HomeMy WebLinkAboutAd Hoc Business Park Planning Committee - Minutes - 7/19/2023
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, July 19th, 2023 – 1:30 p.m.
Meeting Held at the Town of Eileen Town Hall
Call to Order: The Bayfield County Ad Hoc Business Park Planning County was called to order
at 1:35 p.m. by Committee Chairman Rabska.
Members Present: Leo Carlson (virtually), Mark Abeles-Allison, Cole Rabska, and Marty
Milanowski, Jake Hipsher (virtually)
Members Excused: Ken Disher and Preston Mikula
Others Present: Bruce Markgren- Cooper Engineering President and Paige Terry-Clerk III
Introductions: Introductions of committee members were made.
Public Comment: None
Minutes from June 21, 2023: Motion by Milanowski, seconded by Carlson to adopt the minutes
of the June 21, 2023 Bayfield County Ad-Hoc Business Park meeting as presented. Motion
Carried.
Cooper Engineering Utility Feasibility Study Update: Bruce Markgren, Cooper Engineering
President, reported that he spoke with the City of Ashland and stated that the city is not entirely
excited about the prospect of hooking up to the city’s line at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor
Center Location. The city has concerns regarding a capacity issue with the lift station that the
visitor’s center flushes into. Markgren stated that he will continue discussions with the city.
Markgren informed the committee that he is looking into the prospects of a mound systems as
well and expects to have a draft report of all his findings before the next committee meeting.
Discussion took place regarding the options for running water lines to the City of Ashland as
well as other potential options for getting utilities to the business park. Markgren stated that he
will also get a list of possible funding sources for the project.
Funding Options for Utility Infrastructure: The committee agreed to wait to discuss the item
until Markgren’s report at the next meeting.
Arganbright Road Construction Project: Abeles-Allison reviewed the minutes from the
previous meeting that discussed costs of the project and reported that the county board will be
discussing allocating an additional $200,000 towards the project for a total $500,000 on top of
the money received from the Xcel lease extension. Abeles-Allison explained that the road would
be critical to access for potential new businesses at the business park.
KV Build Welcome: Rabska explained that he is looking into doing a tour of the KV Build
facility and delivering a welcome basket at the next committee meeting.
Closed Session: Motion by Milanowski, seconded by Abeles-Allison, to enter Executive/Closed
Session at 2:10 p.m. Terry informed the committee that Hipsher and Carlson would be required
to leave the meeting during closed session since they are attending virtually as part of Bayfield
County’s policy which would leave the committee without a quorum for closed session. Abeles-
Allison withdrew his second. Milanowski withdrew his motion.
Closed session items were dispensed as not enough members would be present to hold a quorum
in closed session.
Abeles-Allison informed the committee that the veterinarian business owner will be speaking
with Bayfield County Planning & Zoning to discuss the interpretation of the ag-1 zoning district
to see if it would allow an animal crematorium. Abeles-Allison spoke to another prospective
business that is similar to KV Build that is interested in moving to the business park and stated
the business owner is still interested in moving to the park.
Rabska reported that he received two more requests for information in the past week and a half
and stated that it solidifies the decision to not move forward with the SSG pilot program. Rabska
explained that a number of the requests received have required a building to be on-site. Abeles-
Allison stated that the committee may look into leasing a building to potential future businesses
if the business seemed viable.
Abeles-Allison and Terry reviewed the Bayfield County closed session policy with the
committee.
Adjournment: Next Meeting: August 16, 2023 at 1:30 PM. There being no further business to
come before the Bayfield County Ad-Hoc Business Park Planning Committee, Committee
Chairman, Rabska adjourned the meeting at 2:22 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Paige Terry, Clerk III