Economic Development was a topic of discussion at last night's joint Redmond City Council - Kirkland City Council meeting in Redmond City Hall. Mayor Marchione described his plans to consolidate the Redmond Chamber, Redmond Economic Development Association (REDA), and Realize Redmond Foundation into one entity, called ONE REDMOND.
BACKGROUND: The genesis for ONE REDMOND was May 19, 2009 when Council approved $105,500 taxpayer funding of "Angezo Economics" consultant's stragtegic plan for community development. Soon thereafter the Council approved $200,000 to fund a public-private partnership with newly formed REDA. $50,000 of these funds were used to fund an Executive Director for Realize Redmond (John Marchione's mayoral campaign manager, Jeni Craswell). Another $50,000 were spent to fund REDA's Executive Director, Larry Williams. And another $50,000 were spent on a "feasibility study" to test market "five key elements of the ONE REDMOND plan." In that study 60 businesses and 20 community members were surveyed in depth. Currently none of these entities have an Executive Director. (See my July 12, 2011 story "Redmond's Evolving Economic Development Plan")
In the joint Council meeting with Kirkland, Mayor Marchione listed the five key elements of ONE REDMOND as: 1) Capacity to expand in Redmond which is difficult because of land mostly, 2) retaining companies, 3) recruiting employers from Boston, Austin, Silicon Valley and North Carolina - the competition, 4) transportation, affordable housing and other quality of life and community development isssues, and 5) an educated work force - especially a need for machinists and computer programmers.
The mayor said it's been a difficult process of forming ONE REDMOND and getting people to sign off on the dotted line. (Below see a list of interim Board members). "I'm not ready to declare a victory yet but remain optimistic" said Marchione.
Marchione said he expects "by the 1st quarter of next year ONE REDMOND will be it's own entity and that the Redmond Chamber, REDA and Realize Redmond will have folded into that and no longer exist as their own organizations."
Councilmember John Stilin said: "ONE REDMOND brings organizations with different interests in one room where they all have to agree on something that's in their mutual interest of all parties involved. It's no longer 'you-guys', it's 'us-guys.'"
Mayor Marchione said the technology companies on Willows Road had no reason to go to Chamber meetings since they didn't see themselves as retail businesses. ONE REDMOND gets them more engaged in our economic development.
Redmond Economic Development Association (REDA)
William Biggs - Group Health, public affairs
BACKGROUND: The genesis for ONE REDMOND was May 19, 2009 when Council approved $105,500 taxpayer funding of "Angezo Economics" consultant's stragtegic plan for community development. Soon thereafter the Council approved $200,000 to fund a public-private partnership with newly formed REDA. $50,000 of these funds were used to fund an Executive Director for Realize Redmond (John Marchione's mayoral campaign manager, Jeni Craswell). Another $50,000 were spent to fund REDA's Executive Director, Larry Williams. And another $50,000 were spent on a "feasibility study" to test market "five key elements of the ONE REDMOND plan." In that study 60 businesses and 20 community members were surveyed in depth. Currently none of these entities have an Executive Director. (See my July 12, 2011 story "Redmond's Evolving Economic Development Plan")
In the joint Council meeting with Kirkland, Mayor Marchione listed the five key elements of ONE REDMOND as: 1) Capacity to expand in Redmond which is difficult because of land mostly, 2) retaining companies, 3) recruiting employers from Boston, Austin, Silicon Valley and North Carolina - the competition, 4) transportation, affordable housing and other quality of life and community development isssues, and 5) an educated work force - especially a need for machinists and computer programmers.
The mayor said it's been a difficult process of forming ONE REDMOND and getting people to sign off on the dotted line. (Below see a list of interim Board members). "I'm not ready to declare a victory yet but remain optimistic" said Marchione.
Marchione said he expects "by the 1st quarter of next year ONE REDMOND will be it's own entity and that the Redmond Chamber, REDA and Realize Redmond will have folded into that and no longer exist as their own organizations."
Councilmember John Stilin said: "ONE REDMOND brings organizations with different interests in one room where they all have to agree on something that's in their mutual interest of all parties involved. It's no longer 'you-guys', it's 'us-guys.'"
Mayor Marchione said the technology companies on Willows Road had no reason to go to Chamber meetings since they didn't see themselves as retail businesses. ONE REDMOND gets them more engaged in our economic development.
According to Council President Pat Vache', the implementing Board of Directors include three members from the Boards of each of the originating organizations (REDA, Realize Redmond, The Greater Redmond Chamber Of Commerce) and three from The City of Redmond : Read More / See list >>
Redmond Economic Development Association (REDA)
William Biggs - Group Health, public affairs
James Stanton - Microsoft, public affairs
Larry Martin - Real estate land use attorney, local
Realize Redmond
Daniel Angellar - The Marriott (LTAC Chair)
Nancy McCormick (Downtown Park donor; retired Redmond councilmember)
Linda Benson
Chamber of Commerce
Andrea Lachmann (PS Commercial Leasing Property Manager - alleged Overlake transit station location?)
Tom Martin (Evergreen Hospital - Evergreen is an alleged $100,000 Downtown Park donor)
Ryan Baumagrtner (small businessman - finance)
City of Redmond
John Marchione, Mayor
John Stilin, Coucnilmember
John P. Vache, Councilmember
By Bob Yoder
Related stories:
http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2011/09/opiniion-realize-redmond-reda-and.html
http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2011/07/redmonds-evolving-economic-development.html
By Bob Yoder
Related stories:
http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2011/09/opiniion-realize-redmond-reda-and.html
http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2011/07/redmonds-evolving-economic-development.html
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