Minutes: Special Mtg September 21, 2009
PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2009
MINUTES APPROVED ON OCTOBER 14, 2009
Place: Kraemer Library & Community Center
910 Main St.
Plain, WI 53577
Date: Monday, September 21, 2009
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Subject matter:
This will be a special meeting of the Village of Plain Board of Trustees and the Village of Plain Advisory Committee. This meeting is open to the public.
Informational meeting regarding the LEEDS Program and LEEDS Building and CDBG grant information from the Wisconsin Dept. of Commerce representative, Gail Towers MacAskill.
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. by President Ray Ellenbolt. He announced that anyone who wants to speak must register and sign in. Confirmation of posting and notifying the newspapers, Baraboo Republic and Home News, was verified by the Village Clerk/Treasurer Pat Leifker. Introduction of Gail MacAskill , representative from the Wisconsin Dept. of Commerce. MacAskill explained about the building for LEEDS. The building would be built on the new acreage that the Village of Plain has annexed. Two grants available, one is the CDBG-R Grant, which is from stimulus money and the other Economic Development Administration application. All the applications for the grants are available at the Village of Plain office if anyone would like to look at them. The Village of Plain would own the building and maintain the building.
Steve Hilgenberg, Assembly Representative, asked when we are talking about students, will they be coming during the day? President Ellenbolt stated that they are hoping in the mornings. We are getting together with the other school districts to see what would work for them. Stevens Point, Burlington and Fond du Lac has a center to work with the ciriculum with the high school and we would like to talk to them to see how they operate theirs.
Joe Kraemer asked if the Village of Plain will be running the training center? President Ellenbolt stated that there would be a manager furnished for the first two to three years and there will be 5 lots available for other businesses to come in and build, 3 along the road and 2 on the top of the site. Development alone cost $900,000. By doing this we will have this building and 3.5 acres per lot .
Kevin Kraemer wanted to know if the infrastructure was part of the plan and President Ellenbolt replied with right, it is all part of the plan. There’s plenty room for expansion and there’s an incubator
Bill Kraemer asked if assuming things all go ahead normal pace, what is the time table? MacAskill stated that at first it was 2010, but no all the reimbursements go back to Commerce in 2012, the CDBG-R money more on a timely manner. This is the reason to push forward.
Bob Neuheisel is the building plan being looked at now before the contract needed to be signed, he thought it was October 1, 2009 was the deadline? MacAskill stated that just the applications have to be done. Both agencies have to approve the applications and then contracts would have to be signed. Neuheisel asked who does the feasibility study? MacAskill stated that she understands that Vanderwall’s will be doing the feasibility study and working with the Advisory Committee. President Ellenbolt said he received an e-mail from Vanderwall’s today stating they hoped to work with the Advisory Team soon and then the Advisory Team will advise him.
Kevin Kraemer asked if this was going to take off in the spring of 2010? President Ellenbolt stated that Josh Strake, engineer from Strand Engineering, put down September 2011 instead of 2010 so it would give us more time, but hoping that we will be ready in 2010.
Lisa Alt Ruhland wanted to know what kind of time line we are looking at and when the feasibility study will be done and assuming that we have contacted the school districts regarding this building? President Ellenbolt stated he has talked to River Valley, Reedsburg, MATC and they are all very interested. That Kim Kaukl from River Valley and Rob Taylor from Reedsburg, are on the Advisory Committee, but couldn’t make it to the meeting. He said that they are very interested and would like to get 5 or 6 schools involved and they gave him a fee said they could pay around $8000 per year. John Alt from MATC stated he was wondering how much the Village of Plain was planning on charging also. They are very interested, but need to know the cost. The first three years without anyone coming in they would probably not go into the hole.
Kevin Kraemer asked if it would be like a structure career academy with River Valley or beyond like Richland Center? Jennifer Kraemer answered stating that she has talked to Sauk Prairie, Reedsburg, Richland Center, Weston and all districts close by. They haven’t talked to Ithaca yet. MacAskill stated the original idea was working with high schools. President Ellenbolt said they want to talk to Riverdale and possibly Dodgeville. MacAskill informed that no matter what group wants to use the facility that we would have to let them. Prioritizing by usage of the building could be done per MacAskill. The total amount of the project is $4.8 million with the infrastructure on the additional land and the building and 3 years of personnel supplied, the EDA grant is for $2.4 million and CDBG-R grant is for $1,010,000, the $10,000 is for Village administrative expense. EDA wants business growth and wants students to be able to start their own businesses and get higher skill and wage jobs created out of this center stated MacAskill. The building has an incubation area with a lab facility. Land from the industrial park will add to the cluster to technology and have cluster companies. CDBG-Rare are into creating jobs but more for surveying under served population, so that’s where high schools would be affected to better getting better jobs. President Ellenbolt said that Rob Taylor, from Reedsburg, stated that only one-third of their high school graduates go on to higher education and one-half of them drop out.
