CC – Item 4A – Staff Report - Authorization to Attend League of CA Cities Economic Development and Down Town Revitalization Conference i.
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TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS
ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
FROM: G. TRIPEPI, CITY MANAGER'
DATE: JULY 15, 1997
RE: AUTHORIZATION TO ATTEND LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DOWN TOWN REVITALIZATION
CONFERENCE, AUGUST 21-22, 1997, NEWPORT BEACH
Attached for your consideration is information regarding the aforementioned conference. There
are sessions on starting economic development in your city; developing a regional economic
strategy;working with businesses in your community; and downtown revitalization strategies.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Rosemead City Council authorize the attendance of any
Councilmember, the City Manager or staff designee.
COUNCIL AGENDA
JUL 2 21997
ITEM No. . U -A
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LEAGUE OF CONFERENCE
CALIFORNIA " Collaborative Solutions for Economic
Success"
CITIES Thursday-Friday,August 21 -22, 1997
Newport Beach
You'll Want To Attend If You Are A...
• Mayor
• Council Member
• City Manager
• Economic Development Professional
• Downtown District Manager
• Downtown Revitalization/Main Street Coordinator
• Chamber of Commerce Representative
You'll Benefit By...
• Learning how to start an economic development program in your city.
• Understanding how to work with other agencies to promote a regional economic
strategy and strengthen the regional economy.
• Gaining insights to working with businesses in your community and understanding
trends in business growth.
• Learning about downtown revitalization strategies,including the Main Street model,
to foster a viable downtown district.
• Sharing with others the latest tools and tips for effective economic development and
downtown revitalization programs.
Cities play a critical role in economic development. Local policies and programs either
foster or hinder vibrant economic conditions, and regional and state economic strengths
rest on local strength.As city officials,you have great influence on the economic lives of
all of California.Are you fully prepared for these responsibilities?Participate in this
conference and enhance your knowledge and skills in this vital area.
You are encouraged to bring representatives from your local chamber of commerce and
school boards to foster collaboration and discuss ways to work together to strengthen the
local economy.
1400 K STREET Hotel Reservation Deadline: Wednesday, July 30, 1997
SACRAMENTO.CA 95811 Advance Conference Registration Deadline. Wednesday, August 6, 1997
916 655.5200
PROORESS THROUGH LEARNING
Preliminary Program
Thursday, August 21
9:00 — 10:15 am Opening General Session
COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR ECONOMIC SUCCESS
Welfare restructuring and increased fiscal restraints have shown the need for local
governments to collaborate on economic development issues. Is your city prepared to
deal with these new challenges?Do you know what you can do to leverage the resources
of local agencies?
Objectives:
To learn how cities can work with other local governments to strengthen the regional
economy.
To understand the benefits of regional collaboration.
10:30 am — noon Concurrent Sessions
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. START YOUR ECONOMIC ENGINES
Starting an economic development program in any community involves several steps, and
council members play a key role. How can elected officials and staff work together to
boost a strong economic development program in your city?
Objectives:
To identify the basic elements needed to start a local economic development program.
To focus on ways elected officials can facilitate economic development programs.
ACHIEVING ECONOMIC VITALITY ON MAIN STREET
Achieving economic vitality means changing the way your community thinks about and
promotes its downtown. There are many resources you can harness to stimulate
economic vitality, and there are valuable lessons to be learned from other cities. How can
you give your main street a jump start?
Objectives:
To learn how to work with local businesses to promote the downtown district.
To provide case studies from successful examples around California.
WHO CUT THE RED TAPE?
An effective way to promote economic development in any community is to streamline
the permit process and assist developers to navigate more quickly through local
regulations.Is your city as efficient as it should be in its permitting?Do you have sound
policies and measurements on which your permit processes are based?
Objectives:
To explore the benefits of electronic permitting and permit streamlining.
