With the assistance of representatives from Lockridge Grindal Nauen (LGN), the City of Shakopee made significant strides toward multiple legislative actions that would be a significant benefit to the community over the last year. Unfortunately, the legislative session adjourned without action on much of anything statewide. In order to continue efforts on that work staff is recommending a renewal of the contract for lobbying services with LGN. 

Last year the primary focus was on two projects: 

• Ticket/entertainment tax: Shakopee is an entertainment destination, and we are very proud of that reputation. City staff have worked very hard to foster positive relationships with our entertainment venue partners as their organizational success mutually benefits our community in a number of ways. Unfortunately, the amount of visitors to the community does put a strain on city services so we have been working with our partners to try to identify creative solutions in order to assist with the cost of providing these services to both the visitors of these entertainment venues, as well as our residential and commercial community members. A bill was drafted and introduced in both the state House and Senate last year, but session was adjourned without local tax-related actions so this work will need to continue. 
• Gravel pit TIF: we were also successful in drafting and identifying both House and Senate sponsors for a TIF district legislative action to encourage private-sector development in a former gravel pit site. The successful redevelopment of this significantly sized site would not only bring substantial development to an underutilized area, but also clean up a physical and environmental hazard in the community. 

City staff and LGN representatives have begun work to renew these efforts, as well as identify additional opportunities for bonding requests or legislative actions to potentially pursue in this or subsequent legislative sessions. One significant project that has already been identified is a funding request for the remodel and reconstruction of Fire Station One. By creating a new on-site training space the Shakopee Fire Department would be able to train firefighters more effectively and efficiently, host other departments in order to better serve and collaborate with mutual aid partners, be able to reconfigure the temporary housing measures that were put in place as a result of the recent staffing shift, as well as implement other safety and equity measures for the department. 

The requested action this evening is simply to renew the contract with LGN to further the ongoing work on these efforts. Any legislative and/or bonding proposals would come before City Council for discussion and possible action prior to being submitted to the legislature. The previous contract term was for one year, but in order to span the state biennium staff is requesting to make this agreement for two full years.