Vernon County subcommittee finalizes loan manual revisions and readies MRRPC contract for approval

The Vernon County Economic Development Loan Sub-Committee on March 8 reviewed final edits to the county's Economic Development Loan Manual and a contract with the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission (MRRPC) that would oversee the program.

Attorney Nikki Swayne of Abt Swayne Law Office told the sub-committee that a few format changes and updates to legal terminology remained necessary and that she would work with county staff member Christina Dollhausen to complete those revisions for a special meeting on March 13. The sub-committee also reviewed a final draft of the contract with MRRPC; members and Jon Bingol of MRRPC suggested minor changes, after which the document was described as ready to be presented for approval at the March 13 special committee meeting, with a resolution to the full county board to follow.

The meeting record lists members Kay Stanek (Economic Development Committee Chair), Tom Weston, Katie Helseth and Nancy Jaekel as present, along with staff/elected officials Christina Dollhausen, Karen DeLap and Bobbi Johnson. Visitors included Swayne and Jon Bingol of MRRPC. No members of the public spoke during the audience-to-visitors portion of the agenda.

The action items reported at the meeting were procedural: finalize loan manual language and present the contract for committee approval at the March 13 special meeting, then forward a resolution to the full county board. The sub-committee adjourned at 10:15 a.m. on a motion by Tom Weston, seconded by Katie Helseth, with a unanimous vote recorded.

Next steps established in the meeting record are the completion of legal and formatting edits by Attorney Swayne in coordination with county staff and presentation of the revised manual and the MRRPC oversight contract at the March 13 special committee meeting; the minutes state a subsequent resolution will be brought to the full county board for consideration.