To demonstrate ways cities can remove regulatory barriers to development.
continued on next page
Thursday, August 21, continued
noon — 1:30 pm Luncheon
WHERE WE ARE GOING AND WHERE WE HAVE BEEN:TRENDS IN DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Downtown revitalization and economic development efforts continue to evolve as the
state changes. What are some of the trends?What is the future for your downtown?
Objectives:
To discuss trends in downtown revitalization efforts.
To explore what might affect the future of economic development and downtown
revitalization efforts.
To consider what you can do to take advantage of these changes.
1:45— 3:15 pm Concurrent Sessions
RIGHT IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD:TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A COMMUNITY'S STRENGTHS
Many economic development programs stress business attraction. But what about local
businesses or local resources?Offen,successful economic development programs can
begin with local businesses and take advantage of existing resources.
Objectives:
To identify local businesses and markets that can be tapped for economic development
programs.
To provide resource information on working with local businesses and communities to
strengthen the local economy.
HOME, HOME ON THE MAIN STREET
One of the components of a livable,viable downtown is housing and bringing people
back downtown to live.Some California cities have been successful in building housing
and attracting residents to their downtown areas. Is your downtown as lively as it could
be?
Objectives:
• To discuss ways that downtown housing benefits revitalization efforts.
To offer ways to promote downtown housing through successful examples.
WE CAN WORK IT OUT: COLLABORATING TO COMPETE
Competition for limited resources can result in too little for all.When is collaboration
better than competition?Building on the remarks from the opening session,this session
will look at how you can position your city to benefit from economic development even
if the development is not in your city.
Objectives:
To provide specific examples of regional collaboration.
To exchange ideas with other cities on how to work with other local agencies.
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PROGRESS THROUGH LEARNING
Thursday,August 21, continued
3:30— 5:00 pm Concurrent Sessions
THE ROADMAP FOR SUCCESS:DEVELOPING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN
In order for an economic development program to be successful,plans need to be
developed with the community's support. But how do you effectively engage the
community so members can constructively help plan and implement sound economic
development?
Objectives:
To demonstrate ways to develop an economic development plan.
To focus on methods for building community support for economic development
efforts.
SOWING THE SEEDS OF BUSINESS:DEVELOPING HOME-GROWN BUSINESSES AND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Small businesses are an important component in any community,and there are several
things cities can do to support small businesses and facilitate their growth.In particular,
cities can assist entrepreneurs and develop local businesses as a part of their downtown
revitalization/economic development efforts.Do you know how-best to do this?
Objectives:
To offer ways cities can support small businesses in their community.
To engage in a discussion on methods for offering assistance to entrepreneurs.
ARE INCENTIVES TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES REALLY WORTH IT?AT WHAT PRICE?
Tax breaks and other fiscal incentives are a popular way to attract businesses, but are they
really worth it?Do communities benefit from the incentives or do they provide more
harm than good in the long run?When can incentives be appropriate and when will they
create problems?
Objectives:
To debate the benefits and drawbacks of fiscal incentives.
To discuss alternatives to incentives and their merits.
5:00 — 6:00 pm Reception
Friday,August 22
8:00 am Continental Breakfast
8:30 — 10:00 am Roundtable Sessions
DIAL"W" FOR WELFARE REFORM
Welfare reform is here, and local governments all over the country will feel the impacts
of the legislation.Many local government officials are wondering how welfare reform
will impact their communities and what changes should be expected.Do you know how
to position your city to benefit from the coming changes?
Objectives:
To review the changes in federal welfare reform.
To discuss how welfare restructuring will impact California communities.
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PROGRESS THROUGH LEARNING
Friday,August 22, continued
THE MAIN STREET MODEL:IT'S NOT JUST FOR MAIN STREET ANYMORE
The Main Street Program is a model for downtown revitalization that some California
communities have followed with success. The model can be applied to any community
and offers some innovative ways to improve your downtown and strengthen the local
economy.Attend this session and find out about the Main Street model and how it might
work in your community.
Objectives:
To explain the Main Street model and how it works.
