Community Development Block Grant Committee - Abolished 5.11.2017 - Regular Meeting

Started. Call this meeting to order at 03:03PM on Wednesday, 03/25/2026. First, let the record reflect that council president Dickinson is excused outside of her all ECDC commissioners are present. I'll first move to the approval of the minutes for I don't have the date. Mine's not up either.

Motion to approve the minutes made by, council member Goggin. Is there a second? Second by commissioner Lee. Any discussion or corrections? Seeing none. All in favor signify by saying aye or with a thumbs up.

Aye. Alright. That motion passes.

Moving to our next agenda item twenty six zero three zero six, introduction of TIF applicant Lot 11 in River Point District developer Reyke Properties. And we have Julie coming to speak to this.

So we've been through this long and dance before. These guys have submitted a an TIF application for another lot at River Point District. And since River Point District is a project managed by the RDA, we have Jason Gilman here just to give us a quick overview of the RDA's perspective so we can work in sync with that body as well. And then Lee will come up to share about this project.

Please state your name and municipality for the record. Thank

you. I'm Jason Gilman, and I'm representing the Redevelopment Authority. I'm the project manager that works on the public private partnership side of things for River Point District. And I just wanted to provide a brief overview relative to the importance of Ryeke's involvement as one of our development partners. Lot 11 is actually part of River Point District parcels that are currently owned by the redevelopment authority.

But as we work with developers, we assign option agreements on those lots and Lot 11 is one of very few what we would refer to as waterfront parcels. So you have the War Eagle, which is already built on the water, then you have a public piece of land and then you have Lot 11. So that's the lot that we're talking about. The proposal that Ryeke came in with was prompted by a previous developer that had decided to release their option agreements and that resulted in a request for expressions of interest that we sent out to my whole database of developers. Rye responded as did Cowboy Jack's Restaurant.

After reviewing those proposals, the redevelopment authority awarded the option to Ryeke development mainly because they were proposing a project that was consistent with the planned development district which is really to preferentially have residential above retail or commercial and then mixed use development and three stories maximum on the waterfront to preserve views and also to activate the waterfront. The other piece that was really important to us is just that Reiki has shown the ability to professionally manage and start projects because they've got Lot 8 lofts that is actually currently being constructed and will be occupied later this spring. That's the one that's being developed right in front of the Driftless if you're and then they they also have an option on Lot 9, which is the Gateway Commons project right across from 3 Rivers Plaza. So they've shown that they are not only good financial managers and are able to get capital, but they can get projects off the ground, manage them very well, and meet the schedule that they've committed to and so forth. After consideration of their development, Reiche then approached Cowboy Jack's knowing that they had space on Lot 11 that could potentially accommodate a restaurant and they've arrived at an agreement with Cowboy Jack's to be part of that project.

So that's those those discussions and negotiations are ongoing. They'll be probably evolving as the six month option agreement plays out. So we'll know more as the project evolves and they'll provide regular updates to the RDA. The RICE, also wanted to note that they have asked that Lot 11 be the priority over Lot 9 just in terms of timing, and there's a number of different reasons for that that perhaps Lee can touch on. But that doesn't concern the RDA because they're making progress on all the development.

We understand that Lot 11 is is perhaps a higher priority with the Cowboy Jacks piece and and a few other factors. One other side note that has always impressed me about Reiki development. They're one of the few developers that we actually got testimonial letters from other mayors that they've worked in cities like Altoona, Eau Claire, and even a planner in Sun Prairie sent us a testimonial. They're also showing that they are interested in progressive things like the renter equity program. They're exploring solar, which we had a meeting this morning with a company out of Baroqua.

And they're offering full health and wellness facilities and rooftop terraces among many other things on the in their development, which enhances that Parkway development. So that's just sort of a brief overview of the way we look at Reiki as a partner.

Thank you, Jason. Any questions from commissioners? Alright. Seeing none. Can you remind me your name again? I know he just said it too, so I'm sorry. Please hit the hit

the button for the microphone.

