MONROE - Pam Christopher, executive director of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce and Industry, brought some good news to City Hall Tuesday: The sale of the former Walmart building is close at hand.
Christopher revealed the pending sale of the vacant westside building while reviewing for the Common Council the city's progress in the recent years, during which it has contracted with the chamber for economic development services. The city budgeted $15,000 for those services in 2011.
Confidentiality prevented Christopher from revealing the buyer, she said, but she assured the council that the deal was nearly done.
She also said the city has seen an increase in its property tax base of more than $33,000, the creation of more than 30 jobs and capital investment of about $3.5 million - from the work of the chamber in the past 18 months.
Nine of the new jobs created were at Orchid Monroe.
"Those are not low-paying jobs," Christopher said. "Those are engineering jobs, high-paying jobs."
Another 10 jobs have come from Quest Robotics.
Christopher said current surveys of manufacturers in the city indicate "significant growth is slated for the next two years."
Christopher said the chamber is working with the school district and Blackhawk Technical College to develop a concentrated focus on apprenticeship programs for training in needed industry sectors.
Top industry sectors for recruitment include food manufacturing, agriculture products, robotic engineering and bio-technology, mainly in the medical field.
Christopher revealed the pending sale of the vacant westside building while reviewing for the Common Council the city's progress in the recent years, during which it has contracted with the chamber for economic development services. The city budgeted $15,000 for those services in 2011.
Confidentiality prevented Christopher from revealing the buyer, she said, but she assured the council that the deal was nearly done.
She also said the city has seen an increase in its property tax base of more than $33,000, the creation of more than 30 jobs and capital investment of about $3.5 million - from the work of the chamber in the past 18 months.
Nine of the new jobs created were at Orchid Monroe.
"Those are not low-paying jobs," Christopher said. "Those are engineering jobs, high-paying jobs."
Another 10 jobs have come from Quest Robotics.
Christopher said current surveys of manufacturers in the city indicate "significant growth is slated for the next two years."
Christopher said the chamber is working with the school district and Blackhawk Technical College to develop a concentrated focus on apprenticeship programs for training in needed industry sectors.
Top industry sectors for recruitment include food manufacturing, agriculture products, robotic engineering and bio-technology, mainly in the medical field.