Brillion, Hilbert receive county funding

The Brillion News

May 7, 2020

CHILTON - Calumet County has awarded CDBG CLOSE funding to support five local community redevelopment projects within the county. The $1.23 million in project awards will be used for purposes that meet the national objectives established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Program.

Following review by the Calumet County CDBG CLOSE Advisory Group and Cedar Corporation, the county’s consultant, the five communities that requested and were awarded a portion of those funds are:

· City of Brillion - $358,000 for continued demolition at the Brillion Iron Works site as part of an overall site redevelopment plan

· City of Chilton - $179,000 to support the city’s demolition and clean-up at the former Chilton Plating property for future industrial development

· Village of Hilbert - $215,000 for demolition of the former Bel Brands building in Hilbert for future commercial development

· City of New Holstein - $358,000 toward the city’s demolition at the former Tecumseh property for future development

· Village of Sherwood - $46,000 for the demolition of a blighted property in the village

“Calumet County has long valued our relationships with the local communities in the county. This funding partnership is another demonstration of that relationship,” said Calumet County Board Chairwoman, Alice Connors. “Our funding investment will help support their community redevelopment efforts, which in turn will help improve the overall tax base in the county when those properties are redeveloped.”

This one-time allocation of funds was available in Calumet County due to the mandated closure of the State of Wisconsin’s CDBG Revolving Loan Fund program, which in turn forced the closure of the county’s low-interest RLF program and left the $1.23 million fund balance available for local projects.

The county’s CDBG CLOSE fund balance was $1.23 million, all of which needed to be used for purposes that meet the national objectives established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Program. These objectives include (1) benefit to low and moderate income persons; (2) aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blight; and (3) meet an urgent need.

This decision will support high priority economic development projects in these local communities, and represents an opportunity for the county to help leverage other funding investments to grow the economy.