SWWRPC In the News

USDA Funds Local Food Development in Tri-State Region- October 2011

The USDA announced that Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SWWRPC) was one of 39 regions across the nation to receive a Rural Business Opportunity Grant to create jobs and build regional economies.

SWWRPC will use the $90,000 award with partner agencies in Illinois and Iowa to improve the local food opportunities in the Tri-State Region (WI, IL, and IA) through a two year business planning effort. Building the local food industry has never been more important than it is today. Recent trends have seen job numbers falling and obesity rates increasing. Supporting local food businesses will help address both these concerns through the creation of new food processing businesses and improved access to fresh, nutritious foods.

Project partners include Wisconsin's Green County UW-Extension, Lafayette County WI Economic Development Corporation, Prosperity Southwest, and Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program; Iowa's Delaware County Economic Development & Value-Added Ag Program, East Central Intergovernmental Association, and Prosperity Eastern Iowa; and Illinois Tri-County Economic Development.

This project will be completed in tandem with SWWRPC's Sustainable Communities Initiative. The Initiative is a three-year project that seeks to improve access to healthy living choices, preserve natural areas, and increase the economic stability of Southwest Wisconsin.

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin Recognized for Regional Economic Development - December 2, 2010

The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) recently honored Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin with their Congressional Partnership Award for the 111th Congress. They bestowed this honor her for her support for regional economic development in her District.

Lawrence Ward, Executive Director SWWRPC, presents Congressional Partnership Award to Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin.

"In these very tough economic times, we must use every tool in the toolbox to help our communities achieve sustainable growth," said Congresswoman Baldwin. "It's been a pleasure to work in partnership with the Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission on projects that will benefit our families, our economy, and our environment," Baldwin said.

"We appreciate the leadership Congresswoman Baldwin has shown in helping us obtain the resources we need to help the people in our Region," said Larry Ward, Executive Director of the Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission. "Tammy and her staff worked hard to get funding for the Economic Development Administration, which helps us fund our economic development operations. Through EDA we were able to get funding to help build the infrastructure in the region's industrial parks. In the last few years we received over $3 million to help the communities in southern Wisconsin. We also were able to obtain $959,250 to upgrade Mineral Point's wastewater facility so their cheese plants could stay in the area, purchasing milk and providing jobs. These projects are significant in their positive impact on our region's economy. To all of those communities we say congratulations. And to Rep. Baldwin and her staff we say "thank you and job well done!"

Click here for more information about the award.

Southwestern Wisconsin Receives Funding for Sustainable Communities Initiative- October 2010

The Southwestern Wisconsin region was selected as one of 45 communities across the country to receive funding for a new and innovative federal project called the Sustainable Communities Initiative.  The Initiative is intended to build economic competitiveness by connecting housing with good jobs, quality schools and transportation.

The Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission was one of 225 eligible applicants in the country, and one of three recipients in Wisconsin; The Capital Area Regional Planning Commission and Northwoods NiiJii Enterprise Community, Inc., are also honored with this award.  SWWRPC received $475,000 for this Initiative.

"Regions that embrace sustainable communities will have a built-in competitive edge in attracting jobs and private investment," said U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan.  "Planning our communities smarter means parents will spend less time driving and more time with their children; more families will live in safe, stable communities near good schools and jobs; and more businesses will have access to the capital and talent they need to grow and prosper."

To learn more about this project click here.

Amy Seeboth Named SWWRPC Planning Manager - September 2010

Amy Seeboth will take over the duties of Planning Manager on September 13, 2010. Amy has been SWWRPC's Transportation Program Manager since 2009. She has a Master's of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and an undergraduate degree from Lawrence University. She has extensive experience with geographic information systems (GIS), community development planning, economic development and transportation planning.

"Amy has done a great job of working with the local communities in Southwest Wisconsin and with the State of Wisconsin personnel in addressing transportation and rail issues. She's a really good project manager and is an effective leader," said Larry Ward, Executive Director. "She'll do a great job with this opportunity".

"It is an exciting time to be in southwestern Wisconsin," said Seeboth. "With technological and economic changes, this unique part of the State has a lot of opportunities. I am excited that with this position change I can become more engaged in a breadth of these opportunities. We have a great team of planners here, and I am looking forward to working with them to help strengthen this part of the State however we can."

Distribution Hub to Open in Madison, WI - August 2010

As part of a Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grant, a centralized distribution hub is in a pilot phase on the east side of Madison, WI. The hub is managed by Rink DaVee of Green and Green, LLC, a small scale distributor with several years of experience in produce and local food distribution.

