by um to get here to city hall. Uh but the library mural um some beautiful mosaic um there was ribbon cutting earlier um this month um which the Savage Chamber was at. Um I'd invite you to take a closer look. Um various times of the day it just looks so different if the sun's shining on it um or if it's cloudy and just kind of get a different view each time you're there. Um so that's really impressive. Um the Savage Chamber of Commerce iso hosting a fall fling at the Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club. It's networking, socializing um event as well. Um and then on November 12th, they'll be um at the state of the school with the Prior Lake School District. Um overall um they're working on um membership numbers. So working on renewals, working on um attracting new members as well as um just communicating to existing members um the different uh networking events that are available. So um and just opportunities. Um, sounds like the newsletter is getting still good traction, a lot of opens, a lot of good information sharing, not only events that are happening, but resources for businesses as well um throughout um the county and throughout the region um state and federal um just FYI to be aware of. >> Good. >> Y >> uh MDOT project on 13. >> Yes. Um so a little over a month ago um I had reached out to the economic development commission um and the other liaison for the various commissions um had reached out to commission members to see if there would be somebody um able and willing to serve on a mindot project highway 13 visual quality um meeting. Uh as um you may know, Highway 13 um is currently under um evaluation for uh much needed improvements um for a safety lens and a traffic uh flow mobility lens. Um with that um there is community engagement um through the visual quality update there. I mean there has been community engagement project updates and open houses but specifically um Mindot has hired a consultant um SRF to lead the visual quality update. So, um members of the commission, um members from city staff, from our uh public works, uh communications department, engineering, um our community development department, that's me. Um uh the chamber of commerce, um are all in attendance from SA Savage representation as well as Burnsville representation because this crosses two cities. um to provide im input on what impacts will um the design and construction um and the the overall work. Um how will that impact the the city, the businesses? Um how can we make this a a pleasant experience? um as non-impactful as possible. But then also going forward um what can we do to um whether it's art or preserving sight lines or um increasing sight lines to things um what can be done to kind of improve um the area. So um there's a series of meetings. So far there have been two meetings. The next meeting is um October 3rd. Uh those will continue um through March of 2026. Uh there our representation from the economic development commission is Jill Sims. Um so uh she's been providing in input from a lens of kind of the business uh lens from the city standpoint. Um and then again we all we have um representation from our other commissions as well, parks commission, community equity commission and planning commission providing um input from their their lens as well. Um happy to answer any specific questions that you might have. Um again this is an ongoing project led by um MDOT and their consultant group that they're working with. >> Mr. Chair, how does the timeline of the work mind's doing tie into the Stantech work? And is Stantech going to be at these meetings or have any input or at least be able to monitor the progress of that? I I'm just worried that Stantech won't be able to keep up with the schedule um and and it will impact their work. >> Um great question um Commissioner Corgan. So, um the Stantech team um is aware will be aware of the the work that's done. Um we'll provide them with information. Again, um the work that the Stantech team is doing at citywide. Um but they this will be a something that they will weave in integrate as much as they can into the work that they do. Um Stantech is um the great thing is they do a lot of work throughout the metro. um nationally and internationally. Um so they have a lot of tools and resources and ha um have been through um roadway projects before and will have a lot of tools and suggestions um for us as well. Um so I'm pretty confident that they'll >> No, I guess my question was will they be up to speed and prepared to fully participate in the mind work? I mean, we can hopefully they're at a point where they can see whether what they're the direction they're heading is consistent with what Mindot's proposing, >> you know, and along with that, Fred, is the downtown revisioning project. I mean, there's really three projects going on kind of all at once, and they're all going to be doing one of these things, I think, from time to time. It appears to me >> that there's going to have to be some very good coordination or or transfer of information, I guess, so that each study knows what is going on with the other that they either aren't duplicating or replicating the wheel or missing something because they think somebody else is going to do it. Um, as far as Stantech being at the table, I don't foresee them being at the table at the