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This Weeks Articles...

1. Judge Doyle Square hotel could see design changes
2. WEDC optimistic about Foxconn deal
3. Evers calls for unemployment system overhaul, $200 million investment in broadband
4. New Beer Ex­pe­rience Coming to Old World Wisconsin
5. A 140-unit affordable apartment development could be coming to a large vacant downtown site owned by Marquette
6. Wisconsin DOT Allocates $131.4 Million for Local Governments
7. Shaky grounds: Slowed by COVID, Madison coffee shops look for new revenue streams
8. Federal Eviction Moratorium Extended to January 31
9. Prioritize populations for COVID-19 vaccinations
10. Work-Share program requirement waived, max. funding allowed
11. Affordable apartments in Milwaukee`s Riverwest, Harbor District contend for tax credits
12. The Biggest Donors to Wisconsin Political Parties in 2020
13. WEDC must also support businesses that are thriving amid pandemic, says CEO Hughes
14. Worried about paying mortgage? What struggling homeowners need to know
15. Residential development with senior housing advances in Bristol

New 2021 Sponsor Opportunities

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Gov. Tony Evers will today deliver his 2020 State of the State Address. Here are Gov. Evers’ remarks as prepared for delivery:

Honorable Supreme Court Justices, tribal nation leaders, Constitutional Officers, members of the Wisconsin National Guard and active and retired members of our armed forces, cabinet members, Senate President Roth, Majority Leader Fitzgerald, Minority Leader Shilling, Speaker Vos, and Minority Leader Hintz, legislators, distinguished guests, and, most importantly, people of Wisconsin, welcome, and thank you for being here.

My partner in mischief, Kathy, is up in the gallery tonight along with our daughter, Katie, our son-in-law Collin, our son, Nick, and our daughter-in-law Landa. Thank you for your love and support—I love you all.

I’m Tony Evers, and I’m incredibly proud to be here as the 46th governor of the great state of Wisconsin to deliver my second State of the State Address...

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GRAND CHUTE (WLUK) -- A building on Fox Valley Technical College`s campus is helping middle and high school students find their career paths.

The Community First Career Exploration and Financial Literacy Center held an open house event in Grand Chute Wednesday.

The center will offer STEM-related and financial literacy programs for students in grades four through 12, throughout Northeast Wisconsin.

Inside the building, participating businesses in the area have their own storefronts, which teach students about the types of jobs they offer and need.

Michael Frohna, president of Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, says students will be able to come and experience what it’s like to live in a real economy, find out what real jobs exist in the area and how to prepare for those jobs...    ...more

Local officials report that Foxconn’s development in Southwestern Wisconsin will be worth more than $500 million within the next year, but there are still worries it won’t reach that valuation.

Foxconn — the world’s largest electronic manufacturing service — announced it would establish a plant in Wisconsin in 2017. Since then, the project has faced various setbacks and political controversy due to agreements of up to $4 billion in incentive payments encouraged by former Gov. Scott Walker. 

In the value estimate calculated by a team of consultants, Foxconn’s project and other developments in Mount Pleasant could be worth $522 million — 37 percent of the $1.4 billion value the district is supposed to achieve by 2023, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

However, the same calculation was met with skepticism that Foxconn would be unable to create its projection of the 13,000 new jobs by 2023, leading to criticism from Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh. 

"It sounds to me like this is another attempt to minimize how far this project has fallen short," Hintz said...

See Also:

Project Plan for the Creation of Tax Incremental District No. 5

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Ken Notes: I have a question for Assembly Person Hintz and other who are speaking out. Have they talked to local officials in Mount Pleasant -- because I have (and so has JS see their article "scenario") and while it is clear that the project is headed in a different direction, they point to a development agreement that guarantees value and minimum property tax payments for the life on the contract. It should also be noted that the State side is also protected by an agreement that offers credits based on the number of jobs created. Some are suggesting we renegotiate this, but my concern is that if we do change the State contract. how binding is the local development agreement. Also the state would have to cover up to $120 million in debt for local governments if the project fails.

I included a link to the Project Plan for the TID 5, if the Community did what is outlined in the plan, and I have no reason to doubt that they did not, their investment in land and infrastructure is guaranteed in tax payment made through 2049. Anyone writing or speaking about Foxconn should have read this. If not they are reporting on Tom Sawyer without having read the book.

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MADISON (WKOW) -- Despite Wisconsin’s low unemployment rate, the state`s housing and economic development agency said rural counties are struggling to fill jobs because of a housing shortage. 

A proposal up for a vote Tuesday in the Assembly aims to change that. The bill would allow the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority to distribute $10 million of its surplus to rural communities that have housing challenges.

To apply, communities would be evaluated and have to demonstrate a need, such as showing a housing study to be approved...

See Also:

Assembly Passes Housing Bill

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Ken Notes: The challenge here is the same as in the cities, we need new inventory that is more affordable. We still seem to establish rules and economics that no longer favor 300K home over 100k homes. Why would builders build smaller homes if the are far less profitable......

