Monday, March 19, 2018
Focus on Calumet
A periodic update on economic development opportunities in Calumet County and the region for businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.
Calumet County: A Unique Pace of Rural and Urban
Calumet County’s new marketing materials were debuted at the March 13 InDevelopment Conference held at the Lambeau Field Atrium. Over 300 developers, real estate agents, lenders, business people, economic development professionals, and government officials were in attendance, including the Calumet County group pictured (from l-r) Stu Gross, Stantec (contractor for City of New Holstein); Beth Wenzel and Lori Gosz, Brillion; Mary Kohrell, Calumet County; Roger Kaas, Sherwood; Jon Weir and Bob Bosma, New Holstein; and Matt Payette, Calumet County. 

Participants were greeted by former Green Bay Packer Willie Buchanon, who has a real estate service company in California and is involved in youth projects. They then learned about continued redevelopment plans for the 45 acre mixed-use commercial redevelopment Titletown project just west of Lambeau Field and heard about several past, current, and future redevelopment efforts in the City of Green Bay where progress is focused and significant. The event concluded with a networking session where Calumet County community representatives connected with other attendees to promote our communities and redevelopment projects.
Legislative Update
Rural Economic Development Initiative Will Not Become Law in 2018
In his February State of the State Address, Gov. Scott Walker proposed the creation of the Rural Economic Development Fund to boost the state’s investment in rural Wisconsin and provide new economic development opportunities for rural communities. Last month, the Assembly unanimously passed AB 912 to establish the fund. The bill was to have invested $1 billion over the next twenty years in programs administered by WEDC to promote business growth, attract private investment, and strengthen the rural workforce. It was proposed to have provided $250,000 to eligible county and regional economic development organizations in rural areas along with providing $50,000 for program operations and marketing.  The companion bill, SB 769 , was  not scheduled for a floor vote by the WI Senate when it meets for the last time this session on March 20.  Therefore, the Rural Economic Development Initiative is dead for this year.    
Historic Tax Credits
The Legislature passed the historic tax credit (HTC) restoration bill ( SB 668 ). The legislation restores the state’s HTC program as a powerful redevelopment tool used in communities large and small across Wisconsin. The bill increases the per project cap on HTC awards from $500,000 to $3.5 million and effectively “fixes” the governor’s partial budget veto that set the HTC per project cap at $500,000 beginning in July 2018. The governor is expected to sign the legislation raising the cap.

At the federal level, the historic tax credits program was in jeopardy of being eliminated as part of the federal 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but was saved, with Congress making the following changes to the program:
  • Eliminated the credit for qualified rehabilitated buildings constructed prior to 1936.
  • Requires the federal HTC credit for certified historic buildings to be paid out over five years, rather than in one lump sum when the project is placed in service.

The changes to the federal HTC impact Wisconsin’s program. As a result of those changes, the state credit for pre-1936 buildings is effectively eliminated and state credits for certified historic buildings must now be claimed over a five-year period.
Sheboygan and Manitowoc Counties Receive National Ranking
Two of Calumet County’s neighbors – Sheboygan and Manitowoc Counties – have received national recognition for their economic development successes in Site Selection magazine’s annual ranking of top metro areas in the U.S. for corporate facility investment projects in 2017.

The Sheboygan area, which had 11 projects last year, is ranked No. 6 nationally among metro areas with populations of less than 200,000 , a dramatic jump from its No. 31 ranking in 2016. Manitowoc, which had eight corporate investment projects in 2017, was tied for seventh place in the magazine’s 2017 ranking of the top micropolitan areas in the U.S. A micropolitan statistical area is one or more adjacent counties that have at least one urban core area of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 population. These developments are a testament to the strength of the I-43 corridor. Read the full article here.
Village of Hilbert Creating an Economic Development Plan
In 2017, the Village of Hilbert was awarded an Economic Development Planning Grant from the federal Community Development Block Grant program. They have retained the services of Cedar Corporation, Green Bay, as their consultant to develop the Village Wide Development Plan. The Village’s Economic Development Committee held its first public listening session and discussion on March 6 to address housing development. There were approximately 30 people in attendance representing realtors, builders, developers, local businesses, and residents in addition to Village officials. Future listening sessions will be held on additional topics. The Village expects the plan to be completed later in 2018 at which time they’ll get the opportunity to begin implementing it. 
Free Business Counseling Offered
The third Tuesday of practically any month one can find a counselor with the Green Bay Small Business Development Center meeting at the Calumet County Courthouse with entrepreneurs and existing business owners. Each month, free individual business counseling sessions are held to help answer questions and put businesses and entrepreneurs in a better position to make the best decisions for themselves and their businesses. To schedule an appointment with the business counselor, contact Mary Kohrell using the information provided below. The next session will be held on April 17.
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