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County Executive's Office

Analysis: First Phase of Stimulus Could Create Estimated 200 Jobs in Dane County

March 06, 2009
Joshua Wescott, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608) 669-5606
County Executive

Federal stimulus funding will mean more highway and bridge improvement projects for Dane County and exploration of the alternative energy potential of waste food.  Those are among the findings of a preliminary analysis of the stimulus package detailed in a memo from County Executive Falk to the County Board, County Elected Officials, and Department Heads today.

The analysis estimates the creation of 200 private sector jobs directly resulting from the infrastructure enhancement and energy conservation work funded in the first phase of the federal economic stimulus package.

A pair of bridge reconstruction projects included in the 2009 Dane County Capital Budget (Hwy N Dunkirk bridge & Hwy B Rockdale bridge) that Falk asked be considered for federal stimulus funding, will be paid for in full by stimulus dollars.  The County Executive intends to reallocate county dollars that had been budgeted for those projects to an additional (still to be determined) road improvement project, on top of the $10-million worth of road projects the county is already scheduled to participate in this year.

Per the County Executive’s direction, County Highway staff has reviewed and compiled additional highway reconstruction projects the county will aggressively pursue stimulus funding for.  The estimated costs of these projects is about $6-million.

Among some of the other findings of the analysis, stimulus funding could also be used for:

  • Study construction of a facility to convert waste food, lake weeds, and other biomass into electricity or natural gas
  • Initiatives to prevent home foreclosures
  • Grants/tax credits for local economic and business development
  • Efforts to reduce recurring flooding in Morrisonville
  • Reconstruction of the Lake Waubesa railroad bridge
  • Improvements at the Dane County Regional Airport
  • Construction of a bike trail between McFarland and Stoughton
  • Restoration of stream-banks in western Dane County
  • Geothermal system at new Dane County nursing home
  • Grants for sheriff’s department

 

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