[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6312801,"mediaKeyId","2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06","parentId",2390412,"title","Economic development staff report strong tourism survey results, business retention visits and branding work","audioSeconds",929,"startMs",4881000,"endMs",5810000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06&start=4881&end=5810","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06/thumbnail_4881000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6312801/Vernon-County/Wisconsin/Economic-development-staff-report-strong-tourism-survey-results-business-retention-visits-and-branding-work","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312801-77a16efff57e76d13befbbd3e9259c07/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148369&Signature=hY3Ku1EYUfpmHht~JrLpaabtdRJYXRZPyO7onyE3TsJxO1O1Q4ZA9wj9ufyECO2CKEpj-JjQAnVJbYBaiqwvHqui7x18JP4iuaa4pXkPv4yQL0YHy9JZodYIFO2BXVQhPH-B3TCicpEUdRUYfEgVcWs271EHaqC6YFSNFU0ThLZZ7Zyvq9rTyvkTV6-i-poQy~4GZWHL8OQ5S0bWC4mFWPOIOpNSOeaTrWy42i97cuWfg-WVRiRCI33v5ZjXIJwDbcmTgWEer9dZI4KKOAW795MnPejZRDjZSBf9L~9CEDr7DBbawmbju1GtYxK7WMfBl1dGBJqPbXEOajXsunWYfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","WI / Vernon County ","date","2025-02-06T00:00:00Z","article","Economic development staff shared highlights from a county survey, completed business retention and expansion visits and a branding initiative partnership, and reported that the Vernon County guide is on track for mid- to late-April printing.

Larkin summarized survey findings: 91% of respondents would recommend Vernon County as a place to visit and 82% said they would recommend it as a place to live. Word-cloud responses favored descriptors such as ‘‘rural,’’ ‘‘beautiful,’’ ‘‘friendly’’ and ‘‘scenic.’’ Larkin said the results show a strong sense of community and that UW Extension is performing deeper analysis to help shape branding and messaging.

On business retention, Larkin said staff conducted visits across several communities and sectors (food, beverage, hospitality, manufacturing, farm and ag). Common challenges reported by businesses included staffing and wage pressure, financing constraints, limited owner capacity in small firms, and regulatory timelines for state approvals. Staff said multiple firms report diversified business models (for example, combining hospitality and events or retail and manufacturing) that help stabilize revenues.

Larkin also briefed the committee on a branding project with Elevate Media to promote tourism and the local economy, and said Elevate will consult businesses and local events in a video series. He reported the Vernon County guide copy collection is ongoing with printing expected in mid- to late April.

Staff asked committee members for suggestions of businesses or topics to prioritize in the next round of outreach and noted continuing coordination with partners such as Driftless Wisconsin and Bridal Wisconsin.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Vernon County Economic Development Committee Meeting Minutes February 6, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","County economic development staff presented results from a recent community survey used for branding, reported outcomes from business retention visits and said the county guide is on track for mid-late April printing.","taxTitle","Vernon County, Wisconsin","taxId",67955,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6312806,"Vernon County housing study: 800 survey responses, task force to host regional summit May 6",407,4297000,4704000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06&start=4297&end=4704","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06/thumbnail_4297000.jpg","/articles/6312806/Vernon-County/Wisconsin/Vernon-County-housing-study-800-survey-responses-task-force-to-host-regional-summit-May-6","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312806-27006f2ae6aa1b84b6ae847c40d7a8ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148369&Signature=eqxnfryEcR9qf7KLzsSIDc8eSQkxei8giivVQqw2XD64RaZ9waJlZ88ljRcPXBAZpEiHjJXGgbC96TMVMNE5fjIwkOjULoyYaWXtRZ58S7ehkzaQP~vc~EtAzBp1oiifu9z-pDwL6QFn7L4fnfWfLPh1x3kRTajLdkjH~RQUfe695kUBY3XTjuG34nEO9SRbIBUqdqSa4uVF4EFAfAm3n0m7BWh0ESzYaPs6ii7NaRxaU2Uirgx9GasaunTmtw3zL2XeXuA4ySMmQ1-ypWgLOsJqKbVFFkDNixK33gVl7ONhaQrCmhNzDPQTY-g~ecLJIUTcEWHMneGpWhkCE1bTiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Vernon County staff told the Economic Development Committee that the county’s housing study has yielded about 800 survey responses and that the housing task force will continue community engagement this spring ahead of a regional rural housing summit in May.

Amy and other staff described the task force’s work and asked the committee to schedule presentation of the survey results. UW Extension staffers who processed the survey data, Hannah and Kristen (recorded as Kristian/ Kristen in portions of the transcript), have analyzed preliminary results and will present findings to the committee; committee members agreed to invite Kristen to present in a future meeting and noted the presentation could take 30–45 minutes.