various um, visual quality meetings. Um, they'll, you know, certainly we'll point them to the MDOT website. We'll uh, prepare them with information when we meet with them um, on a consistent basis from a staff lens and keep them a breast of what's going on, the specifics. Um the uh absolutely um Commissioner Zastro, there's a lot happening all at once. Um and we'll just do our best um as a staff to inform and each other um of what's going on and um try not to duplicate work and it's yeah >> a lot of coordination. >> It is a lot of coordination. >> You get to play traffic cop, don't you? That's good. Any other questions on uh Highway 13? >> I uh I have a I don't know if it's a question or or a comment. >> Sure. >> Um and and you uh it was brought up about um you know this mindot study looking at the impact on downtown businesses and things of that nature. And so my comment is relative to that. And you know, as I said earlier, I had dinner last night downtown at the American Legion. And while I was there, I had the opportunity to talk with the general manager, Sue. And um I asked her I I didn't realize I wasn't tying in all these other studies to it, but my my question to her was is there from your perspective, is there anything the city of Savage, the Chamber of Commerce, or you as a business and other downtown businesses could do to bring more people into the downtown. And because this was like 8:00 at night when we were having this conversation and and there were four people, four patrons in the place, there were more employees there than patrons and I was one of the four having having dinner. Um, and so anyway, she her the first comment out of her mouth was, "This Highway 13 project is going to kill our business and all the other businesses in the downtown, especially the bars, will be will go out of business because of that project." And and she um, you know, it it was a a pretty doom and gloom type of comment. And maybe maybe there's some overreaction there. I don't know. However, they're they're they they she understood the the reason for the reconstruction of Highway 13. She wasn't questioning the need to redo the highway. She was obviously very concerned for her business as general manager that um how how are people going to get into the downtown to be able to patronize the American Legion or Buffalo Tap or you know any of the other businesses food food beverage or not >> if the access points are are highly limited which they're going to be because there's really from the south there's only two ways into the downtown anyway. Okay. Um, so you know, it it was a it was a serious concern to her and one that I I hope somehow in all these three studies that are going on simultaneously, they can pay really close attention to the the survival needs of the downtown businesses. >> I I think that's a good comment, Mark. Um, I hadn't given that a lot of thought personally because of where I live. When I go down to the Legion or any, you know, the tap or anywhere I come in from the other direction and those ways will still be open, >> right, >> the way I come in and so it never occurred to me that I I don't know I don't know the volume of business that comes to them off of 13 as opposed to coming in from the south. So, >> well, I mentioned that to her, too, and and she said, you know, her >> the the Legion members are all a they're 40, age 45 and above, >> and I said, well, >> just playing devil's advocate here. How how many of them come down Dakota or Lynn off of McCall versus coming up 13? She did not know the answer to that, but she said, "That's a good question." Yeah, you know, that's a that's a valid point. Mhm. >> So it may not have much if any impact at all that the the Highway 13 project, but if detours are such that McCall Road now becomes, you know, quite the thoroughfare uh or or whatever, it it could have impact on Lynn and Dakota and how you get on and off and in and out and whatever. I I you know, I I don't know. >> Yeah, I think it's part of the traffic study. That's that's the question is um while it let's assume for a moment it doesn't affect the businesses that people the same number of people still get there but everybody learns to change their driving habits when there's road construction. So what's that mean for uh Quinton and you know coming through the the down Lynn and those neighborhoods will be affected by probably additional traffic. >> That's the road right I meant Quinn not Dakota. >> Yeah. I never keep any of those straight. >> So, good point. Um, as a as a adjacent issue, it's not on 13, but I I received this because I live there. Um, Scott County is having an open house on Tuesday, September 23rd at the McCall Pond Learning Center to talk about the final plans they've got for upgrading McCall between 18 and 13. So, um, what that means for me is I gonna have to sneak out the back end of my >> I too. Yes. I I was >> They're going to close off. >> Not looking forward to that. >> Yeah. The prime entrance there. So, uh, they're going to reveal their final plans and and um I'll let them do that at the meeting and you can go to see that. However, they announced in in their flyer. They're not going to do the whole project. They've they have what they call phase one and phase two and they're not going to do phase two. They're just going to concentrate on phase