Business Retention and Development Committee Minutes 2007 03 05

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City Council Business Retention & Development Committee Meeting Minutes March 5, 2007 Page 2 of 3 some merchants to install additional hardware to participate in the program, but there are no fees for installation or set up as there are with others. They also noted that their experience is that no company will be able to provide services without installing new hardware in some stores as some card machines simply are blocked from allowing new software to be programmed. Members asked First National Bank to provide a proposal that can be compared to the proposal we have from Store Financial and further discussions can take place at the April meeting. Brown and Hogan Balser will be the speakers at the March 20 Chamber discuss the proposed program. BUSINESS RETENTION PROGRAM Hogan gave a review of the current efforts the City is taking retention. She noted that at the March 13 City Council study session training session for the Council and BRaD members on w t to expect visit. business will give a brief a retention Hogan added that she and staff will determine the target busi sses for 2007 visits but will also visit any company which requests a visit. The purpose of the visits is to help determine the overall health of the business munity in Louisville and determine what the City could or should be doing to change t vironment. BUSINESS ASSIS ROGRAM Hogan reviewed the final documents for the Business Assistance Program. She noted one question that needed to be ans red is whether the City wants to offer assistance for new speculative space. Member ought the answer would be yes, if that space filled a niche not already available i n. Hogan noted she has g to many business own moving to Louisville, not n many calls regarding the new program and has explained hat the program is only for businesses that are expanding or existing businesses that will not be creating new sales tax. wed the Business Assistance Criteria noting that a business doesn't the criteria to qualify. ONGRESS - RECOMMENDATION FROM SUBCOMMITTEE e work of the business congress subcommittee and reported that the ittee felt the congress was important and could be an asset but it may be more for BRaD to determine if the congress should be a priority for BRaD at this There was consensus that BRaD and its staff have a limited amount of time and money for its projects for 2007 and perhaps it would be wise to limit the focus to a few primary projects that could be done well.