The Economic Development Committee of the DeKalb County Board met on Tuesday, January 3, 2006, @ 7:00p.m. in the Legislative Center’s Freedom Room.  Chairman Julia Fullerton called the meeting to order.  Members present were Jerry Augsburger, Sally DeFauw, Dennis Sands, Michael Haines and Mr. Metzger, Sr.   Mr. Slack was absent.  Others present were Roger Hopkins, Ray Bockman, Doug Dashner, Diane Strand and Roger Hopkins.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES

          Mr. Augsburger asked to amend the minutes on the last page to reflect “flesh out ideas”.   Moved by Mr. Augsburger, seconded by Ms. DeFauw, and it was carried unanimously to approve the amended minutes from December 2005.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

          Mr. Bockman asked to have the agenda amended to reflect  a City of DeKalb Intergovernmental Cooperation.  Moved by Mr. Metzger, Sr., seconded by Mr. Augsburger, and it was carried unanimously to approve the amended agenda.

PUBLIC COMMENT

          No one wanted to address the committee this evening.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF DEKALB

          Mr. Bockman apologized for approaching the committee this evening at the last minute with the Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement from the City of DeKalb, but he had just received it late this afternoon.  Chairman Fullerton asked if the committee needed to take action on it this evening?  Mr. Bockman said no, he did not think so.  He said that it relates to a tax abatement proposal that the City of DeKalb is putting forward for all the taxing bodies.  It is identical to a proposal that we acted on some time ago, said Mr. Bockman.  They’ve added an additional incentive for knowledge-based employers.  They are now proposing to strengthen the abatement policy slightly by 90,90,80, 70, 60 for those industries.  He has not had an opportunity to discuss this with DeKalb’s staff at this point in time. They have asked that we give this our earliest possible consideration.  Between now and the committee’s next meeting in February he will be going back and forth on various items in the agreement with the City. 

          Mr. Sands asked if the County had any criteria laid out like this?  Mr. Bockman said that the County does not.   He did say that he will always have an escape clause in the agreement to protect the County’s interest. 

          Mr. Sands then said that he would like to see incentives given to existing businesses for expansion purposes.  Mr. Bockman said that he agrees with this.  Mr. Sands also said that he feels that small businesses in the County would expand and hirer more people if they knew that this was available to them.

DISCUSSION ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP CONCEPT – WHO TO INVITE - SPEAKERS AND PANELISTS.     

          Chairman Fullerton said that if anyone wants to they can sign up for 2006 Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism  She also passed around two articles from the Chronicle and the MidWeek regarding Chuck Siebrasse as the replacement for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and DeKalb City Council’s economic development goals.   She would like to invite Mr. Siebrasse to the committee to discuss his goals for economic development. 

Chairman Fullerton said that she would like to invite various speakers to come to the committee to discuss what they do, what their interaction is with the county and see what their concerns and needs are.  She would like to have one or two a month to come to the committee.  Mr. Metzger, Sr., said that he was trying to get someone from the Technology Triangle.  They seem to be geared towards economic development.  He would like to find out more about the process and find the best means to educate ourselves about it.

Mr. Sands said that ways to reach out to other chambers would be to contact the smaller towns and villages and invite their business associates to our meetings. 

Mr. Haines said that he would like to invite someone from American Farmland Trust to discuss how to preserve farmland as part of their economic development structure. 

          Mr. Sands recommended Mr. Bill Nicklas, Chairman of the Regional Planning Commission to come and speak to us, too.

          Chairman Fullerton then passed out the goals of the Ad Hoc Public Infrastructure and Development Committee who met for over a year on economic development concerns and goals for the county.

APPROVAL OF ANNUAL DATE SCHEDULE FOR THIS COMMITTEE

          Chairman Fullerton passed out a list of annual meeting dates for this committee to be approved for the upcoming year.

          Moved by Mr. Haines, seconded by Mr. Augsburger, and it was carried unanimously to approve the annual meeting dates for the Economic Development Committee.

ADJOURNMENT

          Moved by Mr. Sands, seconded by Mr. Haines, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting

                                                          Respectfully submitted,

                                                          ____________________________

                                                          Chairman Julia Fullerton

______________________________

Mary C. Supple, Secretary