linkTIFs

linkTIF 6: St Luke's

Tax Incremental District No. 6 was created in 2000 to provide funding assistance for redevelopment of the historic St. Lukes School building as Marquette Manor Senior Housing (now St. Luke’s Apartments). The building contains 32 apartment units.

This TID funded a grant in the amount of $165,000 to the developer, MetroPlains of St. Paul, MN, to assist with this $3.2 million redevelopment project. Other assistance included a $300,000 loan from the City's CDBG Housing Fund.

Marquette Manor struggled with high vacancy rates since opening its doors. The development went through foreclosure in 2010, with first mortgage holder US Bank purchasing the property at foreclosure sale. A company affiliated with US Bank took title to the property. While the foreclosure “wiped out” the $300,000 City Housing Loan and a $200,000 State of WI loan, the remaining amount owed to the City on its initial $165,000 advance was fully repaid by the end of 2011, from property taxes captured by the TID.

An Oshkosh-based developer successfully bid on the apartment building at an auction sale held in late March 2013 and closed on the purchase of the property in April that year. The property has since been upgraded with a larger parking lot and other improvements. Re-named “St. Lukes Place,” the development is no longer subject to the age and income restrictions that applied to the original development. The 32 market rate units are generally fully occupied.

The City successfully pursued an amendment to the project plan for this TID in 2012, to allow it to pay planning, engineering, legal and administrative expenses associated with pursuing redevelopment of "vacant former industrial properties” located within one half mile of its boundaries: the Hamilton and former Eggers Industries properties, located between this redevelopment TID and the East Twin River.

New expenditures can be made from this TID through 2023 (22 years after creation). Under current law, the life of this TIF District can be through budget year 2028 (27 years).

While the valuation of this property dropped significantly in 2014, reflecting its sale at auction and then-high vacancy rate, the value of the property rebounded in 2018, to the benefit of the TID revenues in 2019 and beyond.

Due to the significant deficit fund balance in this fund, no new outlays have been made in recent years. Staff projects that revenue available over the balance of the TID revenues in 2019 and beyond.

linkTIF 7: Old Hospital

TID 7 was created in 2001 to assist in redevelopment of the former Two Rivers Community Hospital complex into a senior assisted living development (Northland Lodge). The developer, Rice Management, also purchased, expanded and continued to operate the attached nursing home (former Hamilton Home, now Atrium Post-Acute Care). The original Project Plan also provided for funding reconstruction of 25th Street from Lincoln Avenue to Garfield Street, improvements to the City-owned radio tower located at the former municipal hospital, and minor improvements to adjacent Picnic Hill Park.

Costs incurred, based on the original Project Plan, included:

The TID 7 Project Plan was amended in early 2012 to include funding for infrastructure improvements located within one-half mile of the district’s boundaries. That amendment allowed up to $2,466,575 for reconstruction of Lincoln Avenue/STH 42 (local share of WisDOT project), replacement of all City utilities in the project area, and improvements to Garfield Street (improved for use as a bypass route during Lincoln Avenue reconstruction).

Garfield Street work was completed in 2016, and Lincoln Avenue was rebuilt in 2017. TID 7 is paying off the long-term debt (Clean Water Fund and Safe Drinking Water Fund loans) that funded the water and sanitary sewer infrastructure on Lincoln Avenue.

TID 7 has provided loans to other funds in recent years, which are scheduled to be repaid, with three percent interest, before this TID is retired. In its final year of existence, plans call for the balance owed for debt service on the Lincoln Avenue utility infrastructure to be transferred to the Water and Sewer Utility Funds.

linkTIF 8: Washington Highlands

TID 8 was created in 2002 to assist in redevelopment of the former Washington High School site. This TID provided funding to:

$1.53 million to fund the above activities was financed through general obligation bonding by the City. Interim financing of these activities was accomplished with the issuance of three-year notes in 2002 (those notes included capitalized interest of the three-year period). Permanent financing was approved by the City Council in 2005, in the form of:

Both of these borrowings have been refinanced in subsequent years for interest rate savings. The 15-year debt was retired in 2019 (14-year repayment). Remaining Debt Service payments on the 20-year debt are just under $100,000 per year, through 2025.

