IDC Meeting Minutes from 3/25/2009

Minutes of the Industrial Development Commission meeting held on Wednesday, March 25th, 2009 at city hall pursuant to notice duly given.

1. Meeting called to order at 8:08 a.m. by Chairperson Doeren.

2. Roll call: Dick Doeren, Joe Stiloski, Mike Trepanier, Howard Schaden and Wayne Bostwick. Absent: Ken DePouw and Vern Panske. Also present: Advisory member Jack Maas and Linda Belongia, Administrator and as recording secretary.

3. Moved by Stiloski seconded by Trepanier to approve of the agenda as presented.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

4. No correspondence or public input.

5. Moved by Stiloski seconded by Bostwick to approve and place on file as presented the minutes from the 2/25/09 and 3/2/09 meetings.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

6. Peter Norman, CDBG-ED/RLF Specialist from Wis Dept of Commerce present for discussion/comments/questions on the Revolving Fund Loan
Program; Norman responsible the last 3 years for the RLF program; money was originally a Community Development Block Grant to the City
of Oconto; as funds are paid back, the RLF program was established to
“recycle” the funds back into the community to assist a new business or an
existing business; our RLF monies have criteria on how funds can be
loaned out; a couple of areas across the State of Wisconsin have formed
regional RLF programs; Norman stated to form a regional area, takes a lot
of give and take on communities involved to make this work; each
participating community in the regional program has a vote on issues at
hand….some areas this is working good in…other areas Norman stated
because of who could be involved…will not work; City of Oconto will not
as things are structured at Dept of Commerce ever be able to increase the
funds in our RLF with new monies from the state; if a loan applicant came
to the city for a loan above what we have, we would have to do a
participation loan with Oconto County and Dept of Commerce would loan
the “new” funds to the County for this applicant…as new money funds are
paid back, they would go into the county’s loan fund; Norman gave brief
perspective on economy regarding funding from Commerce…areas of
growth, very limited with the economy as such; Commission thanked
Norman for attending and the information given;

7. Discussion/recommendation to Com of the Whole on:

a. & d. Advertising local property and draft marketing materials from Keller; Belongia provided handout of draft marketing brochure;
commission members want city as contact and our phone number;
Moved by Trepanier seconded by Schaden to recommend to Com of the Whole the draft marketing brochure amending it to show city contact and
phone number.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

b. Belongia reported for Mayor Nerenhausen that all three community sensitive design sign locations are just about finalized; Don LaFortune
property south of Oconto; Jerry Bickel property to the west; and the Riewe
family is reviewing the lease agreement for a sign on the north city limits;

e. Doeren informed commission members of email from Steve Payant inquiring if city would be interested in selling all the property at 235 Cook
Ave., former Kelly Pickle; Members asked that Doeren invite Payant to
the next IDC meeting to discuss his ideas for the property;

Maas questioned the erosion control issue that we’ve received a call from
DNR on…has Champion responded? Belongia stated our engineer’s at Ayres are contacting Champion; Maas stated we need to bury the
hatchet…get the yes and no voters together…set up an ad hoc committee;

f. Belongia stated that the revolving fund loan # 08-01 has been paid off in full.

8. Next meeting, Wed., 4/29/09 at 8:00 a.m.

9. Moved by Stiloski seconded by Trepanier to adjourn. M/C
Meeting adjourned at 9:15 a.m.


Minutes submitted by
Linda M. Belongia,
Administrator