Hannah described next steps: community engagement sessions will begin in March to drill down on issues raised by the survey, and the county will host a regional rural housing summit on May 6. Hannah said the summit will be at the brewing company’s event center space (she indicated the space was made available on a day when the venue is otherwise closed) and that she will circulate a save-the-date; details and registration information will follow.

Committee members discussed barriers to housing development, including land availability, infrastructure (access to municipal water and sewer) and workforce income levels. Staff noted the housing survey includes household income data and affordability preferences that will inform recommendations. The committee also discussed a planned regional rural housing summit and a May county-board presentation on housing recommendations.

The committee asked staff to invite UW Extension’s Kristen Rungi to a future meeting to present the survey results and to schedule community engagement sessions starting in March.","County staff reported 800 housing-survey responses, ongoing community engagement and a regional rural housing summit set for May 6; staff will present survey findings to the committee at a future meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6312811,"Vernon County wins pre-disaster flood resilience grant; funding to support culvert inventory and hydrologic studies",72,3814000,3886000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06&start=3814&end=3886","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06/thumbnail_3814000.jpg","/articles/6312811/Vernon-County/Wisconsin/Vernon-County-wins-pre-disaster-flood-resilience-grant-funding-to-support-culvert-inventory-and-hydrologic-studies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312811-0443e7e0674545ba850dfc0a983e29e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148369&Signature=a5Hk71jMMWONJ71~FukEKZE08DeEsoKEZilF~IxaPDdBgjptxPec4bSofULnszDX4dla0NSSJMfH-7mFcEe9sx9-gX2XvLOm~c4LGhRjJCSXC0SWJM0WpXzeb~cSdEeljOzCqfnTtWVxVLsqyg2KwU~-u~PuU6tSuCjH5JiV1oP3qDXI8umNSCBhmfFsCJQAtkgSj78i3n3DY8ujfny456ZgJEOOMQIU5MA37FjEF9k-b1dCOtZpPI87fzKkNBGISYma0FDTwEPMUWFcSt2uIjPMqdg52YVgt~q2J2zCYC0qlmOiyUDuQD~tgp5JdDg0Z-mEgoNOfzz21Bhm8rifPw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Vernon County will use an awarded pre-disaster flood resilience grant to fund a culvert inventory and hydrologic-and-hydraulic (H&H) studies to assess flood impacts and prioritize infrastructure upgrades in two watersheds.

Amy told the committee the county applied for about $400,000 and learned in mid-December that it had been selected. She said the county will receive roughly $300,000 from Wisconsin Emergency Management and will match nearly $100,000 from local sources. The statewide program received 16 applications and awarded eight; total awards statewide were about $1,200,000.

The grant’s work program includes two primary components. First, staff will inventory culverts on county roads and highways that are six inches in diameter or less (county staff described this as culverts “6 diameters or less”), a dataset the county currently lacks. That inventory will be completed by trained interns over the next two years after training coordinated with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Second, the grant will fund 22 H&H studies focused on two watersheds — Coombe Creek and the West Fork of the Kickapoo — to model flows, identify bridges and other structures at risk if dams are removed or decommissioned, and prioritize future infrastructure investments.

Amy said the studies will help the county understand how waterflow could shift if dams are decommissioned and which bridges and roads would become more vulnerable, information that will be used to pursue additional grant funding for specific bridge or road improvements.

Committee members asked whether the $400,000 estimate would cover the studies; Amy said they collected multiple estimates and used the average in the grant application and that the next step is a request for proposals to secure a consultant to perform the studies. She confirmed the award is state money provided through Wisconsin Emergency Management and that the state has already allocated the funds for the county’s project.

Staff will proceed with an RFP for consultant services and recruit interns for the culvert inventory work. Amy said she will request additional study slots from the state if grant funds remain after the initial 22 studies.","Vernon County was awarded a pre-disaster flood resilience grant that will fund a culvert inventory and 22 hydrologic/hydraulic studies across two watersheds; the county expects roughly $300,000 in state award with a county match of nearly $100,000.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6312815,"Committee adopts revised 2025 community development grant application and scoring sheet",388,3520000,3908000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06&start=3520&end=3908","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06/thumbnail_3520000.jpg","/articles/6312815/Vernon-County/Wisconsin/Committee-adopts-revised-2025-community-development-grant-application-and-scoring-sheet","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312815-8a6d48e5bea8210e895adbc326f6c2ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148369&Signature=ZHoV6GW4a78OvuWoswV~JBqYJHYC5PRe-hFWMK7S6E6CuBHs9qK0eD1412PgooZ9pmi2YYWq1xh~XUkF0UbTj1j49dBLBANN1XijHUSYiYM5hhc9-Il2I0LiIiTxciftFJIrJfMApAOE-anhHlklxfZBsJWbcrciJzWHdvv92BJCkGdY97E5gcQyJuvsq22bH1Jg8m4cjcaf2FUFGYEbQIgAn1Cuy2lGu4e50cYtRsPN8PvPQsWuDfuet3WPCnyEUqZKtNvMY2gJieDgGKMyEKON0ysN-9GoDjcQSiiYA8Oa5MA-I8kgnZHCfVaDARiDdgWm2vnv3RxCAGxl3vxTXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Vernon County Economic Development Committee approved a revised 2025 community development grant application and a reworked scoring sheet intended to clarify review criteria and reduce reviewer inconsistency.

