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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGreater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation 2018AGREEMENT This agreement is between the City of Oshkosh, hereinafter the "City" and the Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation, hereinafter the "Greater Oshkosh EDC". In accordance with this agreement, Greater Oshkosh EDC agrees to provide economic development technical assistance to the City, to coordinate this assistance with designated City staff and Common Council, and to implement the activities set forth herein. PURPOSE The purpose of the agreement is to further the overall goals of economic development in the greater Oshkosh area by enhancing growth and investment through interagency cooperation and services provided by Greater Oshkosh EDC. AGREEMENT Greater Oshkosh EDC agrees to provide direct economic development technical assistance to the City in accordance with the adopted Greater Oshkosh EDC Strategic Plan. Greater Oshkosh EDC will act as the City's economic development advocate. Greater Oshkosh EDC, along with City staff members, will make available its best efforts to promote economic development including the recruitment, retention and expansion of business within the City and greater Oshkosh area. The economic development services to be provided by the Greater Oshkosh EDC will consist of the following: Existing Business Development Conduct an on-going business retention and expansion (BRE) that will include a comprehensive interview with prominent industries within the City of Oshkosh and greater Oshkosh area. Greater Oshkosh EDC will contact the City relative to any significant concerns. The efforts will be done in coordination with the Account Management strategies in place within the City of Oshkosh. 2. Assist existing businesses upon direct contact or referral from the Common Council and/or staff and report findings and resolution to the respective party. Greater Oshkosh EDC will provide information on existing local, state and federal economic development assistance programs that provide funding to local businesses. These programs include low-interest loans, tax credit programs and workforce development assistance. Greater Oshkosh EDC staff will also provide referrals to other organizations that can meet the needs of the business. 3. Greater Oshkosh EDC will pursue a targeted industry approach to strengthen competitiveness of core industries in the greater Oshkosh area. Activities include: Identify and evaluate market opportunities and requirements in the local and regional supply chains for identified industry clusters. Collaborate with industry experts, including educational partners, to form or enhance targeted industry roundtables, councils or other initiatives. Identify opportunities to collaborate on targeted industry efforts with appropriate partners including, but not limited to, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), the New North, and Northeast Wisconsin Regional Economic Partnership (NEWREP), and build upon previous targeted industry studies. Business Attraction 4. Greater Oshkosh EDC will help through the development of customized proposals to businesses interested in establishing a location within the City of Oshkosh upon direct contact or referral from the Common Council or City staff, or other reliable sources. This activity will be reported upon, in aggregate, as part of this agreement's semi-annual reports. 5. Greater Oshkosh EDC will maintain and increase relationship -based outreach strategies to site location consultants and realtors. Marketing Activities Greater Oshkosh EDC will develop targeted communications tools to reach stakeholders to garner on- going support for economic development efforts in the greater Oshkosh area. Additionally, Greater Oshkosh EDC will develop and implement a marketing plan that utilizes media and public relations relationships designed to increase the awareness of Greater Oshkosh EDC's comprehensive services and to reflect a positive image of doing business in the greater Oshkosh area. Greater Oshkosh EDC will pursue opportunities to inform and educate area service providers (i.e. accountants, attorneys, lenders) about the client services provided by Greater Oshkosh EDC to encourage client referrals. Greater Oshkosh EDC will lead redevelopment and distressed area revitalization efforts located in the City of Oshkosh, including but not limited to, the Sawdust District, Lakeshore and the Central City Investment Strategy (Imagine Oshkosh). Workforce Development 9. Greater Oshkosh EDC will engage local, regional, and statewide partners to ensure a technically educated, diverse and skilled workforce to support the businesses in the greater Oshkosh area. Greater Oshkosh EDC will meet with education partners to learn about programs, service, and partnership opportunities and ensure collaboration at all levels of education within the greater Oshkosh area. • Greater Oshkosh EDC will encourage and support business/education partnerships and apprenticeships. • Greater Oshkosh EDC will identify and participate in committees and boards that strive to address area workforce development needs. • As part of discussions with area businesses, Greater Oshkosh EDC will ask for information about future skill sets and other workforce needs. • Greater Oshkosh EDC will engage local and national union leadership to understand and address workforce needs. • Greater Oshkosh EDC will collaborate with state and other organizations to track workforce trends, including diversity. • Greater Oshkosh EDC will identify opportunities to support diverse, youth, disabled, and veteran initiatives. Business Finance 10. Through business retention and recruitment activities, Greater Oshkosh EDC will provide existing and potential businesses with information and assistance relative to available state, federal and local business development financing programs. This activity includes providing business loans to businesses, as appropriate, utilizing appropriate Greater Oshkosh EDC staff to develop loan applications. 