Advertisement One of the most significant developments was the recent approval by the city to create a new tax increment financing district encompassing properties in the downtown and waterfront area. Jason Gilman, city land use and development director, told the project management team that a joint review board has been created with representatives from the other taxing entities.
The joint review board, which has final authority over whether or not the TIF district is approved, is scheduled to meet Nov. 24.
If approved by the joint review board, the TIF would become effective Jan. 1, 2010 and is seen as the catalyst for jumpstarting investment in the area by developers.
Before the Monday meeting, the project management team launched four subcommittees: logo and branding, cultural center, nature walks/DNR liaison/shoreline access and a public fundin/government relations subcommittee.
The purpose of subcommittees, according to project management team Chairman Sam Scinta, is to bring area residents, businesses and organizations to the table to share their expertise, enthusiasm and time in order to keep the development moving forward and share the task load.
The team’s goal is to serve as the facilitator of sorting through ideas and getting them implemented.
The subcommittees are not subject to open meetings and records. They serve to bring recommendations to the project management team, which can authorize any spending.
The team already has authorized spending by the logo and branding subcommittee for hiring Synergy, a La Crosse marketing firm, to develop a logo and branding strategy. Synergy was hired in October and has been busy interviewing Onalaska leaders and residents about their vision for the waterfront area.
The public funding and government relations subcommittee will explore opportunities for grants, which are seen as an integral way to defray costs and prevent taxpayers being burdened with higher taxes for projects desired by the city.
At Monday’s meeting, the project management team launched two new subcommittees: business/community relations and one that will look at architectural design guidelines.
In addition, a funding summit subcommittee was formed this week, charged with planning an event designed to bring investors together to brainstorm on how funding through private avenues can be achieved without any burden on taxpayers.
Anyone with ideas or questions can contact Scinta at 797-4417 or Gilman at 781-9590.
WATERFRONT WHO’S WHO
Below is a listing of Onalaska Waterfront Project Management Team subcommittee members. More members will be added.
Hank wrote on Nov 23, 2009 11:14 PM: