Economic Development Commission — Skokie, IL
Date: 2017-03-28

Village of Skokie
 Economic Development Commission
 March 28, 2017

 8:00 a.m. Conference Room A – Village Hall
 5127 Oakton Street, Skokie, IL

 Proposed Meeting Agenda

 PLEASE ARRIVE PROMPTLY


I. Welcome/Call Meeting to Order – Chairman Shalom Klein

II. Approval of January 24, 2017 Minutes

III. ED Activities Update – Introduction of Len Becker, Skokie ED Manager

IV. Chairman’s Report – Chairman Shalom Klein

 a. Targeted ED Strategy – Subcommittee Recommendations (Workforce)

 b. Recent/Upcoming Business Site Visit

V. Other New Business

VI. Adjournment




 2017 Meeting Dates

 April 25, 2017 – Business Site Visit

 May 23, 2017 – Regular Meeting

 June 27, 2017 – Business Site Visit

 July 25, 2017 – Regular Meeting

 August 22, 2017 – Business Site Visit

 September 26, 2017 – Regular Meeting

 October 24, 2017 – Business Site Visit

 November 28, 2017 – Regular Meeting

 December – NO MEETING

VILLAGE OF SKOKIE
 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
 MEETING MINUTES - DRAFT
 March 28, 2017

EDC Members Present:
Shalom Klein, Chair
Billy Haido
Michael Halliburton
Collette Hands
Karen Gray-Keeler
David Jacobson
Ross Mathee
Erica Minchella
Bradley Rosen

EDC Members Not Present:
Serge Khalimsky
Howard Meyer, Vice Chair
Randy Miles
Kristen Murtos
Sacha Patera
David Putrus
Michael Rosen
Edwin Vdovets

Other Officials Present:
Len Becker, Economic Development Manager
Leslie Murphy, Economic Development Specialist
Ann Tennes, Marketing and Communications Director

I. and II. Call to Order/Welcome and Introductions/Approval of Minutes
Chairman Shalom Klein convened the meeting at 8:05 a.m. Klein requested consideration of the draft
minutes from the January 24, 2017 meeting. The minutes were approved.

III. ED Activities Update
Leslie Murphy introduced Leonard (Len) Becker, the Village’s new Economic Development Manager,
who provided a brief professional background and history of his ED experience for the Commission.
Commission members warmly greeted Becker and provided brief professional backgrounds for him as
well and Klein stated that he and the EDC looked forward to working with Becker. Murphy then
provided the Commission with a PowerPoint presentation covering recent/current ED activity within the
Village as compiled from several recent presentations prepared for the Skokie Chamber, School District
69 and the new owners of the Illinois Science + Technology Park, American Landmark Properties.
Murphy indicated that she would forward the presentation to the EDC electronically for their files. Ann
Tennes mentioned that Skokie was recently featured in Crain’s as a Top 8 Chicago suburb in which to
live. Murphy also shared a recent summary of Active Retailers and Restaurants in the Chicago MSA and

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asked Commissioners to review the list and identify which retailers they would like to see here in Skokie
and/or they are familiar with from other regions of the country.

IV. Chairman’s Report
 a. Targeted ED Strategy.
 Chairman Klein announced that the Targeted ED Strategy is scheduled to be presented to the
 Village Board of Trustees sometime this spring and that staff was working to get it published
 internally for that purpose. Staff will provide the Village Board presentation date well in advance
 so that as many Commissioners as possible can attend. In order to begin effectuating the
 Targeted Strategy, he indicated that the Workforce Subcommittee has developed an ‘action plan’
 for the coming year which focuses on two or three priority employment and job training areas for
 the Village. These objectives will enable the EDC to ‘dig deeper’ in terms of the current business
 climate and provide some direction in terms of implementation. The Workforce Subcommittee
 recommended the following action items for the Village: 1) Strengthen key employment resource
 partnerships with educational institutions, employers and State and local workforce agencies in
 order to increase the desirability of Skokie as an employment center; and 2) Work to achieve an
 “Awareness Campaign” (e.g., toolkit via the web) to act as a role model/reliable employment
 resource to local businesses and job-seekers by providing streamlined guidance and support to
 both. Colette Hands added that being able to synthesize “early wins” will help to increase the
 potential for success for these partnerships and to effectively combine resources to avoid
 duplication of efforts. As an example, OCC and the Chamber are hosting a Small Business Expo
 “Hiring Event” on June 1, which is directed towards new business owners who need mid/entry
 level workers and the Village could help to promote the event. Hands also emphasized the
 importance of gathering and sharing information gleaned from area employers (e.g., what kinds
 of workers do they need and when?) by sending out welcome or outreach letters from the Village
 to educate these companies as to the best ways to access the community’s resources when they
 are in a hiring mode. Terry Ratoff, Business Services Librarian for the Skokie Public Library,
 mentioned that the SPL hosts various workshops for local businesses where this information is
 provided and a job board and meeting space that can be accessed by area employers as long as
 they have secured a business library card.

 David Jacobsen stated that he would also like to see the Village (or its partners) develop a
 “Goodwill Ambassador” program whereby knowledgeable representatives would call on new or
 existing small to mid-sized businesses and share important information which could help them
 with their hiring efforts, among other matters. Brad Rosen stated that business owners often have
 their first encounter with the Village regarding technical matters, such as building permits, etc.
 Jacobsen added that a group of existing or retired business leaders to act as the ‘first contact’
 with the Village might be a unique advantage to Skokie. Resident Katie Gudgel shared that some
 small businesses need guidance regarding employment law, taxes, payroll, etc. Tennes and
 Ratoff reminded the EDC that SCORE personnel offer services weekly at SPL regarding these
 matters and that local universities/college students can be tapped to help with business plans, etc.
 Becker shared that recent studies suggest that retaining retirees within a community adds to the
 area’s economic growth potential. Suggestions were also made to form more mentor groups
 within the Skokie Chamber of Commerce to build a stronger community of support among
 experienced and novice business owners.


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 b. Recent/Upcoming Business Site Visit.
 Chairman Klein announced that the first business site visit for 2017 was held at Pharmore, Inc.
 who recently moved and expanded their operation from Howard Street to Touhy Avenue. Those
 in attendance were treated to an excellent tour of the impressive facilities and overview of the
 contract pharmacy business by President Avi Goldfeder. The next few business site visits will be
 announced shortly by Vice Chair Howard Meyer.

V. Other New Business
Jacobsen shared that during his recent trip to Milwaukee he was impressed by the casino/waterfront area
which included old loft conversions and other supportive retail reuse. Commission members discussed
the applicability to Downtown Skokie and staff indicated that efforts to encourage and incentivize
existing property owners to explore ‘creative re-purposing’ of their buildings continues to be a top
priority.

VI. Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:15 am.

Respectfully submitted,
Leslie G. Murphy, Economic Development Specialist




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