Rock County board authorizes grant applications for fairgrounds grandstand and park shelter; jail solar proposal rejected

The Rock County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize the county administrator to apply for the State of Wisconsin Grants for Local Projects program to seek funding for the fairgrounds grandstand reconstruction and a park shelter. The board added the park shelter back into the application and declined to add a proposed Rock County Jail solar project after extended debate and questions about roof condition, security and oversight.

The action to allow filing the applications passed 16–9 on the motion introduced by Supervisor Mawhinney and seconded from the floor. Earlier amendment votes returned the park shelter to the proposed projects (passed 16–9) and rejected an amendment to include a roughly $300,000 solar installation on the jail (failed 9–16).

The board considered technical and substantive edits that originated in finance committee. Corp. Counsel Rich told members that the version on the table included committee amendments and technical punctuation corrections, and that supervisors could…