11. Greater Oshkosh EDC will administer the City -funded Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) in accordance with the approved program manual. Greater Oshkosh EDC will also seek creative ways to expand financing programs for all -sized businesses, including additional RLF's and risk capital. Support Activities 12. Greater Oshkosh EDC will complete a benchmark analysis of similar communities. 13. Greater Oshkosh EDC will establish a scorecard relevant to identified metrics. This will be focused on quantifiable and measurable outcomes as well as provide results -oriented data to investors, such as the City of Oshkosh. 14. Greater Oshkosh EDC will implement systems and tools to conduct an economic impact analysis for all investment -related decisions. 15. Greater Oshkosh EDC will maintain an inventory of available sites and buildings in the City of Oshkosh and greater Oshkosh area and make that information available via the Greater Oshkosh EDC website. Additionally, Greater Oshkosh EDC will implement a system for providing this information to interested parties. Greater Oshkosh EDC will work with the City to develop marketing materials for targeted sites and targeted opportunities. TERM This Agreement shall commence on January 1, 2018 and shall terminate on December 31, 2020. The Agreement shall then automatically renew for two additional one-year periods unless terminated by one of the parties by giving written notice to the other party no later than June 30th of the preceding year for the following one-year extension. COMPENSATION For the first year of this agreement, the City will contribute $98,000 to Greater Oshkosh in 2018. Additionally, the City will also contribute 1.12 per capita of the Per Capita Economic Development Allocation from Winnebago County to Greater Oshkosh EDC for each year that this Agreement is in effect to support economic development and projects as outlined in this Agreement. The City shall, subject to Common Council appropriation, consider budget enhancements to Greater Oshkosh EDC in 2019 and 2020 for support of its programs. All additional requests for funding need to be submitted in writing by July 1st of the preceding year. FUTURE ASSIGNMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF INDUSTRIAL, BUSINESS PARK AND REDEVELOPMENT SITES At the City's discretion the City may assign marketing, sales, restrictive covenant enforcement, site plan review for restrictive covenant compliance and other management and administrative tasks related to the City's industrial parks, business parks and redevelopment sites to Greater Oshkosh EDC. If an assignment is made, the City and Greater Oshkosh EDC shall mutually determine a starting date for such assignment, goals and expectations, as well as additional compensation for such functions, if necessary. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR Greater Oshkosh EDC shall be an independent contractor of the City. Neither Greater Oshkosh EDC nor any of its officers, employees, or agents shall be an employee of the City as a result of the obligations undertaken pursuant to this agreement. Greater Oshkosh EDC's officers, employees and agents shall make no commitments or representation on behalf of the City to third parties without prior approval of the City. Additionally, Greater Oshkosh EDC hereby holds harmless the City and its departments, officers, employees and agents from and against all claims, demands and liability for damages to third persons of any type whatever arising out of the actions of Greater Oshkosh EDC under this agreement. CONFIDENTIALITY Greater Oshkosh EDC Board members and staff will receive information on a regular basis which has been designated by Greater Oshkosh EDC or a third party as confidential. Greater Oshkosh EDC has determined it is vitally important to maintain confidentiality of information. Greater Oshkosh EDC requires all Board members and staff to agree to protect the confidential information that they have access to during their time with Greater Oshkosh EDC. Greater Oshkosh EDC is committed to open dialogue with City staff and Common Council. However, there may be those occasions where confidentiality requirements restrict the sharing of such confidential information. LIABILITY INSURANCE Greater Oshkosh EDC agrees to abide by the attached City of Oshkosh Insurance Requirements for Professional Services. NOTICES All communications or notices required or permitted by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given: (i) upon delivery to an officer or the person entitled to such notice, if hand delivered, or (ii) two business days following deposit in the United States Mail, postage prepaid, or with a nationally recognized overnight commercial carrier that will certify as to the date and time of delivery, air bill prepaid, or (iii) upon transmission if by facsimile, any such communication or notice shall be addressed as follows, unless and until any such party notifies the other in accordance with this section of any change of address: If to the City: City of Oshkosh City Attorney's Office 215 Church Avenue Post Office Box 1130 Oshkosh, WI, 54903-1130 Attn: City Attorney With a copy to: City of Oshkosh Community Development Director 215 Church Avenue Post Office Box 1130 Oshkosh, WI, 54903-1130 If to Greater Oshkosh EDC: Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation 2380 Hwy 44, Suite B Oshkosh, WI 54904 Attn: Chairman of the Board ASSIGNMENT Greater Oshkosh EDC agrees that it will not assign this agreement or any portion thereof, or any of its responsibilities hereunder, to any other party without first obtaining the written permission of the City. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this agreement on the .z day of DQC-'-V\"Oe< , 2017 GREATER OSHKOSH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Thomas W. Castle Chairman of the Board CITY OF OSHKOSH: Mak A. Rohloff o CITY MANAGER ,J u Pamela R. Ubrig o CITY CLERK FUNDING APPROPRIATION: ou ffin� o Trena Larson, FINANCE DIRECTOR