There we go. Can you hear

me now? Okay. I'm Lee Haramza with Reiki Properties, owner and operator, heavily involved. You know, a lot of you have kind of been through this speech before, but for anybody that hasn't met me before, I just kinda wanna talk a little bit about who Ryeke is, why we're kinda unique for the for the area. Ryke is you know, we're very vertically integrated. So we take the dirt and we develop the properties, and then we hold the properties and manage them. So we see it from raw dirt to construction. We have the construction team and even the property management team. So we see it through. We're the ones that have to end up with the end user too, which is tenants or residents.

We've proven ourselves, like Jason mentioned, in in multiple municipalities and cities, worked through various different projects, land development, you know, demos, just kinda everything. You know, we have, you know, just kind of a track record and also with La Crosse in itself. He kinda mentioned all the other projects that we have currently going right now. It just came from one. The rest of my team was gonna be here.

They actually have a fire inspection with your guys' fire department. We're looking at April 1 occupancy on a project. You want the next slide? So as you see, it's just a wood frame structure structure there, but you guys can see it. We have our banner up with a QR code on it in the River Point District.

So we're tracking exactly how our ironically, how our schedule is, which is which is not always the case in construction. So, first occupancy is gonna be April 1. We're gonna have the remainder of the units finished through June 1 as the deadline for final on everything. We've already got 25% of the building leased up, so there is quite the housing demand in La Crosse. So that helps us as developers because then it gives us confidence to keep keep building here.

We know we can read the all the housing studies we want until we see it in real life. It's kinda it kinda helps reassure us. Why I'm here tonight is to talk about Lot 11, and bear with me because I think some of the slides show two different lots whereas we so Lot 11 is the lot closest to War Eagle in the upper left corner of the slide there. Yep. Perfect.

So this will encompass the mixed use that your intended neighborhood plan showed. So we have a three story three story apartment with many amenities in it. So there's the conceptual on it. It's gonna kinda have high end amenities. We're just kinda going through the design of it now.

It will have covered parking and different amenities like fireplace lounges, golf simulators. It's gonna activate the, you know, it's gonna activate the actual park plan that you guys have in place for capital improvement. The the lot itself sits on 1.44 acres. We ended up our final design of that, at least last week, has 60 market rate apartments. We're still working through the cost of it, which we'll later be talking about.

The it's gonna have a full health and wellness facility, signage rooftop terrace to encompass the the rivers joining there. So as you can kinda see that War Eagle kinda placed a mezzanine, you know, best suitable for that area, exactly kinda what we're gonna do on that northwestern corner of it. And getting to talk about, you know, Ground Floor activation, we're gonna have a dedicated restaurant space towards the south, towards the public space that we're still working out the details on that. That is gonna have 10,000 square feet of space, you know, views, rooftop patios. They're more they could give you more details on what's gonna happen in the restaurant end of things, but that those are kind of the details that we're working out now.

Yeah. And that's kinda the site we have now is Lot 11. Like I said, it was initially thrown out there for two different sites, but tonight, we're just here to talk about Lot 11. And I'm here to answer any questions you guys have.

Thank you very much. Any questions from commissioners? Commissioner Markerson.

Thank you for coming,

and thank you for the

visuals too. I just wanna make sure I'm understanding. So that first kind of three story gray structure, that's on the north more northern side? That one. Is that the northwest corner? Okay. Yep. And so the restaurant would be on the south end? Correct. Okay. And so my question is because I know you had some commercial designed in that space originally, I think it's a little bit bigger from what you had intended.

Doing the the ground level commercial space. We thought it was best suited because we have to we have to provide parking. So the design has kind of been tricky. So we have to utilize a lot of that 1st Floor space for parking. So instead of oops. So instead of trying to do your typical mixed use ground level commercial, residential above it, we thought it would be better just to split the lot and have a single entity mixed use commercial, next to it. That's kind of, you know, it still fits the PDD guidelines. It just as far as design goes, it worked out the best.

