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Exhibits supporting Complaint on Racine County Supervisor Monte Osterman
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Exhibit 10
201417203 Exhibit 10
EXHIBIT 10
The Journal Times
Article
June 01, 2012
Exhibit 10
201417203 Exhibit 10
Root River
River development proposal unveiled, headed
to City Council The plan for the Root
June 01, 2012 6:28 am • CHRISTINE WON [email protected]
RACINE — A once-faraway vision of a revitalized riverfront Downtown has taken root and is
closer to reality, supporters hope.
The Root River Corridor Redevelopment Plan, “RootWorks,” being touted as the first of such a
comprehensive nature to focus on the river, was unveiled to the public Thursday night.
The plan’s goals for the approximately 325-acre Root River corridor between Memorial Drive
and the river’s mouth are fourfold: to create a sense of place, increase public access and
interaction, improve water quality and stimulate economic growth. The plan proposes to do that
by creating new boardwalks, bike paths closer to the water, a seasonal food court area, a music
venue and more, including the River Loop, a proposed 1.75-mile recreation loop connected to
the Root River Pathway.
The Root River Council, made up of several area volunteers, has been working since 2006 to
revitalize the river area Downtown. On Thursday, the council unveiled the comprehensive plan
in its entirety to more than 40 people, including several city officials, at the Root River
Environmental Education Community Center, 1301 W. Sixth St.
“Looking at the city from the river, you see the different possibilities,” state Rep. Cory Mason,
D-Racine, said Thursday, hours before leading a few on a public paddle down the river despite
the rain. He’s on the RRC and is chair of the technical team that pushed the plan.
“By investing in redevelopment, it creates an opportunity for the city to increase its tax base,
redevelop an improved land currently under capacity and really give people jobs,” he said.
It would revitalize the riverfront, attract businesses and tourists Downtown and create a hub of
community, supporters said Thursday.
It’s a vision the RRC hopes the city and community will share.
Exhibit 10
201417203 Exhibit 10
The 35-page proposal, which incorporated public input, goes before the City Plan Commission
on June 13 for consideration, and from there to the City Council for public hearing and adoption
on June 19.
The City Council’s adoption would show the city’s “commitment” in moving forward with the
plan, city officials said at the meeting.
While no city funds have gone into the plan development, city personnel have been involved
with the process in an advisory capacity.
The plan was developed through grants from public and private sources, including the SC
Johnson Fund, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Community Development Block
Grant program and more, totaling about $117,000 for the current fiscal year, according to the
council.
If the city approves the plan, the next stage would be securing funding for implementation.
The plan identifies eight priority projects deemed as feasible for the next few years,
including pedestrian bridges, painting bike lanes and creating a public boardwalk near CNH
campus.
Mary Schroeder, who said she’s a lifelong Racine resident, came to the meeting Thursday
because of her interest in the Root River. Schroeder, an active canoeist, said she believes the city
needs to invest in the redevelopment of a long underutilized asset, adding: “I think we need this
to move forward.”
For more about the Root River Council
For more information, email [email protected], visit www.rootrivercouncil.org or call
(262) 672-0283.
Exhibit 11
201417203 Exhibit 11
EXHIBIT 11
City of Racine
Common Council
Meeting Minutes June
19, 2012
Exhibit 12
201417203 Exhibit 12
EXHIBIT 12
Mayor John Dickert
Letter May 01, 2013
Exhibit 13
201417203 Exhibit 13
EXHIBIT 13
DNR Letter To
Matt Sadowski
September 18, 2013
Exhibit 14
201417203 Exhibit 14
EXHIBIT 14
The Journal Times
Article
April 03, 2014
Exhibit 14
201417203 Exhibit 14
City council members question RootWorks
grant, project City council members ultimately vote to accept dollars to purchase properties
April 03, 2014 6:40 am • By Cara Spoto
RACINE — The city recently netted a grant to purchase properties it needs to complete a phase
of the RootWorks: Root River Corridor Redevelopment Plan, but some aldermen aren’t happy
about how the city is planning to use those funds.
On Wednesday, they and other City Council members spent the better part of 40 minutes
debating whether the city should accept the $242,000 matching grant as planned or hold off until
spending concerns and questions about future project costs could be addressed.
While aldermen like Sandy Weidner and Eddie Diehl raised concerns about future demolition
costs, the loss of property tax dollars and the proper use of city funds, other aldermen, like Q.A.
Shakoor II and Greg Helding, encouraged their fellow City Council members not to hold off on
accepting the funds.
“If we dither this away until we lose it, we are not going to get this kind of help again anytime
soon,” Helding said. “If we have to ask questions, let’s do that now.”
Other supporters of going ahead with the acceptance, including the five members of the Root
River Council who spoke during the meeting’s public comment period, pointed to a letter of
support that was written by area state legislators.
The city learned early last month that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources had
chosen the city for the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program grant.
