MONROE - Members of the executive board for the World Cheese Destination Center (WCDC) project headed off a close call Tuesday night, as the Common Council postponed, and then proceeded with, a public hearing for a community development block grant submission.
The board needed the public hearing and the council's vote to authorize its submission of the grant application to Wisconsin's Economic and Community Development (ECD) division before the June 1 grant deadline, and the next scheduled council meeting is June 6.
The grant is the next big step in the group's effort to create a $3 million tourist and educational center that highlights all aspects of cheesemaking. The WCDC is proposed in the former Monroe Cheese Corp. building on 12th Street downtown.
City officials had concerns that certain requirements of the public hearing may not be met, leaving the city, as the official administrator of the grant funds, unable to certify the grant application.
The cancellation of their public hearing and the vote surprised WCDC board members, who had not been aware of the city's concerns or its decision to delay. It also surprised a few council members.
Newly-elected Louis Armstrong, alderman for Ward 7, questioned the move to cancel the vote and public hearing. Jan Lefevre, Ward 4, and Sara Conway, Ward 6, later expressed their disappointment in the proposed delay of the hearing and vote, noting that it jeopardized the project.
Ron Marsh, a member of the WCDC executive board, rose during the meeting to explain that certain aspects on the public hearing certification form did not apply to the WCDC grant application.
For example, discussion of housing needs and the potential for residential replacement at the public hearing did not apply to their economic development grant that was being submitted for up to $500,000 in matching funds to refurbish the blighted building, he said.
Without the public hearing and the council's authorization, the WCDC project would slow to a halt, he added.
Mayor Bill Ross and City Clerk Carol Stamm, with city attorney Rex Ewald and Council President Tyler Schultz, determined that the public hearing could proceed, giving Marsh a chance to cover more thoroughly an overview of the project, the funds available, the use of the money and the expected results of returning the unused downtown building back into the city's economy and drawing more visitors to the city.
"If that isn't economic development, I don't know what is," Marsh said.
Council members and Bridget Schuchart, city comptroller, had only a few questions, which WCDC executive members addressed.
But the council still held its vote authorizing the submission, pending verification by city attorney Rex Ewald that the public hearing met all the requirements for the grant application.
The council plans to hold a special meeting next week to vote on the authorization.
The board needed the public hearing and the council's vote to authorize its submission of the grant application to Wisconsin's Economic and Community Development (ECD) division before the June 1 grant deadline, and the next scheduled council meeting is June 6.
The grant is the next big step in the group's effort to create a $3 million tourist and educational center that highlights all aspects of cheesemaking. The WCDC is proposed in the former Monroe Cheese Corp. building on 12th Street downtown.
City officials had concerns that certain requirements of the public hearing may not be met, leaving the city, as the official administrator of the grant funds, unable to certify the grant application.
The cancellation of their public hearing and the vote surprised WCDC board members, who had not been aware of the city's concerns or its decision to delay. It also surprised a few council members.
Newly-elected Louis Armstrong, alderman for Ward 7, questioned the move to cancel the vote and public hearing. Jan Lefevre, Ward 4, and Sara Conway, Ward 6, later expressed their disappointment in the proposed delay of the hearing and vote, noting that it jeopardized the project.
Ron Marsh, a member of the WCDC executive board, rose during the meeting to explain that certain aspects on the public hearing certification form did not apply to the WCDC grant application.
For example, discussion of housing needs and the potential for residential replacement at the public hearing did not apply to their economic development grant that was being submitted for up to $500,000 in matching funds to refurbish the blighted building, he said.
Without the public hearing and the council's authorization, the WCDC project would slow to a halt, he added.
Mayor Bill Ross and City Clerk Carol Stamm, with city attorney Rex Ewald and Council President Tyler Schultz, determined that the public hearing could proceed, giving Marsh a chance to cover more thoroughly an overview of the project, the funds available, the use of the money and the expected results of returning the unused downtown building back into the city's economy and drawing more visitors to the city.
"If that isn't economic development, I don't know what is," Marsh said.
Council members and Bridget Schuchart, city comptroller, had only a few questions, which WCDC executive members addressed.
But the council still held its vote authorizing the submission, pending verification by city attorney Rex Ewald that the public hearing met all the requirements for the grant application.
The council plans to hold a special meeting next week to vote on the authorization.