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Home My WebLink About04-22-08 City of Lakeville Economic Development Commission Regular Meeting Agenda Tuesday, April 22, 2008, 5:00 p.m. City Hall, 20195 Holyoke Avenue Lakeville, MN 1. Call meeting to order 2. Approve February 26, 2007 meeting minutes 3. Introduction of new EDC Member 4. Update on Lakeville Broadband Issues 5. Update on the Downtown Market Park Project 6. Update on the Co. Rd. 70 Interchange Bids 7. Update on Economic Development Legislative Issues 8. Review of local foreclosure information 9. Director's Report 10. Adjourn Attachments: March Building Permit Report Retailing Chains Caught in a Wave of Bankruptcies, New York Times, April 15, 2008 _~~em No. a City of Lakeville Economic Development Commission Meeting Minutes February 26, 2008 Marion Conference Room, City Hall Members Present: Comms. Matasosky, Vlasak, Pogatchnik, Emond, Erickson, Schubert, Tushie, Brantly, Ex-officio member Mayor Holly Bahl, Ex-officio member Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Todd Bornhauser Members Absent: Comm. Smith. fr~;~ Others Present: David Olson, Community & Ecx3nomic Developrnent Director; Adam Kienberger, Economic Development Specialist;~r>' ~fr.: r ,rr: 1. Call Meeting to Order ' ` Chair Matasosky called the mew to order at 5 00 p.m. in the Marion Conference Room of City Hall, 20195 Holyok , venue ,Lakeville; Minnesota. ' ~ , 3g~ 2. Approve Novembe~~~0~~7 Meeting Mihutes Motion 08 01 mms. Tusie/Enckson moved to approve the minutes of the ~lovember~-~~, 2007 rne~ting as presented. Motion carried rinanimctns nr-. n F ~ -.~f * ~~w 3. Election of Officers :r Aftera brief discussior~,a:Chair }Matasosky asked if anyone was interested in being an officer #r the EDC .r Motion 0842~~.,4 Comms'. Erickson/Tushie moved to re-elect Jack Matasosky as Chafr; Barry Pogatchnik as Vice-Chair and Bob Brantly as Secretary for 2008. Motion carried unanimously. 4. Presentation of 2007 Annual Report Dave Olson presented the 2007 Economic Development Annual Report. The presentation included development statistics, new commercial/industrial projects, EDC initiatives, and upcoming projects in 2008. Economic l7evefopment Commission Meeting Minutes February 26, 20D8 Comm. Pogatchnik asked if the downturn in residential development has affected staffing levels at City Hall. Mr. Olson responded that the Planning Assistant position was recently vacated. and won't be filled for the time being due to development slowdown. That position's duties have been divided among several departments. 5. Summary of 2007 Development Project Feedback Surveys'' . 44:5<"' Adam Kienberger reviewed the 2007 Development PrpfectF~edback Surveys. In ,.t.. 2007, the City sent out 50 survey letters for which 18 respons~s.were received. In 89% of the surveys that were returned respondents indicated tt~ lheir questions were answered to their satisfaction and in most,in~stances rated e?services they r r. received as good or excellent. tr ,..t. In comparison to the results from the 200tisu~vey, the level of favorable responses for questions numbers 2, 3 and 4 increased wh~le.ttieri=. was a slight decrease in satisfaction for question number 1.; It should be ors#ed that the number of surveys returned was only 18 compared #t~"26 in„ 2006. Bemuse fewer total surveys mailed out this year, a small number of resporise~ can have a ~xeater impact on the overall outcome of the survey. ; ' Chair Matasosky suggested#~at reminder.calls to ths~developers/builders might help increase the resporse rate Mr. Olson responded that sfia~ wilt coordina~, a phone or email reminder system to help bolster"the devel:.~prnerifsufiuey response rate. '.r ,r Ex-ofEicto member MayoC~ahl noted the importance of connecting with the business g6~tmunity and adds thatff~h the surveys and the Spotlight on Business program ar~~raluable tools iri dfping so suf. rte, "s. Comm~1~,~,rantly added th~?t the City should also spotlight businesses that the communtyljs*,nterested~kn or are unique to the community. Ex-officio memb~ei-Todd Bornhauser suggested the City explore doing a business survey on a regular basis similar to the resident survey to gather opinions from the business community. Mr. Olson responded that staff would look into the possibility of doing business .surveys and will report back to the EDC. 2 Economic Development Commission Meeting Minutes February 26, 2008 6. Review .and Discussion of the 2008-2010 Strategic Plan for Economic Development Work Program for 2008 Mr. Olson reviewed the proposed 2008 Strategic Plan for Economic Development Work Program goals. The topics covered included transportation, life-cycle housing, technology, growth management, communication and partnerships. Comm. Schubert inquired about transit and if rail plays any part in the future. Mr. Olson responded that there are discussions in Scott County about potentially removing the moratorium on studying the Dan Patch Jine. =r: Ex-officio member Mayor Holly Dahl added that khe current- transit focus is on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Because of efficiency and direct routing it makes sense to embrace BRT at this time. ' ~k' r~r Comm. Tushie noted that light-rail. shouldn't be completely discounted` as a transit option because of the associated economic tt~im~'can have on the surrounding areas. ,%'Y^~,~ - ~ f 7. Twin Cities Regional Economic Development Websit~t]gemonstration ,r Mr. Kienberger reuleweo'la .Twin Cities regional economic development website project that the Dakota Count~;CDA is considering becoming a funding partner with. The company developing thE~:vvebsite is ~tSPlannino.com and the new website will be metromsp.orq. A brief{demonstration.. of a similar website constructed by GISPlannino.com for Cincinnati,' Ohto'yvas given. Motion~0~8.03'~~`-tomms.~mond/Tushie moved to recommend support for Dakota County CJao fund this initiative at the level of $13,600 per year for ~ the neitt%->lwo years in Dakota County. Motion carried f, unanimously: ,r,~ .~,f { f,~.r. 8. Director's Rie{~ort Mr. Olson revievved the Director's Report. 3 Economic Development Commission Meeting Minutes February 26, 2008 9. Adjourn The meeting was adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted by: Attested to: f. Adam Kienberger, R. T. Brantly, Secretary Economic Development Specialist rs? f.;: , J f r f f f~s~..~ i r~ :r 't f' ' f f °'~{~f f f ~J } f rf {fX r, fs. } {~f 4 ~~em Rb. City of Lakeville ' ~ Community and Economic Development Memorandum To: Economic Development Commission From: Adam Kienberger, Economic Development Specialist Copy: Steven Mielke, City Administrator David L. Olson, Community & Economic Development Director Date: April 18, 2008 Subject: Lakeville Broadband Update In 2007 the City of Lakeville formed the Business Telecommunications Technology Task Force (BTTTF) to study the current broadband environment and different broadband telecommunications options for the business community in Lakeville. Two core recommendations came out of the BTI-f'F's work: 1. That Lakeville view its business community as a whole. This includes home- based businesses and work-at-home employee connections as well as those contained in the Airlake Industrial Park or other normal business communities and concentrations. 2. The City should actively explore, conduct_foasibility, negotiate and pursue the use of current public/private assets for the creation of a municipal communications commons with open competitive provider participation - an Open Network. Staff is currently preparing an RFP for a consultant to conduct a feasibility study on constructing an open-access network in Lakeville. One aspect of the RFP will include linking City facilities via fiber. The City of Lakeville is also involved at a County level working to determine the desire and ability of Dakota County cities to work together on this issue. The goal of the Dakota County Broadband Committee is to make Dakota County the premier place for businesses to locate in the Twin Cities by offering ultra high-speed broadband connections for businesses and residents. The City of Eagan is currently conducting a similar study and has contracted with consulting firm Design Nine out of Blacksburg, Virginia. The City of Red Wing also recently contracted with Eric Lampland of Lookout Point Communications (who served as the consultant to our BTTTF) for their own FTTH feasibility study. a~em No. ~ City of Lakeville ' ~ Community and Economic Development Memorandum To: Economic Development Commission From: Adam Kienberger, Economic Development Specialist/ Copy: Steven Mielke, City Administrator David L. Olson, Community & Economic Development Director Date: April.l8, 2008 Subject: Market Park Update Included as part of the Downtown Development Guide approved by the City Council in December, 2006, is a plan for a public plaza and parking lot at 208th Street and Holyoke Avenue. This item was identified as one of the priorities in the subsequent Downtown Action Plan, and planning has been underway since early 2007. The improvements will consist of a public parking area with adjacent streetscape improvements and will provide a permanent location for the Farmers Market and other Downtown events. The City of Lakeville recently received a $200,000 grant from the Dakota County CDA Redevelopment Incentive program. See the attached story published in the April 15th Star Tribune. The City previously received a commitment from the Dakota County CDA for $350,000 in TIF assistance for this project from an existing CDA TIF District. Staff is also pursuing grant money from the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District for low impact development features similar to what was done at the new Lakeville Liquors Galaxie location. Porous pavers and other onsite infiltration techniques will be utilized to reduce the amount of runoff the site generates. The project planning is being coordinated between City economic development staff, engineering staff, DLBA, architecture firm Reprise Design, and Metro Equity Management which will develop the adjacent parcel as a retail building in the future. The tentative construction schedule for this project includes starting after Pan 0' Prog in either late July or early August with a target completion date of late fall 2008. On a related note, the City Council approved plans for the Holt Avenue parking lot expansion at their April 7"' meeting. The expanded lot on the corner of Holt Avenue and 207"' Street will provide additional parking for Downtown businesses. Plans for both projects are attached. G 1 ~ - ~ o _ _ - J o ~ I~ Nm0 ~ ~ O A~00 m mN~n N L~3 vtp Clrgjp ~ DD 7A i j-O (Ail In ~n LD m E~ X ~ XZN~~ ~ Dm nOy ~ o NcD~ ~ ND Am ® a ~ Z-+r~ m P~I mA II J'~ L~Omm cn z7~ ~,N - V ~ ~ HULYUKE AVENUE P - ~ T- p ss~ 24' i~~ 2,~ >~~~w m O ~ 3Nm a ~y r DAG ZO O (imm x o ZO ill i~N v - °aoo cA oX~D A ~ ~ AAA ~ oo ~ m~z _ ~ ~ DB ~iiA A, ~ OII A GZ~~ ri a mt "m m ~m ~ z i~~ _~m ~pm~ V man.. 