HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 10/21/2014 - Memorandum From Economic Advisory Commission Re: Recommendation For 2015-2016 BudgetBoards & Commissions
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PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
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MEMORANDUM
Motion:
The Economic Advisory Commission (“EAC”) is in general support of the funded 2015–2016
budget items in the economic health budget.
Specifically, the EAC is supportive of the following items:
1. Personnel and staffing of the Economic Health Office (Offer 46.1), including additional
funding for staffing to handle cluster management and focus on local business
development/initiatives.
2. The cluster funding competitive bid process (Offer 46.13). EAC would like to emphasize
the flexibility needed to help clusters that are at different stages of their development life
cycle.
3. The move of Offer 46.7 Support of Larimer Small Business Development Center funding
from “unfunded” to “funded.”
However, EAC would also like to express concern in regard to the following items:
1. The cost of the Broadband Strategic Plan (Offer 152.1) and the role of government on the
issue.
2. The Fort Collins-Loveland Airport additional funding (Offer 46.16). EAC is supportive
of gap funding, but would like to understand more about what costs this funding covers
and a specific end point for the gap funding that corresponds to strategic plan.
3. Offer 46.1 $60,000 support of Rocky Mountain Innosphere and understanding what the
funding supports and outcomes from use of the fund.
In addition, EAC is supportive of the concept of leveraging local dollars with local partners
including Colorado State University and other local businesses/institutional partners as
options for funding offers in the future.
DATE:
October 15, 2014
TO:
Mayor Karen Weitkunat and City Councilmembers
CC:
Darin Atteberry, City Manager
FROM:
Economic Advisory Commission
RE:
EAC Recommendation for 2015 – 2016 Budget (October 21, 2014 Regular
Council Meeting)