COUNTY BOARD TO VOTE ON ITEMS PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO THE COMMUNITY
April 01, 2020
County Board Chair Analiese Eicher, 608.571.6823
County Board
Affordable housing project, small business assistance grants, fee reductions
The Dane County Board will meet on Thursday evening for their regularly scheduled County Board meeting. The meeting will take place at 7:00pm, and will once again be done remotely. Information for the public to participate in the meeting is available on the top of the agenda. The public is reminded that if they would like to register to speak, a registration form needs to be completed no later than 6:30pm.
The agenda for Thursday’s meeting includes several items that will positively affect residents and small businesses in Dane County in a very uncertain time.
The Board will vote on two resolutions which provide funding for affordable housing projects. One is an agreement with the Dane County Housing Authority to provide funds for an affordable housing project at the former Sentry grocery store location on Cottage Grove Road in the City of Madison. Non-profit housing developer Movin Out, partnering with Commonwealth Companies, were awarded $650,000 from the County’s Affordable Housing Development Fund for the proposed project. This agreement allows for the Dane County Housing Authority to make the loan to the developer and will result in 70 units of affordable housing. A second project allocates federal funding through the HOME program for 4 supportive housing units for families in Stoughton.
“In the last few weeks we’ve seen thousands of Dane County residents laid off and wondering how they are going to make rent and mortgage payments. We need more affordable housing like this that will help ease the burden on those in our community who need it” said County Board Chair Analiese Eicher.
The Board will also consider a $250,000 contract with Dane Buy Local to manage a grant program to provide immediate assistance to small businesses. The County will be using funds in an existing business development loan for this purpose. Dane Buy Local will work with community organizations, including Latino Chamber of Commerce, Madison’s Black Chamber of Commerce, and the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation to identify local business to receive the grants. The minimum grant amount will be $1,000 and the maximum grant will be $50,000.
“Dane County has always valued and supported small businesses and their impact on our community. In the last three weeks we’ve seen the enormous toll of the pandemic on their business and livelihood. If the County can provide even a little relief in this time, we need to do it,” said County Board Chair Analiese Eicher.
In additional response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on small businesses, the Board will also vote on a resolution to reduce the fees associated with food and drink establishments, temporary food establishments, tattoo and body piercing, hotels and tourist rooming houses, campgrounds and recreational campgrounds to their 2019 rate and waive late fees and offer renewal fee deferment if not contrary to WI Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection guidelines. The increase, which was approved in the 2020 budget, will now take effect in 2021 instead.