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I ~ I _ _ am i~ - HOLT AVENUE a; vv9 ._.m... ~y]^ . ~Y ~ a€ Rp ~ ~ ~g ~ ?5 3S ~~~~~g= 1 ~ i_ 3 € ~ ~ ~a a~6i F8$ ~ ~PS~ 3~ A~ 4 7. fld ~F 5 ~ ~n K ~ C $ y9q F 4 e ' g 'e g° @s qua ~R a E 6xp~ ~R ~ 3~ 1 ~ i~ I ~3v ~a R ~ k A$ ~a ~ a ~ ~ ~ ~a i4 ~ E ~f 9 a~~ s s payeRz rrr- HOLT AVENUE PARKING l0T '"~^°~°",,,,,"""x ? ~ F N' R ~ HBYA XOti AVEXYL ZORX 91REE! WER w^wU ane m m u~ m in. 5` 3~{~~ ~ r S a V UXEVIIIE. YIXNESOiA vm u nxx[mF q S R 1 ..~.w ~i~~~ DESIGN ; s s b e ~ 3'a LANDSCAPE PLAN ~ I Grants will help boost projects in five Dakota County cities http://wwwstartribm+e.eom/templates/Print_This_Story?sid=17740509 StS~ZCIbJi1CIL.C(fll i MINNEAPOI.LS -ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA Grants will help boost projects in five Dakota County cities By JOY POWELL, Star Tribune April 15, 2008 From public gathering spots for farmers markets to riverfront improvements, five cities in Dakota County will split more than $1 million in grants for redevelopment, officials said this week. The grants -ranging from $15,000 to $250,000 were awarded by the Dakota County Community Development Agency (CDA) to encourage community revitalization in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Hastings, Lakeville and Rosemount, according to Mark Ulfers, executive director of the CDA. The redevelopment projects are expected to attract new businesses to the communities, create an estimated 60 new jobs and help retain businesses that now provide more than 250 jobs. The $1,015,000 in project grants will leverage nearly $13 million in additional ' investments, officials said. Another $40,000 is being awarded in planning grants. THE PROJECTS: Apple Valley: $250,000 to relocate underground utilities needed for office expansion and construction of a training facility by one of the city's largest manufacturing firms, Uponor, which makes PEX plumbing, radiant heating and fire protection systems. Burnsville: $250,000 for correction of soil concerns at the former AAA land in the Heart of the City redevelopment project, where a parking structure is planned. Hastings: $250,000 for infrastructure improvements on the Downtown Riverfront Redevelopment, which are needed for development on surrounding property, including park improvements, a farmers market, commercial space and housing. Lakeville: $200,000 for street and infrastructure improvements for the city's first downtown public parking lot in Market Place Park at Holyoke and 208th Street. This will include a public gathering place and a permanent location for a farmers market. Rosemount: $65,000 to help demolish five homes in order to improve parking and storm-water management around St. Joseph's Church. A new downtown gathering space that may evolve into a cultural and arts center is planned for the site. "The grant funding from Dakota County CDA will allow the city of Lakeville to construct a public parking lot and streetscaped area that will become a public gathering place in our downtown," said David Olson, the citys community and economic development director. FOR REDEVELOPMENT PLANNING, three smaller grants: Apple Valley will receive $15,000 to study transit designs along Cedar Avenue, and to provide guidance and standards for future planning proposals. Burnsville will receive $15,000 to help implement a plan for environmental standards throughout the city departments. 1 of 2 4/16/2008 10:50 AM gem No. ~ City of Lakeville Community and Economic Development Memorandum To: Economic Development Commission From: David L. Olson, Community and Economic Development Director Copy: Steve Mielke, City Administrator Adam Kienberger, Economic Development Specialist Date: April 16, 2008 Subject: Update on County Road 70 Interchange Bids Dakota County recently opened bids on the County Road 70 / I-35 Interchange Project. There were seven bids received and Ames Construction Inc. of Burnsville was the low bidder with a base bid of $19,693,797.53. This bid amount is approximately 7% under the engineer's estimate for the project. In addition to the base or contract bid amount, Ames included in their bid a time period of 100 days to complete the new bridge in 2009. Failure to meet the 100 day schedule will result in a cost of $10,000 per day for Ames Construction. Ames Construction was also the contractor for the County Road 46 project a number of years ago. The County had originally planned to award the bid at the April 15th Board meeting. However, a delay in completing the necessary paperwork at MnDOT and the Federal Highway Administration has delayed the bid award to the May 6th Board meeting. It is anticipated that construction will commence shortly after the bid award. City staff will be coordinating with County staff to provide timely communications to businesses and residents as to the construction activities, including information on detour routes. It is the plan to keep all of the roads and ramps open to traffic in 2008 with the actual bridge closing to occur for up to 100 days in 2009. DAKOTA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS REQUEST FOR BOARD ACTION Award Of Bid And Authorization To Execute Contract With Ames Construction, Inc. For County Project 70-06 Meeting Date: 4/15/08 Fiscal/FTE Impact: Item Type: Consent-Action ? None Division: PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT ®Amount included in current budget Department: Transportation ? Budget amendment requested Contact: Mark Krebsbach Telephone: 952-891-7102 ?FTE included in current complement Prepared by: Tom Anton ? New FTE(s) requested-NIA Reviewed by: N/A N/A ? Other PURPOSEIACTION REQUESTED Award the bid and authorize execution of a contract with Ames Construction, Inc. for County Project 70-06. SUMMARY County Project (CP) 70-06 will reconstruct and widen County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 70 from 0.8 miles west of Interstate 35 to 0.5 miles east of Interstate 35 in Lakeville, including a new bridge over Interstate 35 (Attachment A - Location Map). The project will also reconstruct the Interstate 35 ramps, loops, frontage roads, CSAH 5, and construct a park and pool lot. CSAH 70 will be widened to a 4-lane divided highway. Dakota County is the lead agency for this project. Timeline. The reconstruction of CP 70-06 is scheduled to begin in May 2008. The construction is anticipated to take place over the 2008 and 2009 construction seasons. The project will be constructed in stages. The new ramps, loops, frontage roads, and a portion of CSAH 70 will be constructed in 2008 while traffic remains on the existing roads. The existing bridge will be removed in the spring 2009. The new tiridge and the remainder of CSAH 70 will be constructed in 2009. Bids Received. To minimize the time the bridge is out of service, the County used a "cost plus time" bidding method, referred to as A + B bidding, to determine the low bid. Under the A + B method, each submitted bid has two components; A for the dollar amount for contract items, and B for the days required to complete the new bridge. The daily cost of inconvenience to the road users for the bridge closure in 2009 has been calculated to be $10,000. Bid days (B) are multiplied by the road user cost and added to the (A) component to obtain the total bid. This type of bidding method has been used successfully by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Anoka County, and Washington County to minimize construction time and delays to road users on high volume construction projects. Bids were received and tabulated on April 3, 2008. Seven bidders submitted bids as follows: (q+g) (A) {B) Bidder Total Bid Amount Contract Amount Bid Davs Ames Construction, Inc. $20,693,797.53 $19,693,797.53 100 ($1,000,000) Shafer Contracting Co., Inc. $20,730,791.93 $19,730,791.93 100 ($1,000,000) CS McCrossan, Inc. $20,797,680.70 $19,697,680.70 110 ($1,100,000) Valley Paving, Inc. $21,481,622.43 $20,481,622.43 100 ($1,000,000) Progressive Contractors, Inc. $21,988,077.48 $20,838,077.48 115 ($1,150,000) Mathiowetz Construction Co. $22,702,703.24 $21,602,703.24 110 ($1,100,000) Ryan Contracting Co. $24,647,613.19 $23,347,613.19 130 ($1,300,000) The successful bidder is determined by the lowest total bid amount (A+g) with the contract awarded for the contract amount (A). The lowest total bid amount is $20,693,797.53 from Ames Construction, Inc. The engineer's estimate for the construction of CP 70-06 is $21,279,978. The County Engineer recommends awarding the bid to Ames Construction, Inc. for $19,693,797.53, which is 7% under the estimate. EXPLANATION OF FISCAUFTE IMPACT The 2008-2012 Transportation Department Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget includes $20,400,000 for the construction of CP 70-06. The project cost splits based on the low bid are Federal $7,150,550, State $5,825,319, Dakota County $3,546,485, and City of Lakeville $3,171,444. Dakota County will advance fund $4,910,000 of State funds at no interest with reimbursement from the State in 2012 and 2013. 