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City Manager Everett said that most cities do not utilize recommendations in Item No.2, and staff would have to do quite a bit of research. It would also take a lot of Council time to develop "a philosophy around how you want to do it and why." City Manager Everett said that staff would need guiding principles before going to specifics, and given the Mezes project, etc., the Redevelopment Agency is incredibly busy at the moment. Councilwoman La Berge said she agreed that Item No.2 should be looked at some point in the future and is not a top priority. She said that the Council "should demonstrate a real interest in working with the dealers to help them to get what they want, which is apparently better signage." Councilwoman La Berge said she preferred to work with the auto dealers and change the sign ordinance to give them more exposure than to put $75,000 in a fund right now. She said that after costs are nailed down for specific actions desired by the dealers, then the Council could consider setting aside funds. Councilwoman La Berge said she was interested in Programmatic Assistance to businesses, and expressed support for a downtown association "if the impetus comes from the merchants." Mayor Hartnett said with respect to the $75,000 that no part of it could be spent without Council approval, and the recommendation was only to encumber those funds. He said encumbering ensures "we are reserving this amount towards this particular purpose, and .... we may encumber it, but we certainly can at a later date unencumber it totally and it shifts to something else or we actually utilize a specific portion when we have a specific recommendation." Director Church said that was correct. The encumbered funds would be viewed as "earnest money" to let the auto dealers know we are serious in our commitment to promote the interests of Redwood City "as the location in southern San Mateo to come to for automobiles." Councilman Ruskin said "in regard to the Auto Strategy we should really move full speed ahead. It was very obvious in that meeting that the Mayor, Councilman Leipzig and I attended with all the auto dealers, that there was real enthusiasm not for an auto mall but certainly enthusiasm for the City working with the auto dealers to help put Redwood City more on the map in competing against the other major auto selling areas." Councilman Ruskin said with respect to allocating $75,000 for the Auto Strategy without knowing exactly how it would be spent "if it's a matter of simply setting it aside so we know it is there if we decide to use it, I could vote for that. Item 2, I think I would like to put Item 2 off, and not look at it as a high priority" based on the amount of work the Agency has right now and the more priority projects such as Mezes and the Auto Strategy. Councilman Ruskin said "we have a strong market in Redwood City, and we are strong contenders for business, and we need to go out of our way to bring business here, but we don't want to give that business away, and we don't want to start a downward spiral of trading for taxes, which some communities have done in this nation, and later regretted it.... We are in a strong position, and we should be careful how we use tax rebates and fee reduction. One thing is critical and we are moving toward, is having expedited fees. If businesses know that we can help them get through the licensing and fee stage quickly, that will go a long way towards bringing businesses here. And I think we are beginning to establish a reputation for that." REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 55 NOVEMBER25,1996 MINUTES PAGE 9 Page No. 056