HomeMy WebLinkAboutTCSP Oversight Committee Minutes (27) OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF OCTOBER 17, 2002 MEETING
Present: Mayor Bud Johnson, John Smith, Judy Golclsby, Kate Stevenson, Carol Strizich, Gaye
Easton, and Cai Cumin; also present: James Klessons (Beat'tooth RC&D) and Liz Chang (Sen.
Baucus~ Ot~fice).
Minutes of the last meeting were approved as presented.
Klessons discussed focus of RC&D activity and services available to Laurel. He also talked
about some possible leads for mil service-related business--specifically contacting Schwab (sp?)
Tire and Hormel Company. Both organizations could use or may be interested in a rail-side
truck distribution center located in this area (kinda between the centers of Minneapolis and
Seattle).
Liz was asked specifically for possible assistance from the Federal government to hire a local
economic development coordinator that would represent Laurel and work with the established
economic development agencies such as the RC&D and Big Sky Economic Development
Authority (BSEDA). The OC indicated it was seeking about $30,000 for a two-year, start-up
program
Liz said most funds go to existing regional agencies, and, also, that what Laurel could put into
the pot, money-wise, is also important. She said assistance monies also are often based on
specific jobs generated by the related project. One way to obtain funds locally is to include local
admiulstration of funding projects as part of the project. She also suggested the US Department
of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development program which includes grants to qualifying local
agencies/governments for start-up economic development coordination functions. Qualification
for such programs depends on the structure of the applying entity and the project.
Klessons noted that Hardin uses a set-aside from each of its enterprise fi~nds to fund a local
economic development coordinator to the tune of about $35,000 per year. (Hardin is about half
the size of Laurel.) He also noted EPA's Brownfield program that does assessment grants up to
$400,000 where someone is willing to purchase an environmentally damaged site and clean it up.
EDA also has business incubator monies. James noted that Stillwater Mining may be looking to
expand their operation at Columbus, and that the Columbus site is full.
Liz said that it is important that we let our legislators know what we are planning and what we
need to facilitate our plans--in addition to Congressman Rehberg and Senators Baucus and
Burns. Mayor Johnson noted that the Yellowstone Coalition, o£ which he is Laurel's
representative, is focused on up-coming legislation; this organization includes School District 2,
the hospitals, city and county government, and the Billings Chamber o£ Commerce. Its mission
is to try and come up with common issues all o£the members can support.
John Smith (who is chairman of the Airport Authority) said that a Marketing and Finance
Committee (Bob Wicns is chair) has been set up, working with Rocky Mountain College, to do
business development outreach for the airport. It plans to develop financial plans for
development at the airport that provides information on cost, land acquisition, hanger
construction, etc. for potential users.
Cai passed out a draft of by4aws for Laurel Development Corporation, Inc. (LDC). This is a
suggested private development corporation that would promote economic development. Such
corporations are actively and intensively used by dynamic places such as Powell and Butte to
pursue everything from land acquisition to loan development. As a 501c(6) corporation, the
LDC can also lobby the Legislature, a point that Klessons is good.
Cal discussed possible approaches to Laurel's Bike/Ped Plan which he is pursuing as part of the
TCSP Project.
Invoices from Fischer and Associates for $100.00 and Cumin Associates for $440.00 were
submitted. Motion by Gaye with second by Smith to approve; motion carried.
Meeting adjourned.