04/07/20D8 11:27:54 AM Page 1 c:5documents and settingsldolsonllocal settingsltemporary intemet Flles5olk1cdlga 04-15-OS cp7006.doc Agenda Page No. Supporting Documents: Previous Board Action(s): Attachment A -Location Map - , RESOLUTION Award Of Bid And Authorization To Execute Contract With Ames Construction, Inc. For County Project 70- (16 WHEREAS, County Project (CP) 70-06 will reconstruct 1.3 miles of County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 70 at Interstate (I) 35, replace the bridge aver I-35, reconstruct the interchange ramps, realign the frontage roads and CSAH 5, and construct a park and pool. lot in the City of Lakeville; and WHEREAS, Dakota County is the lead agency for CP 70-06 and desires to begin construction in 2008; and WHEREAS, the 2008-2012 Transportation Capital Improvement Program (CIP) includes funding for CP 70-06 in 2008; and WHEREAS, pursuant to advertisement, bids were received for CP 70-06 until April 3, 2008; and WHEREAS, to minimize the bridge construction time, Dakota County used a °cost plus time" bidding method to determine the low bid; and WHEREAS, the bid of Ames Construction, Inc., in the amount of $20,693,797.53, was the lowest total responsible bid received; and WHEREAS, the total bid amount includes the contract amount for construction items and a road user cost assigned to the new bridge construction calculated at $1D,000 per day times the number of calendar days proposed to complete the bridge; and WHEREAS, Ames Construction, Inc. proposes to construct the new bridge on CSAH 70 over I-35 in 100 calendar days; and WHEREAS, the contract value for the work to be completed in CP 70-06 excludes the road user cost assigned to the bridge closure period; and WHEREAS, the contract value of the bid of Ames Construction, Inc. for the reconstruction of CP 70-D6 is $19,693,797.53; and WHEREAS, the County Engineer recommends awarding the bid to Ames Construction, Inc. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby awards the bid to and authorizes the Physical Development Director to execute the contract with Ames Construction, Inc. for CP 70-06, in the amount of $19,693,797.53, subject to approval by the County Attorney's Office as to form. Administrator's Comments: Reviewed by (if required): ? Recommend Action ? County Attorney's Office ? Do Not Recommend Action ? Financial Services ? Reviewed-No Recommendation ? Risk Management ? Reviewed-Information Only ? Employee Relations ? Submitted at Commissioner Request ? Information Technology Count Administretor 04/07/2008 11:27:54 AM Page 2 c:ldocuments and settingsldolsonllocal settings5temporary intemet f leslolk1cd\tja 0415-08 cp7006.doc Agenda Page No. ~~em No. 7 City of Lakeville t ~ Community and Economic Development Memorandum To: Economic Development Commission From: David L. Olson, Community and Economic Development Director Copy: Steve Mielke, City Administrator Adam Kienberger, Economic Development Specialist Date: April 16, 2008 Subject: Update on Economic Development Legislative Issues There are a number of bills being considered by the Minnesota Legislature during the 2008 Session that could have a significant impact on economic development activities in the State. One of the more significant issues being considered is the proposed elimination of the JOBZ Program. This program was initiated by Governor Pawlenty a number of years ago and provides numerous tax breaks including property, corporate income, and sales taxes for a period of years to businesses that locate or expand in Greater Minnesota. This has been a somewhat controversial program and some legislators are citing a number of specific projects that were funded under this program that did not meet the original legislative intent. While this program is not available in the seven- county metro area, we do wind up competing for projects that are being offered incentives under this program by cities located in Greater Minnesota. An example was an Artic Cat manufacturing facility several years ago that considered Lakeville as a possible location but ended up locating in St. Cloud and receiving JOBZ tax breaks. Attached is an article from a Wisconsin newspaper that speculates how the elimination of JOBZ in Minnesota my help economic development efforts in Wisconsin. Two other economic development programs being considered during the current legislative session are the Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF) and the Strategic Entrepreneurial Economic Development (SEED) programs. The MIF program is an existing loan program that assists in financing new and expanding businesses. This program is facing a funding reduction of $3 million in the House and $6.7 million in the Senate. The SEED program is a new program that is being proposed by the Administration that would assist small businesses and entrepreneurs in Greater Minnesota. This proposed new program is not slated to receive any funding in the Senate bill and only $2.4 million in the House bill. iMarketing Automation http://gw.vtrenz.net/?J3DYIOEUHC:J3DYIOEUHC=ssID:217919402... on~ne or F.ye SI . ~n~i l`i'.S'+i~~~ DEED Update: JOBZ, MIF, SEED There's a little more than six weeks left in the 2008 legislative session. Many bills are moving through the legislature that may have lasting impacts on economic development and your community. JOBZ: The House and Senate Tax Committees are now considering the future of JOBZ, a positive tool for economic development in Greater Minnesota. Over 315 businesses are current JOBZ participants and over 5,400 jobs have been 'created since 2004. • The Senate is ro osin to end ]OBZ effective Ma 1 2008 while the House would also end JOBZ but ~ P P 9 Y would substitute a grant program for those already participating in the program. Both proposals would effectively end any new agreements under ]OBZ. • DEED and the Department of Revenue have proposed legislation regarding the Office of Legislative Auditor's recommendations to improve JOBZ. These recommendations ensure that JOBZ is targeted to distressed areas, meet statewide criteria, and is properly managed for performance. JOBZ legislation authored by Rep. Paul Marquart (HF 3599), and Sen. Julie Rosen (SF 3115) would strengthen ]OBZ according to the findings of the Legislative Auditor's report, and extend program benefits to 10 years or 12 years in particularly distressed counties. The House bill would also establish a new "angel" investment program to stimulate financing of early stage companies as part of the Governor's SEED program. The Senate version of the angel credit might be amended out. Check out the following link to see a recent KARE it news story on ]OBZ and its effects on businesses in the community of Cambridge http://www. karell.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid= 503036 Minnesota Investment Fund: Actions by the House and Senate Finance Committees would cut the Minnesota Investment Fund, an important financial tool' that DEED uses to partner with communities to fund job creation and capital improvement projects. In FY 2007, over $5 million was awarded through the MIF to help businesses grow in Minnesota . On average, for every $5,000 MIF investment, one new job is created. • DEED currently has 12 expansion projects in its pipeline -including some that are new projects from other states or countries. I i • The House (HF 1812) removes $3 million and dedicates $1 million for the MIF bio mass program and the Senate (SF 3813) removes $6.7 million from the MIF (2007 appropriation and revolving loan fund). These provisions are contained in omnibus budget bills. 1 of 2 4/17/2008 7:59 AM iMarketing Automation http://gw.vtrenz.net/?J3DYIOEUHC:I3DYIOEUHC=ssID:217919402... Strategic Entrepreneurial Economic Development (SEED): Supporting the growth of small businesses and entrepreneurs in Greater Minnesota will help build stronger communities. SEED proposes 22 indivitftraY programs to help small businesses, entrepreneurs and communities with varying needs grow and prosper. The funding and new program ideas were generated and thoroughly discussed during 17 visits with stakeholders throughout the state during the past nine months. i • The Senate proposal includes no general fund dollars for SEED (SF 3813). The House (HF 1812) bill includes only $2.4 million for SEED - $2 million for the Initiative Foundations' loan programs and $400,000 one-time for SBIR/STIR, entrepreneurship and technology federal commercialization assistance. I I • The bonding bill passed; the Governor approved $25 million for three important statewide programs in SEED -Business Development Infrastructure, $7.5 million; Bioscience Development Infrastructure, $9 million; and Redevelopment Grant Program, $8.5 million. I Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development www.deed. state. m n. us 800-657-3858 MN Department of Emolovment & Economic Development (carol.walsh@state.mn.us) 332 Minnesota Street Suite E200 St. Paul, MN 55101-1351 • 800-657-3858 Subscribe I Guaranteed Unsubscribe 2 of 2 4/17/2008 7:59 AM • The Daily Telegram • Page 1 of 1 77te Qaity Ending Minnesota JOBZ may be good news for Wisconsin By BRADYBAUTCK/Forum Communications Tke Daily Telegram - 04/07/2008 Since 2004, the Minnesota JOBZ program has provided tax incentives to businesses to relocate or start up in coral areas. The program also made it more difficult for Wisconsin to lure those businesses across the border. "It's been a harder sell for us to be successful in recruiting companies from Minnesota," said Bill Rubin, president of the St. Croix Economic Development Corp. But last week, the Minnesota State Senate voted to kill the JOBZ program, and Minnesota's House may do the same. Rubin said that Wisconsin could benefit if the JOBZ program is eliminated. "It would perhaps put both states on a more level playing field," he said. Because of lower property and corporate taxes, and a better regulatory climate, Wisconsin might even have an edge. "The cost of doing business here is less," Rubin said. One big benefit of the JOBZ program was the property tax abatement, according to Andy Lisak, executive director of the Development Association in Superior and Douglas County. Business property taxes are 30-50 percent lower in Wisconsin than in comparable areas of Minnesota. "The effectiveness of JOBZ has varied from community to community," he said. The JOBZ program also offers tax abatements for state sales and corporate income tax. "It's going to be interesting," he said. Rubin believes Wisconsin could become more competitive if there was a pool of tax incentives that could be used to bring companies here. "If there's a pool of dollars, that would tip the scales in Wisconsin's favor," he said. He suggested that the pool would be limited to recruiting companies that are not already in the state. But the secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce doesn't see a need for the pool of money. Jack L. Fisher said that before becoming Departrnent of Commerce secretary he worked for 33 years helping businesses relocate, and tax incentives were just one of many considerations companies review when they choose a new location. "In every case, companies had a long list of criteria of what was important to them with weight given to each criteria," Fisher said. "A very small percentage was