one. But um that's kind of from 133rd Street down to the intersection at 13 and cleaning up the intersection down there by adding another eastbound lane. So you have two two lanes going straight across instead of just one and and creating a better right turn lane going south. So uh a lot of different things they expect to start it next year and hope to be done before the snow flies supposedly in 26. So >> Mr. Mr. Chair, where when is that and where is it? >> Uh the 23rd. >> Yep. >> Um at the Environmental Learning Center. Starts at uh 4:30 and goes till 6. >> At the Environmental Center. >> Yes. Thank you. >> You know, one thing with that is, you know, it will, I think, potentially cut off uh people coming from Shakape into the Savage area. like maybe they may have come from Shakapei to go to some of the the businesses in in Savage, but that's really between that and 13, it's going to pretty much cut off. >> Yeah. >> That option. So, >> yeah. And our our neighborhood can we can get to Home Depot or something over there if we need to, but we got to it's it's quite a secous route >> if you can't just jump down >> jump down Macall and that's all going to be closed off. So, >> yeah. >> Be here at 7:15 in the morning. I know it's >> a helicopter. I don't know what I'll do. >> Yeah, you're right. That's that's even to get here will be >> Yeah, it'll be a little crazy, but we'll we'll find a way. >> So, >> uh on to general economic development updates. >> Yes. >> Um so, development wise here in Savage, uh Gallery Savage is um the apartment building uh just over 100 units uh that's uh progressing really well. Um if you haven't driven past it off 154th, um it's um they're making a lot of headway there. Uh they do hope to be open in spring of 2026. Um we're getting calls in community development of um when can I rent space there. So um people we're directing people to their um right now there's a phone number um on their website. They don't have a splashy page yet, but um people are are very curious and and want to live in um those apartments. Um the Harbor Suites um that's a assisted living facility that was um approved at 154th and County Road 27. Um they have not submitted yet for building permit. Um they do anticipate submitting um in spring of 2026 for their building permit. Um that's their timeline now. So we'll keep track of that. >> How many units was that again? >> Um good question. I think about 20 18 to 20. >> Um South Park Drive road another road construction project uh that is anticipated to be complete um hopefully the end of September. Um, speaking of businesses, there have been a lot of um, concerns with our businesses within that area um, just with routing, detouring, um, tra or impacts from construction. So, um, everyone will be happy um, when that is uh, complete. it will look really nice um and be a asset to the community, but right now it's kind of a a headache for um not only our business community um but there have been some construction delays as well that have added um to that headache. Um the Meadows uh which is a um senior living um building across from HY just south of Lifetime. Uh the second edition is in for application. Uh that's 72 units of senior housing. Um that is planned there. Um they're in the phase right now where we're um they submitted an application. We've have comments back and forth from a staff standpoint on corrections that need to be made before they're ready to go to planning commission and then city council. So they're not quite yet scheduled for planning commission, but they're they're really close. >> Um >> Mr. What does that look like? That what's the expansion look like? >> It'll um the architecture will look similar to the existing building. The it'll be a separate building um with a connection u between the two buildings is proposed so that residents can access the services that are at the existing building. For example, they have a um believe it's hair salon and um some eating facilities. So people that live in the one building can walk over um to the other >> to the south. >> Um that would be >> the build their building in 42. >> It would be um there's a vacant lot just to the west of the existing Meadows building. So there will be a connection skyway connection is proposed between the two buildings. The existing building is on the that be the north west corner um of 42 and Dakota >> and the new building will be where >> um just to the west of >> just the road. >> No, next to it. >> Okay. So that brings up our discussion previously about the intersection crossing between Lifetime and Hi Ve. Now we have more pedestrians, more people trying to get across that intersection. There was a child, I think, injured or injured badly uh this summer at that intersection. Um there's no way you get across those four lanes walking without being more agile than maybe all of us are. Um any any I I guess I would just urge doubling the effort to do something with that intersection to make it safer at least to make drivers aware that there could be pedestrians in that um in that intersection um because a lot of those people are not walking up to 42. It's not easy to walk up from 42 from their front door to 42 and over to IV. So again, whatever effort was put into that, I think it needs to be doubled for this addition to the benefit of all of their residents