CITY OF LAKELAND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
MEETING MINUTES
THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 2009, 6:30 PM
CITY HALL, LAKELAND, TENNESSEE, 38002

I. CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting was called to order at 6:34 p.m., Thursday, January 22, 2009, by
Vice-Mayor Mark Hartz.

II. ROLL CALL:
1. Roll Call
Don Barber Present
Shirlee Clark Present
John Dudas Absent (excused)
Mark Hartz Present
Connie Hess Present
Josh Roman Present
Boyd Ruppelt Present
Tanya Wallace Present
Pamela Womack Absent (excused)

City of Lakeland Staff Members Present:
City Manager, Robert Wherry
Growth Management Director, J Higbee
Office Coordinator, Theresa Meyer

Members of the Public Present:
Kumar Patel

2. Election of Officers
Josh Roman nominated Connie Hess for the position of Chairman of the EDC. There being no other nominations, the EDC elected Connie Hess Chairman by acclamation.
Motion approved by acclamation.

Connie Hess nominated Josh Roman for the position of Vice-Chairman of the EDC. There being no other nominations, Shirlee Clark moved to elect Josh Roman Vice-Chairman of the EDC, seconded by Vice-Mayor Mark Hartz.
Motion approved by acclamation.

Shirlee Clark nominated Theresa Meyer for the position of Secretary of the EDC. There being no other nominations, Boyd Ruppelt moved to elect Theresa Meyer Secretary of the EDC, seconded by Shirlee Clark.
Motion approved by acclamation.

III. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES:
EDC Regular Meeting Minutes, October 23, 2008, 6:30 p.m.
Motion made by Josh Roman to approve the EDC Regular Meeting Minutes dated October 23, 2008, as written. Motion seconded by Boyd Ruppelt.
Motion approved by acclamation.

IV. PUBLIC DISCUSSION:
NONE

V. REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD:
Update on Lakeland’s Chamber of Commerce. (Hess)
EDC Chair, Connie Hess, will serve as the Economic Development Commission representative to the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce on the Board.

Update on New Business Licenses. (Franklin)
There were eight (8) new businesses reported since the October 23, 2008, meeting. Chairman Hess will notify the Chamber of the new businesses.

The Friendly Faces program is a combined effort between the City and the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce. The goal is to make contact with businesses on the front end.

Josh Roman made a motion to add “Discussion on Scope of Economic Development Commission” to New Business.
Motion approved by acclamation.

Update on Planning Department. (Higbee)
▪ Harding Academy on file; has not gone to MPC.
▪ The Meadows Secondary Detailed Development Plan went all the way through BOC and was approved.
▪ Village at Water’s Edge is still pending at applicant’s request.
▪ SR Consulting has contacted Mr. Higbee to schedule a pre-application conference regarding Lake Forest’s, first phase of Commercial.
▪ Regions Bank is close to locating at the Corner Shops site.
▪ Lakeland Commons was denied at Board of Commissioners meeting.
▪ Mr. Higbee has had an inquiry about the commercial frontage at Winstead Farms; nothing has been filed.

On January 29, Doug Farr, Principal of FARR Associates, will be coming to Lakeland. A public meeting, which is also a joint meeting between the MPC and the BOC, will be held at the IH Managerial Clubhouse at 7 PM. At City Hall, there will be a reception from 2:30 – 4:30 PM followed by dinner at 5:30 PM for Boards, Commissions, and the Advisory Committee with Mr. Farr.

New Land Development Regulation project schedule:
▪ Wrap up review by March ‘09
▪ Final draft from FARR by April ‘09
▪ April – July, lots of meetings
▪ Adopt by July ‘09

Outstanding item requested by EDC - viability research/presentations on commercial development as proposed in the new codes. Mr. Higbee is talking with ZHA (market experts) and working to get information to put together scope and cost.

A combination of the U of M market study and ZHA market study filtered to address our particular case should provide information we need at a reduced cost.

Update on Status of Canada/I-40 Interchange. (Wherry)
Currently at the Federal Highway Administration. Federal and State representatives are working on it.

VI. OLD BUSINESS:
NONE.

VII. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Discussion on Scope of Economic Development Commission
Chairman Hess opened the floor for discussion. Following discussion, on methods that could be used to contact Lakeland businesses, the EDC decided to make personal contact with all Lakeland businesses. Josh Roman was asked to organize the effort.

Josh Roman made a motion to table the discussion until the next meeting when the EDC would have a working document to discuss. Shirlee Clark seconded the motion.
Motion carried, voice vote, all in favor.

VIII. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
NONE

IX. ADJOURNMENT:
There being no other business to discuss, Vice-Mayor Hartz made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Boyd Ruppelt seconded the motion.
Motion carried, voice vote, all in favor.

The meeting adjourned at 7:35 p.m.

These minutes were approved February 26, 2009.

Connie Hess, Chairman

ATTEST:

Sontidra Franklin, City Recorder