It’s not the most economical way of doing it, but people building a home in the Milwaukee area are increasingly paying the extra dollars it costs for the customization required to create a true dream home.

“We are getting move-up buyers who have the means to be a little more specific on what they want in the house, and where they want to be,” says Jim Doering, the outgoing president of the Metropolitan Builders Association (MBA), director of development and acquisitions for local land developer Zilber and general manager of the Wisconsin region at Homes by Towne.

These homebuyers want to make their homes special, says Shelly Basso, the MBA president for 2020 and president of Aspen Homes in Pewaukee. For example, she says, “White is still in style for kitchens, but they are choosing warm wood accents to soften it up and give their homes uniqueness, their own touch.”...
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Ken Notes: See what I am talking about, this is not a bad trend but how do we get builders to build smaller affordable homes...

MADISON, WI — Lawmakers in Wisconsin passed a total of 69 bills into law so far during the 2019-2020 legislative session.

Even though we’re only halfway through the state government’s legislative period, it’s clear that divided government has had a chilling effect on the number of bills that have been passed. For example, during the 2017-2018 legislative session, the Republican-controlled legislature in concert with former Gov. Scott Walker managed to pass a total of 370 bills into law.

Wisconsin’s 69 bills that have passed cover a wide range of topics. They cover everything from children’s lemonade stands to step therapy, new telehealth options, to school choice deadlines.

Chances are, at least one of the 69 bills passed by Wisconsin lawmakers has already had an impact on your life....

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Ken Notes: I saw nothing major here...

SCS Engineers	Kraus-Anderson
The Gialamas Company	JSD Professional Services

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APPLETON, Wis., Jan. 23 /CSRwire/ - U.S. Gain, a leader in development, procurement and distribution of renewable natural gas for the transportation and energy markets, announces the purchase of another anaerobic digester – this one located at Deer Run Dairy, LLC in Kewaunee, Wisconsin.

U.S. Gain is currently coordinating the installation of biogas clean-up equipment at Deer Run Dairy, LLC to strip the impurities from the biogas. Next, U.S. Gain will lead project certification efforts through established relationships with both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California Air Resources Board (CARB). Once certified, the gas will be injected into the natural gas pipeline and distributed throughout their GAIN Clean Fuel® network, private natural gas fueling stations and other non-transportation outlets.

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Ken Notes: This should be the rule not the exception, it can be done, it is affordable, and it exponentially improves the quality of our environment.

Social architecture firm NEWaukee, host of the Wisconsin Avenue Night Market, Urban Island Beach Party and a host of other popular events, is expanding its reach to real estate.

An affiliate of the company will redevelop the former Schlitz Tivoli Palm Garden building, long the home of the Milwaukee Ballet, at 504 W. National Ave. into The Beacon, which will be both an event space along with meeting and office space. A 1,500-square-foot cafe or bar is planned for the building’s first floor...

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Wisconsin state senators passed bills Tuesday that would send $500,000 per year on homeless shelters and ban firefighting chemicals containing PFAS.

But Senators did not take up a half-dozen other anti-homelessness bills that passed the Assembly last summer, and their PFAS bill fell short of what Gov. Tony Evers had asked for.

Both the Senate and Assembly were in session Tuesday, which could be one of a handful of days they`ll meet in 2020. While GOP leaders have yet to set a firm adjournment date, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said recently that chamber will finish its business for the year by the end of February...

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Ken Notes:Wow $ 52,999 for two months work. I`m in!

Broihahn Management & Consulting	Miron Construction	Engineered Construction
		Findorff
Artis REIT

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Notes:

he Wisconsin Union’s Winter Carnival will return Feb. 3-9 with new events that encourage University of Wisconsin-Madison students and other community members to get outside and enjoy Wisconsin’s winter season.

One new addition to the Winter Carnival experience is Terrace Wonderland, an evening of winter-themed activities at the Memorial Union Terrace Feb. 6 from 4-7 p.m. This free debut event will include live music, cotton candy, family-friendly games, gingerbread house-making, a hot chocolate bar, Valentine`s Day card-making, an ice skating rink and more....

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Ken Notes: I used to publish MadisonNotes.com but did not have time to market it effectively. The idea was to promote events that could not afford mainstream advertising for free and then provide links to all venues in the city. If there is a student looking for a side income or marketing firm that wants to promote events like this I would love to talk. The publication was very well received and two years later I still get "what happened" emails...

81 organizations in Madison received a portion of the alloted grant money

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Ken Notes: I am amazed that we spend billions every year on this and barely make a dent in the problem. We need to rethink what we build, where we build it, and who lives in it. Personally I am a fan of the Habitat model and they take no public funds. Imagine what the could do if we provided them (or another organization like them) some land and created codes that allowed them to build smaller more densely spaced units. Just think if we used the 25 million in Wisconsin to build 2,500 stick built small units or apartments, architecturally interesting, community orientated, racially and economically diverse, owned by the occupants...