This Madison-based refrigerated storage / aggregation hub is seeking pilot tenants for August, September and October, 2010 on a monthly lease rate or pay-as-you-go cross docking.

Click here to download the full announcement, rates and contact information.

This project is receiving business planning support from Southwestern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission.

Annual Meeting Commemorates 40th Anniversary of SWWRPC - July 2010

To celebrate our 40th Anniversary we are planning an event concurrent with our Annual Meeting, which this year will be held on Tuesday, July 27, on the University of Wisconsin Platteville Campus. Following a business meeting we will host a reception at our offices on the seventh floor of the Pioneer Tower. After the Reception we will have dinner at the Ullsvik Center. Our featured speaker will be Mark O'Connell, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Counties Association, who will speak on the importance of regionalism in Wisconsin and the future of the state in a changing, globalized world. Mark is a terrific speaker and you will enjoy his informative and thought-provoking information and ideas.

Invitations will be sent out with our Annual Report Publication next month. For more information about attending the event, please send an email to info@swwrpc.org.

We hope you join us in celebrating SWWRPC's 40 Years of Helping Communities Reach their Goals!

Regional Planning Commission secures $408,000 grant for Platteville - April 2010

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced $8.8 million in Economic Development Administration (EDA) grants to the State of Wisconsin to assist ongoing recovery efforts in the wake of 2008 floods. The investments announced include a $408,161 grant to the city of Platteville to develop a storm water management pond to support future business development. This pond will serve 31 acres of Platteville's existing industrial park.

This grant was written by Amy Seeboth, Transportation Planning Program Manager, and Ed White, Economic Development Program Manager, in 2009 and will greatly lessen the environmental impact of development in that area of the city.

"We appreciate the efforts of EDA and the help they have provided for our communities”, said Eileen Nickels, Regional Planning Commissioner from Grant County and a member of the Platteville City Council. “There is a lot of competition for these funds and Ed and Amy did a great job in getting us this help."

This is the final grant announcement of three major flood related grants SWWRPC has written for communities in the five county region. SWWRPC also assisted the Village of Belmont with a grant for $1,450,000 toward a $2,500,000 wastewater treatment plant upgrade needed to retain a major employer in their community and an expansion of the industrial park and sanitary sewer system in Mineral Point which was announced in March.

American Planning Association Recognizes SWWRPC Community Planning Efforts - May 2010

SWWRPC received an Award of Recognition from the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Planning Association for the 131 total Comprehensive Plans we have worked on. The award was presented at the WAPA planning conference. Appearing with Executive Director Larry Ward in the photo is Todd Johnson, Community Planning Program Manager, and Tjaard Van Holten, Associate Planner.

SWWRPC Secures $960,000 For Mineral Point Business Park - March 2010

SWWRPC has been notified by U.S. Rep. Ron Kind's office that our grant request on behalf of Mineral Point for $960,000 for business park improvements and a sewer interceptor has been approved by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).

Ed White, Economic Development Program Manager for SWWRPC, said that he worked closely with Mayor Greg Bennett and his city staff and Bart Nies of Delta 3 Engineering on the application. The money will be used for additional roadway, storm water control, water main and sanitary sewer infrastructure. The project will enable the business park to create in excess of 40 new jobs and leverage $5,000,000 in new private investment.

This investment by EDA is part of a special disaster appropriation due to the flooding of 2008. One of EDA's missions is to create long term solutions to natural disasters by building capacity that diversifies the economy within a region. "It can be a great burden on small rural communities to fund this type of project and it might not have been done without this assistance" commented White.

SWWRPC Partners with U.S. Census Bureau for 2010 Census - March 2010

Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative: Changes to the law regarding Farmland Preservation - February 2010

On June 29, 2009, Governor Doyle signed the Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative into law as part of the state’s 2009-2011 biennial budget process. For more information about the Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative click here.

Regional Planning Grant Awarded to SWWRPC - January 2010

The Wisconsin Department of Administration has awarded a grant to help provide funding to develop a regional plan for the Southwestern Wisconsin region. This plan will build upon the 125 local and 5 county plans already completed by SWWRPC. This plan will identify and address common and pressing issues facing our region in order to protect and enhance the quality of life in Southwestern Wisconsin. To learn more about the Southwestern Regional Plan, please follow the link below.

SWWRPC Regional Planning Project