Developer obligations of Abbey Ridge LLC for meeting certain annual TIF revenue increments and "build out" for the project have been met. TID revenue from the development has successfully paid off most of the City debt issued in conjunction with the high school site redevelopment and has allowed the City to fund additional activities that were addressed in two amendments to the Project Plan.

The Project Plan for TID 8 was amended once in late 2019 and again in early 2020, to allow additional expenditures for the following activities:

Per a TIF Development Agreement with Riverside Foods signed in 2020, this TID is making payments of $80,000 annually to the company in the years 2021 to 2025.

In 2021, the City committed TID 8 funds for debt service on borrowing for sanitary sewer infrastructure replacement on sections of 24th, 25th, and Madison Streets. This additional debt service payment is reflected in the 2022 transfer to Debt Service.

The 2023 budget paid for reconstruction of the Washington Park tennis courts from this TID; the 2024 budget included $30,000 for new park furnishings from this TID.

linkTIF 9: Eggers Industrial

Tax Incremental District No. 9 is an industrial development TID, established in 2003 to assist in the development of the new Eggers Industries headquarters and manufacturing facility on a 75-acre site on STH 42 (Lincoln Avenue) at Eggers Drive. Total cost for this development was approximately $23 million. The project was also assisted by a $750,000 CDBG grant from the State of Wisconsin, which helped fund public infrastructure to serve the development.

This developer-financed TID is reimbursing Eggers (now the Eggers Division of VT Industries) for up to $2.88 million in TID-eligible costs incurred in the development of its new facility, plus interest. Those TID-eligible activities included site acquisition, site preparation, and relocation of equipment from the old Eggers facility to the new plant.

The City is obligated to pay Eggers only to the extent that funds are available in this TID over its 23-year life. The City is not obligated to make “shortfall” payments from other TID’s or from any other municipal sources once this TID comes to the end of its life, in 2027.

linkTIF 10: Paragon/Hamilton Warehouses

TID No 10 is a redevelopment tax incremental district that was created in 2014 to assist in the redevelopment of the former Paragon Electric Company (purchased in June 2014 by Paragon Partners, LLC for a bottling facility) and the former Hamilton Industries warehouse property on Roosevelt Avenue, which was redeveloped by Holy Family Memorial for its Lakefront Clinic.

The Project Plan and boundaries for this TID were amended in 2015 to include the nearby Edgewater Terrace Apartments. The City entered into a TIF Development Agreement with WI Housing Preservation Corp that provides for $20,000 annual “interest rate subsidy” payments from TID 10 in budget years 2017 through 2031. This grant assisted with a $1.8 million renovation project at the 40 unit low-income family housing project. Edgewater Terrace, which was tax exempt, is back on the tax rolls as a result of this project.

In 2016, the City entered into a development agreement with Holy Family Memorial, to provide TIF assistance for HFM’s new Lakefront Campus, on former Hamilton warehouse site. TIF assistance for that project included site planning and environmental, purchase of the right-of-way for a new street (Lakefront Way) to connect Roosevelt Avenue and Memorial Drive, acquisition of an easement from the Canadian National Railroad to allow the street to cross their ROW, and street construction ($200,000 in borrowed funds to be repaid over 10 years from this TID). The development agreement also allowed for a direct grant to HFM to assist with extraordinary site preparation costs, payable upon project completion in 2017. There was also an allowance in the development agreement to cover future special assessments for street work on Roosevelt Avenue; the 2024 budget provided funds to cover such special assessments, up to <missing figure>.