assigned to tax incentives." He noted that companies look for a broad range of items such as available workforce, infrastructure and higher education. "Wisconsin rates very high in our workforce, health caze, infrastmcture and we have aworld-class university system," Fisher said. Lisak agreed that companies look at a variety of factors. "Incentives are just one of many items a company looks at, it's not just tax incentives," he said. There is some money available for incentives though. According to Rep. Kitty Rhoades, recent legislation allows the technology and agricultural zone programs to utilize unused tax credits from other development zones in the state. "During these tough economic times, making these unused credits available will help to stimulate and encourage economic development in local communities," Rhoades said. gem No. City of Lakeville ' ~ Community and Economic Development Memorandum To: .Economic Development Commission From: David L. Olson, Community and Economic Development Director Copy: Steve Mielke, City Administrator Adam Kienberger, Economic Development Specialist Date: April 16, 2008 Subject: Review of Local Foreclosure Information Attached please find a memo and attachments from Dan Rogness of the Dakota County CDA regarding foreclosure issues at the federal and state level as well as statistics on Sheriff Sales and Notices of Pendency Filings in Lakeville and the other cities in Dakota County. The number of Sheriff Sales that have occurred in Lakeville from January through March of this year is 74. This compares to 199 in Lakeville for all of 2007. The City is utilizing Building Inspection staff to monitor the condition of foreclosed homes that are known to be vacant. Unfortunately there were several instances in the past several months in which water mains became frozen and broke in foreclosed homes that had utilities shut off. It is anticipated that this summer there will be additional enforcement measures that will need to be taken to enforce the City's Weed Ordinance on vacant and foreclosed properties. The CDA has recently received $250,000 in federal funding to hire additional counselors to assist homeowners in Dakota County that are facing foreclosure. Additional funding for the CDBG program is also being considered in Washington to provide additional funding for the purchase and renovation and resale of foreclosed homes. Staff will continue to provide information on this issue to the EDC in the future. HOME Dakota County O W N, 'E ^R^5~ Community Development Agency ~~~(,t~E'ti ~LLJ111 111 MEMO April 9, 2008 TO: Dakota County Cities From: Dan Rogness, Director of Community Revitalization Re: Foreclosure Update In March, the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program awarded funding to state agencies to increase local counseling resources. Minnesota received the second highest funding award ($4.3 million) in the nation and the grants are being distributed by the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. On March 26, the CDA's Executive Director Mark Ulfers, and a group of Minnesota officials and bank representatives met with Governor Pawlenty to discuss the development of a proposal to address the mortgage foreclosure issue. Legislative Activity Governor Pawlenty signed three bills relating to the foreclosure crisis on April 4. They include: • Landlord and tenant notice requirements under foreclosure and contract cancellation. proceedings; • Requirement for courts to order eviction case expungement under certain conditions of occupation during contract for deed cancellation or mortgage foreclosure; and • Providing for proof of abandonment for purposes of a reduced mortgage foreclosure redemption period. Other bills remain in various stages of committee approval Federal Level Senators Dodd and Shelby of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs introduced on April 2 a bipartisan legislation designed to address the foreclosure crisis. Highlights of this legislation include: $4 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to purchase foreclosed homes, at a discount, and rehabilitate or redevelop homes; $100 million in additional funding for housing counseling; and a $10 billion increase in private activity bond volume cap to enable local and state housing financing agencies to use Mortgage Revenue Bonds programs to refinance existing subprime loans, provide assistance to additional first time homebuyers and provide rental housing, the legislation also exempts such bonds from the Alternative Minimum Tax. The legislation is open to amendments on the Senate floor. HQME Dakota County OWNERS Community Development Agency GQy((,Q~+(i ~!1 i Dakota County Stats -March 2008 • # of Sheriff Sales in March - 156 (compared to 117 in March 2007) • Total Sheriff Sales for 2008 - 552 (compared to 334 Jan: Mar., 2007) • # of Notice of Pendency's Filed in March - 197 • Total Notice of Pendency's Filed for 2008 - 593 A Notice of Pendency is filed by a mortgage company's attorney as official notification that the foreclosure process has begun. Not all of these result in sheriff sales. Pages 3 and 4 of this PDF file have statistics for each city of Sheriff Sales and Notices of Pendency. Mapping using Dakota County GIS (http://gis.co.dakota.m n.us/website/dakotanetgis/) The Dakota County Office of GIS updates the 2008 Foreclosures and Notice of Pendency layers on a monthly basis. If you need assistance using this Web page, please call Randy Knippel or Mary Hagerman with the Office of GIS at (952) 891-7081. In the News Provided in this PDF file are a few notable foreclosure articles that were published in the last month. Among the points of interest: • Many of the thousands of homes that are in foreclosure across the metro have been abandoned, which means cities have had to take on a new responsibility: monitoring the vulnerable, vacant homes. • One-third of the foreclosed houses inspected so far in north Minneapolis are candidates for demolition. However, even when the house is fixable, the task is not simple because the market price of the renovated house is less than the cost to acquire and bring it to saleable condition. • The suburbs have seen more foreclosure auctions than Minneapolis in four of the last five months. In February, more than 57 percent of county foreclosures were in the suburbs. This could be due to a maturation of "near-prime" loans that are one step above the subprime loans that hit north Minneapolis so hard. Near-prime loans often adjust after a couple of years, increasing. borrowers' monthly payments by hundreds or even thousands of dollars than what they initially paid. If you have any other concerns, please contact me at (651) 675-4464 or send me an email at drogness .dakotacda.state.mn.us. ~ o o ~ s N.. N N N N~~~~ W N P~ Y1 1zw ¦0 V ~ oMOao~vMm~"'NVMM N N v G 0 Z u " O L a N C 0 V a .m N' o v V~ OQ ° ~ 3' H ~ Q, v m 3 o 3-', v - E u • 0 L d _ ~ L V ~ u v. s '`9 u " Y ~ °v c ~ ~ i;, ~ `o o. Q OI (O _N d L V • y C • y.J ,O m c d ~ • lC.. 1~ N N _ O~ ~n N M 1~ ~ ~ W N i Q • ~ ~ d O ..i • a £ c • E L Q-• LL'N N N - N ~ ~ O . 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" ~ ~ • _ +N'' 1y/~~ ~ ~ d ~ = h p ~ d ~ > 2 c~-a d O V... ~ b0 in i dl iC 7 .N ai i+ u Z C p a3 ro ~ ~ ~ ~ d e'o>°' £ C F~ Z Q LO W LL= ~J~~ V171/1 H ZL _ Daimta County mortgage foreclosures up by SOD% Page 1 of 2 _ s p.~~.~~~~y~~u~.y[(p~y ~ 9 Dakota County mortgage foreclosures pp by 500°to Pasted: 3Jza(o8 by Laura Adehnann Thisweek Newspapers Since zo0g, the number of mortgage foreclosures in. Dakota County has increased by a record braaking goo' percent. County commissioners grimaced at the news during the board's Mareh t8 meeting. Count}' property taxation and records director Joel Beckman said the county is expecting 2,70o sheriffs sales 6y the end of 2008. Last year, there were t,Gto sates. "2aa7 was the highest year on record (for fareclasures):We're on fiace to exceed that,° Beckman said. According to the eounty~, in Januan~ of this year, there were 228 sheri#fs sales compared. to tog in January- 2007. In February, there were t69 sheriff's sales, compared to 60 in the same month in 2007. Althnuglo foreclosures are occurring in every Dakota Count}' city, the most foreclosures are occurring in the cities of Eagan, Apple Valley and Burnsville: According to Sarah Swenson, Dakota County Community Development Agency=spokesperson, many - foreelosures occur due to job loss ar mcdicx}1 expenses: Once a second or third mortgage payment is missed, the lender usually semds a notic a of default, Beckman said. The notoee asks far payment, and if it's not made, the ~perworl begins. The process takes several months to complete, includutg a six-month redemption period. Depending on the circumstances, Beckman said the redemption period can var}* ancwhere from fitic wreks to 12 months. While foreclosure is difficult and emotional, CDA officials emphasized that the process can be turned around. Mark Ulfers; director of the Dakota County Community Levelopment Agency, said all hope is not last once the process starts. He said the GDA offers free one-one-one counseling services for hc?meawners facing foreclosure and can sometimes help peoplereman in their Name. Homeowners can get help to devise a budgeting strategy; f:nd out more about the process or get referrals to other helpful agencies. ; Some people are able to refinanc a or restructure their current loans to allow them to stay iii thair homes. The CDA ltas assisted mare than t,goa homeowners through the program since it began in 2003. One of khe keys to overcoming a Foreclosure situation is to get help early, 171fers said. http:/fwww.tlrisweek-online.com(2008/&iazch/20500pereent3.2a:D8:html 3/21/2008 Dakota Gotmty mortgage foreclosures up by 500% Page 2 of 2 "The key is to talk to people earl}' iu fhe process; before the wolf is at [he door. Thereare certain sohttions that won't t>e there hater in the process,' Ulfers said. httpa/wevw.thisweek-online.comi'2008/I~iarch/20500percent3.20.08.htrn1 3/2112008' Empty houses: Whose job is it to take care of them? Page I of 3 ~t~`I'ibf1~3~.Ct~~111; I~IRJPaE.f'f3L?S -~°I'. F~ii1L.1`~tiaE~'[". Empty houses: Whose job is it to take care of there? By LQRA PABST, Star Tribune March 16, 2008 More than 2 million gallons of water pumped through eight foreclosed houses in Champlin this winter before city officials realized the water pipes had :burst. An empty townhouse in Prior Lake leaked water into the neighboring unit before the city shut off the water. And a row of empty tawnhouses in Andover finally attracted attention offer a 'lnraterfall of ice" crystallized around one of the front doors. Across the metro, thousands of homes are in foreclosure and many of those have been abandoned this winter. While most homeowners shut off the heat before leaving, some forgot to tum off the water. When temperatures dropped, water builtvp and burst out through toilets, sinks or pipes in the walls. With foreGosures in suburban communities expected to increase this year, cities are taking on a new responsibility: monitoring vu9nerable, vacant homes. The spring thaw has local inspectors worried about what they might find when the ice melts and homes are opened up. "Cities are trying to track [empty homes], but it's a monumemal effort," said Will Neumeister, Andover's community development director. Brooklyn Park, Oakdale, Champlin and other aties have eutlined what each city. department will do to tackle foreclosures. County governments distribute lists of foreclosed homes, taut it is often difficult to get a hold of the financial institution that holds the mortgage. In many cases, even if they know a pipe has burst, city inspectors can't go into private property without permission from the owner. 