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<br />Economic Retail Sales Tax Board <br />Meeting Minutes <br />November 16, 2017, 4:00pm <br />The Economic Retail Sales Tax Board (EDRSTB) held a meeting at the Heman Park Community Center, <br />975 Pennsylvania, University City, Missouri on November 16, 2017. The meeting commenced at 4:10 <br />p.m. with the following members and staff being present: <br />Voting Members Present <br />Mark Winer, Chair <br />Kristine Hendrix (arrived at 4:30pm) <br />Robert Kuhlman <br />Brendan O’Brien <br />Robyn Williams <br />Non-Voting Ex-Officio Members Present <br />Shelley Welsch, Mayor <br />Joe Edward, Loop Special Business District <br />Staff Present <br />Andrea Riganti, Director of Community Development <br />Adam Brown, Community Development Specialist <br />Approval of Minutes <br />The approval of the August 17, 2017 minutes was postponed, due to a lack of a quorum at the beginning <br />of the meeting. <br />Old Business <br />The Board reviewed the FY19 EDRST draft application documents and budget calendar. Mr. Winer <br />reminded all that City Council asked for EDRSTB budget recommendations earlier in the budget process <br />and for projects to include more defined metrics and deliverables. <br />The Board agreed that City Council and EDRSTB needs to be in agreement about economic <br />development goals, use of funds, priorities, evaluation criteria, to whom funds could be granted, <br />marketing and more. A joint meeting had been requested for December, but Interim City Manager Adams <br />recommended waiting. Mayor Welsch stated that the new City Manager would be starting on December <br />28, and suggested a joint meeting be held soon after that. <br />The Board discussed the role of the EDRSTB as advisory to City Council and the need for some <br />independence to be effective in that capacity. Mayor Welsch reminded the Board that membership was <br />enabled by the State so that residents could drive the board. The Mayor worked with Representative <br />Ellinger to expand the board for more citizen involvement. <br />No changes to the schedule or application form were recommended. Ms. Hendrix encouraged additional <br />marketing of the funds to a diverse audience, such as incentivizing women-owned and minority-owned <br />businesses to Olive Blvd. Suggestions were put forth for marketing the fund on social media, website <br />messages, direct mailings, newspapers and banners. The Board discussed programs to incentivize <br />small businesses, including the former forgivable loan and façade improvement loan programs. <br />New Business <br />Ms. Riganti stated that quarterly reports from two entities were available – the Farmers Market and U <br />City In Bloom. Other activities were under way, but no expenses incurred to date for others. <br /> <br />