HomeMy WebLinkAboutAd Hoc Business Park Planning Committee - Minutes - 1/18/2023K:\Ag Station Business Park Planning Committee\Minutes\2023 Minutes\JAN 18, 2023
MINUTES Business Park.doc
Bayfield County Administrator
117 E 5th Street, PO Box 878, Washburn, WI 54891
Ph: 715-373-6181 Fx: 715-373-6153
Mark Abeles-Allison, County Administrator
Kristine Kavajecz, Human Resources Director
Paige Terry, Clerk III
Minutes of the:
Bayfield County Ad-Hoc Business Park Planning Committee
Wednesday January 18th, 2023 – 2:30 p.m.
Meeting Held Remotely
BAYFIELD COUNTY
AD HOC BUSINESS PARK PLANNING COMMITTEE
Cole Rabska, Chair Ken Disher
Mark Abeles-Allison Marty Milanowski, Vice-Chair Leo Carlson
Preston Mikula Jake Hipsher
1. Call to Order:
The Bayfield County Ad Hoc Business Park Planning County was called to order at 2:31
p.m. by Committee Chairman Rabska.
Members Present: Cole Rabska, Marty Milanowski, Mark Abeles-Allison, Leo Carlson,
Preston Mikula, Ken Disher, Jake Hipsher (arrived late)
Others Present: Paige Terry- Bayfield County Clerk III, Bruce Markgren- Cooper
Engineering President, Dave Gale-Westwood, Jake Benson- Bayfield County Highway Patrol
Superintendent, Jeff Saxby- SEH
2. Introductions: Introductions of committee members were made.
2:35 p.m. – Jake Hipsher joined the meeting.
3. Public Comment: None
4. Minutes from November 16, 2022:
Motion by Milanowski, seconded by Mikula to adopt the minutes of the November 16, 2022
Bayfield County Ad-Hoc Business Park meeting as presented. Motion Carried.
5. Presentation Regarding Highway 137 Reconstruction Project, WisDOT: Jeff Saxby,
SEH, informed the committee that the environmental documents for the project are being
prepared and a public comment period for the project was held earlier. Construction is
anticipated to begin in 2024 but the deadline may change depending on problems that
may arise. Saxby informed the committee that thoughts, comments, and ideas regarding
K:\Ag Station Business Park Planning Committee\Minutes\2023 Minutes\JAN 18, 2023
MINUTES Business Park.doc
the project are much appreciated. Dave Gale, with Westwood, explained that the project
will be taking place from US HWY 2 on the west side to State HWY 112 on the east side.
Gale reviewed the project’s planned improvements. The committee discussed the
implications of the project and how it may affect the business park.
6. Utility Feasibility Study Report, Cooper Engineering: Bruce Markgren, Cooper
Engineering President, reported that an agreement was recently sent out to the Town of
Eileen for review and to be signed. Once the agreement is signed and sent back to Cooper
Engineering, they will move forward with the project and begin the analysis.
7. Discussion Regarding Update on Site Selector Group Request for Information
Regarding the Certified Site Pilot Program: Rabska informed the committee that he is
continuing to work with the site selector group and wanted to let the committee know that
he has heard of establishments being asked to pay a site certification fee costing upwards
of $7,500 but has yet to be asked to pay such a fee.
8. Reports:
a. Signage: Rabska reported that the sign contract is close to being finished and
hopes the sign will be built the following spring.
b. Ribbon Cutting: Rabska reported that KV Tech is rebranding to KV Builders,
and the company is fully moved in to their site at the business park. Rabska
recommended holding a ribbon cutting ceremony during the spring to celebrate
multiple events that happened at the business park.
c. Advertising and Promotion: Rabska reported that the WDC website is up to date
regarding information on the business park and that the BCEDC regularly
mentions the park in its newsletter and on Facebook. Rabska informed the
committee that most of the inquiry calls regarding the business park stem from
citizens that notice the purple banners that were hung at the park. Mikula asked if
it would be helpful to reach out to Bottom Line News to ask them to write an
article on KV Builders. Rabska answered no as the paper does not have the staff
available to write the article, only to publish a submitted article.
9. The Committee may entertain a motion to move in and out of Closed Session
pursuant to §19.85(1) (e) Deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public
properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business,
whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session:
Chairman Rabska dispensed with the item as there were no items to be presented in closed
session at this time.
10. Adjournment, Next Meeting:
Mikula asked if anyone had talked to the City of Ashland to see if the city would be okay
with the Business Park hooking up to the city’s line. Abeles-Allison explained that the
city did not necessarily rule the option out the last he spoke with staff. Disher asked if the
city was close to its line limits which would be impacted by the business park hook up.
Mikula informed the committee that he had heard the city would be close to its line
limits. Abeles-Allison asked Disher if he had any updates for the property being utilized
at the business park but Disher said there were no new updates to report. Bayfield electric
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MINUTES Business Park.doc
has set mid-June 2023 as the estimated completion date at the parcel.
Next meeting was set for Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 10:00 AM at the Town Hall of
the Town of Eileen.
There being no further business to come before the Bayfield County Ad-Hoc Business Park
Planning Committee, Committee Chairman, Rabska adjourned the meeting at 3:26 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Paige Terry
Paige Terry, Clerk III
Bayfield County Clerk’s & Administrator’s Offices