and the town homes and every everything else that are in that development. Thank you. Um, Rivers of Life. Uh, that's an existing uh, memory care assisted living facility that's just west of the Meadows. U, they were in for an addition um, and that we anticipate um, will be um, approved through building permit soon. Um, and Quick Trip is in for building permit for an extension um, of their kitchen area and that's off of County Road 42 as well. Um I will be speaking on Thursday at a Scott County Community Development Agency sponsored broker event. Um South Metro uh focus um deed greater MSP um as well as the various Scott County cities, townships um will be at that event and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority. This will be held at Canterbury. Um the invite focus is on Scott County our brokers um to encourage them to do business and deals within Scott County. So opportunity to highlight the great things that are happening here um and um just trying to um highlight if the city has incentives uh what those might be land available um and just different different opportunities. So um that'll be an exciting event. I'll report back um after um at the next meeting. The what else do I have? Um lots of events. Um just continue to follow our social media. Um as well as Let's Talk Savage. Um, we've been adding development projects to our Let's Talk Savage platform as well as road construction projects and other um projects um that perhaps our parks departments working on or other departments. Um, but it's a great way to stay um in tune with what's going on in the community citywide. Uh, we've also re-engaged our development map. So, the development map talks with Let's Talk Savage. So, you can go to a map on our city website, click on a dot, and then it'll take you to more. It'll have a little bit of information, but it will take you, um, back to Let's Talk Savage for more information about the project specifically. So, um, great to stay aware of what's going on in the community. That's all I have for that item. >> Good. Any other questions for Regina on those updates? >> None. We have a bus tour coming up on October 1st. >> Yes. um bus tour uh will leave promptly at 5:00 pm on October 1st. I'll send some follow-up information on that. The plan is to u meet here at city hall um get on the MVTA sponsored bus um and drive down um to South Park Drive. Um we'll pass we'll pass the Meadows development along the way and Rivers of Life will point that out. Um and um we'll get off the bus um to learn about the South Park Drive improvements. Um someone from our engineering team will talk about that um what that means for the community. Um we'll then go to Creek Hill Park um and learn about that park, how the city um acquired land for that um and what a great amenity that is for the area. Um, we'll then go to Gallery Savage. Um, because it's still under construction and quite muddy at the site, what we'll do is we'll pull over. Um, we'll look at the development to the south from the south side of the bus. Uh, the developer is going to we can perhaps get off the bus and look as well. But uh the developer um someone from the development team will be speaking about the project and you know why they ultimately chose Savage um and why now and um kind of talk just about their process and and um a little bit about their their company as well. Um and then we'll um go to downtown Savage um where we'll do a just a mini walking tour um this time. So, wear good walking shoes. Um, and I'll put some more information about that um with the length of the walk and um some options um if you're um people on the bus are unable to um do that walk. Um the we will be or we have invited our different commissions as well. Um as well as the city council and staff will be in attendance on the bus >> and we're planning about two hours. Is that >> correct? >> Okay, >> good. Thank you. Any questions on the bus tour? Last year's abbreviated one was was fun, so looking forward to this one. It'll be good. Uh looks like we have plenty of time for Fred's presentation. Uh before we do, I just want to uh don't want to miss out on the chance to uh congratulate Commissioner Hus on her new addition and her family. >> So glad everything's going well. >> So with that, uh why don't we ceue up Fred's presentation? I'm ready. Sure, we can do that. >> So this presentation was made to the scale uh meeting on Friday. Um, scale is the Scott County Alliance for Association, I'm sorry, for leadership and efficiency that was formed in 2003. That includes all the local governments, the school districts um in the county in the county government. Um, >> Commissioner Corgan, do you want me to um flip through the slides or do you want to come over here? >> Sure. Go ahead. >> Okay. Could I ask you, Commissioner Corgan, to just speak a little bit louder or maybe more directly into the >> So, you will change it for me. Oh, >> either so you'll either have to come to the podium and I can >> Why don't you go ahead and do it? >> Okay. So, the Bloomington Ferry Bridge opened 30 years ago today. Um, this year the um bypass did not open until 90 1996. So uh we will have a bigger celebration next year for the whole project which was the Bloomington Ferry Bridge. The 169 back bypass which goes uh south from the bridge south of Shakipi. Um and