[Electronic-lan] Fwd: FW: City Agreement with the Chamber

[Melinda]

This is a response to my question about offering opinions/suggestions 
about the contract to the Planning Department from the City Manager.


-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: 	FW: [Electronic-lan] City Agreement with the Chamber
Date: 	Mon, 15 Aug 2016 16:52:58 +0000
From: 	Britt Crum-Cano <bcano at lawrenceks.org>
To: 	'melin at sunflower.com' <melin at sunflower.com>
CC: 	Tom Markus <tmarkus at lawrenceks.org>, Lisa Larsen 
<llarsen at lawrenceks.org>, Diane Stoddard <dstoddard at lawrenceks.org>



Hi Melinda,

Tom asked me to help clarify.  Thanks!  Britt

The Economic Development Coordinator performs economic development 
activities related to potential new and existing projects, including 
processing incentive applications, conducting due diligence, performing 
economic and financial analysis, assisting with the approval 
consideration process, completing annual compliance reviews, and 
producing economic development programs and performance reports.

This position works out of the City Manager’s Office and is not part of 
the Planning Department. (There is no economic development planner 
position in the Planning Department.) However, economic development 
projects can occasionally require input and collaboration with planning 
professionals.

Generally, the Planning Department has no input on the funding agreement 
between the City and Chamber. This agreement is handled through the City 
Manager’s Office.



    *From:* Melinda via Electronic-lan <electronic-lan at lists.ku.edu
    <mailto:electronic-lan at lists.ku.edu>>
    *Date:* August 12, 2016 at 2:51:05 PM CDT
    *To:* <electronic-lan at lists.ku.edu <mailto:electronic-lan at lists.ku.edu>>
    *Subject:* *Re: [Electronic-lan] City Agreement with the Chamber*
    *Reply-To:* Melinda <melin at sunflower.com
    <mailto:melin at sunflower.com>>, <electronic-lan at lists.ku.edu
    <mailto:electronic-lan at lists.ku.edu>>

    Why would we offer opinions/suggestion to the Planning Department?
    Because that's where the ED Planner resides? Thanks.

    On 8/12/2016 1:45 PM, Lawrence Assoc of Neighborhoods via
    Electronic-lan wrote:

        The following is an overview of the position LAN has taken with
        regard to public monies funding the Chamber. Included are a copy
        of the “/Agreement for the use of City general funds/” that the
        City has with the Chamber and a copy of the letter LAN sent to
        the City in June.

        LAN previously expressed a desire to evaluate whether the City
        should continue to support the Chamber of Commerce and offered
        suggestions. The City Commission recently approved giving the
        Chamber $220,000 for this coming year. How does the existing
        City/Chamber “/Agreement/” hold the Chamber accountable for the
        use of these funds?

        Please read and offer your opinions or suggestions to LAN, the
        City Manager, the Planning Department or the City Commission.
        The City will be reviewing the /Agreement/ in the coming months
        and consider meaningful updates.

        Questions/Concerns:

        1) The Chamber is a private advocacy organization. Would they
        continue to carry out their goals for their members without
        public funding?

        2) Is there a conflict of interests between private and public
        funding?

        3) The Chamber does not have the professional training to
        conduct routine economic analysis or to carry out the work
        called for by the existing /Agreement/.

        4) The /Agreement/ contains no objective benchmarks or
        measurable performance metrics against which to evaluate if the
        Chamber is meeting the expectations of the /Agreement/. How much
        economic development would happen without the Chamber’s effort?

        5) On what basis will we know that public money is being used in
        the public’s best interest? Does the City have adequate
        oversight of the Chamber?

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