Focus on Calumet Newsletter

Focus on Calumet

A bi-weekly update on economic development opportunities in Calumet County

and the region for businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.

Monday, June 10, 2019

Calumet County Announced as EPA Brownfields Grant Recipient

On June 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that 149 communities across America including Calumet County, Sheboygan County, Green Bay, Madison, Milwaukee, and Oshkosh have been selected to receive funding for brownfield site revitalization to help local governments redevelop vacant and unused properties, transforming communities and local economies.

“Many communities are ready to move forward with redevelopment, they just lack the funding to get started,” said EPA Regional Administrator Cathy Stepp. “Our Brownfields grants can jump-start the process and provide much-needed support to begin the assessment and cleanup process.”

Grant recipients in attendance at the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Conference were acknowledged by EPA Region 5 Chief of Staff Kurt Thiede, left. Calumet County Board Chair, Alice Connors, is shown on the right.

Calumet County’s $300,000 grant will investigate environmental conditions at properties targeted for redevelopment. The county intends to focus its work on properties in Chilton, New Holstein, and Brillion. Plans for the sites assessed include developing new, sustainable manufacturing companies; supporting existing manufacturing by developing new, affordable housing; and expanding retail opportunities in the county’s cities and towns.

“Calumet County is very pleased to receive our first Communitywide Brownfield Assessment Grant, and we appreciate EPA’s recognition of the importance we place on cleaning up contaminated properties by awarding us this grant,” said County Administrator Todd Romenesko. “This project will support work within the county to identify and clean up contaminated properties. These efforts are consistent with the needs of our local community partners, will enhance our local economy, and will help facilitate critical quality of life improvements in impacted areas.”

Grants awarded by EPA’s Brownfield Program provide communities across the country with an opportunity to transform contaminated sites into community assets that attract jobs and achieve broader economic development outcomes while taking advantage of existing infrastructure. For example, Brownfields grants have been shown to:

Increase Local Tax Revenue: A study of 48 brownfields sites found that an estimated $29 million to $97 million in additional local tax revenue was generated in a single year after cleanup. This is two to seven times more than the $12.4 million EPA contributed to the cleanup of these sites.
Increase Residential Property Values: Another study found that property values of homes near revitalized brownfields sites increased between 5% and 15% following cleanup.

Read EPA's full announcement

Something for Everyone at Bazaar After Dark on May 11

David Nordby, The Brillion News

Chili, brisket tacos, cheese curds and prime rib sub sandwiches were all food recommendations from attendees at Bazaar After Dark last Saturday night in Brillion. Music, body painters, beer stands, firebreathers, snakes and area businesses were the non-food attractions as thousands of people filled Main Street and Water Street downtown for the nighttime street market.

Bazaar After Dark in Brillion, May 11. Photo credit: David Nordby, Brillion News

The event was hosted by Pulse Young Professionals Network, a program of the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce. This year they’ve partnered with Habitat for Humanity to work in conjunction with the Rock the Block events in the area.

The DeRosiers, a couple from Valders, brought their young son after hearing about the event from a co-worker. They said they came for the food but were more intrigued by the aspect of an event where they could drink and eat and find entertainment for their son at the same time. “It’s nice and early and just gets us outside … It pulls you out of your house and gets you around people,” they concurred.

Summer Intern Joins Community Economic Development Program

Calumet County is pleased to announce that Megan Roehl has been hired to serve as our Community and Economic Development Intern this summer. Within this position, she will work on projects regarding entrepreneurship, updating our business contact directory, and creating content to update the economic development website, which will be deployed later in 2019.

Roehl was raised in the rural St. Cloud area, where she was a ten year Fond Du Lac County 4-H member and entrepreneur. She currently attends the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she recently completed her sophomore year majoring in economics with a geospatial technologies certificate. Megan aspires to pursue a career in economic development, ideally in a rural area.

“I am very excited to be working within Calumet County this summer towards continued economic success,” said Roehl. “I hope to interact with as many businesses and community members as possible.” She can be reached at economicdevelopment@calumetcounty.org.

Apply to Partner with UW-Madison's UniverCity Year

UniverCity Year, a program aimed at finding practical solutions to community-based challenges, is seeking a new local government partner for the 2019-2022 academic years. The deadline to apply is July 29, 2019 .