Steve Frank asked because of the location how can transportation be provided? MacAskill said that has not been addressed, it has been discussed and thought of, but a solution has not been determined.
Bob Neuheisel asked about the teachers if they come from River Valley or where ever who would pay the teachers, would that come out of the Village’s fund? Jennifer Kraemer said that is their issue, the schools would have to have managerial over the teachers. MacAskill said if the district supplied a teacher they could use that as a credit instead of cash, it can be structured in many different ways.
Kevin Kraemer stated that Marshfield, Fond du Lac, Burlington, that was started by general contractors to have this Career Academy big school district, and they have high school curriculum to be involved to make students with 1.5 to 2.0 grade point average, to come out of this program on the honor roll, so if you could get something like that to motivate the students, the idea that ABC had was to like a construction company sponsors sigment of that assuming looking for businesses or even a subsidize portion of that.
President Ellenbolt said that Dave Lins told him that they want to move teachers around in Illinois they titled the teachers as elite teachers and by giving them the title they agreed to move.
Bob Neuheisel was wondering about the teachers from different districts coming in. Jennifer Kraemer said the school district would pay for the teachers. President Ellenbolt said this is something we are just kicking around and we won’t know until we get the management working on it.
John Alt from MATC said from the college stand point the key partner is the high schools, and finding out if they would be interested in use of the facility. The students will get dual credits, from the school and from MATC and state aid would be received to MATC.
MacAskill stated for the next generation how education is going to occur, so this would be a model. Steve Hilgenberg said that it sounds like giving schools training and availability that they don’t have. MacAskill said that one of the objectives of ABC in Burlington address the at risk population is very expensive in every school district.
Joe Kraemer was wondering if it goes, can it spread and President Ellenbolt showed on the map the areas that could be used as discussed previously.
Steve Frank asked what happens if it fails and doesn’t go? President Ellenbolt said he can’t believe the Dept. of Commerce, EDA and the Governor would be willing to toss in 3.4 million dollars to something that would not go. There’s not a school like this around. It’s the only one. You can talk about Marshfield but they are not like this, there are trade schools, but not with the GREEN technologies. Dave Buchanan pointed out that we are looking at schools but there are particular companies that would use the facility for seminars and training. It is a public building so anyone can use it. Like the saying “Build it-they will come”. People will look at other properties. He works with someone USGBC and she was ecstatic and sure it will be very acceptable.
Jennifer Kraemer said with Bob Barker knowing Gail MacAskill is how it all got started.
Karna Hanna said that the spin off from this is getting new people into Plain. Gail MacAskill said drawing from the rural region. You’re like nothing else that exist out there.
President Ellenbolt said we have to collect enough user money to make it pay and that after 2-3 years we will need to get tax dollars from that property. We will have to get all the advice from the Advisory Committee before he signs any contract.
Kevin Kraemer said that development of the park, businesses will come in and of course the TIF program will be helpful.
Jennifer Kraemer asked if the businesses have to be GREEN businesses, made from recycled materials, etc.? President Ellenbolt said that Jack Price told him that it has to be GREEN, such as businesses that would help the environment in someway. Gail MacAskill said that Jack Price is the Regional District Manager for EDA. GREEN Technology is through Commerce.
Lisa Ruhland asked how GREEN is it. Per Gail MacAskill that we are trying for a silver rating. It is determined through the grant application and certification how it is rated. Dave Buchanan said recycled material, solar heating, etc., on how we build the building would determine a rating of gold, silver or platinum. There are elements of that have to be continued. ( Kevin Kraemer asked if a windmill would be put up and Jennifer Kraemer said that it has been brought up for energy purpose. Kevin Kraemer said he meant it to be a joke.)
Gail MacAskill said that there are a lot of private industries involved and want to use the facility for training purposes.
Bob Jewell asked if all those lots have to be GREEN? Gail MacAskill said it’s not specified in the grant. She said the building does not have to be but the businesses need to be involved with GREEN.
Jim Liegel said it would be very imperative that this happens. Tom Jackson, representative from Senator Dale Schultz’s office, said the Senator is coming for the next meeting, but he will be there to assist and support the Village of Plain in this venture.
There were no further questions. President Ellenbolt closed the meeting at 5:48 p.m.
Minutes by Patricia Leifker
Minutes Approved on October 14, 2009
Posted Agenda: September 14, 2009
Posted at: Municipal Building, Plain Post Office, The People’s Community Bank
Notified Home News and Baraboo News Republic via email- September 14, 2009