Village approves TID 4 boundary amendment; board approves marketing contract and moves to closed session on development talks

The Village Board on Tuesday approved a resolution amending the project plan and boundaries for Tax Increment District 4 to add parcels targeted for redevelopment and to include project costs for a stormwater retention basin and a booster pump station to serve the area. The board also authorized the Community Development Authority to contract with A5 Branding & Digital for marketing services, with a motion approving Option B for up to $50,000. After those votes the board moved into closed session to discuss a letter of intent from an existing village business and bargaining positions for potential TID 4-related contracts and offers to purchase property.

The TID 4 amendment was presented by Kayla from Ehlers, who said the district expansion "bring[s] in some parcels that are being targeted for redevelopment" and add[s] project costs for a retention basin and a booster pump station. Administrator Eileen said the amendment had been reviewed and approved by the joint review board and the planning commission. Trustee votes were taken and the motion carried.

The Community Development Authority recommended hiring A5 Branding & Digital to develop research, a marketing plan and creative concepts; the CDA asked the board to approve up to $40,000 with authority to expand to $50,000 to fund additional items such as a microsite. Jim (CDA) described the work as foundation-building for attracting businesses and developers to newly expanded TID areas, including outreach to industry groups and potential microsites that would present incentive information separate from the village's official website. The board approved the contract direction on a motion and second.

Following those approvals the board convened a closed session. President Dustin Johnson read the statutory basis aloud and moved the board into closed session pursuant to Wisconsin Statute 19.85(1)(e) to discuss bargaining strategies and negotiation positions related to preliminary contracts for possible future TID 4 developments and an offer to purchase property; a roll call vote was taken.

The board did not discuss details of the closed-session deliberations in public. Eileen said earlier that joint review and planning commission approvals had already occurred for the TID amendment and that a joint review board had incorporated county comments prior to this meeting.

The marketing contract was to be paid from funds already allocated to the Community Development Authority. The board did not set an immediate public timeline for the next steps beyond references in the CDA materials to research and a possible February launch for initial deliverables.