'The city certainty has no responsibifaty torwhat's happened;" said Jason Aarsvold, Brooklyn Park's economic and redevelopment director"Unfortunately, we're the ones stuck dealing with it " Damage hits neighborhoods The problem is affecting communities and homes regardless of the age ar value of properties. Woodbury and Cottage Grove officials are shifting theirfocus from inspecting newly built homes to monitoring empty homes. in Eden Prairie, the fire department is trying to keep track of empty tawnhor~ses with fire sprinkler systems, but they have still had water damage in 10 to 15 homes this winter: http'tfwww:startribune:camftemplatas/Print_This_5tory?std=1673 t SS6 3/17!20(78 Empty houses: Whose~ob is it to take care ofthem? Pale 2 of 3 Neighbors of foreclosed-homes are also seeing the effects of abandonment. lave Anderson, of Andover, lives next door to a house that has been empty since it was built last summer. "My wife noticed reverse icicles taming up from the basement on the side of the house this winter," he said. Sure enough, inspectors found pipes in the house had burst and they disconnected the wafer. But the city hasn't been able to track down who holds the mortgage on the house, so it's still sitting empty, with condensation gathering on the windows and snow piling up on the driveway. The future of these homes seems grim: Often the financial institutions that hold the mortgage would rather sell the homes at an auction than repair the damage, An almost $700,000 Andover house that sat empty for months with a flooded basement, growing mold, recently sold at an auction for $280,000. On a quiet cul-de-sac in Champlin, inspectors were finally able to get into an empty house last week that was soaked with more than 200,DDD gallons of water tram a burst pipe. Ceilings had collapsed in the basement, the wood floors had warped and mold was growing along the baseboards. Since mid-January, Champlin officials have inspected 117 homes, and the list grows every month when they find qut abviat more foreclosures from Hennepin County. The city's plan to deal with foreGosui-es was based partly on its emergency disaster plan because the homes they found had such bad water damage. "Given the homes we had already lost, we felt it was critical3o deploy all resources to inspecting foreclosed homes," said John Gox, Champlin's deputy-city administrator. Tracking the problem After seeing how forecosures affected neighborhoods and property values in Minneapolis and St. Paul, suburban cities are seeking foreclosure counseling for residents or funds to buy and rehabilitate vacant houses, said Tim Mane, Minnesota. Housing Finance Agency commissioner. 'The first wave of the [fnreclnsure] problem affected our most distressed neighborhoods;' Marx said. It is beginning naw to'affect, more dramatically, some of the suburban communities." Local governments are also stepping up enforcement of nuisance laws, such as making sure snow is shoveled and (awns are mowed. In soma cases, cities,pay for those smaller services, but they won`t take on waterdamage repairs because there is no guarantee that homeowners will repay the Inst. http:/lwww.startribune.tom/templates(Print_This _ Story?std=ltiT 1556 3/17/200& Empty houses: Whose job is it to take care of them? Page 3 of 3 '"The mortgage industry made all the money and now the citiesare having to spend all their money and tune cleaning up the prabiem," said Bab Streeter, Oakdale's community development director: "It's almost like a new line'of business we have to take on." Several north metro legislators introduced a bill in the Legislature Phis year that would .require utility companies to notify local gavemments when gas or electric service is disconnected. If the bill passes, city officals would have an easier time finding homes that are in danger of water damage. Without mare information about forecosed homes, there is only so much cities can do. A few of the eight foreclosed houses in Champlin that had millions of gallons of water running through them might need to be demolished. Prior Lake officials don't have pemtission to enter the townhouse that leaked water into the neighbor's unit, so they shut off the water Gut aren't sure how much. damage was done. Dave Berkowitz, Andove~s director of public works, said inspectors knew about the townhouse with the ice waterfall coming out of the windows, but they couldn't find the owner in time to get permission to tum off the water 'The city doesn't have the dollars to fixthese things," he said. "The best we can do is get a hold of the mortgage company and hope they respond." Lora Pabst • 612-673-4628 8 2006 Star Tribune_ All rights reserved. httpa/wwwstartribune.com/templates/Print This_Story?std=16731556 3/17/21708 First, a wave of foreclosures; next, the wrecking ball? Page l of 2 "T~'il~?tl<t~~~~£1111' t~i2~IsiEA:~€31':i-T. P.4't~Jli. t>~"~;,Sf~T~ First, a wave of foreclosures; next, the wrecking ball? sy STEVE BRANOT, Star Tribune March 17, 20Dt3 One-third of the foreclosed houses inspected so far in north Minneapolis are candidates for demolition, according to the agency trying to rehab the state's largest concentration of empty housing. Carolyn Olson of Greater McVopalitan Housing Corporation {GMHC) said her nonprofit housing organization has been inside 157 of the hundreds of foreGosetl North Side homes. It's evaluating them for fix-up and resale. But many pose a range of problems, from neglect issues like rampant mold to functional obsolescence due to size or floor plan. Some simply cost too much to fix. One house the agency toured contained only 5DD square feet of space -less than a standard one- bedroom public housing high-rise apartment-carved into four apartments. 'That's probably not a keeper," Olson said. Some houses have caving retaining walls. One otherwise nice triplex was covered in mold, Olson said. One reason for the neglect, Olson said, is that about two-thirds of the foreclosed homes were overred by investors rather than occupants. "Some of that has not been very well taken care of," she said. Olson`s one-third estimate sounds low to one neighborhood leader, Roberta Englund of the Folwell and Webber-Camden areas. '7 thinkshe's underestimating it; without a doubt;' said Englund, based on her walk- throughs of similar housing... 'This is `an American nightmare," said Rep. Kedh Ellison, D-Minn. Ellison represents fhe area and organized a discussion of foreGosure and credit issues Monday. The event began with astreet-tamer discussion at 29th and Dupont Avenues N., where adjoining blocks averagesix foreclosures each in the past two years. Even when the house is fucable, fixing isn't simple. Every one that GMHC has encountered so far requires extra financing, because the market price of the renovated house is less than the cost to acquire and bring it to saleable condition. The state allocated $10 million that is being used to,buy the North Side housing, while the city and http://www.startribune.comhemplateslPrint_This Story?sid=1b767176 3/18/2608 First, awave of foreclosures; next, the wrecking ball? Page 2 of 2 ; state finance the rehab work. "If the market keeps going down, the gap will be nigger," Olson said. Despite the obstacles, GMHC has purchase agreements on 43 properties, with offers outstanding on another 16. City Housing Director Tam Streitr said that a process is needed #o guide the rehab vs. demolition decisions of nonprofits. "I'm hearing that a lot of the stock is net going to pass the test," he said. '"We're very careful on what we would tear down," Olson said. She said some of the candidates for demolition may still attract offers from investor owners. Mayor R.T. Rybak has said he'd like the city to have a right of first refusal on foreclosed housing: Ellison touted legislation introduced by Rep. Gamey Frank, D-Mass. It would provide up to $300 trillion i'n new federal guarantees for loans that refinance at-risk borrowers into viable mor#gages. It would also provide $10 billion in loans and grants for the purchase and rehab of foreclosed homes, similar to GMHC's work. Steve Brandt • 612-673-4438 fg 2[10& Star Tribune. All right&reserved. http:!/www startribune:cam/templates/Print_This_ _Stnry?si d=1676'7116 3/18/2008 Foreclosure scowge hitting the suburbs Page 1 of 3 ~~~i+i~3tltt@.Ctlt A~IP9rE~..P€3~.Z s - a°l. P.ALTi.. Mia~fkT.