In the end, the council voted 10-5 to accept the grant, with Aldermen Mike Shields, Sandy
Weidner, Henry Perez, Jeff Coe and Eddie Diehl opposing. Nearly all those opposed to accepting
the grant had backed a failed measure put forth by Diehl to have the request to accept the grant
sent to the Committee of the Whole for further discussion.
The grant
Explaining the grant to the Finance and Personnel Committee last month, city staff said the plan
was to use the money to purchase five parcels on Mound Avenue designated under the
RootWorks plan as the future site of a bike path, scenic overlook and outdoor classroom.
Exhibit 14
201417203 Exhibit 14
As part of requirements of the grant, the city would also use the grant dollars and its matching
funds — a donation of land from one of the property owners, remaining dollars from other grant
sources and $86,483 in intergovernmental shared revenue funds — to pay to relocate the
property owners and/or their tenants, staff explained.
While Weidner’s main concerns about the grant centered around future costs, and the city’s
practice of “continuing to put more land into the public trust,” Diehl’s have focused around how
the city plans to the use the grant dollars.
Troubled by the proposal to spend grant funds and city dollars on relocation costs, Diehl said this
week that he learned from a state employee knowledgeable about such property acquisitions that
the city was not required to pay relocations costs under the Knowles grant.
City Administrator Tom Friedel said Wednesday that the city made plans to pay relocations costs
because that was what the DNR instructed the city to do. He added, however, that he had spoken
to Diehl about the information he received, and was checking with the DNR to make sure they
were, indeed, on the right track.
“Bottom line is we will do whatever we are required to do by the DNR. We wrote the grant
based on what they told us to,” Friedel said. “Certainly we won’t expend any funds from the
grant that we are not required to.”
During Wednesday’s meeting, Diehl said he has nothing against the project, and wants to make
sure the city isn’t spending money it doesn’t have to spend.
“I am thrilled about the grant. My questions are about some of the details,” he said.
Other concerns with the grant
The specter of the city paying out unnecessary relocation costs isn’t the only thing that has stuck
in Alderman Eddie Diehl’s craw about a grant the city plans to use to purchase property along
Mound Avenue as part of RootWorks.
He also has raised concerns about connections two members of the Root River Council — Monte
Osterman and Marty Defatte — have to one of the buildings the city plans to purchase through
the grant: an industrial warehouse at 1251 Mound Ave.
Osterman’s business, Osterman Granite & Marble, leases space in the building. Defatte, a real
estate agent for Shorewest, is listed as a real estate agent on the property.
Diehl has said he is troubled that both men might unfairly benefit from the city’s acquisition of
the property. He said Osterman, the only tenant at 1251 Mound Ave., might unfairly benefit from
the estimated $25,000 the city could end up paying the property owner or tenant to relocate.
Exhibit 14
201417203 Exhibit 14
As for Defatte, Diehl pointed out that the real estate agent could have known ahead of time that
the property was going to be purchased by the city and stands to receive a commission when the
property is sold.
Asked about Diehl’s concerns on Tuesday, Osterman said he moved his workshop to the
building in 2010, long before the RootWorks plan was approved. He said he did not know that
the grant, awarded to the city last month by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources,
would pay to relocate commercial tenants. He added, however, that even if he did receive funds
to relocate, it would still be a losing prospect for his business.
“(Relocating) creates downtime — you are not working. Nobody in their right mind would want
to relocate their business,” he said.
Asked about Diehl’s concerns regarding his role as the agent for the building, Defatte said he had
“no comment.”
City staff have said they don’t believe the men’s connection to the property and their status as
RRC members should cause any concern, especially because the RRC had no role in drafting the
RootWorks plan. They added that the RRC, outside of speaking in favor of the RootWorks plans,
has never had any say in whether they are approved or receive city funds.
Exhibit 15
201417203 Exhibit 15
EXHIBIT 15
DVD
April 02, 2014 Racine
Common Council
Meeting Root Works
Discussion
Exhibit 16
201417203 Exhibit 16
EXHIBIT 16
IRS
List of Racine
Non-Profit
Organizations
Exhibit 17
201417203 Exhibit 17
EXHIBIT 17
Root River Council
Facebook Page
Exhibit 17
201417203 Exhibit 17
Exhibit 18
201417203 Exhibit 18
EXHIBIT 18
Statement of
Ben Lehner
SOI Region 2025
Industry Opportunities
Conference
Exhibit 18
201417203 Exhibit 18
SOI Region 2025 Industry Opportunities: What do the Numbers Miss?
March 7 and 14, 2014
Fifteen thought leaders from throughout the State of Ingenuity (SOI) region will share their
insights regarding economic development opportunities and challenges in this six-county region
that spans northeastern Illinois and southeastern Wisconsin. Three areas will be spotlighted:
Racine/Kenosha, Beloit/Janesville/Whitewater, and Rockford/Belvidere. By engaging leading
economic development thinkers in key economic hubs in the SOI region, these workshops will
generate ideas to expand and diversify the regional SOI economy that will be presented to the
U.S. Economic Development Administration.