Amy, who leads community development grant work for the county, told the committee she proposed splitting the application’s project justification into two distinct questions: one focused on community need and a second tying projects explicitly to economic development and resiliency. She also said she adjusted the scoring sheet to make evaluation categories clearer for reviewers.

Committee members reviewed the draft application on-screen and discussed the reorganization. One member said the new layout made scoring ‘‘a lot more easier’’ for reviewers. A motion ‘‘to appoint what Amy has here’’ (that is, to adopt the draft application) was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

Amy told the committee she anticipates releasing the application by Feb. 15 and expects stronger competition this cycle, based on inquiries she has already received.

The committee voted to adopt the revised application and scoring guidance; staff will release the application and accept submissions under the new format.","Vernon County Economic Development Committee approved a revised 2025 community development grant application and scoring sheet; staff expects to release the application by Feb. 15.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6312819,"Vernon County committee approves two business loans, enters closed session to discuss applications",20,3402000,3422000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06&start=3402&end=3422","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2390412-0b7b3186b9408676f56d763b2d967a06/thumbnail_3402000.jpg","/articles/6312819/Vernon-County/Wisconsin/Vernon-County-committee-approves-two-business-loans-enters-closed-session-to-discuss-applications","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6312819-457734fbc7d01fe23d85c97a92fa53c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771148369&Signature=dKUBIlByEHu3itQbTtXV-650SGMPzKQqRnr0Z1AOOcUup8o6l4-pu8E8Vskm9O6Futm2v0uoedYGNprDpLqIiWJgHzacq~9Gzzh~yfSMS8mSXKzsTZn85PXkYBRwYEnu-IyBMcXkQffSs8bNJSUoNnq4vt9X7rJsuCP~bRQkSOicPiSItiTrE2ESW60zQAQtXF14FisdfUvl~mSsP-HfhEwALxIZ7ikTdGESRtXwvWLInUP40fP0zziiGs5TKXbMChmAuvdFokX-rpUl6p1h-bqV6DPGcjpAKUkEyw7N3qmos51cQZ7ynjrn575SxgyvxiHx0VYL3T7mukNJNT9HUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Vernon County Economic Development Committee moved into a closed session to discuss lending recommendations and afterward approved two loans: a maximum $100,000 commitment for Utopia (to be negotiated downward if possible) and a $75,000 loan for Logan Mill Lodge.

Committee members had convened a closed session on lending matters; a roll-call vote before the closed session was taken and members voted to enter the closed session. After returning to open session, a motion ‘‘that we approve, a maximum of a hundred thousand, but negotiate down if we can for Utopia’’ was made and seconded; the committee approved the motion by voice vote. A separate motion to approve a $75,000 loan for Logan Mill Lodge was also moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

John Pedretti, who presented the loan statement earlier in the meeting, summarized the loan program’s portfolio and repayments. He reported the program began the month with $318,125.85 in funds, recorded $3,712.14 in payments and $928.08 in interest for the period, leaving an ending balance of $322,771.12 and an outstanding loan principal of $629,365.04. Pedretti also noted borrower payment irregularities at times and said staff is working to convert accounts to autopay where possible.

Bruce Kilmer commented on local borrowers’ construction activity and asked about the location of one borrower, Miles of Smiles; committee discussion noted Miles of Smiles operates a daycare with two locations, including one in Westby, and that that borrower now owed roughly $2,600 on its loan.

The motions were approved by voice votes; the meeting transcript does not record a roll-call tally for those approvals. The closed-session motion and the loan approvals were the only formal actions taken related to the loan program during the meeting.

Committee staff also alerted members that the county had engaged a new auditor and that administrative services invoices for the prior year would be forthcoming, estimated at a little over $8,000.

The committee will reconvene for its next regular meeting on Thursday, March 6.","The Vernon County Economic Development Committee voted to enter closed session to discuss loan applications and approved a $100,000 maximum loan for Utopia (negotiable downward) and a $75,000 loan for Logan Mill Lodge.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Economic development staff report strong tourism survey results, business retention visits and branding work

Vernon County housing study: 800 survey responses, task force to host regional summit May 6

Vernon County wins pre-disaster flood resilience grant; funding to support culvert inventory and hydrologic studies

Committee adopts revised 2025 community development grant application and scoring sheet

Vernon County committee approves two business loans, enters closed session to discuss applications