~ Foreclosure scourge hitting the suburbs By MARY JANE SMETANKA, Star Tribune March 20, 2008 Forecosure, often seen as an inner-city problem, is creeping into Hennepin County's middle-Gass suburbs. In four of the last five months, the suburbs have seen more foreclosure auctions than Minneapolis. ThaYs a change from the previous year, when Minneapolis dominated forecosures in all but two months. In February, more than 57 percent of county foreclosures were in the suburbs, the highest suburban share in at least the last 19 months. "It's truly a phenomenon that's not class specific," said Daryl Coppoletti, who as regional planning coordinator for the Hennepin South Services Cooperative analyzes-the county sheriffs data for cities tike Bloomington, Richfield and Eden Prairie. In the last year, Brooklyn Park has seen almost 700 foreclosures, more than any other Hennepin County suburb. It is followed by.Broaklyn Center; Bloomington, Maple Grove, Eden Prairie, Grystal, Richfield ahd Ftlymouth, Champlin and Minnetonka. The list is striking because it includes newer communities like Maple Grove and Eden Prairie, upscale suburbs like Mihnetonka and post-World War II rambler cities like Richfield and Crystal No one is sure why this is occurring. Experts in housing and finance say that if the increasing number of foreclosures in suburbs is truly a trend, ii may be linked to the maturation of so-called "near-prime" loans that are one step above the subprime loans that hit north Minneapolis so hard, Near-prime loans generally are aimed at people with mediocre but not poor credit .histories and at people who aresperhaps buying mare home than they can afford. The Federal Reserve Board estimates that in Hennepin County, homeowners have taken out roughly 13,000`subprime mortgages and about 9,800 near-prime mortgages. Pick a payment Some near-prime loans require no proof of the borrower's income. Others allow interest- http://www.startribune.comltemplates/Pnnt_This Story?std=1688]311 3/21/2008 Foreclosure scourge hitting the suburbs Page 2 of 3 only paymenfsfior a period of time, or let customers "pink a paymen#" from a lisf of amounts that can vary by hundreds of dollars. Such loans often adjust after a couple of years, bouncing borrowers up to monthly payments #hat are hundreds or even thousands of dollars higher than what they initially paid. Homeowners who have bean paying only interest or picking their payment may find that in a time of declining hams values, they owe more on their mortgage than their house is worth. "You saw a lot of these mortgages used in suburban and exurban areas and in new subdivisions," said Mark Ireland, an attorney who works on foreclosure prevention for the Foreclosure Relief Law Project in St. Paul While in 2002 just 5 percent of home loans nationally fell into this near-prime category, by 2006 they made up about 20 percent of home loans, according to a 2007 Credit Suisse report. "Some people would say these are people who willfully bit aff more than #hey could afford," Ireland said. "But there are also a fat of people who were looking at homes [when values were escalating] vuho thought, if don't buy a house now, PII never own a home so t need to take a chants." Jeff Crump, a University of Minnesota housing studies professor, said the economy may be pushing suburban foreclosure rates. "Up until now, foreclosures have been driven mainly by irresponsible tending," he said. "But now, if we go into arecession -and it looks like we're going to go into one -people could be losing their homes because they're losing theirjobs.... "'People were sold these with the idea that the finances don't matter, because:eventually you'll refinance anyway.,Now, with falling house values, you can't refinance because you might awe more than the home is worth:' A neighborhood cancer For Cities, farecfosures tan mean vacant, boarded-up buildings that become targets for squatters ar vandals. They can turn into scars on a street, eroding the confidence of other homeowners in a neighborhood. In Brooklyn Park, where in the last 19 months foieclosure has hit more than 4 percent of the city's homes, the City has tried to be proactive. Mailings an avoiding foreclosure have gone out to residents. One day a week, loan counselors sit in a Gity Hal6 afFce, ready to talk to people who need help. A few people come in, .but more should, said City Community Developmoht Director Bob Schreier. "'People don't want to admit this is happening to them," he-said. "If they'd come in and http:/lwww.startribune:comitemplateslPrint This _Story?std=1688111 3/21/21708 Foreclosure scourge hitting the suburbs Page 3 of 3 talk to loan counselors, there's a chance that this can be fixed."' The city gets lists of foreclosed proper#ies from the county, sends police and public health officials out to check on homes and sets up files an each properly, Schreier said. Houses are discreetly tagged, disconnected from utilities and boarded up if necessary. Schreier thinks the high foreclosure rates in his city are partly Finked to investors scooping up as many as 1,500 houses when housing prices were rising. The city is working with Realtors to try to get foreclosed homes back`oh the market. In April, the City Council will consider a program to offer improvement loans at below-market rates for buyers willing to rehab foreclosed homes. 8loomtngtan's problem is much smaller than Brooklyn Park's, with 22D foreclosed properties in the past year. The city's emphasis has been on watching properties to make sure they donY fall into disrepair or become health nuisances, said Lany Lee, director of community development. Only about 5 percent of foreclosed properties present problems, about the same as other properties in Bloamjngton, he said. "We've been watching it very closely, and it doesn't seem to be a threat to our neighborhoods yet;' Lee said. Richfield also is keeping a close eye on foreclosures, which totalled 124 in the past year. The problem, said John Stark, interim. director of community development, is that by the time the city f nds out about a foreclosure, it`s usually too late to help. '"this problem is bigger than any one clty;' he said. '9 talk with my peers in other communities and in the housing world, [and]this is the No. 1 problem. We're just waiting to see where the numbers go," Mary Jane Smetanka • 612-673-7380 2008 Star.Tribune. Ail rights reserved. httpalwwwstartribune.corn!templates/Print_This_Stary?sid=1b88131 t 3/21f2008 $4.3 million federal grant could help 7,000 avoid foreclosure Page 1 of 2 StarTrlbune.com I MIN1dEAPOLIS -5T. PAUL, MINNESOTA $4.3 million federal grant could help 7,000 avoid foreclosure By PATRICIA LOPEZ, Star Tribune April 1, 2008 With a record number of Minnesotans facing foreclosure, help is coming in the form of a $4.3 million federal grant that could prevent more than 7,000 foreclosures across the state. Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Tuesday that the grant, the second-largest awarded in the country, will be used to hire additional foreclosure counselors who could help homeowners navigate the thicket of lender bureaucracy. "We want to do everything we canto reach homeowners before they end up in foreclosure," Pawlenty said. But, he cautioned, that does not extend to a controversial foreclosure-deferment bill working its way through the Minnesota House and Senate. That bill would make Minnesota the first state to declare a moratorium on some foreclosures, allowing borrowers to make reduced payments for up to one year. Pawlenty said Tuesday that he is likely to veto the bill if it crosses his desk. The measure, he said, could have serious unintended consequences and drive up credit costs for Minnesotans across the board. "There's a reason why no one else has done that," he said. In addition to the federal grant, Marquette Financial Companies will provide the state with $500,000 to aid homeowners who need small bridge loans to avoid foreclosure. Under the program, homeowners could get up to a $5,000 loan to help them prevent foreclosure. Minnesota hit hard The national mortgage meltdown has hit Minnesota particularly hard, with as many as 37,000 foreclosures anticipated this year. More than 20,000 properties went to the sherifFs auction block last year. Legislators here and nationally have scrambled to come up with ways to ease the pain. On Tuesday, Minnesota House members passed a variety of smaller foreclosure-related bills that would increase financial assistance and offer some protection for renters and mobile home owners. http://wwwstartribune.com/templates/Print This_Story?sid=17209276 4/2/2008 $4.3 million federal grant could help 7,000 avoid foreclosure Page 2 of 2 Foreclosure assistance packages are moving through Congress as well, with the Senate voting Tuesday to push ahead on legislation that would give local governments funds to buy foreclosed properties, expand mortgage assistance and even allow bankruptcy judges to change the terms of home loans. At the State Capitol, Sen. Ellen Anderson, DFL-St. Paul, has said her foreclosure deferment bill is needed to buy time while Congress figures out alonger-term solution to the mortgage crisis that now threatens the U.S. economy. While the 37 additional counselors hired through the federal grant "is an excellent use of federal funding," she said, "we still need a new law to give homeowners some breathing room before foreclosure." Pawlenty said the grant would allow the state to nearly double the number of counselors, but he acknowledged that their reach is limited, particularly with out-of-state lenders. Finding owner a challenge Because mortgage loans are often bundled, repackaged and sold to investors around the world, he said, even determining who owns a mortgage can be challenging. Pawlenty said he is in talks with lenders and considering a proposal that would require mortgage holders to readily identify a contact person authorized to renegotiate loan terms. Julie Gugin, executive director of the Minnesota Home Ownership Center, which is coordinating the federal grant, said counselors are organizing workshops across the metro area where borrowers can get advice and even meet with lenders. Interested homeowners can call the center at 1-866-462-6466 or go to www.hocmn.org for more information. Patricia Lopez • 651-222-1288 ©2008 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. http://wwwstartribune.com/templates/Print This_Story?sid=17209276 4/2/2008 item No. ~ City of Lakeville ' ~ Community and Economic Development Memorandum To: Economic Development Commission From: David L. Olson, Community and Economic Development Director Copy: Steve Mielke, City Administrator Adam Kienberger, Economic Development Specialist Date: April 17, 2008 Subject: April Director's Report The following is the Director's Report for April of 2008. State of the Citv Event The State of City event has been scheduled for Wednesday, April 30"' at the Holiday Inn and Suites starting at 11:30 a.m. EDC members interested in attending should contact Judi Hawkins with the City Administrator's Office at 952- 985-4403 no later than Friday, April 25"'. Building Permit Report The City issued building permits through the end of March with a total