The workshops will culminate with an Idea Lab discussion on Friday, March 14, to identify
regional themes, issues, and action steps based on 2025 horizon emerging markets from across
the three panels.
All four sessions are open and free of charge. Information on the participants, time, and location
of each session follow. Participant’s bios are provided at the end of this document.
Racine/Kenosha Panel
March 7, 2014, 10am-12:30pm
Gateway Technical College, iMET Center, Room 235, 2320 Renaissance Blvd. Sturtevant,
Wisconsin Panelists: Jaimie Charon, Senior Small Business Consultant, Wisconsin Women’s
Business Initiative Corporation Racine Office; John Dickert, Mayor of Racine, Wisconsin; Ben
Lehner, Executive Director, Root River Council; Kate Walker, Director of Business
Development, Gateway Technical College Facilitator: Keenan Grenell, Ph.D., Chief Executive
Officer of Global Capital Group, LLC
Participant Biographies
Racine/Kenosha Panel (March 7, 2014)
PANELISTS:
Ben Lehner, Executive Director, Root River Council
Ben is an AmericCorps VISTA alum and executive director of The Root River Council
(http://rootrivercouncil.org/), a non-profit focused on redeveloping Racine's Root River. He
owns the Circa Celeste Café and Catering and is a board member of Sustainable Edible
Economic Development (SEED). He is owner of Root Connections, a grant writing,
communications and community outreach consulting firm.
Exhibit 19
201417203 Exhibit 19
EXHIBIT 19
City of Racine
Ordinance 2-332
Exhibit 19
201417203 Exhibit 19
DIVISION 2. DEPARTMENT OF CITY DEVELOPMENT
Sec. 2-331. Created; director.
Sec. 2-332. Duties.
Secs. 2-333—2-345. Reserved.
Sec. 2-331. Created; director.
There is hereby created the department of city development and the office of the director of city
development, who shall be the head of the department.
(Code 1973, § 3.175.010)
Sec. 2-332. Duties.
It shall be the duty of the department of city development and the director of city
development to:
(1) Serve as staff to the city plan commission, redevelopment authority and the community
development committee, with the director of city development serving as secretary to the
city plan commission, and as executive director and secretary to the redevelopment
authority.
(2) Perform planning services set forth in Wis. Stats. ch. 236 and Wis. Stats. §§ 62.23 and
66.431.
(3) Administer the community development block grant program.
(4) Prepare applications for federal and state grants-in-aid relating to redevelopment
plans, urban renewal plans and other programs as directed by the common council.
(Code 1973, § 3.175.020)
Secs. 2-333—2-345. Reserved
Exhibit 20
201417203 Exhibit 20
EXHIBIT 20
City of Racine
Ordinance 46-268
Exhibit 20
201417203 Exhibit 20
DIVISION 9. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE SHARING FUND
Sec. 46-266. Created.
Sec. 46-267. Funding.
Sec. 46-268. Administration.
Sec. 46-269. Earnings.
Secs. 46-270—46-279. Reserved.
Sec. 46-266. Created.
There is hereby created a fund to be known as the intergovernmental revenue sharing fund, into
which fund shall be placed all revenue sharing contributions disbursed to the city from the
wastewater commission in accordance with the Racine Area Intergovernmental Sanitary Sewer
Service, Revenue Sharing, Cooperation and Settlement Agreement dated April 25, 2002, (the
"agreement") and all interest payments from loans of funds under this division.
(Ord. No. 4-03, pt. 1, 2-19-03)
Sec. 46-267. Funding.
Any and all monies received under section 46-266 shall be retained in the Intergovernmental
revenue sharing fund and disbursed only for use for capital projects specifically required by the
"agreement", which shall not be subject to section 46-268 below, and for capital projects and
associated costs and expenses where such projects have private investment and result in taxable
real estate development or job creation/retention, or are unique tax exempt projects that eliminate
blight and result in tangible indirect increases in taxable real estate or job creation/retention.
Monies from this fund shall not be used for any other purpose and shall not be transferred to any
other fund.
(Ord. No. 4-03, pt. 1, 2-19-03)
Sec. 46-268. Administration.
The intergovernmental revenue sharing fund shall be administered by the common council.
The common council shall solicit the recommendation of the redevelopment authority of
the city regarding the eligibility of proposed projects. Projects resulting in tax base creation
shall have a minimum ratio of $5.00 in net new tax base for every $1.00 of public investment in
projects where there is not a loan payback to the city. No minimum ratio of tax base creation for
loan capital shall be required. Commercial and industrial projects shall be eligible for
consideration if a project creates a minimum of one full-time equivalent job for every $50,000.00
of non-loan capital granted under this division or one full-time equivalent job for every
$100,000.00 of loan capital provided under this division. Funding requests that do not meet the
standards may be considered and granted upon two-thirds vote of the common council.
(Ord. No. 4-03, pt. 1, 2-19-03)
Exhibit 21
201417203 Exhibit 21
EXHIBIT 21
Results of a
Root River Council
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