Rock County Board postpones $300,000 decision for Edgerton veterans housing after public testimony and questions

The Rock County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday postponed a request to provide $300,000 to Edgerton Community Outreach to replace a rescinded U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HOME) grant for a veterans housing project at 210 West Fulton Street in Edgerton.

The board voted 15–9 to postpone consideration of the funding to its Sept. 11 meeting after more than a dozen residents and veterans’ advocates addressed the board during the citizen participation period and several supervisors said they needed additional documentation and a clear timeline of events before spending county revenue.

Sarah Williams, executive director of Edgerton Community Outreach, told the board, “I am here this evening to ask your support of the resolution to fund the 210 West Fulton Street Veterans Housing Project.” Williams said the HOME grant was awarded in 2022 and later rescinded, leaving a gap that threatens the project and the organization.

Fred Falk, a member of Edgerton Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2708, described the local fundraising and the group’s long-term involvement, saying the post donated $100,000 in March 2022 and community efforts, including a 23‑mile “hike for heroes,” raised more than $175,000 for the project.

Ray Oswald, president of Edgerton Outreach’s board, said the completed project already houses veterans and includes community space and a commercial kitchen. “This project checks critical boxes that are important to this body as well as to all of Rock County,” Oswald said, and warned that a failure to cover the $300,000 gap “could shutter Outreach within months.”

Supervisor Towns, presenting the resolution, said Rock County had acted as a partner in a HUD HOME consortium with the cities of Janesville and Beloit and that the city of Janesville served as the fiscal agent. Towns said Edgerton Outreach proceeded with construction after county staff told the nonprofit that paperwork and approvals were in order, but that the fiscal agent later declined payment on the grant, and a regional HUD office in Milwaukee told the county there was no appeal process.

Multiple supervisors asked for more information before committing county funds. Supervisor Gorman said he understood the project had broader financial shortfalls — he and others referenced language suggesting the total gap could be larger than $300,000 — and asked for clarity on whether county staff had a contractual obligation to Edgerton Outreach. Supervisor Stevens said the draft resolution did not describe the county’s role or the reasons the grant was not paid and noted there were no accountability or reporting requirements for the nonprofit spelled out in the resolution.

Supervisor Woodman moved to postpone the matter to the board’s next meeting; Supervisor Whitlidge seconded the motion. The board approved postponement by roll call, 15 in favor and 9 opposed.

After the vote the chair instructed supervisors to submit specific questions for the county administrator by the close of business the following Tuesday so county staff could prepare answers and documentation in advance of the Sept. 11 meeting. County Administrator John Light (referred to in the meeting as “John”) was asked to coordinate the response and to work with a spokesperson from Edgerton Outreach so the organization could address board questions at the next meeting.

The board’s action was procedural: no county funds were approved or transferred at the meeting. The resolution on the floor would have used $300,000 from a prior‑year sales tax account, which presenters said contains more than $1 million, but the board did not vote on that appropriation before postponing.

The board will revisit the request at its Sept. 11 meeting; supervisors were asked to submit questions by the Tuesday preceding that meeting so administrators and Edgerton Outreach could prepare responses.

Votes at a glance: motion to postpone consideration of the Edgerton Outreach funding request — mover: Supervisor Woodman; seconder: Supervisor Whitlidge; roll‑call vote: 15 yes, 9 no; outcome: postponed to Sept. 11, 2025 meeting.