valuation of $12,797,777. This compares to a total of $32,664,832 during the same period in 2007. Included in this valuation were commercial and industrial permits with a total valuation of $541,000. This compares to a total valuation of $9,943,600 during the same period in 2007. The City issued permits for 31 single family homes through March with a total valuation of $8,441,000. This compares to 54 single family home permits during the same period in 2007 with a total valuation of $14,272,000. The City issued permits for 9 townhome and condo units through March which compares to 22 townhome and condo permits issued during the same period in 2007. Maxfield County Commercial /Industrial Studv Staff has completed a review of a first draft of the County-wide Commercial / Industrial Study prepared by Maxfield Research. Maxfield staff is currently addressing comments from several cities that reviewed the draft report. A presentation on the report will be made to the EDC at a future meeting. State Electrical Code Issues The City has been attempting to clarify its policy regarding the enforcement of State electrical code requirements for the installation of electrical equipment in manufacturing businesses in Lakeville. While progress has been made in some aspects of enforcement of these requirements, certain other provisions of these electrical code requirements continue to be problematic for both the City and businesses. Recently the State solicited input from cities regarding other provisions of the electrical code being considered for possible amendments. Attached are letters from Mayor Dahl and Building Official Gene Abbott requesting that the State also consider the requirements for electrical equipment be considered for possible amendment. City staff and Mayor Dahl will be meeting with Department of Labor and Industry Commissioner Steve Sviggum on Friday, April 18`" to discuss the City's concerns. Staff will report the results of this meeting to the EDC. New Commercial Develo m~ ants A number of proposed buildings are currently being reviewed in three commercial developments in Lakeville. New proposed commercial buildings are currently being reviewed for Heritage Commons, Crossroads and Timbercrest at Lakeville. Construction on these new buildings is expected to begin in the next several months. The City has also recently issued a building permit for the Brunswick Zone project. Construction of this building is expected by the completed by late October or early November. The AUAR for the proposed First Industrial project is nearly complete. The preliminary plat for the first phase of this development is scheduled to be considered by the Planning Commission on May 1~`. Finally, the 84 Lumber property has recently been sold to Overbye Transport who plan to use it as their office and trucking facility. Unfortunately Rosemount Office systems recently ceased operations in Lakeville. The building and property are currently listed for sale. • April 1, 2008 Commissioner Steve Sviggum Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry 443 Lafayette Road North St. Paul, MN 55155 RE: Amendments to Minnesota Rules, Chapter 3800 Dear Commissioner Sviggum: The City of Lakeville has been contacted by a number of manufacturing companies in Airlake Industrial Park regarding the enforcement of the electrical code requirements for new equipment being installed in their manufacturing facilities and how these requirements are negatively impacting their businesses. The businesses.that have contacted the City have indicated that enforcement of these requirements is putting them in a competitive disadvantage with businesses in other states as well as with businesses in other communities in the state where these rules are not being actively enforced. Enclosed please find a copy of a letter dated April 1, 2008 from Gene Abbott, .Building Official for the City of Lakeville to Annette Trnka, Department of Labor and Industry regarding the opportunity to comment on proposed amendments to Minnesota Rules 3800. As Mr. Abbott's letter indicates, the City of Lakeville is requesting that in addition to the sections of Minnesota Rules 3800 that are being considered for possible amendment, that Section 3800.3620 which deals with the requirements for approval of electrical equipment be considered as well. On behalf of the City, I would tike to request the opportunity to discuss this issue with you and your staff further and possibly include business representatives from Lakeville that can speak specifically as to the impacts of these requirements. Please have someone from your office contact City Administrator Steve Mielke at 952-985-4403 to arrange a meeting on this issue at your convenience. S' cerely, Holly Da Mayor City of Lakeville 20195 Holyoke Avenue • Lakeville, MN 55044 Phone {952) 985-4400.• FAX (952) 985-4499 • www.ci.lakeville.mn.us cc: Senator Pat Pariseau Representative Pat Garofalo Representative Mary Liz Holberg City Council Members Steve Mielke, City Administrator Roger Knutson, City Attorney David Olson, Community and Economic Development Director Gene Abbott, Building Official April 1, 2008 Annette Trnka Minnesota Departrnent of Labor and Industry 443 Lafayette Road North St. Paul, MN 55155 RE: Amendments to Rules Governing Electrical Licensing, Registration of Un&censed Workers, and Continuing Education, Minnesota Rules, Chapter 3800 Dear Ms. Trnka: On behalf cf the Cly;' cf Lake..lle, uiniaii 'y'Cu fCr tlic Cppviiuruiy tC i:Clnment OIl the proposed amendments to Minnesota Rules 3800. I noticed in the "Request for Comments" letter dated February 12, 2008 from Mr. James D. Freichels that section 3800.3620, Approval of Electrical Equipment, was not listed for possible amendment. The City of Lakeville believes that section 3800.3620 should be included for comments as well as consideration for possible amendments. A number of businesses in Lakeville's industrial park have expressed major concerns regarding the enforcement of section 3800.3620. This section of Rule- 3800 was drafted and has been in existence since 1985. The businesses feel that these regulations aze out of date and need to be updated to reflect the ever increasing usage of equipment that is manufactured in Europe, Japan and other parts of the world. Other States do not have these types of regulations for approval of electrical equipment. This puts Minnesota businesses at an unfair advantage when compared to businesses in other States. In addition, there is non-uniform enforcement of these regulations amongst jurisdictions in Minnesota including those jurisdictions that aze represented by contracted state electrical inspectors. The City of Lakeville would appreciate your consideration in reviewing section 3800.3620 and including it in your list of rules to be reviewed and possibly amended. If you have any questions, please contact me at 952-985-4441. c~ly, /~~/f~~ Gene J. bbott Building Official - City of Lakeville C: Steven Mielke, City Administrator David Olson, Community and Economic Development Director City of Lakeville 20195 Holyoke,4venue • Lakeville, MN 55044 Phone (952) 985-4400 • FAX (952) 985-4499 • www.ci.lakeville.mn.us r o ~ ~ doeria;cvo:~vioo~ri-'oc~iooooodooooo~oviocMO~ooo y 0. ~ 7 r N o0 ~ N ~D r o0 O r oD N M vi 'n r RRR r M M V O O N 00 V'1 V1 M ~O V1 N M M ~n vi N r a vi ~n r ri ^ 'n z N o~ r N ~ .7 C M 0. 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E d C v `m j ~ ~ w e e d A Uz `zc" u .`d. a o w e o~~ 3~ v m d 7 E °v o 0 9 m 4 a x w 7 3 O C C v ro 7 C `v aEi ~ ~¢¢uiooxx~Ez~ m ~¢~c,.5~~z333 m ~uo~~~h~~33 w ~aF v, 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 °o r 0 0 0 0 0 o c d ~ N N 0 0 0 0 O O O O O O O O C O O C O N P W b C O O O 0 0 O N O C O O O O O~ O NI N ~ r O C O C O N o~ ti N O O O O O 0 0 O b 0 0 0 O O ^J O O. O. rl O O O O O O O O O O O O O C C C C a O~ N 0 0 0 ~ O O O .~r 0 0 0 0 O C O O OC N N M n O O O O O O N N ~ ~ m v ~ [i 3 ~ d o 3 ~ ~ ~ G ~ v W~ N W T aka O r q y pL = O by y C ~ w r~4 vi m e d w cn F N Retailing Chains Caught in a Wave of Bankruptcies -New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/business/15retail.html7_r=2&oref. ~~!!~ii~~ • _ ` ER„RR~. ~?~'~O~~,Inu~ PWINtER~iRIEN44Y G4RNRT ~~//~Y n~t~m(~. S.G~~ SPON54RE46P April i5, 2008 Retailing Chains Caught in a Wave of Bankruptcies By MICHAEL BAI3BARO The consumer spending slump and tightening credit markets are unleashing a widening wave of bankruptcies in American retailing, prompting thousands of store closings that are expected to remake suburban malls and downtown shopping districts across the country. Since last fall, eight mostly midsize chains - as diverse as the furniture store Levitz and the electronics seller Sharper Image -have filed for bankruptcy protection as they staggered under mounting debt and declining sales. But the troubles are quickly spreading to bigger national companies, like Linens `n Things, the bedding and furniture retailer with Soo stores in 47 states. It may file for bankruptcy as early as this week, according to people briefed on the matter. Even retailers that. can avoid bankruptcy are shutting down stores to preserve cash through what could be a long economic downturn. Over the next year, Foot Locker said it would close too stores, Ann Taylor will start to shutter tt~, and the jeweler Zales will close ioo. The surging cost of necessities has led to a national belt-tightening among consumers. Figures released on Monday showed that spending on food and gasoline is crowding out other purchases, leaving people with less to spend on furniture, clothing and electronics. Consequently, chains specializing in those goods are proving vulnerable. Retailing is a business with big ups and downs during the year, and retailers rely heavily on borrowed money to finance their purchases of merchandise and even to meet payrolls during slow periods. Yet the nation's banks, struggling with the growing mortgage crisis, have started to balk at extending new loans, effectively cutting up the retail industry's collective credit cards. "You have the makings of a wave of significant bankruptcies,' said Al Koch, who helped bring Kmart out of bankruptcy in aoo3 as the company's interim chief financial officer and works at a corporate turnaround firm called AlixPartners. "For years, no deal was too ugly to finance," he said. "But now, nobody will throw money at these companies." Because retailers rely on a broad network of suppliers, their bankruptcies are rippling across the economy. The cash-short chains are leaving behind tens of millions of dollars in unpaid bills to shipping companies, furniture manufacturers, mall owners and advertising agencies. Many are unlikely to be paid in full, spreading the economic pain. When it filed for bankruptcy, Sharper Image owed $6.6 million to United Parcel Service. The furniture chain Levitz owed Sealy $i.4 million. And it is not just large companies that are absorbing the losses. When Domain, the furniture retailer, filed for bankruptcy, it owed On Time Express, a 9o-employee transportation and logistics company in Tempe, Ariz., about $30,000. "We'll be lucky to see pennies on the dollar, if we see anything," said Ross Musil, the chief financial officer of On Time 1 of 3 4/16/2008 3:26 PM Retailing Chains Caught in a Wave of Bankruptcies -New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/business/15retail.html?