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PCC
ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL
CO,W
ITY OF SHKOSH ISCONSIN
J15,2013
ANUARY
SM
PECIAL EETING
SPECIAL MEETING held Tuesday, January 15, 2013, at 5:30 p.min Room 404, City Hall.
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Mayor Tower presided.
PRESENT: Council Members Jef Hall, Tom Pech, Jr, Bob Poeschl, Steve Cummings, Deb
Allison-Aasby, Steven Herman and Mayor Burk Tower
ALSO PRESENT: Mark Rohloff, City Manager, Pamela Ubrig, City Clerk, Allen Davis,
Director of Community Development, Kelly Nieforth, Economic Development Specialist, and
Adam Prager from the Prager Company.
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ORKSHOP ITH RAGER EAM TO ISCUSS CONOMIC EVELOPMENT TUDY
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ECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS
Adam Prager from the Prager Company gave an overview of the Economic Development
Study his company, an economic advisory firm, completed for the City of Oshkosh.
Council Member Herman asked if the Prager Company recommended the public/private
approach to economic development for all communities.
Mr. Prager stated although the public/private approach to economic development was the
most common economic development arrangement for most communities, it was not the
answer for every community.
Council Member Herman questioned if all businesses in the City should be included in the list
of stakeholders.
Mr. Prager stated it was not realistic to include all businesses in the list of stakeholders. A
key cadre of businesses involved in the process was necessary for a public/private economic
development model to be successful.
Council Member Herman asked how the City could involve the next generation of business
owners and citizens in the process of economic development.
Mr. Prager stated in order for economic development to be effective, the general population
had to be made aware of what was happening through the medial, annual reports, etc. He
felt the University was under utilized and could be useful for research to identify and pursue
future opportunities.
Mayor Tower asked what the structure of the public/private economic development model
would be and if Mr. Prager could provide a list of other communities that his company had
done economic development studies for.
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PCC–J15,2013
ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL ANUARY
Mr. Prager stated he would provide the City with a list of other communities which created
public/private economic development partnerships.
Council Member Hall was concerned about the initial set up and structure of the public/private
economic development partnership.
Mr. Prager explained there had to be a clear definition of what the stakeholders sought from
the organization. Agreements would be put into place to ensure the partnership was meeting
its performance measurements. If efforts were not as effective as the partnership would like,
changes could be made to the implementation of strategies.
Council Member Herman questioned what roll the Common Council would have in the
public/private economic development partnership.
Mr. Prager explained as well as promoting the City, the Council also weighed in on critical
economic development decisions such as infrastructure development and real estate
enhancement.
Mr. Rohloff added that the Council approved credit for incentives, TIF districts, grant
applications and addressed important regulatory issues.
Council Member Allison-Aasby asked what the next step would be if the Council agreed to be
part of the public/private economic development partnership.
Mr. Prager stated after determining to part of the public/private economic development
partnership, the next step would be to determine who would be included in the public/private
economic development partnership. Once the stakeholders were established, the mission of
the public/private economic development partnership should be solidified, a board of directors
chosen, and the by-laws written.
Council Member Pech asked how long it would take to bring the public/private economic
development partnership to fruition.
Mr. Prager stated the public/private economic development partnership could be
accomplished within a six month time frame. He explained that there were things that could
be done along the way such as research and recruitment efforts for the person who would
oversee the organization.
Council Member Pech questioned if the recruitment of the person who would oversee the
partnership should be done during the development of the partnership or once the
partnership was fully defined.
Mr. Prager suggested that the recruitment process for the person that would oversee the
partnership begin once the partnership was established or very close to being established,
and a job description was in place. There should also be the framework for a strategic plan.
He recommended hiring a professional recruitment agency specializing in economic
development executives.
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PCC–J15,2013
ROCEEDINGS OF THE OMMON OUNCIL ANUARY
Council Member Herman suggested that the Council’s recommendation to move forward with
the public/private economic development partnership be placed on the agenda for the next
Common Council Meeting. He also wanted the Council to begin talking to other communities
who have gone through the process of developing a public/private economic development
partnership.
MOTION: TO CONVENE INTO CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION
19.85(1)(C) OF THE WISCONSIN STATE STATUTES TO DISCUSS
THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND COMPENSATION
REGARDING THE CITY MANAGER AN EMPLOYEE OVER WHICH
THE COMMON COUNCIL HAS JURISDICTION AND EXERCISES
RESPONSIBILITY (Cummings; second, Pech)
CARRIED: Ayes (7) Herman, Cummings, Hall, Pech, Poeschl, Allison-Aasby,
Mayor Tower
MOTION: ADJOURN (Pech; second, Cummings)
CARRIED: VOICE VOTE
The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.
PAMELA R. UBRIG
CITY CLERK
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