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Thrive Economic Development proposes regional partnership with Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation
Summary
Thrive Economic Development told the Fort Atkinson City Council it plans to partner with the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation to provide backbone administration and expanded services while keeping Thrive’s board authority intact; the move would lower municipal base dues and add a fee-for-service option.
Deb Reinbold, president of Thrive Economic Development, presented a proposal to align Thrive as staff for the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation while retaining Thrive’s nonprofit status and board authority. Reinbold said the partnership would provide administrative, HR and financial backbone support, add staff capacity, and open access to national philanthropic partners without reducing local services.
"The foundation could either basically replicate the work that we're doing or, as they're proposing here, could work with us, and we would become staff for the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation," Reinbold said, describing the model as a way to expand capacity while preserving local control. She told council the change could reduce the per-resident base contribution from $1.50 to $1.00 and add a fee-for-service menu for specialized, nontraditional services.
Council members asked how fee-for-service pricing would be determined and how municipalities would retain input. Ben Wehmeyer, president and CEO of the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation, said a written service agreement will spell out staffing, public-sector engagement, and expectations. Reinbold said municipal priorities would continue to guide Thrive’s strategic decisions and that existing core services would not be redirected.
Next steps: staff will circulate bylaws, service agreements and proposed governance language; Thrive and the JCEDC boards expect a decision after a special meeting planned for September and potential transition between October and December.
