12/27/1988- Packet AGENDA
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING
TUESDAY, December 27, 1988, 7:30 A.M.
DAVIDSON'S RESTARUANT - 12830 SW PACIFIC HIGHWAY, TIGARD, OR
t PACIFIC HIGHWAY AT MAIN STREET
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL: SAVORY CORLISS DEBERNARDIS CROUCH
PIERCE CLARK DOTY MOORE
MONAHAN
3. APPROVE MINUTES
4. EDC/City Council Workshop
• Report from those who attended
• City Council direction on the Ambassador Program
5. Ambassador Program
• Description/structure of program
• Define Rolls
Information, staff special events, speakers, ribbon cuttings . . .
• Six month work program
6. Other Business
7. Adjournment
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING
Tuesday, November 15, 1988
MEMBERS PRESENT: John Savory, Jim Corliss, Amo DeBernardis, Susan Clark,
Brian Moore, Bill Monahan
OTHERS PRESENT: Peggy Weston Byrd, Valerie Johnson, John Acker
The meeting was called to order at 7:40 a.m. and the minutes from the October
18th meeting were approved without comment.
This meeting was devoted to discussion of topics that should be addressed
during the EDC/City Council workshop. The following issues were identified.
• Ambassador Program
Bill Monahan identified as elements of the program: 1) it should involve
the City, the EDC, and the Chamber of Commerce; 2) the mayor should be the
focal person to get the program off the ground; 3) ambassadors would initiate
contact with prospective businesses or those wanting to expand; 4) the purpose
is to disemenate information, to improve public relations, and to provide
feedback.
Valerie suggested that an ambassador program might provide a tool to help the
transition of the City Center Plan from the staff/task force level to the
private sector.
• Input to City Council
Valerie stated that the City Council would welcome input from the EDC on
matters of general economic interest to the City. She also said that comments
on land use actions would be better addressed through the NPO's.
• Coordination
An item that falls under this general category is the need for Tigard's
economic interests to be represented through other organizations. It was
mentioned that many elective offices for special district positions need
qualified and interested candidates. There are also many issues such as light
rail that need to be tracked in order to protect local interests.
• Tigard Triangle
The committee does not want to commit to seeking the lead in the triangle study
but some involvement is desireable. One method for the committee to be
involved without committing to the lead is for one or two members to be
appointed to whatever committee does take the lead. The committee could then
provide input from an economic standpoint and receive feedback from a member of
both committees.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 a.m.
AMBASSADOR PROGRAN
The Economic Development Committee is instituting an Ambassador Program to
assist business development in Tigard. The focus of the program is to
facilitate the flow of information among business persons, developers, land
owners, regulatory agencies, and business development organizations.
The goal of the program is to create a more helpful environment for business
development in the City of Tigard.
Ambassadors will provide an additional access point for business people who are
considering locating or expanding a business in Tigard. Ambassadors will
distribute information when possible and provide a link to those who can answer
questions when necessary. The Ambassadors will be expected to refer people to
the proper contact person, remain up to speed on the most recent local and
regional information, and make themselves available to those business people
who need or request assistance.
Ambassadors will be provided with information from the City and the Chamber of
Commerce. Ambassadors will also have a list of contact persons that will be
ready to assist when contacted. In general, the City and the Chamber of
Commerce can be viewed as resources for the ambassador. In addition, the
ambassador can call upon his or her own experience in living and conducting
business in Tigard.
As a member of Tigard's Economic Development Committee and as an ambassador,
EDC members will be viewed as a representative of the City of Tigard. Because
of the high visibility it is expected that ambassadors will conduct themselves
in a professional manner when acting in that capacity. Ambassadors must be
careful that it is understood that they can provide information or make
contacts but cannot "fix" things. This program is not intended to provide
a vehicle for ambassadors to solicit business, but rather, to utilize an
ambassador's experience in order to provide an additional source of information
for the business communhity at large.
This program can provide a valuable service in which all citizens of Tigard can
benefit. The key to its success is the easy flow of information and the
ambassador's willingness to respond when asked or when an appropriate situation
arises. Communication and cooperation will make the Ambassador Program work
for the betterment of Tigard.
AMBASSADOR PROGRAM STRUCTURE
(BRIEF EXPLANATION OF PROGRAM)
The lead for this program in terms of providing appropriate and up-to-date
information, maintaining records, and coordinating activities will be the City
through its liaison to the Tigard's Economic Development Committee. The main
sources of information will be the City and the Chamber of Commerce. Each will
maintain information that is appropriate for the respective organization and
make that information available to others in the ambassador program.
Initially, a volunteer sub-group of the Economic Development Committee will be
the ambassadors. The ambassadors will involve the City or the Chamber of
Commerce as appropriate for resources or referrals.
Upon contact, an ambassador will provide what information he or she can
through personal knowledge or using the information provided by the City or
the Chamber. If clarification or further information is needed an ambassador
can contact another ambassador, the City or the Chamber. The main benefit for a
business person who contacts an ambassador or accesses the program through the
City or Chamber is that correct information can be obtained from the proper
source in a short time with a minimum of running around.
Any contacts or requests for information will be held in strict confidence. A
record of all contacts will be maintained by the City. Numbers and types of
information requested or problems resolved through this process may be made
public but names will not be released.
This program is based on the exchange of information of those involved in
economic activities in Tigard. In order to accommodate the free exchange of
information, the method of contact, sequence of referrals, and other specific
processes will not be tightly structured. The recording of circumstances, and
outcomes will be highly structured in order to track program usage, assure
quality control (make sure correct information is being distributed), obtain
feedback from program participants, and monitor types or requests that are
made.
