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Home My WebLink About2012-09-13 ACE MINUTES• • • ALLIANCE FOR COMMERCE IN ENGLEWOOD COMMITIEE September 13, 2012 Minutes and audio are available at: http ://www .englewoodgov.org /index .aspx?page= 1103 I. CALL TO ORDER l?] The regular meeting of the Alliance for Commerce in Englewood Committee (ACE) was ca ll ed to order at 11 :40 a.m. in the City Council Conference Room of the Englewood Civic C e nte r, Chair Knoth presiding . Present: Abs e nt: Vasi las (e nt e re d 11 :4 8 ), Calonder, Knoth, Weinberger Whyte (alternate ) Sarconi, Schalk, Miller, Champion Also present: Joe Jefferson, City Council Liaison Staff present: Alan White, Community Development Director (e nte re d 11 :4 7) Darren Hollingsworth, Economic Development Manager APPROVAL OF MINUTES July 12 , 2012 Chair Knoth stated that the Minutes of July 12 , 2012 were to be considered for approval. It was determined there was not a quorum at this time. At 11 :48 Mr. Vasilas entered the meeting and there was now a quorum. Chair Knoth asked if there were any changes or adjustments to the Minutes. There w e re non e. Mr. Calonder moved: Mr. Vasilas seconded: THE MINUTES OF July 12 , 2012 BE APPROVED AS WRITIEN. The motion carried. II. ACE BUSINESS l?] Business Summit Discussion Mr. Hollingsworth said City Counci l wi ll discuss the Business Summit at its September 1 l1h study session. He provided a brief overview of the proposed agenda for the Business Summit. He stated City Council is lookin g for feedback from ACE on the upcoming event to be held At City Center here in Englewood on February 21 , 2013 from about 7:30 to 11 :30 a.m . We will be able to accommodate approx imately 150 people. There wi ll be no fee to 1 • • • attend the event. One breakout session is scheduled to be presented by the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce on Social Media and offered the following choices that could be considered for the second breakout session: • Energy Efficiency -Tax credits /funds for business energy efficiency • Funding options for small businesses • New healthcare laws • Marketing options for small businesses Mr. Calonder and Mr. Whyte offered to sit on the panel if funding options is chosen. Discussion points: );> );> );> );> );> );> );> );> );> );> );> );> );> Possible breakout session topics How to market the Business Summit Who is the target audience Initially it was envisioned to be a resource for Englewood businesses Should Summit be geared more for the business owner than property owner What does the public want and what is the need Q & A session is a good opportunity to let City Council hear feedback from the businesses throughout the course of the day Who will be invited What is the opportunity for a third breakout session; is there room to do one Should we have public feedback as to what people want Change the order of the agenda to hold the breakout sessions last Are people going to want to interact with City Council; what are they going to be looking for from Council Incentive Policy might be of interest to businesses Mr. Calonder stated he is not sure what ACE is accomplishing at meetings. We spend a lot of time discussing agenda items and then Council doesn't really care for our recommendations . He said he feels he's wasting his time coming to meetings and members don't show up. He said he's a little disenfranchised and discouraged by the whole thing. Mr. Jefferson said he agrees that some of it has been on Council as far providing guidance and getting some things out there. We have to be proactive and look for things; sometimes it is going to float and sometimes it is not. He said he understands the frustration. Chair Knoth stated Vice Chair Weinberger and he have discussed the fact City Council is not giving ACE anything and what they do give us they have already thought about beforehand. Either we need to get aggressive and push items they are not thinking about to them or we don 't hold monthly meetings. We only hold ACE meetings when City Council has given us a task . Mr. Calonder and Mr. Weinberger agreed that's a viable option at this point. Mr. Calonder said for you, Mr. Jefferson. there are several young guys on ACE and Ted, who brings vast experience from 40 years of doing business in Englewood. We are who Englewood should be coming and our voice is not being heard. If you don't have an agenda item for us we aren't going to waste our and energy. Mr. Jefferson said he thinks that's fair and he's beat that drum at Council as well. He said he could probably be pro- active and come up with things and running them by Council. What you're saying isn't totally unreasonable. 2 • • • Mr. Vasilas apo logiz ed for being lat e to the m ee tin g; he was with a c ustom e r and co uld not leave. He asked about what is currently happening w ith b u sinesses in the City. He was informed all that inform at ion is em ai led o ut to th e various Ci ty boards and commissions as we ll as to City Council in a monthl y Community D eve lopm e nt newsletter. Chair Knoth asked the members if th ey would be wi llin g to come up with age n da items. It was de t er min ed th ey would not as th ey have tri ed to do th at in th e past and it has been unsuccessful. They want to be t asked w ith a project from Council unl ess we are go in g to specifically change th e role of ACE and our voices are truly go in g to be he a rd . Unless ACE is tasked with a specific job we shouldn 't spend our time with ideas th at aren't being heard anyway. Chair Knoth sa id then from now on ACE is not go in g to meet unl ess Council has giv en us something specific to work on. Several said that's fair. Mr. Jefferson asked abo ut several ACE m emb e rs attendi n g a Council st udy sess ion to have this d iscuss ion. Chair Knoth said he wo uld wa nt all m emb ers to attend, not just a few. Mr. Weinberger asked if Council would like to attend the October ACE meeting. It was determ in ed it would be better if ACE went to a City Council st udy session. Mr. Jefferson said he wou ld set u p a time for ACE to attend. Mr. Vasi las asked for an update on Kent Pla ce act ivity . At this time the m emb ers voted o n the minutes sin ce there was now a quo rum . Ill. PUBLIC COMMENT l!l1 There was no p ubli c present. IV. COMMENTS l!l1 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Ms. Mel lo was not in attendance. Mr. Whyte provided an update on future events. l!l1 BID COMMENTS Mr. Vasi las updated the members on BID activity. STAFF COMMENTS l!l1 Dire ctor White n oted Mr. Jefferso n had alr eady mentioned City Co un c il has adopted an In centive Policy. He updated the members on the Sign Code Amendments, the Martin Plastics p ro perty red eve lopm ent, the Flood Midd le School Pl anning and Zoning Comm ission public h ea rin g and the redeve lopm ent of th e old Baily's site . 3 • • • CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS It] Mr . Jefferson stated he would arrange for ACE to attend a City Council Study Session . He stated he would email the members when the date has been set. ACE COMMENTS It] Mr. Whyte asked for clarification on what ACE needed to bring to the Study Session. Mr. Calonder thanked Mr. Vasilas for coming to the meeting even though he cou ldn 't be ther e w hen the meeting began. V. UPCOMING ACE BUSINESS a. The next meeting is scheduled for October 11 , 2012. No further business was brought forth for consideration . The meeting was adjourned at 12:43 p.m . 4