Projects
Highway 80/82 Road Construction
---UPDATE--- Click here for more information
City
Newsletter
City Project
Update
1. Throughout 2012 the City has been
building a new well, Well #4, with CDBG-PF grant dollars
($367,000), Safe Drinking Water Loan Fund loan forgiveness
($465,000) and a low interest loan ($465,000 at 1.32% for 20
years). Well #4 is complete and online. The new well is located on
Ackerman Road. Well #1 in the powerhouse on Franklin Street will be
abandoned in the near future.
2. The powerhouse on Franklin Street
received damage due to flood waters during the 2008 flood. The City
received state and federal grant dollars to floodproof the
building and property ($822,500 all grant). The project
started in the spring of 2012 with the selection of an engineering
firm to design the project, and construction began in September.
The project is slated to be completed in December of 2012 with a
flood control wall made out of concrete and steel and flood
barriers at the front entrances to the building. The City would
like to thank the neighbors for their comments and support
during construction.
3. We are continually looking at ways
to update our website. Please visit www.elroywi.com
for information about the City.
4. City Hall will be getting a new
roof in the winter of 2012-2013. We have a water leakage
problem and the replacement of the roof will take care of the
issue.
5. The lower level of the Library
continues to be renovated, and we hope to have the conference area
open in 2013.
6. Due to a hole in the
culvert on the northern part of Western Avenue, just south of
Hwy 71, the City has replaced the culvert, replaced a portion of
the sanitary sewer and will be completing the project in the Spring
of 2013 with a mill and overlay of Western Ave from the
intersection with Cedar Street to Hwy 71.
Economic Development
Initiative
This initiative was started
about a year ago with 2 public meetings held at the High School in
November and December, 2011 with a follow-up meeting in June
2012. These meetings, attended by about 50 people,
discussed what teh City needed to focus on to grow Elroy. The
resounding answer was to focus on improved/new housing and
assisting existing and new businesses. Throughout the last 8 months
a Housing Committee and a Business Development Committee have met
to identify areas that needed to be focused on to help each of
these areas. The items listed under "Housing" and under "Business
Development" are the results of these Committes efforts.
Housing
1. DNR Grant to raze floodplain homes-
the City has been notfied of a 70% grant to purchase and raze three
homes in the floodplain impacted by the 2008 flood. The City will
work with the current owners of these properties to tear down these
buildings.
2. Building Code Compliance Update-
over the past 6 months the City has spent considerable efforts in
identifying building code violations. During this time 9 properties
were notified for not maintaining their lawns, several properties
were cited for having junk/unlicensed vehicles in the yards, one
property was inspected for a public nuisance. If citizens have a
complaint about homes in their neighborhood a complaint has to be
filed at City Hall so that a record can be maintained of these
violations and action taken.
3. Revolving loan program and Rural
Development grant program for home improvements- The City wants to
help home owners in fixing up their properties through 2 programs.
The first program is the City's revolving loan fund which is
available to all City home owners. This Revolving Loan Fund has
been available for the past 20 years and provides no interest loans
to home owners to improve their properties. The loan is paid back
when the owner sells the property. The second program is a grant of
$7500.00 from the US Rural Development and does not need to be paid
back. To be eligible for this grant you have to be 62 years of age.
If you are interested in this grant please contact City Hall and
they will work with you and Rural Development to submit the
necessary paperwork for this grant.
Business
Development
1. Community Development Authority-
The Council recently approved the creation of a Community
Development Authority which will focus on housing and
business development throughout the City. The Authority appointees
are Jim Garvin, from the Council, and residents Bob Hart, Richard
Brown, Jim Stott, Kari Preuss and Jim Mossholder. The CDA will work
with existing businesses and developers interested in growing
Elroy.
2. Downtown Redevelopment Grant and
Study- The City has submitted a Grant to the State to pay 50% of
the cost to conduct a Downtown Redevelopment study. This study will
identify the best way to proceed in developing the downtown area,
bring in developers interested in downtown redevelopments, and
identify grants/loans for existing new businesses in the downtown
area.
3. Selling of City owned residential
and commercial property- The City has recently advertised for sale
5 residential lots and 2 commercial lots. The residential lots are
as large as 2 1/2 acres and sell from $5,000-10,000. The two
commercial lots are on the northside near IGA and are 3.8 and 2.0
acres respectively and are priced at $15,000 and $10,000
respectively. The buyer of any of these lots will receive a $5,000
rebate from the City if the lot is developed within 2 years.
4. New businesses in Elroy- The City
is pleased to welcome the following new or expanded businesses to
Elroy in the past few months; Fertile Grounds Coffee/Ice Cream shop
on Academy Street, Steve Green Storage buildings on Cedar Street,
Sebranek Storage buildings south of Valley Inn, Country Pickins
wood crafts/supplies on Main Street, Miller Auto Sales/Service on
Academy Street. Everyone should stop by and see what these new
businesses have to offer.
5. Businesses looking for expansion,
growth in Elroy- A number of new and existing businesses have been
looking to expand or start out in Elroy. As mentioned in the
Messanger article of Sept 20, the Brunner Companies are
contemplating a 50,000 SF expansion to their Hilltop facility. NTM
Plastics Company is investigating an expansion to their plant on
Tilmar Street. Heritage Manor is conducting a feasibility study to
determine the need for expanding their facility and services in
Elroy. Richard and Ken Gher of rural Elroy are working with the
City in locating a suitable building to start an alternative Energy
business with a focus on wood stoves, geothermal, and solar, and
finally, we continue to meet with regional pharmacies to determine
their interest in opening a store in Elroy.
6. Business Loans- The City has a
business loan program available to Elroy Businesses. This is the
City's economic development revolving loan program and has lent out
several hundred thousand dollars to businesses, and as the repay
the loan, that frees up more money to lend to other businesses.
Council Update
1. 2013 Budget- The Council approved a
2013 budget at their 11/13/12 meeting. The 2013 budget reflects a
0.51% decrease in the tax
levy.
2. The City is looking at revising the
kennel ordinance and is considering reducing the number of kennels
allowed to 5 from its current number of 7. Existing kennel license
holders will not be impacted.
3. The City is looking at revising the
public nuisance ordinance.
4. The City is planning public
meetings in the next three months to discuss community issues.
Volunteers
Needed
1. New Signage/Image for
Elroy- Are you, or your group, interested in
leading an effort to update the Signage/Image for the City? We are
looking for some creative ideas to address the signs at the
North and South end of the City along Hwy 80/82 and the sign
entering the City along Hwy 71. We are also looking at the signage
along the Main Street and the bike trail. If you are interested
please contact the City Administrator at 608-462-2400.
2. Youth
Hunting/Handicap Hunting- Is your group interested
in working to develop an area for youth hunting or handicap
hunting? The City owns about 40 acres between Elroy and Union
Center that could be leased to a group interested in using this
area for this purpose. Please contact the City Administrator at
608-462-2400 if you are interested.