Vernon County committee approves loans to Ewetopia and Logan Mill Lodge after closed-session review

The Vernon County Economic Development Committee voted Feb. 6 to approve two Economic Development Loans: up to $100,000 to Ewetopia and $75,000 to Logan Mill Lodge. The decisions followed a closed-session review of applicant portfolios conducted under Wis. Stat. §19.85(1)(e).

The committee, chaired by John Pedretti, entered closed session at 9:50 a.m. after a roll-call vote. Members reconvened in open session at 10:21 a.m. and moved immediately to act. Karen Dahl moved to approve the loan to Ewetopia, seconded by David Strudthoff; the motion passed unanimously. Strudthoff then moved to approve the loan for Logan Mill Lodge, seconded by Dahl; that motion also passed unanimously.

Jon Bingol of the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission reported the loan fund balance was $322,771.12 and said no loans had been paid off since the previous meeting. He also reported two prospective applicants had expressed interest in applying. Bingol noted that two existing borrowers (Borgen’s and Old Towne Inn) were making payments inconsistently and that MRRPC expects an administration invoice for 2024 of about $8,000.

Committee members did not record conditions or amendment language in the minutes beyond the approved maximums. The committee’s recorded presence on Feb. 6 included six voting members; minutes indicate the approvals were unanimous. The committee did not record further implementation dates or reporting requirements for the loans in the minutes.

The committee confirmed its next regular meeting for March 6, 2025, when staff may report on loan implementation or follow-up items.