07-01-2015 City Of Edgewater 104 N.Riverside Drive
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UGEWATL'aMeeting Minutes
In 1951
Economic Development Board
Wednesday,July 1,2015 8:00 Ail Council Chambers
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
Present 7- Bliss Jamison,Marcia Barnett,Oscar Zeller,Donna Snow,Cecil Selman,Brandon Beck
and Laura Smith
Excused 2- Jeff Berner and William Wetherell
Also Present 1- Mitch Honaker
3. PRESENTATIONS-None at this time.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. AR-2015-981 Regular Meeting -June 3,2015
Attachments: 06-03-2015
Chair Jamison called for a voice vote for approval of the June 3, 2015 Economic
Development board minutes.The minutes were APPROVED by the following vote.
Yes: 7- Bliss Jamison,Marcia Barnett,Oscar Zeller,Donna Snow,Cecil Selman,Brandon Beck,
and Laura Smith
Excused: 2- Jeff Berner,and William Wetherell
5. REPORTS
Economic Development/Redevelopment Coordinator Samantha Bishop reported: at the City's June
22, 2015 Budget workshop, the Council's focus was on the capital outlay improvements budget, not
the economic development budget; and that Finance Director John McKinney had incorporated the
EDB recommendations into the City's overall economic development budget. She discussed, the
$5,000 joint marketing campaign funds to publish a Southeast Volusia regional marketing brochure;
changes at the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority (SVAA); and the EDB being open to possibly
using the$5,000 to advertise in other regional publications to promote people to come to Edgewater.
EDB members and staff discussed, using funds to effectively market Edgewater; the Finance Director
being able to find funds for important projects; SVAA moving forward with their quasi commitment
to assist Edgewater in marketing; the retirment of the SVAA director, and EDB members contacting
SVAA board members; keeping the ecotourism momentum moving forward, the Leisure Services
budget and possible ecotourism marketing funds; and the EDB members being open to other joint
marketing venues, but still making sure the funds are utilized as intended.
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Planning and Zoning board member Paul Wright stated that the P&Z board has not conducted their
monthly meeting yet, and he had nothing to report.
Mrs. Bishop reported.- she attended a recent update meeting with Retail Strategies, and explained
Retail Strategies "Prospect List"; she has been very busy lately with leads received by Enterprise
Florida, Space Florida, and Team Volusia Economic Development Committee (TVEDC); she
attended the West Volusia Economic Development Committee meeting, where they discussed showing
unity in Volusia County by providing letters of support and resolutions supporting aerotech, and
space technology jobs in Volusia County; that renewable energy companies, and technology
companies are here looking at possible business locations, with starting salaries around $75,000;
and that she, along with EDB member Donna Snow, attended the June 2015, TVEDC meeting.
6. CONTINUED BUSINESS
a. AR-2015-983 CEDS Review
Attachments: CEDS 2015 DRAFT III
EDB members and Economic Development Coordinator Samantha Bishop reviewed Strategic Goals,
Objectives, and the Action Plan portion of the "Draft" Comprehensive Economic Development
Strategy(CEDS).
During the review process, EDB members and staff, reviewed goals and objectives, up through, and
including, Objective 2.1. 'Improve Internal Road Access and Circulation" EDB members and staff
discussed actions required to implement each objective; concurred on changes and additions to each
of the objectives; which year each objective would be worked, or completed; and which objectives
were constant on-going annual objectives. Mrs. Bishop stated she would update the CEDS with the
EDB's recommended revisions.
EDB members and staff also reviewed and discussed Objective 1.4. "Establish an Effective Internal
Organization Structure". which has been completed and removed from the Goals and Objectives
listing in the Action Plan; and discussed when to hold a meeting to complete the CEDS review
process.
After discussion, the Economic Development Board concurred to change the August 5, 2015 EDB
meeting to a CEDS Review Workshop, to be heldfrom 08:00 to 10:00 a.in. in the Council chambers.
7. NEW BUSINESS
8. BOARD REPORTS
Member Snow reported she and Planning Technician Tabitha Russell participated in a meeting with
all of Volusia County's cities to discuss participating in a Program for Public Information (PPI) to
obtain credit under the Community Rating System (CRS) of the National Flood Insurance Program.
The PPI program, assigns points for educating residents, contractors, etc., on flooding and flooding
mitigation; she discussed, maximizing points; how the County gets points for educating the public on
flood information, such as, distributing flood preparation information; the County's plan; and stated
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that she would make sure information about the program was distributed to EDB members.
She also stated that on Friday July 17, 2015 Senator Dorothy Hukill will be the guest speaker at an
event hosted by the Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce (SEVCC) at Sugar Mill Country Club,
at 12:00 p.m., and that members could RSVP to the SEVCC; and that the Space Alliance is scheduled
to speak at a SEVCC event during the second week of September, and she would make sure meeting
information was provided to EDB members.
