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West Central regional planning commission updates Barron County on projects, loans and local grants
Summary
Scott Allen of the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and Amanda Veith of the Regional Business Fund briefed the board on regional planning services, local projects (bike/ped, hazard mitigation, stormwater) and small-business revolving loan outcomes in Barron County.
Scott Allen, executive director of the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, and Amanda Veith, lending specialist for the Regional Business Fund (RBF), presented an annual update to the Barron County Board on Sept. 16, summarizing planning services and business lending activity in the county.
Allen described the commission's role as a nonregulatory regional coordinator created by state statute in 1971 (66.0309) and listed services the commission provides, including economic development planning, transportation and safe routes to school planning, hazard mitigation updates, outdoor recreation plans, and GIS mapping. "We assist units of government in planning for physical, social, and economic development needs of the region," Allen said.
He highlighted ongoing Barron County work: stormwater outreach and mini-grants that funded a rain garden at New Auburn High School, crash-mapping for county roads that identifies hot spots for safety improvements, a completed Barron County bike and pedestrian plan, and a pending FEMA decision on a nearly $1,000,000 community safe room grant for the Village of Alameda.
Amanda Veith presented RBF lending outcomes in Barron County: since inception RBF has assisted 64 businesses in Barron County (90% startups), made 78 loans totaling about $7.6 million, helped create 504 jobs and leveraged roughly $48 million in private financing. She cited examples including Northwood Cycle (Rice Lake), Christine's Dance Company (Rice Lake) and Island Ice (Cumberland), each of which used revolving loans alongside bank financing for purchases and renovations.
Why it matters: regional planning and the RBF provide grant-writing, technical planning, and flexible gap financing that local governments and small businesses use to access state and federal funding and to complete capital projects.
Next steps and resources: Allen said the commission will continue to provide county-specific profiles and technical assistance; Veith encouraged local business leaders to use the RBF programs and offered contact information in the packet. The commission also requested Barron County's continued levy support for 2025, noting a modest increase of about 3% in the county's levy contribution to the regional commission next year.
