Council Economic & Community Development Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Economic & Community Development Committee met on February 8, 2011, at 1:00 p.m., with Kevin Stinnett presiding. The committee addressed three agenda items during the meeting, all of which were presented on an informational basis. The meeting included one motion and vote, and the committee heard three public comments. The agenda focused on economic development topics, including a presentation on fostering richer entrepreneurship in Lexington, an update on Fresh Start Initiatives, and a review of items referred to the committee.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on February 8, 2011:

• Kevin Stinnett
• Julian Beard
• Gorton
• Ellinger
• Crosbie
• Myers
• Lane

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included one motion that was brought to a vote.

Motion to Adjourn

A motion to adjourn the meeting was called to a vote by voice vote. The motion passed. 45:08

Public Comment

Three speakers shared perspectives on regional economic development and entrepreneurship during the public comment period.

Saul Kaplan 4:11 addressed the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem in Lexington. He shared insights from Rhode Island's innovation strategy, emphasizing three key factors for fostering entrepreneurship: quality of place, business climate, and innovation as a regional differentiator. Kaplan stressed the importance of cross-silo collaboration and community-driven solutions in building a sustainable innovation environment.

Selena Schmidt 29:08 discussed regional collaboration and visioning in Western Pennsylvania. She described the Power of 32 initiative, a large-scale regional visioning project spanning 32 counties across four states. Schmidt highlighted the initiative's emphasis on community engagement and cross-sector collaboration, noting that the project prioritized starting with a shared vision before moving into detailed planning.

Andy Sparks 39:46 focused on engaging Generation Y and student-led entrepreneurship in Columbus. He discussed local efforts to retain young talent through informal tech gatherings and student-led entrepreneurship clubs. Sparks emphasized the energy and impact that Generation Y brings to innovation efforts and underscored the significant role that student organizations play in driving entrepreneurial activity.

Fostering Richer Entrepreneurship in Lexington

1:31

Saul Kaplan of the Business Innovation Factory presented on strategies for building an innovation economy, drawing on his experience developing Rhode Island's entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Kaplan emphasized three key pillars for strengthening Lexington's entrepreneurial environment:

• Quality of place — the physical and cultural environment that attracts and retains entrepreneurs and talent
• Business climate — the regulatory, financial, and operational conditions that support business growth
• Innovation as a community-wide differentiator — positioning innovation as a defining characteristic that sets the community apart

A central theme of the presentation was the need for cross-silo collaboration, breaking down barriers between different sectors, institutions, and stakeholder groups to create a more integrated and supportive ecosystem. Kaplan advocated for community-driven experimentation, encouraging Lexington to test new approaches and learn from pilot initiatives rather than relying solely on traditional economic development strategies.

The presentation was informational in nature, providing insights and frameworks for consideration rather than proposing specific decisions or actions for immediate implementation.

Fresh Start Initiatives

Mayor Gray's Fresh Start Initiatives were presented to the committee for informational purposes only 45:08. No discussion or action was taken during the meeting regarding these initiatives.

The committee acknowledged that the Fresh Start Initiatives could be considered during future CAL (Committee on the Adoption of Laws) meetings, though no timeline or specific next steps were established at this time.

Items Referred to Committee

The committee reviewed the list of items that had been referred to it for consideration. 44:36

No changes to the referred items list were proposed during this discussion. The committee confirmed the existing list, which remains open for future consideration as additional matters may be brought before it.

This agenda item was informational in nature, serving to acknowledge and document the items currently under the committee's purview.