Economic Development Committee

min072915.pdf (159 KB)

Economic Development Committee members present: Marty Krueger, Dennis Polivka, Dave Riek, Donna Stehling, Nathan Johnson, Peter Vedro, Brian Peper

Others present:    Keri Olson, Brian Simmert, Jenny Erickson, Bill Stehling, Brentt Michalek

At 6:02 p.m. Chair Krueger called the Economic Development Committee meeting to order and certified to be in compliance with the open meetings law.

Adopt Agenda:  Motion by Polivka/Stehling to adopt the agenda.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Adopt minutes of previous meeting – June 23:  Motion by Johnson/Polivka. Motion carried, all in favor, Vedro abstained.

Public comment:  None

Communications:  None

Update on the Sauk County Development Corporation (SCDC):  Krueger presented an update on the status of the SCDC’s transformation and stated that the SCDC Board provided direction to the SCDC Board president, Roger Friede, to appoint an ad-hoc committee to discuss future plans for the organization.  The ad-hoc committee includes Krueger, Mike Palm, Andrew Strathman, and Keri Olson.  Olson spoke about utilizing the SCDC strategic plan to guide SCDC’s transformation.  A future model may include a public-private partnership which will increase the robustness of how SCDC can better meet the needs of businesses. Olson also spoke about an upcoming event to be hosted at the University of Wisconsin – Baraboo campus and organized by SCDC and Madison Regional Economic Partnership that will focus on collaboration between manufacturers and educational institutions.

Update on Great Sauk Trail Commission:    Krueger presented an update on the status of the Great Sauk State Trail process.  Conversations about converting the rail to a trail are continuing to move forward.  A friends of the Great Sauk State Trail steering committee is working toward gaining non-profit status and forming a permanent friends of the Great Sauk State Trail board.  The friends steering committee is also beginning to form a capital campaign to raise funds for the construction of the Prairie du Sac / Sauk City Unit of the trail. 

Placemaking Initiative:

1. Recap of last meeting:  Simmert reviewed the concept of placemaking as it will be applied in Sauk County including five functional areas and principles.  Erickson summarized the presentation by Pat Schramm from Workforce Development.

2. Overview of demographics:  Erickson reviewed current demographic data from the 2010 census and projected percent reduction in population in the age 20-34 group.  Erickson then presented a map that depicted where concentrations of this age group currently live in Sauk County.  It was observed that concentrations occur in areas of apartment/rental housing, particularly in the Baraboo area.

3. Develop and approve millennial place branding initiative goal:    Olson presented an overarching goal as it relates to placemaking in Sauk County and the Millennial Place Branding Goal.

4. Discussion on the formation of millennial taskforce and timeline:  Simmert presented the concept of establishing a millennial task force to assist with the development of an online survey and to develop contacts and a network.  The task force would consist of skilled workers, ages 25-35; equal numbers of men and woman; representing a diversity of professions and may include Sauk County natives and transplants.  The task force would recommend two strategies, one of which will be to develop a brand and plan to market Sauk County.  The task force would begin their work in early September and conclude their work in December by identifying action steps.  The task force may also present their findings at a planned Sauk County leadership forum this fall. Olson elaborated on the fall leadership forum noting that the task force may participate in a panel discussion to take place before or after a presentation by a professional speaker who will provide a keynote address about attracting and retaining Millennials.

Motion by Vedro/Stehling to approve the formation of the task force and associated timeline.  Motion carried, all in favor.

5. Initiative considerations:  Olson reviewed a number of initiative considerations related to who will oversee, facilitate, and be responsible for the initiative.  Olson presented the idea of creating a paid position to provide consistent implementation of the initiative with an ideal candidate working with the initiative from the beginning and having the ability to market to and communicate/resonate/work with Millennials. 

Krueger reviewed forms of funding for the initiative and position and that the County Board will need to have an understanding that this is a multi-faceted and multi-year and that this will need to be a priority of the Board so that the initiative can reach its full potential.  Krueger suggested that the committee put together a budget request to be reviewed in August to fund the position.  The Committee agreed that pursuing funding for the position should move forward.

6. Erickson reviewed the Sauk County Location Decision Survey.  Discussion followed to allow the task force and UW River Falls to assist with further survey development.   Motion by Polivka/Riek to approve UW River Falls to administer the survey.  Motion carried, all in favor.

Next meeting date(s) and agenda items:  August 19, 2015 6:00 p.m.

Motion by Stehling/Riek to adjourn at 8:17 p.m. Motion carried, all in favor.

Respectfully submitted,

Donna Stehling

Economic Development Committee Secretary