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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/14/2023 - Meeting Minutes MINUTES FOR THE BUSINESS ADVISORY BOARD Wednesday, June 14th, 2023 8:30 a.m. -10:00 a.m. 1. Roll Call The following members of the Business Advisory Board were present: Jeff Carleton, Chair Andy Robertson, Vice-Chair Scott Lyttle Darin Piccoli Pook Carson Alfonso Brito Abudujannah Soud Jocelyn Kearl Karen Gunn Sue Rice The following members of the Business Advisory Board were absent: Siliveinusi Niu Also Present: Veronica Cavanagh, Department of Economic Development; Lorena Riffo Jenson, Department of Economic Development; Roberta Reichgelt, Department of Economic Development; Will Wright, Department of Economic Development; Peter Makowski, Department of Economic Development;, Andie Feldman: Department of Economic Development; Todd Andersen, Department of Economic Development; Ibrahim Ramazani, Department of Economic Development; Ashley Lichtle, Mayor's Office; James Mccormack, Business Services; Christopher Jennings, Department of Finance; Joe Taylor, Transportation Department, Michelle Saucedo, Suazo Business Center. 2. Briefings by the Staff EDLF Updates Ms. Reichgelt provided updates on the EDLF program. She said Trackland LLC, a tech company, had a $350,000 loan approved by City Council and Salt Lake Sandwich Company, a food truck, was also approved for a$100,000 loan. She also mentioned that the EDLF application process would soon be available online. Ms. Reichgelt also discussed plans for a monthly online orientation to increase awareness about the program and its resources. Construction Mitigation Grant Director Riffo Jenson shared that the council had approved additional funding of$300,000 for construction mitigation, totaling $500,000 for the program. She explained that this funding would be available after July 1 st and encouraged the attendees to spread the word about the application process to affected businesses. Open Streets and Main Street Mall Project Updates Mr. Makowski Peter Makowski provided updates on the Open Streets event, which had been rescheduled to run from September 1 st to October 21 st. He mentioned efforts to enhance the event's activation and attract more participants. Peter also announced that Dig Studio from Denver, Colorado, had been selected as the vendor for the Main Street Mall conceptual design study. He highlighted their experience with the 16th Street Mall redevelopment in Colorado. Board Member Pay Update Ms. Cavanagh said members will be compensated for their time for each meeting they attend. This was approved by the City Council in September 2022, and the Board and Commissions team are in the process of setting this up. All members who attended Business Advisory Board meetings will receive $40 stipend for each meeting they have attended since September 22nd. If any members wish to not receive compensation, they can fill out an opt out form. 3. Approval of the minutes A. Review and Approval of April 12th, 2023, BAB Minutes Ms. Gunn made a motion to approve the minutes from April 12th, 2023, meeting. Ms. Rice seconded the motion. Upon roll call, the motion passed unanimously. 4. Business A. City Procurement and Contracts Christopher Jennings, Chief Procurement Officer of the Division of Purchasing and Contract Management, discussed the importance of establishing a public face for the division, especially for the benefit of local businesses. He talked about an upcoming lunch and learn event scheduled for June 21st at the Airport Training Center. The purpose of the event is to engage with the business community and provide insights into public procurement processes. The event will include short talks on public procurement, the procurement code, and the distinctions between public and private businesses. Various representatives from different city departments, such as Statewide Cooperative Contracts and the Airport Authority, will also participate in the event. Ms. Rice inquired about how the event is being promoted. Mr. Jennings mentioned that the event has been shared on the City's social media accounts and website. He encouraged BAB members to share the information with their networks to maximize participation. He also said that this event marks the beginning of ongoing efforts to connect with local businesses. Ms. Rice asked questions about support for local small businesses and potential collaborations with larger corporations. Mr. Jennings acknowledged the challenges faced by small businesses competing with larger entities and expressed interest in exploring strategies to level the playing field. He mentioned consideration in their scoring methodology, especially in for local business but it is not a massive amount. Director Riffo Jenson asked what is defined as local. Mr. Jennings replied that determining what qualifies as a local business can be complex, considering factors such as location, employee count, and existing definitions from federal resources. He highlighted the need to balance various interests and emphasized the importance of driving value back to the City. B. Rio Grande Train Box Update Mr. Joe Taylor, Transportation Planner for Salt Lake City, gave a presentation on the Rio Grande Train Box Update. Here are the main points he discussed: - Mr. Taylor discussed Salt Lake City's East-West connections and transportation challenges and mentioned the divide in Salt Lake City and its impact on mobility and the community. - He discussed ongoing projects, including a pedestrian bridge, bike path upgrades, and the Rio Grande plan to address the divide. - Mr. Taylor explained that a federal grant was awarded for planning to address the divide, focusing on community engagement and co-creation of solutions. - Chairperson Carleton mentioned that other cities like Boston and Denver have undertaken similar projects to reconnect their communities and improve transportation infrastructure and he looks forward to seeing what Salt Lake City will do. - Chairperson Carleton asked when the completion of the pedestrian bridge will happen, and Mr. Taylor said he hopes before the school year starts. - Chairperson Carleton inquired about the decision-making process for implementing the projects, and Mr. Taylor mentioned that it would likely involve a collaboration between various levels of government, including federal, state, and local authorities. C. Business Requirements for Closed Captions Ashley Lichtle, ADA Coordinator, updated the Board on the City's new Closed Captioning Ordinance. She highlighted the commission's first formal recommendation, an adopted ordinance requiring closed captioning on public-facing TVs in places of public accommodation. Ms. Lichtle explained that the ordinance aims to make the city more inclusive for various groups beyond the deaf and hard of hearing community. She provided guides for setting up closed captioning, including options within streaming apps, cable settings, and TV settings. She emphasized the ordinance doesn't cost money and shared resources on the website for businesses to comply and confirmed the availability of information and resources in both English and Spanish. Chairperson Carleton suggested reaching out to the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association to spread awareness. Ms. Rice asked if the ordinance is currently enforced. Ms. Lichtle confirmed there is an enforceable ordinance, noting the initial emphasis on education rather than financial penalties. Ms. Reichgelt asked about caption translations, and Ms. Lichtle clarified that if a language is available on streaming services, it should be used. Mr. Soud inquired about using non-English captions based on the clientele, and Ms. Lichtle affirmed the flexibility to cater to the predominant language. D. Special Event Permitting Subcommittee Update Chairperson Carleton reported on the recent special event permitting subcommittee meeting which included members from the BAB, Black Chamber of Commerce, Suazo Business Center, Economic Development department, and Planning department. Chairperson Carleton will write a letter which will be sent to the Mayor's Office, once BAB members have a chance to review it and vote on it, that will have recommended changes to the special event permitting process. The letter will include the following recommendations: - To extend submission period to 60 days for large events (>500 attendees). - Considered eliminating 30-day limit due to complexity of large events. - Proposed a 5-day pre-event deadline if unprepared. - Suggested YouTube tutorial and monthly meetings for guidance. - Discussed dashboard or visual cues for tracking progress and deadlines. 5. BAB Member Announcements Vice-chair Robertson discussed the Mayor's Community Outreach Office hours which he attended in Rose Park recently. He suggested that BAB members should attend to make connections with the community. 6. Adiournment There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. C Cai*tm Jeffrey t Carleto?(Nov 3,2023 09:53 MDT) Jeff Carleton, Chairperson This document and the recording constitute the official minutes of the Economic Development Business Advisory Board meeting held on June 14th, 2023.