HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-17-2017 Special Meeting MinutesAUBURN
Special City Council Meeting
February 17, 2017 - 2:00 PM
Council Chambers
WA� , I i I N6 r0N MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Nancy Backus called the special meeting to order at 2:00 p.m. in
the Council Chambers of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main
ROLL CALL
City Councilmembers present: Deputy Mayor Largo Wales, Bob Baggett,
Claude DaCorsi, John Holman, and Rich Wagner. Councilmember Bill
Peloza arrived at 2:40 p.m. Councilmember Yolanda Trout -Manuel was
excused.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
A. Economic Development Strategic Plan
1. Strategic Plan Summary
2. Workshop Format
3. 2017 Retail Activity and Update
4. Review of Goals
5. Prioritize Strategies and Budget Alignment
Economic Development Manager Lein introduced Jeff Marcell from
TIP Strategies and Aaron Farmer from The Retail Coach.
Mr. Marcell explained the priorities for the first two years include
formalizing departmental involvement in strategies, hiring
consultants or position partner organizations for tasks and hiring
additional staff. Each area will have four focus areas; delivery,
product, place and messaging. Each focus area has multiple
strategies to help implement it and each strategy has multiple tasks.
Not all tasks will take the same time or resources, a portion of some
tasks are being completed currently by staff while others are not. If
the City chooses to allocate no addition resources or staffing
the Ten Year Economic Development Strategic Plan will only be
partially achievable.
Mr. Marcell stated Retail Coach suggests the City have a retail focus
area that includes Auburn Way South, Auburn Way North,
Robertson Group property, Lakeland Hills, the downtown area and
the Outlet Collection area. The City will need to identify retailers and
shoppers for each focus area. Retail Coach has identified a retail
gap that identifies sales leakage (when auburn residents purchase
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products and services outside the city). The City can use this
information to work with developers to recruit the needed
businesses.
Councilmember DaCorsi asked if there is a plan to tie the retail
focus areas together or keep them separate. Mr. Farmer
stated since the City of Auburn has to provide consumers something
that appeals to them in order to bring the people to the areas, they
recommend looking for ways to tie the retail focus areas together.
Mr. Farmer reviewed the primary retail trade area and the secondary
trade area. Councilmember Wagner stated he believes the City
should use a larger area to attract more businesses.
Mr. Farmer stated the City will need to use the data regarding the
median age of the residents to find businesses to serve those
demographics. Currently residents are spending $1.5 billion outside
the City. He stated as a municipality the City will have to recruit the
businesses. The Retail Coach is focusing on developer recruitment
and retailer development.
Councilmember Wagner stated he does not want to ignore the
internet sales. Mr. Farmer explained only about 10% of all retail
sales are online the remaining 90% of sales are at brick and mortar
locations.
Mr. Marcell reviewed to componets of the Strategic Plan. He started
with the Strategic Opportunity areas; delivery, product, place and
messaging. The performance indicators include the tax base, market
and employment.
Councilmember DaCorsi asked about a city slogan. Mr. Marcell
explained a slogan does not have a great return on investment.
Deputy Mayor Wales stated the slogan "More Then You Imagined"
works well for the parks department. If the City is going to have a
slogan, then there may need to be more than one.
Manager Lein explained that the department directors met and
focused on the four areas of the plan and broke each area down into
tasks. The four focus areas are delivery, product, place and
messaging. He explained that each focus area has multiple
strategies and each strategy has multiple tasks. Not all tasks will
take the same amount of time or resources. Some tasks can be
accomplished with existing staff and some will take additional
employees. If the City does not hire the additional staff the Ten Year
Economic Development Strategic Plan is only partially achievable as
adopted.
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Mr. Marcell shared the approach for implementation support for the
first two years. Including formalizing departmental involvement in
strategies, hiring consultants or partners for tasks the City should
not do on its own and hiring additional staff.
Mr. Marcell explained the opportunity areas designated within the
plan; Delivery - a comprehensive service delivery system that
actively identifies and advances economic development
opportunities in Auburn; Product - an inventory of sites, a business
climate and a physical environment that foster business growth and
ensure a resilient employment base; Place - attractive gateways,
impression corridors and destinations that define the character of
Auburn and Messaging - a coordinated marketing and branding
campaign that elevates Auburn's reputation among internal and
external audiences. They discussed the recommended approach for
each opportunity area and the requirements for implementation.
Mayor Backus stated she has asked staff to bring forward the funds
required for the additional staff for Council's consideration.
Councilmember Wagner stated he believes it would help to have a
person whose job is to provide customer advocacy.
Deputy Mayor Wales stated she thought a portion of the business
development position should be dedicated to help business owners
work with the City.
Councilmember DaCorsi asked how the City of Auburn generates
business tourism. Mr. Marcell explained his company will go out and
introduce the business community to Auburn.
Mr. Marcell explained the next steps for his office will be to provide
the TIP Workshop Outcome report including budget
recommendations, department evaluations and implementation
contractors and partners, an ongoing plan for implementation and
action refinement plan and a year-end check in and performance
matrix update and adjustments.
III. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting
adjourned at 3:46 p.m.
APPROVED THE I fly` DAY OF -OBER, GA)N +-y
Z04-?- 1-011.
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NANCY B S, MAYOR Shawn Campbell, Deputy City Clerk
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