then the mini bypass which was downtown Shakabby which took the truck mostly the truck traffic off 1 Avenue and kind of uh rescued downtown Shaki if you like because um up until then the the trucks coming in and out of Savage grain trucks pretty much stopped any activity in um in the downtown shock the area. that's changed since uh 1996, but um it was certainly a huge improvement. So, this presentation was really put together with the Minnesota or the Scott County Historical Society, and it was kind of fun working with them because they added some features to this that um I wouldn't never have known where to find. But um just to people ask why it's called the Ferry Bridge because there was a ferry there from uh 1852 to 1890. was privately operated um by a local business and it was fun that it provided and I didn't realize this either provided an important connection between St. Paul and southern Minnesota the Red River Valley Trail and we all know where the Red River is crossed the Minnesota River here in in Savage and Shakape before continuing south to Mano. Um I haven't quite made that connection. Why did the Red River Trail come all the way down here? But uh there was a lot of immigrant uh traffic coming from the river moving up into into the Dakotas and apparently this was one of the major ways for them to get there. Bridge number one was constructed in 1892. Um was built as a swing bridge powered first by mules. I love this. Again, this is the history museum adding some color to this presentation. Then a generator. And if all that failed, people powered if that broke down. By in 1950s, uh that bridge was in need of repair. And by 1968, um the Metropolitan Council determined a four-lane bridge would be needed at some point at County Road 18. Um 1975, this was kind of fortunate for the future of the bridge, but a bridge struck. the bridge that was built in um 1968. There was no accidental damage, but the inspection revealed structural fatigue and overstress when the bridge was open. The recommendation was a permanent closure and removal, which set the stage for um a temporary bridge approved in 1977. uh initially due to be removed in 1983 that was extended to 95 at a that particular bridge cost $500,000 two lanes 24 foot wide bridge opened December 9th 1977. Next slide. So, my um involvement with this is I was the um co-chair of the Scott County Transportation Coalition, which was the group that had lobbyed for um a new Bloomington Ferry Bridge in the bypasses um for many years. Actually, the first meetings not of that group, but uh first meetings to get a four-lane bridge across were started in the 1950s. So the Scott County Board of Commissioners approved a site for the bridge location in 1968. There was a number of choices. One was to come down Normandale and cross the river into Savage at that point where the old swing bridge was. Um the interesting thing about that location is they couldn't find the bottom of the river. So when they were pile driving, it just kept going and going and going and they figured that wasn't going to hold a bridge very well. So they moved west and west and west and finally were able to uh locate the bridge fortunately right at the bottom of County Road 18. So the groundbreaking was in 1991 which is the picture and the bridge opened in in o on October 5th 6 I'm sorry 1995. It's 1.1 miles long. The cost of a bridge was $138 million and over a hund00 million from the federal government. And the rest of this story is the impact on Scott County. But I wanted to just spend a minute on if we have time, Mr. Chair, to talk about these dollars and the the fact that the federal government at that time was matching 90% of projects like this. Um the state provided virtually the rest of this money by uh providing the other 10%. Um Roger Mole, who was the the majority leader in the Senate, um always started off the Senate session saying we will match every federal dollar that we can. At 90%, 10% is a pretty good deal. So when you consider that there was really almost no local direct dollars involved in this bridge and had that been built 10 or 20 years later um the to give you an example the Stillwater Bridge cost over $600 million and that didn't include some extensive local dollars that went into it for utility replacements. Our timing of getting this project done was um fortunate at least. So in 1995, the Scott County Transportation Coalition working with the Met Council um and justifying some of this federal money um did some 2015 population predictions. And so at that time um those numbers predicted Jordan would grow to a population of 3425 actually grew after the bridge by 2015 after the bridge was open um that population had grown to 6,000 prior lake um was predicted to go 19,000. It actually grew to 25,000 by that. So in what are we 1996 in 10 years um that there was significant growth in population going on. I was kidding Brad Larson the city manager at this meeting that I'm not sure quite what happened to Savage but they didn't quite make the projection. Um Shakape certainly was the biggest uh had the biggest impact of predictions of 25,000 and actually had grown to 44,000. I moved here in 1990 1975 Jacabe was 8,000 people and so the amount of growth that's taken place over these 30 years is really impressive. Next slide please. So these are some of