Yeah. My question was just to understanding with that change, the parking underneath adjusts for the size of the restaurant being

As you're seeing it yeah. So as you look at this, it looks like a lobby there. We've actually shifted the lobby to the front, which is Lot G 2, G 3. I don't know what that lot is called anymore. It's it's hard to say. You can see in the background, Red Earth has that option agreement, and I don't know where their plans are at. But that is we shifted the lobby towards there so we can capture more river views with residents and then put the rooftop patio on that corner as you see. So that rooftop patio is still gonna be there. Lobby is gonna be on the front, the street side facing, and we're gonna have residential units wrap in that corner.

Got it. Thank you.

Yep.

Any other questions from commissions? Commissioner Miller.

Thanks for coming tonight. One one statement and one question. So I'm a huge fan of cowboy Jack. So thank you working to get them in this community. And then second question or first question, I guess, what's the timeline for the project?

We wanna get going as fast as the process allows. Like, we're expediting, like, all hands on deck. Structural engineers. Our architects know that our projects come in first. So realistically, I kinda mapped it out.

We sent a kind of a calendar gantt view of how this could happen. Like, we're thinking we could break ground on this July 1. Now breaking ground would be not the restaurant portion because there's too many details to work out there, but we could break ground as early as July 1 and try a lot of that's the boring stuff that you guys see. The big skid steer equipment out there that's putting geo peers in and doing dirt work in undergrounds. But nonetheless, at least get it in and start framing before snow flies, which could be October or December. We don't know. So

Thank you. Any other questions? Oh, council member Goggin? Oh, I don't have my thing working.

I'm just gonna I've been through a lot of RDA meetings where you've come and, chatted with us, and I've I've just appreciate how nimble you've been and how just open to whatever. I don't wanna say nonsense, but you know?

Yeah. No. I get it.

And I just like, I say I'm you know, when I drive through there, I just am so impressed with what you're doing. So thank you very much.

Okay. Thanks. Appreciate it.

Yeah. I'll say ditto to that. Every time I see, like, one of your drawings or I've been riding around River Point District just about every week just to check on how things are going over there, I'm impressed. So thank you.

Thanks. Thank you.

Also, never had cowboy jacks, so it's good to know that it's gonna alright. Well, they're excited. So thank you. Any other questions from commissioners? Alright. See you now. Thank you very much, Lee.

Thank you. Thanks for your time, guys.

Okay. So just go to the next item? Alright. Moving to our next item, 260307, update from the parenting place.

And I was just gonna add there are here a month early. We were planning on them coming in April, but because the next item's related to their work, we just figured let's just do it this meeting, and our meeting agenda was a little bit shorter today. So back a little sooner than planned, Kaylee is here to present. And then Audra is online too, if there's any questions for her.

Oh my god, it doesn't move. Hi, I'm Kaylee Nix with the Parenting Place. I'm the Child Care Development Coordinator, and then I will be presenting the updates on the Child Care Development Program. Oh, sorry, I couldn't see it. Okay.

In January, we accumulated the Child Care Development Project program from the beginning to December 2025. The key takeaways from that report were that a total of 189 child care slots were added to the La Crosse area. 361,518 were distributed to child care programs La Crosse through grants and programs. Through the Back to Pick Capacity grant, 114 child care slots were reopened. 10 new child care programs were opened in La Crosse.

And child care capacity was increased by 189 slots. And the children on waitlists have decreased by seven thirty eight. Next slide. Next, we also disseminated and completed data accumulation for the Employee Survey on Child Care Needs that collected data on the availability of adequate child care in La Crosse and also the impacts that it has on the workforce. Dissemination was multifaceted oh my goodness through direct emails, marketing emails to businesses, partner distribution like Seven Rivers Alliance, Ladco, Sherm, and more, social media posts, and approaching businesses with QR codes to put them up in high traffic areas.

We were able to get three zero nine responses from 30 different local employers. Next, I'll move on to some key data takeaways from that survey. First, we have the percentage of household income spent on child care. The large majority percent of their household income. I want to focus on the four bottom bars on that chart.

