Economic development director urges Sawyer County to reapply for expiring Opportunity Zone designations

Brian Priester, the executive director of the Sawyer County Economic Development Corporation, told the UW-Extension Committee that three federal Opportunity Zone census tracts that cover parts of Sawyer County are in a window to be re-nominated and that the county should coordinate submissions before the deadline at the end of the month.

Priester said two of the eligible tracts are on tribal land and one includes the city of Hayward and nearby township areas. He summarized the application process: municipalities nominate tracts to the governor, the governor selects a set of nominations and forwards them to the federal government for designation. Priester said the program can provide tax advantages — including capital gains deferral — that may help attract investment, and he noted Sawyer County's existing rural enterprise zone status offers additional incentives.

Priester said he had contacted tribal leaders and offered to help prepare materials, but that municipalities must place the matter on their agendas to act. A county official noted the city and town clerks' next meetings occur the following week and encouraged Priester to contact those offices so the municipal bodies can consider the nomination in time.

Committee members asked whether the county had used the designation previously; Priester said he would investigate which municipality submitted the original nomination a decade ago. He also said Opportunity Zone nominations can be used to promote workforce housing projects, which appear to be a priority in some eligible tracts.

No formal county action was taken at the meeting; Priester urged prompt coordination so the county and municipalities can meet the application window.