To offer ways to implement the model in communities of all sizes around the state.
WORKING WITH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
A local chamber of commerce can be a valuable asset to cities trying to strengthen the
local economy or revitalize the downtown.How can cities develop effective partnerships
with the local chamber?What are some of the potential benefits?
Objectives:
To identify ways to work with the chamber of commerce.
To explore the potential of a city/chamber collaboration.
COLLABORATING WITH SCHOOLS FOR JOB TRAINING AND EDUCATION
Business attraction and job creation programs will fail without a well-trained workforce.
One way to help train people and prepare them for the job market is by collaborating
with local schools and community colleges to develop education programs.
Objectives:
To discuss ways cities and schools can collaborate for job training programs.
To demonstrate examples of city/school collaboration.
10:15 — 11:45 am Concurrent Sessions
MAKING YOUR MARK: BENCHMARKING FOR YOUR ECONOMIC SUCCESS
After an economic development program gets going, how do you know if it is successful?
Are there ways to determine if goals are being met?Benchmarking is a tool to measure
success and make determinations about goals.
Objectives:
To define benchmarking and explain how it can be used.
To identify ways to benchmark economic development programs and measure their
effectiveness.
WHICH WAY IS THE RETAIL WIND BLOWING? TRENDS IN RETAIL DEVELOPMENT
What is hot and what is not in the retail industry?Retail establishments are always a hot
topic in cities,and the trends in retail change rapidly.What is selling this year might be
passe next year.Will your city be caught with no wind in its retail sails as the winds of
retail sales shift?
Objectives:
To identify trends in the retail industry.
To discuss what types of businesses are locating in cities and what city officials can expect
from these businesses.
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PROGRESS THROUGH LEARNING
Friday,August 22, continued
SOUGHT-AFTER SITES:WHAT DO BUSINESSES LOOK FOR WHEN LOCATING IN A COMMUNITY?
Ever want to get the"insider's"perspective on what businesses look for when locating in
a community?Want to know how firms determine which sites are best for them?Want
to know how you can position your city to be attractive to the businesses you desire?
Objectives:
To discuss what businesses look for when choosing between competing locations.
To identify ways cities can facilitate development by assisting companies in their sire
selection process.
11:45 am — 1:15 pm Closing Luncheon
E! THE ENTERTAINMENT DOWNTOWN: WILL ENTERTAINMENT RETAIL SAVE CITIES?
Entertainment retail uses have exploded in cities all over California and the country.
Communities large and small are looking at multiplex theaters,restaurants, sports arenas,
and other entertainment-related uses.Are these retail uses viable for a downtown's
economy or are they just a passing fad?
Objectives.-
To
bjectives.To discuss the merits of entertainment retail.
To address the future of entertainment retail in downtown districts and their economic
viability.
Reminder.
The Ralph M. Brown Act does not apply to conferences simply because a majority of the
city council or other covered body attends. However,a majority of the body may not
discuss among themselves specific substantive issues at such conferences. Any such
discussion is subject to the Brown Act and must occur in a meeting which complies with
its requirements.
Registration Fee Those who register by August 6,1997 for the full conference will receive in their packet a
coupon worth S25 at the CityBooks bookstore located at the conference.Don't miss this
great way to expand and share your learning with your colleagues in City Hall!
CityBooks is a great way to increase your professional knowledge in important areas such
as leadership, management,community building and economic development.Look for
CityBooks in the League registration area.Advance registration must be postmarked no
later than August 6, 1997.After that date,the bonus is not available.The registration fee
includes program materials,one continental breakfast,two luncheons, breaks,and one
reception. The one-day fee includes all materials and events for that day. For any
questions regarding registration,please contact the League conference registration office
at 510/283-2113.
The one-day registration option is intended primarily to encourage attendance by mid-
level staff who might not otherwise be able to attend this meeting.The program and
contacts will benefit their professional development.You are urged to consider having
them join you for at least one day of the program.After August 6, 1997,please register
on site.
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