A three-year partnership between a Wisconsin city, county, or municipal entity and UW–Madison, UniverCity Year (UCY) engages with government partners through a simple process. First, the partner identifies a set of issues or questions (for example, health-related initiatives, park designs, sustainability projects, etc.). Then, UCY matches those priorities with UW–Madison courses where faculty and students develop recommendations. Finally, the local government partner receives research, reports, designs, and proposals, as well as help in implementing them. Here's a short video describing the program in greater detail:

UW-Madison UniverCity Year Program Description Animation

Prior UniverCity projects have included rural areas such as Pepin County and the Green County Economic Development Corporation, along with urban areas near Madison.

Meet America’s Fastest Growing Food Retailer

By Mike Troy, Retail Leader , June 2, 2019

The International Dairy Deli Bakery Association (IDDBA) show is underway in Orlando and retailers are feasting, quite literally, on all manner of products and opportunities related to those categories. IDDBA is all about perimeter categories found at traditional supermarkets so there are rows upon rows of exhibitors plying attendees with cheeses, pizzas, desserts, meats, soups, and all manner of baked goods. These fresh categories and how they are presented in stores are seen as a way to elevate the store experience and maintain customer traffic in an increasingly online world. However, food retailers concerned about being marginalized by digital competitors, think Amazon and Whole Foods, should also be paying attention to Dollar General, a company expanding rapidly and posing a competitive threat that is arguably greater than Amazon/Whole Foods.

Dollar General will add 40,000 coolers this year and has begun self-distributing fresh products.

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Local Business Updates

Rose's Greenhouse and Lawn Care Opens in Harrison

Maureen Wallenfang , Appleton Post-Crescent, May 31, 2019

What happens to corporate escapees when they leave their cubicles? Some of them start new businesses based on personal passions. Rose’s Greenhouse and Lawn Care is an example.

The new small business was started in May by Rose Knott, one of the Thrivent Financial employees who took the company’s recent buyout offer.

Knott decided it was a good time to do what she loved, namely getting outside and putting her hands in the dirt. She opened this business at W5163 Manitowoc Road in Harrison on a portion of her three-acre property.

“I’m using a local wholesaler, Schroeder's in Green Bay, to get quality plants and shrubs. I’m getting trees from Oconto, so everything’s local,” she said.

Micro Brew Ingredients Going to the Dogs

By Mark Sherry, Tri County News

What has been produced by Rowland’s Calumet Brewery in Chilton has been making customers happy for many years—and now some of those customers are dogs.

No, canines are not lining up at the bar to try one of the many micro brews on tap at Rowland’s, but behind the counter is a supply of dog treats made in large part with by-products of the brewing operation.

Erica Bates (left) and Tammy Pethan of the Chilton Chamber of Commerce officially welcomed Specialty Treats LLC—operated by Pat Rowland (second from left) and Mike Barany—to the Chamber’s membership list. Barany’s chocolate lab Pearl also found her way into the photo. Mark Sherry photo

Longtime friends Mike Barany and Pat Rowland began Specialty Treats LLC in February of this year and began producing Micro Treats in the basement of Mike’s home at 122 Heimann St. in Chilton.

The idea came when Mike and his wife were on vacation in Missouri. They glanced over a menu at a local brewhouse and something caught Mike’s eye—and he said it was not a micro brew. It was a bag of spent grain treats for dogs. After a little bit of thought, Mike said he decided to pose the idea to Rowland—who did not need a lot of convincing after once seeing a hunting dog chew through a bag of spent grain.

Best Things in Life Found at Lilybee Flowers

Mark Sherry, New Holstein 2019 Progress Edition

Step into Lilybee Flowers in New Holstein and experience many of the best things in life. It is hard, if not impossible, to walk around the shop at 2126 Wisconsin Ave. and not think about family, friends, good times, and the beauty of the world.

Owner Carrie Strobl brings those thoughts and feelings to her customers by continually stocking the shop with new, fun, and interesting items which can quickly take the edge off a sometimes harsh world.

Wine, gifts, flowers and more are sold by owner Carrie Strobl at Lilybee Flowers in New Holstein. Mark Sherry photo

Two Brillion businesses were featured in external publications. Insight on Business profiled Professional Plating, while AriensCo appeared in Forbes .