It shows that 77% of respondents spent over the federal recommendation for affordable child care at 7% of their household income. Moving along, we have the percentage of respondents that have considered staying at home due to child care issues. That was at 59.8%, saying that they or their partner have considered staying at home. And then next we have the child care influences on employment. Respondents said that the biggest impact was having to take time off due to a child's illness at seventy nine percent and then child care closures at fifty three percent.

Additionally, I wanted to note that thirty seven percent showed that increased stress due to child care issues was a big impact. Tardiness to work at thirty one percent was also an issue. And then difficulties concentrating at work due to child care challenges at twenty five percent. And then finally, we have the percentage of respondents that showed that they were that they thought that child care benefits were interesting or attractive to have as a benefit from an employer at ninety six percent. Next we'll move on to the provider program update since December.

Since then, we have closed the fourth round of the mentorship program with two family child care provider payers and started the fifth round with one family child care provider pair. And then we have also done the next round of the back capacity grant, giving out $19,500 to five child care centers with an ROI of 22 reopen slots. And next, we closed the application deadline for facility retention grant, the third round. And we will begin disseminating that in the next in the coming weeks. I also have quotes on this side showcasing the impact of the mentorship program and the back to capacity grants.

And then the next prioritized steps would be to administer the facility retention grant, continue community outreach and marketing efforts for the business support programs, like employer luncheons, cold approaching, attending network events. And then we, at the moment, are continuing planning the fourth annual Child Care Provider Appreciation Event and the third annual Child Care Empowerment Conference. And we are also completing the child care provider survey and accumulating that data. And that is all I have. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Any questions from commissioners? Alright. Seeing none. Thank you very much.

Appreciate the work that you all are doing. It is very much needed.

Moving to our next agenda item, twenty six zero two eight nine, resolution regarding the administration financial maintenance of American Rescue Plan Act funds received by the city. Julie? Can I recuse

myself, please?

Sorry. I forgot about that.

That's alright. I got the note literally right here.

Okay. So, just as an overview for this resolution, this is a larger resolution, that is you obviously will go on before finance and personnel next week and then on to council. And it's addressing a handful of ARPA funded projects that have come in under budget or projected to come in under budget. So the resolution overall just seeks to reallocate those funds. And then it will also move ARPA eligible projects that were funded through other sources to be paid for than with ARPA funds instead.

One of the main reasons that this is on the eCDC agenda is there's a contract adjustment to the parenting places project. And then I know I referenced this in the email that I sent out, but I'll say it here. You'll notice that there's a reference to the North La Crosse Business Association project. That project wasn't selected through the Small Business Support Organization RFP that went out that was ARPA funded. That was the NLBA project was not selected through that process.

And so the NLBA sought to receive funding directly from counsel. So if you're confused by why maybe you didn't see that before, that is why. Just overall, the US Treasury, of course, is limiting on how the funds can be redistributed. So what we're doing with these funds is putting hope or it provides an opportunity to shift these projects to open up or create more options for unrestricted funds. So that's the general overview. I'm happy to answer questions. It does have the amendment to the parenting places contract too that would be updated.

Just for clarity, can you re explain the NLBA thing?

Just so I make sure I understood that correctly.

As far as why the change is coming? Yes. So the two things I can tell you what the resolution says and then maybe I think Vicki could comment on

Sorry.

It's okay. Forgive me. I've I've never mind.

Just saying

something. I'm good. I got it.

Okay. We're okay.

I'm alright up here.

No, it's okay. I'm happy to answer.

Councilmember Gage.

I just want to clarify. So there's money being put back that's going to be available for projects?

Yeah. So essentially, when we are readjusting the money that was allocated to these ARPA projects, what we're doing, we're doing a couple of things. One of them is there's projects that were funded through other sources that were ARPA eligible. So as we move those projects out of the ARPA funds, we're putting those projects in. And so an example of that is the ARPA interest funds.

So we had two projects, which was the fire truck and the zoning code update that were funded partially by those ARPA interest funds. The city can more or less more or less do what they want with those. It doesn't apply to the ARPA restrictions don't apply to those. So what we're doing is we're shifting those projects up into ARPA and then, re putting money back into the ARPA interest funds. We've and then we're also reimbursing expenses that were had that were paid for with, like, budget carryover funds. Okay. So so what I'm wondering is now the money that's, quote, available, end quote.