Member Zeller reported attending a meeting at Career Source Volusia/Flagler, reference; getting a
trade school implemented; there is a meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, July 7, 2015, starting at
8:00 a.m. to discuss starting a "Tech" school in Southeast Volusia County, and that EDB members
are invited to attend.
Chair Jamison stated that she is glad the initiative is moving forward; it is so timely, and important,
especially with all of the space industry meetings occurring in the area; she discussed meetings with
groups like Enterprise Florida, where everyone is talking about workforce skilled labor; and stated
that having these types of technical schools in place helps to recruit businesses to develop in the local
area.
Member Zeller stated that Pine Ridge High School got a $1.4 million grant to set up their tech
school, which they set up as an academy. Mrs. Bishop discussed attending a joint meeting with
Volusia County School staff, Career Source, manufacturers, and economic development
practitioners, from throughout Volusia County; Southeast Volusia County was well represented; that
each high school in Volusia County has a specialty academy for their students to attend; and that it
was announced at the meeting that Pine Ridge would have a manufacturing academy starting this
August.
EDB members and staff discussed the CNC machine controllers to be used at the Pine Ridge
academy not being the ones used by 95% of local employers; that the Southeast Volusia academy
being conducted at Daytona State College (DSC), is a better idea because of student safety concerns,
and for legal reasons; and discussed sending out letters of support for the Pine Ridge academy so tax
dollars are not going to waste.
Member Beck discussed the importance of reaching out to manufacturers to find out what skills
employers need for their new employees to have, and to incorporate their findings into school
programs of instruction, so new employees at least have the basic skill sets when they start; that he is
also a member of the Volusia Manufacturers Association (VMA) Education Committee, which ties in
with that, because DSC is interested, and wants to know what is needed; discussed earlier initiatives
by DSC to provide manufacturing skills courses; and attempting to reinitiate the DSC programs.
Vice Chair Barnett discussed the Retail Strategies "Prospect List" that was distributed by Mrs.
Bishop; and stated that it seems like a lot of businesses are not interested in the Edgewater area due
to population size. She stated that Coral Trace is almost completely built out; Edgewater Lakes has a
lot of development going on; encouraged board members to go visit the area; stated that they are
building at a very fast pace; D.R. Horton is helping grow our community with their new homes, and
the City needs to support them; D.R. Horton is looking to buy the rest of the development, which
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could be 280 to 300 more homes; and that the increased housing is a positive and important thing to
Edgewater because we can't entice economic development to the area without more rooftops. Stated
that the Chops Steak House sold to someone outside of Edgewater, but that he is very interested in
the Edgewater area; he is creating an upscale type of seafood restaurant that will be an area
"destination" restaurant; is investing a lot of money, time and resources into it, which will really help
that area of town have some growth and attention; he is also discussing putting a hotel there; and
that he really believes in Edgewater, and the City needs to support his endeavors to make sure it is a
success.
Chair Jamison discussed supporting local businesses; Planet Pizza (a niche type of restaurant) on
US 1 going by the wayside; getting the word out to others about the new restaurant; and keeping the
board informed about the project.
Vice Chair Barnett discussed Councilman Conroy's suggestion to add "Citizen Comments" to the
EDB agenda, and made a motion to have Citizen Comments added to the agenda. Mr. Honaker
stated that advisory boards usually do not follow the same agenda format as a Council; that no other
advisory board that he knows of has a designated place for citizen comments; and asked to be
allowed the time to research the legalities of having citizen comments on an advisory board agenda.
Mr. Honaker discussed Florida's Sunshine Law; members not emailing information directly to each
other, or sharing rides to locations; not communicating directly with each other between meetings;
only emailing information to each other as a "FYI" message; and stated that the preferred
distribution method to board members is to send the information to either the economic development
coordinator, or the EDB coordinator, who would email the information to all board members.
He also discussed the gift bags and certificates distributed to those EDB members who have been
City volunteers for over a year, but could not attend the City's annual volunteer luncheon; at the
luncheon the Mayor thanks the volunteers and hands out certificates of appreciation; City Clerk
Brown provides a gift for each volunteer; and that he would make sure everyone received notification
of, and an invitation to next year's volunteer luncheon.
9. ADJOURN
Chair Jamison thanked everyone for attending; wished everyone a happy July 4th; stated the August
5th meeting would be a two (2) hour CEDS workshop; reminded those who can, to attend Tuesday's
Southeast Volusia Technical Training Committee meeting; and to let either Mrs. Bishop or Mr.
Honaker know if they planned on attending.
There being no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at 9:31 a.m.
Minutes submitted by:
Mitch Honaker
Deputy City Clerk
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