the population you you just saw some of the population increases you um during that period from 2000 to 2020 Scott County was the fastest growing county in the country. Um so the impact of infrastructure investment uh especially south of the Minnesota River has been dramatic. Next slide please. One of the goals that the county um quickly came to, even at $136 million, um these are expensive projects. And so one of the goals became um of the county became to um provide more jobs in the county so that people did not have to commute out of the county. And that obviously most of that commuting was taking place to the north. a significant amount was being um was taking place to the east to go Dakota County and and into St. Paul. But you can see that in 2000 um 35% of the residents in Scott County were actually working in Scott County. By 2010 that had got to 34,000 at which point there was a a group that really is a predecessor of of the CDA's efforts to bring more um employ more employers to the county which was called firsttop shop and that was a effort to um have a single body that would react to businesses that were looking to locate here and and the event on Thursday is part of that effort to introduce uh companies locally and nationally to uh Scott County and the advantages of locating your business here. So at that time they set the goal 50% by 2030. We wanted 50% of the residents to be able to work in Scott County by 2030. Well, we got there by um 2010 and 2019 we're up to 40%. uh 2021 56% fell off a little bit in 2023 but uh that target of 50% was reached pretty quickly in the game in part because of this investment in infrastructure. Next slide please. So, as I mentioned, the actual um opening of the whole project is next year, and we hope to have a community celebration at that time. And again, to let people know we're here, and you it's easy to get across the river. Um other notable anniversaries that are kind of going on the same time, the 50th anniversary of the community development agency, which started as an HA in uh in 1990 in 1976, I'm sorry. Um the 50th anniversary of Valley Fair was um 1976 and that's what brought me to this county. The 40th anniversary of the Scott County Transportation Coalition and the 22nd anniversary of of scale. The last I think that's the last slide. The last thing I would mention is all of these uh um activities, all of these anniversaries indicate um rather a unique um uh it is unique in local government. I think the chair would agree with this that um for whatever maybe the water in Scott County, everybody gets along when these projects need to get going. and um the the this Scott County Transportation Coalition included pretty much all the communities along the 169 corridor uh who put staff time mostly. As you can see, we did a lot of effective lobbying and didn't have to put a lot of our own money into it. Um but the main one of the main things that made this project go ahead so quickly was that the city of Shakabe bought the rightway for the bypass. Um, and that right, so Mindot did not have to buy that right ofway. And they spent a million dollars doing that, but it went from something like a project on Mindot's list at number 46 to number four because the right of way was there. It was available, they could start building and and make this project work. But all of these anniversaries, um, the CDA is another that involves all the local communities working together to, um, make this a better a better community, a better county, and to provide for, uh, both employment and wonderful residential opportunities. So, it's a great story and it happened pretty quickly. >> Good. Thank you. Any uh questions for Fred on on the bridge? We will keep telling that story for the next couple years. >> Oh, we glad we could get it in and we're still on time. So wonderful. >> Oh, I have to tell you, I don't know. I'm going to do this. >> Hold on. You're out of time now. >> I'm going to have to do this from memory because there was a note on one of the slides. >> Oh, >> can you see those slides? >> Yeah. >> The cost of the cost of going across the bridge. >> No, across the ferry, I'm sorry. Was 10 cents. >> 10 cents. >> 10 cents, I think. >> Thank you. Byebye. I think it was 10 cents for a team of horses in uh 1820 and then that >> when I saw I saw the picture on your slide. I don't I'm I remember the movie True Grine where they're trying to get their horses on this ferry and the guy was going to pull them across the bridge or the river. >> I I can't see the note. if you want to just tell. I thought that was that was a fun note and again working with the history museum where she found those numbers I don't know but it was fun working with her. >> So the note says uh the ferry shown in the picture in the background um you can see the cable stretched across that a team could be guided across. Uh the cable could be raised and lowered to allow boats to pass. The Bloomington Ferry charged 25 cents per team, 15 cents for a man on horseback, 10 cents for a person on foot, and 10 per head of life of livestock. >> There you go. There's the history of the Bloomington Fair. Thank you, Mr. Chair. >> There you go. Great. Anything else for the good of the order? >> Move we adjourn. >> Second. >> Second. All in favor? >> I I >> meeting adjourned. Thank you. See you next