Not Finished Yet

By Kat Boogaard, Insight on Business, June 2019

Every business has an origin story — a point in time they look back on and think, “Remember when?” For Brillion’s Professional Plating , that story began in 1979 when owners Bob and Pat Endries started the company with 10 employees and a 10,000-square-foot facility. Forty years later, the company has grown to 225 employees and a 200,000-square-foot facility. While the company has grown, the essence of what it does remains the same, says General Manager Larry Dietz. Professional Plating can plate, e-coat, and powder coat at its facility, while most competitors only offer one of those finishes. That makes it appealing to customers ranging from individuals to Fortune 500 companies such as Harley-Davidson. “We’re a one-stop shop,” Dietz says. “Our value to our customers is that they’re not dealing with three different outside service companies.”

For AriensCo, Building Great Yard Machines is About Values, Community, and Family

Jim Vinoski Forbes Contributor, June 4, 2019

Even in the chilly north, where it seemed for a good while that spring never wanted to arrive, snowblowing season has finally morphed into lawn-mowing time. But for either task, AriensCo of Brillion, Wisconsin, is there to help.

Ariens is private and family-owned, and doesn’t publish financial data. But with an estimated annual revenue of more than $500 million, a sterling reputation here in the U.S., and an international presence in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, they must be doing a few things right.

Engineers in front of first manufacturing building (early 1960s) Image Courtesy AriensCo

Key among those things for Chairman and CEO Dan Ariens is the company’s culture. He made a point of putting the firm’s core values in writing when he took the helm in 1998: Be Honest, Be Fair, Keep Our Commitments, Respect the Individual, and Encourage Intellectual Curiosity. “We wrote those right after I read Built to Last, which stressed the need for strong values you live,” Ariens said. “Underlying our core values are basic philosophies: build trust in the company, work as a team, and treat employees as family.”

Read the full article

Upcoming Events

Development Agreement Fundamentals Webinar

June 25, 1:30 pm . This webinar will provide a basic framework and understanding of development agreements, including what a development agreement is and when it is used, essential elements, best practices and community perspectives. Instructors are, Charlie Walker, MPA, CEcD, President and CEO, Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation; and Katherine C. Hinkle, Associate Attorney, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP. Registration is now open.

Explore Starting a Business

The complimentary “Explore Starting a Business” session provides a look inside at what it takes to launch a startup and small business. Explore key factors in starting and growing a business. Begin to determine if you have a feasible idea, learn about critical questions to consider, and additional entrepreneurship training opportunities. Whether you are looking to turn your side hustle into a full-time gig, grow your small business, or scale a startup, this session will help you understand your next steps. Get more details and register here. Fox Valley Technical College DJ Bordini Center in Appleton is hosting sessions on Wednesdays, June 12 and July 10, from 5:30-8:30 pm.

SBDC Entrepreneurial Training Programs

Whether your business is growing or brand-new, writing a business plan is critical to building a profitable venture, especially to attract financing from lenders or investors. The Entrepreneurial Training Program (ETP) is eight efficient sessions to help you develop a plan for a thriving, profitable business. In this program, you will learn to identify customers, determine their needs and analyze that information into a feasible plan for starting or growing your business.

Organize and better manage your business.
Identify opportunities and market your business.
Understand and get your business financials in order.
Get funding for your business.
Write a detailed, comprehensive business plan.
Network with other entrepreneurs.
Develop a network with small business support services.

Please contact the SBDC at (920) 496-2117 or sbdc@uwgb.edu f or upcoming training in your area. The next programs are scheduled to begin in September.

In addition to the ETP in-person classes offered, the SBDC also has an extensive library of high quality webinars that are suitable for all phases of business operation.

A list of webinars is available here

Free Small Business Counseling Available

Once a month, a counselor with the Green Bay Small Business Development Center meets with entrepreneurs and existing business owners at the Calumet County Courthouse in Chilton; he is also available to meet with Calumet County entrepreneurs and businesses on a periodic basis at other locations in the county or his office as schedules permit. These 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, contac t Mary Kohrell using the information provided below. The next regularly scheduled session will be held on Tuesday, June 18.

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