Does that money have to

come before counsel to be allocated? My understanding is yes. Chad would probably Director Hawkins would probably say yes. So the I mean, that's my understanding of our process, that the ARPA interest funds could not be spent unless they came before counsel. Again, it would require counsel action to determine what these funds would be used for. And there are very specific ways that these funds can be used? No. Not necessarily the ARPA interest funds. There's a lot of flexibility within those. And then we're reimbursing an expense that was, in simpler terms, was paid for out of the that the money will then go

back into the general fund. Well, I understand that. But what I'm I'm wondering about the money that's now coming back into the available funds, I if you just want to make sure that everybody gets a bite at it, everybody gets a chance to make the ask. Yeah. Yeah, would be up to

the council, yeah. I think I mean, that's my understanding. I'm looking to Chad because these will be my role is helping to make sure the money was back in those funding sources, and then I think the finance department really plays the role in overseeing how those funds are utilized. And so Chad's nodding and thumbs up saying that the ARPA interest funds for sure would need council action and the other items as well, I would assume.

Thank you. I'm just, again, you know, asking questions. Yep. Any other questions from commissioners?

Alright. Seeing none. Thank you very much. I will now entertain a motion.

Commissioner Miller? You're a most.

To adopt by commissioner Miller, second by councilmember Goggin. Any other discussion or questions? Alright. Seeing none, all up all in favor signify by saying I or with motion with a thumbs up. Alright. Any opposed? Any abstentions? All good. That motion passes unanimously. Vic, are you moving on to our next agenda item twenty five one zero six nine, consideration and possible action on housing fund policy outline. Mara.

So I'm just gonna give a little bit of background on this request. This is not the last stop for this by any means. This is kind of the kickoff of this process. So in 2024, a CIP request was put in as a part of the process to create, gonna use the exact wording, grants for acquisition, demolition, and redevelopment of housing, both affordable and market rate. And so the intent of this was really to try to address, extend our replacement housing program, building single family homes.

So this is kind of the first stab at putting together a little bit of a policy in place, an outline, saying we hear you, we hear the single family homes are needed, that missing middle, maybe a duplex as well, and to look to potentially launch an RFP to execute these funds and add housing units for families. So in the policy outline, we kinda just talk a little bit about what the funds were intended for when they were approved by the CIP, kinda what our housing study and our goals are of our consolidated plan are, I I wanna outline the one that's kind of been standing out. Yes. We need to increase the supply of owner and rental units, greater housing diversity, and then create more housing opportunities attractive to La Crosse residents, especially households with children. And then additionally, for our consolidated plan, we're looking to add more homeowner housing as well.

So I kinda wanted to bring this this won't go to council this time around because if you guys did did have a lot of questions or things we wanted to work out, I wanted to make sure we had time to kinda tease some of those details out. And the goal would be to take a policy to council, say, in the next month or so so that these funds could be executed to help add some homeowner, you know, single family to, you know, missing middle type housing.

Thank you. Any questions from commissioners? Alright. Seeing none. Are you looking if there aren't any questions, are you looking for us to take action on this item tonight? Or do you

want us

to wait? You like. I'll I we could bring it back around next month too and take action when it then goes in front of council. That could be another option to route it. So if you guys wanna think about it for a month, I'll kinda look to you for what your preference would be. But if you would like to take action today, we can then, you know, just continue moving it through council at the next next cycle.

Okay. I guess I'll look to some commissioners, and I'll entertain if there is a motion, a motion to move this forward or to refer this to next month. Council member Goggin?

I'll make a motion that we move this forward.

Alright. Motion to move forward by excuse me. Motion to move this forward by council member Goggins, second by commissioner Lee. Any other discussion? Alright. All in favor, please signify by saying aye or a raising of the hand or thumb. Alright. And that passes unanimously. Great job, Mara. And that looks like that is all of our agenda items for today. So thank you all. Have a great evening, and this meeting is adjourned.