Economic Vitality Committee Agenda and Packet 2021 01 15

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There are other business groups in Louisville with various purposes. Below is a brief description of each group and how it fits in to the mix: Business Retention and Development Committee (BRaD) • Made up of members of the business community. • Formed as an advisory body to City Council. • Has intimate knowledge of the business community and its current issues, concerns and views. Economic Vitality Committee (EVC) • Made up of 3 members of City Council. • Due to the direct connection to City Council, this body has the ability to get things done and done quickly. • Meetings are public, so business community members are able to attend. • Currently, meetings are less formal than full City Council Meetings, which allows for back -and -forth discussions. However, since this is at the discretion of the Chairperson, this may not always be the case. Chamber of Commerce • This is a city-wide business membership organization. The Chamber supports its members in many ways. However, according to their by- laws, the Chamber cannot take an official stand on political items or influence decisions that come before City Council unless the Board votes unanimously that it will benefit the Chamber as a whole. Downtown Business Association (DBA) • This is a business membership organization open to downtown businesses. • The DBA frequently presents political positions and concerns to City Council and staff, but the fact that it is limited to downtown makes it a poor choice for a city- wide business voice. While both the Chamber and the DBA are membership organizations, the fact is that advocacy for the membership is beneficial to and likely representative of the group as a whole. Agenda Packet P. 10