_i=2&oref... Express. "It's a big loanJ' ~ - , Most of the ailing companies have filed for reorganization, not liquidation, under the bankruptcy laws, including the furniture chain Wickes, the housewares seller Fortunoff, Harvev Electronics and the catalog retailer Lillian Vernon. But, in a contrast with previous recessions, many are unlikely to emerge from bankruptcy, lawyers and industry experts said. Changes in the federal bankruptcy code in zoos significantly tightened deadlines for ailing companies to restructure their businesses, offering them less leeway. And the changes may force companies to pay suppliers before paying wages or honoring obligations to customers, like redeeming gift cards, said Sally Henry, a partner in the bankruptcy law practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and the author of several books on bankruptcy. As a result, she said, "it's no longer reorganization or even liquidation for these companies. In many cases, it's evaporation.° Several of the retailers that filed for Chapter ii bankruptcy protection over the last eight months, like the furniture sellers Bombay, Levitz and Domain, have begun to wind down -closing stores, laying off workers and liquidating merchandise. Inmost cases, the collapses stemmed from a combination of factors: flawed business strategies, a souring economy and banks' unwillingness to issue cheap loans. Bombay, a chain with 36o stores, was considered a success in the furniture world, after its sales surged from $393 million in 1999 to $896 million in 2003. Then the chain decided to move most of its stores out of enclosed malls into open-air shopping centers. It started a children's furniture business, called BombayKids. And it started carrying bigger items, like beds and upholstered couches, with higher prices than its regular furniture. Consumers balked at the changes, hurting Bombay's sales and profits at the same time that its expenses for the ambitious new strategies began to grow. The timing was unenviable: By early 200, the housing market began to falter, so purchases of furniture slowed to a trickle. The company was running out of money, but banks refused to lend more. "They did not want to take the chance that we might not repay the loans," Elaine D. Crowley, the chief financial officer, said in an interview. In September 200, Bombay filed for bankruptcy protection. The highest bid for the company came from liquidation firms, who quickly dismembered the 33-year-old chain. Bombay, which once employed 3,608, now has zo employees left. "It is very difficult and sad," Ms. Crowley said. The bankruptcies are putting a spotlight on alittle-discussed facet of retailing: heavy debt. Stores may appear to mint money by paying $z for a T-shirt and charging $io for it. But because shopping is based on weather patterns and fashion trends, retailers must pay for merchandise that may sit, unsold, on shelves for long periods. So chains regularly borrow large sums to cover routine expenses, like wages and electricity bills. When sales are strong, as they typically are during the holiday season, the debts are repaid. 2 of 3 4/16/2008 3:26 PM Retailing Chains Caught in a Wave of Bankruptcies -New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/business/15retail.html?_r-2&oref... ~ 'Fortunoff, a jewelry and home furnishing chain in the Northeast, relied on $9o million in loans to help operate its 23 stores, using merchandise as collateral. -But by early 2008, as the housing market struggled, the chain's profits dropped, meaning its collateral was losing value and the amount it could borrow fell. In better economic times, the banks might have granted Fortunoff a reprieve. But with a recession looming, they refused, forcing it to file for bankruptcy in February. In filings, the chain said it was "facing a liquidity crisis:' (Fortunoff was later sold to the owner of Lord & Taylor) Plenty of retailers remain on strong footing. Arnold H. Aronson, the former chief executive of Saks Fifth Avenue and a managing director at Kurt Salmon Associates, a retail consulting firm, said the credit tightness and consumer spending slowdown have only wiped out the "bottom tier' companies in retailing. "This recession dealt the final blow to these chains," he said. But several big-name chains are looking vulnerable. Linens 'n Things, which is owned by Apollo Management, a private equity firm, is considering a bankruptcy filing after years of poor performance and mounting debts, though it has additional options, people involved inthe discussions said Monday. Whether more chains file for bankruptcy or not, it will be hard to miss the impact of the industry's troubles in the nation's malls. J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back or delaying expansion. Office Depot had planned to open igo stores this year; now it will open 75. The International Council of Shopping Centers, a trade group, estimates there will be S,y~o store closings in 2008, up 25 percent from 200, when there were 4,603. Charming Shoppes, which owns the women's clothing retailers Lane Bryant and Fashion Bug, is closing at least iso stores. Wilsons the Leather Experts will close i58. And Pacific Sunwear is shutting a 153-store chain called Demo. Those decisions were made months ago, when it was unclear how long the downturn in consumer spending might last. If March was any indication, it is nowhere near over. Sales at stores open at least a year fell o.g percent, the worst performance in 13 years, according to the shopping council. CoovrlgM 2006 The New Vork Times Comoanv Privacy Policy Search ~ Corrections RSS Frst Look ~ HBiD ~ Contact US ~ Work for Us ~ Site Mao <div> <img alt="DCSIMG" id="DCSIMG" width="i' height="i" src="http://wt.o.nytimes.com/dcsymg7ywtoooosis8goboozt_9rix/njs.gif?dcsuri=/nojavascript& WT.js=No& WT.ty=t.o.9"/> </div> 3 of 3 4/16/2008 3:26 PM Page 1 of 3 Olson, David From: MN Department of Employment & Economic Development [StateOfM innesota@ngwmail.des.state.m n.us] Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2008 9:52 AM To: Olson, David Subject: 4.17.08 March Employment If eu cannot read this messa e, lease click here fR Cortrrwarslcallor~s Offioe ~ Web site: www.rle~l.state.mn.us Ph~e; 551-297-1192 ~ 1-~0.657-~58 • Fax &51-215-3841 For Immediate Release Kirsten Morell, 651-259-7161 April 17, 2008 Kirsten.Morell a(~state.mn.us State Gains 5,200 Jobs in March State unemployment below national rate at 4.7percent ST. PAUL -Minnesota employers added 5,200 jobs in March, according to figures released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Minnesota employers have added 17,200 jobs over the past year, a growth rate of 0.6 percent. During the same period, U.S. job growth was 0.4 percent. The state's seasonally adjusted employment rate reached 4.7 percent, compared with a national unemployment rate of 5.1 percent in March . "In the midst of challenging economic times, Minnesota employers have added 9,300 jobs since January," said Dan McElroy, commissioner of the Minnesota Deparhnent of Employment and Economic Development. "We continue to see strength in sectors of our economy like Education and Health Services, while others are holding steady." Six of the state's major industrial sectors added jobs during the month. Education and Health Services led the way, adding 2,300 jobs, followed by Government, 1,400 jobs; Manufacturing, and Leisure and Hospitality, 1,300 jobs each; Other Services, 600 jobs; and Construction, 200 jobs. Sectors losing jobs were Trade, Transportation and Utilities, down 1,200 jobs; Information, down 400; and National Resources and Mining, Financial Activities, and Professional and 04/17/2008 Page 2 of 3 Business Services, each down 100 jobs. Over the year, employment in the Twin Cities has grown 0.8 percent with 13,500 jobs added. The Duluth-Superior region grew 1.3 percent with 1,650 jobs, Rochester grew 1.9 percent with 1,940 jobs and the St. Cloud region grew 1.3 percent with 1,300 new jobs. These data are not seasonally adjusted. For addifional information on the March employment information, please visit www.positivelyminnesota.com. seasonall adjusted Not seasonall adjusted Unemployment March February Rate 2008 2008 Minnesota 4.7% 4.5% U.S. 5.1% 4.8% Employment March February March'07-March March'07-March 2008 2008 '08 Level Chan a '08 % Chan e Minnesota 2,785,600 2,780,400 17,200 0.6% U.S. 137,846,000 137,926,000 482,000 0.4% Over The Year Em to ment Growth b Indust Sector SA OTY Job OTY Growth US OTY Chan a Rate % Growth Rate Total Non- 17,200 0.6 0.4 Farm Em to went Natural Resource & Minin -10 -0.2 5.1 Construction -6,740 -6.3 -5.1 Manufacturin -340 -0.1 -2.3 Trade Trans & Utilities 1 430 0.3 -0.1 Information 40 0.1 -0.6 Financial Activities 830 0.5 -1.3 Prof & Business Services -600 -0.2 0.8 Ed & Health Services 14 490 3.4 3.0 Leisure & Hos italit 3,000 1.3 2.4 Other Services -1,360 -L2 0.7 Government 6,430 1.5 1.1 Minnesota and Re 'oval Current Em to went Statistics Trends March 2008 Over the Year Over the Year Percent Employment Change Numeric Employment Change of seasonall Ad'usted of seasonall Ad'usted Minneapolis- St. Paul MN- WI MSA 0.8% 13,500 Duluth-Superior MN -WI MSA 1.3% 1 650 Rochester MSA 1.9% 1,940 St. Cloud MSA 1.3% 1 300 04/17/2008 Page 3 of 3 --30-- This message was sent to Jolson@ci.lakeville.mn.us by: MN Department of Em~loyment_& Economic Development (monte.hansonCalstate mn.us) 332 Minnesota Stree[ Suite E200 St. Paul, MN 55101-1351 • 800-657-3858 Subscribe • Unsubscribe 04/17/2008