The ambassador program is expected to evolve in accordance to the needs and
desires of the business community. The idea is to start small and remain
flexible and responsive in a dynamic economic climate. In this way the program
can fill a need now and continue to do so in the future.
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ambassad'or program
t TIGARD — Assume you own an from diverse business backgrounds.
office equipment business in Tigard The group will probably total about
and you are thinking of adding space 12 members,said Monahan.
+` to your building.Or maybe you over- Anyone from a 50-year resident
see a window frame manufacturing who has owned a business since Ti-
operation in Seattle and you're con gard was a town of a few thousand
sidering expanding to Tigard. people to the representative of an in-
' ° , ..• Where do you go for information? ternational firm will be able to ask
Who can give you some advice or ex- questions of the ambassadors, added
plain the sequence of steps necessary Monahan.
£,• to carry out your goal locally? "They will be dealing with real
While both the Tigard Area Cham- people who have been there before,"
ber of Commerce and city officials he said of the individuals who the
are good sources of information, ambassadors will contact. Monahan
within two months there will be a and Weston-Byrd stressed that am-
specific organization with members bassadors will not be able to stream-
trained to answer a variety of busi- line the process of starting a busi-
ness and city-related questions. ness, but that they will be able to
The organization is being formed point out potential obstacles and ex-
under the auspices of the Tigard Eco- plain how to deal with them.
nomic Development Committee as Acker,who serves as the staff lia-
the ambassador program. Ambassa- son to the Economic Development
dors will be able to provide informa- Committee, said the'city has a myri-
tion on city history, demographics ad of information available to pro-
and hopefully will be able to provide spective or existing companies.How-
insight on the city's overall business ever, a group such as the ambassa-
climate and specifically on the area dors is much better suited to dissemi-
of business the client is involved in. nate that information because the
The ambassadors will be primary city is not set up to directly provide
information contacts whose role it that service. "We don't go out and
will be to bridge the gap between City market the city, it's not really our
Hall and the Chamber. Though they role."he explained. Because the ma-
will be unable to reduce the number terial is public information, the am-
of bureaucratic hoops to be faced, bassadors will "help steer people in
the ambassadors can help by review- the right direction"which is good for
staff prow by vem uretake ing the process and and putting the the city,he said.
.nch of City University,says"an M.B.A.is an M.B.A.^ client in touch with the right person Acker said some of the more com-
at city hall who can address a partic- monly requested information in-
)od job,"he said. Education Coordinating Commis- ular issue. cludes building permit statistics,
students appear to
sion. For example if questions regard- growth rate statistics, the average
that assessment. "The weekend format really ing zoning ordinance variances or the number of people per household, in-
attracted me," said Lois Calvetto, length of time it takes to process a come data, listings of companies and
John Knutsen: "The in- who earned a bachelor of science building permit arise,an ambassador capital improvement projects
.ave real world experi- degree at City University. "Be- could, through personal experience planned by the city."It will be nice to
vere able to share that, sides the academic credentials, I or training,know immediately who to get a wider use for it," he said of the
rlted in a very effective gained confidence, an awareness put the client in contact with. city-generated data.
experience." of business situations and profes-
sional And to ensure that the city and
contacts." He said that the ambassador
to the school is gener- chamber information is current,City would likely be able to help people
per class, if it is paid Undergraduate degrees are Economic Development Director Bill starting a business for the first time
during the early regis- available in accounting, business Monahan, City Associate Planner because some of the stumbling blocks
!riod. Financial assist- administration, computer infor- John Acker and Tigard Area Cham- that have to be negotiated can be
ailable through the uni- mation systems, construction ad- ber of Commerce Manager Peggy frustrating. I think it will be a real
g ministration, fire command ad- Weston-Byrd met recently to review
d through veteran's as- y nice link between the Chamber of
rograms. Loans through ministration, health care adminis- currently available documents. A va- Commerce and the regulatory organi-
>chool and the federal tration,financial planning,law en- riety of information, including fliers, zation of the city,"he said.
:rt are also available as forcement administration, legal brochures and listings of companies
mic scholarships. Work administration, nursing, sales is scheduled to be updated within the The ambassador program is to be
nother option available management and general studies. next few months. discussed by the City Council later
with limited resources. Graduate degrees are avail- this month and if approved in its cur-
Graduate Because the ambassadors will rent form, the ambassadors would
:niversity is accredited able in many of the same disci- serve as"information brokers"it will become a subcommittee of the Eco-
orthwest Association of plines. Teaching certificates are be critical to have accurate informa- nomic Development Committee,
nd Colleges, which ac- also available as well as associate tion, according to Monahan. "The in- Monahan said. Initially the commit-
chools in Washington, of science degrees, formation that the ambassadors dis- tee members will be the only ambas-
daho, Nevada, Alaska, Classes are scheduled to begin tribute has to be current and very sadors, but more members will be
and Utah. Degrees are in early January. For more infor- useful," said Monahan. To help deal added as the program progresses.
Oregon via the Oregon mation,call 620-2900. with a broad spectrum of business
interests that may request informa- The committee's next scheduled
tion, the ambassadors will likely hail meeting is Jan. 17.
, ,,°
ECCI014IC DEVELOPMENT COMMr EE
December 15, 1988
Carmittee Member,
Please be advised that the regularly scheduled meeting on Tuedsay, December 20,
1988, has been postponed one week to Tuesday, December 27, 1988. The meeting
time and place will be as usual.
A meeting agenda will be sent next week.
If you have any questions, please call John Acker at 639-4171.
SRNs