2. Sell Monona Golf Course to developers...   ...more

Ken Notes: I like these ideas! I suggest at the very lease we lease our courses for $1 each to private concerns at let them run them at a profit or loss.

Dane County plans to buy 79 acres of land for $4 million at the source of Black Earth Creek in the town of Middleton to advance wetland restoration efforts and create more flood-water storage in an area that saw heavy rainfall and flooding in 2018.   ...more

Ken Notes: Why not pair these purchases with private sector investment to either get more land or spend less money...

Action by the Menomonee Falls Village Board is paving the way for a new Ascension hospital to be built in the village.

A split board narrowly voted Jan. 20 to approve an agreement to provide tax incremental financing for the 33,000-square-foot health center and small-scale inpatient hospital at N88 W14167 Main St., the site of the former Ernie von Schledorn auto dealership. 

According to village documents, the village will rebate Cobalt Evs Health LLC70% of new incremental value created each year. With a cap of 15%, and with the assumption that the development would be assessed at roughly $20 million, the village would expect to provide about $2.8 million in tax incremental financing, or TIF, assistance.

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A franchise company that operates several Wendy’s restaurants and one Fazoli’s location in southwestern Wisconsin has been fined for violating child labor laws.

Manna Inc. is based in Louisville, Kentucky and operates Wendy’s and Fazoli’s restaurants in nine states. The company will pay a civil penalty of $157,114 for violations in 99 restaurants.

It owns three Wendy’s in Madison, two in Janesville, one each in Fitchburg and Sun Prairie. The company also owns one Fazoli’s in Madison. 38 minors were found to work in those 8 restaurants.

U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and House Division (WHD) said Manna Inc. violated child labor requirements as set by the Fair Labor Standards Act when it allowed 14- and 15-year-old employees to work outside of legally approved hours and more hours than allowed by law, according to a release by the department...   ...more

Stay up to date by reading our MadREP Report, a bi-monthly newsletter that features regional economic development news, events and opportunities.

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Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has called on the Republican-led Legislature to convene next Tuesday to take up a package of bills aimed at addressing the state’s struggling agriculture industry.

Evers said he will begin meeting today with Republican lawmakers on the bills, which he described as a “three-pronged approach” to reinvest in Wisconsin farmers. Evers first announced the package of bills during his Wednesday State of the State address.

The proposed investment would be distributed over the 2019-21 biennium, he added...
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Dane County ED
		STATE STRATEGIES FOR GROWING BUSINESSES AND CREATING JOBS	ED TOOLS
			Health Tech Capitol
		APA WI

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A company owned by siblings whose family farm paved the way for significant business development was honored Wednesday by the Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce.

During its 121st annual dinner at the Fireside Dinner Theatre, the chamber presented its 2019 Economic Contribution Award to CBF Investment Company LLC.

Incoming chamber President Nova Jiongco said that the organization presents this award to an individual, business or organization that has contributed to, and promoted the objectives of, the Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce in the areas of job growth and retention, capital investment, facility expansion, community involvement and/or innovation.

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The four-story, 2.6 million square foot structure is currently under construction in the new Ryan Business Park in the City of Oak Creek

OAK CREEK, WI — City officials in Oak Creek are hosting two public hearings over the next couple of weeks as Amazon seeks a sign variance to post a larger-than-allowed sign on the front of their 2.6 million square foot building currently under construction in the Ryan Business Park.

Current sign ordinances in Oak Creek state that wall signs cannot be more than 200 square feet for building more than 300 feet from the street.

According to city documents, Amazon is seeking the following signs:...

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Ken Notes: As a Mayor I often used my sign ordnance to get improved landscaping, wayfinding support, and other win win options. What`s on the table???

Associated Bank and WISCAP share a common goal of creating stronger communities through economic development. The investment will specifically expand access for low- and moderate-income communities in the area of small business. In addition, it will increase staff capacity and give ICAA the ability to bolster case management, client identification, and enrollment in trainings related to business development...

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Land & Space Development Database

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Ken Notes: Tom Daykin is the source for ED news in MKE. This is a permanent link to articles in his blog which is updated daily...

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Wisconsin Development and WDNGreen newsletters are now emailed to over 12,000 professionals, planners, developers, news outlets, and elected officials each week. We see over 1,000 opens within the first hour every week for each publication. The websites, WisconsinDevelopment.com and WDNGreen.com are always online and available to view and search where we maintain several years worth of articles. All of our rates are now less than in previous years.

"Our goal is to present a positive view of economic development in the State of Wisconsin”, Ken Harwood, Editor and Publisher.

WisconsinDevelopment is a positive look at economic development and commercial projects across the state. In WDNGreen we highlight pro-environmental developments and issues that make economic sense.

We believe in the Wisconsin business community and believe that telling their stories will positively impact both growth and better legislation in the State. We are nonpartisan, pro business, pro positive environmental issues, and most importantly pro WISCONSIN...

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