While the HFM development was ultimately determined to be tax-exempt, the development agreement between the City and HFM, related to the TIF assistance provided to the HFM project, provides for an annual “payment in lieu of taxes” on the new clinic. That PILOT is in the amount of $27,500 for 10 years (starting in 2018) then drops to a minimum payment of $13,750, annually in 2028, continuing for at least 10 more years thereafter.

The valuation increment for this TID, which was $2,041,800 for 2019 (budget year 2020) dropped to $114,300 for 2020 (budget year 2021) as the result of the City’s acquisition of the former Paragon property through foreclosure in October 2019. The 2025 budget reflects the property coming back on the tax rolls, following its sale by the City in 2022.

linkTIF 11: St Peter School & Lincoln Ave

TID 11 is a redevelopment TID that was created in September 2016 to assist with Vinton Construction's redevelopment of the former St. Peter the Fisherman School for corporate offices.

The TID 11 Project Plan also includes potential redevelopment properties along the west side of Lincoln Avenue, and provides for possible developer grants or public infrastructure investment, if financially feasible.

The City's maximum obligation to Vinton under the related Development Agreement was $200,000 (20 percent of documented project expenses, up to $200,000), plus five percent annual interest on the outstanding balance, to be repaid from TIF revenues, but only to the extent they are available, though 2039. Payments per that agreement started in 2019, and the City made the final required payment to Vinton in 2024. The City currently has no outstanding payment obligations associated with TID 11.

Other possible investments by TID 11, addressed in the TID 11 Project Plan, include:

linkTIF 12: Suettinger & Hotel Development

TID 12 was created in September 2018 to assist in blight elimination and redevelopment in the Suettinger Hardware block and nearby areas.

The City worked with a local investor group—Two Rivers Hotel Group, LLC—to redevelop this block with a new, 55-room Cobblestone hotel. Construction on the hotel began in the Fall of 2019; the hotel opened its doors in early August 2020. This project marks a major milestone in efforts to redevelop the city's downtown waterfront.

The $6.3 million project was assisted with a developer grant funded through TID 12. The City borrowed $750,000 to fund that grant, with a State Trust Fund Loan (20 years at 4 percent annual interest) that will be repaid with TIF revenues generated by the hotel development. The development agreement associated with this grant provides for “shortfall payments” by the developer in the event such TIF revenues fall short of the amount required for that debt service.

TIF grant funds were paid out to the developer in 2019 ($250,000) and 2020 ($500,000).

The City also secured a $250,000 grant from the WI Economic Development Corporation’s Community Development Investment (CDI) grant program, to assist the project. Those funds were advanced by the City to the Developer upon project completion in August 2020, per the terms of the development agreement.

The $250,000 in grant funds was then reimbursed to the City by WEDC in October 2020, following submittal of a project audit report to that agency. (Budget called for the $250,000 to be advanced from and reimbursed to this fund, but advance and reimbursement were handled through Fund 290, the Economic Development Fund.)

Principal payments and interest payments on the $750,000 loan (since refinanced for interest savings) amount to about $60,000 per year, and continue through 2038. Additional debt service in 2025 reflects first-year debt service on a $455,000, ten year borrowing completed in 2024.

The development agreement requires that annual TIF revenues from the hotel property be at least $55,186.30 annually, from budget year 2022 through budget year 2044.

There have been two amendments to the Project Plan for TID 12, in February 2021 and May 2024, to both expand its boundaries and include additional eligible activities in the Project Plan.

These amendments have allowed the City to enter into two recent pay-as-you go TIF development agreements to assist downtown redevelopment projects, including:

linkTIF 13: Culvers, Washington & 22nd St

TID 13 was created in February 2020, intended to assist with a new Culver’s restaurant proposed as a redevelopment project at the southwest corner of Washington and 22nd Streets. The City and a developer finalized a TIF development agreement that provided for a TIF developer grant with two components:

Unfortunately, the developer in July 2020 notified the city and the owners of the properties that he had under contract that the project would not be proceeding, citing the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The TID 13 Project Plan also allows for the expenditure of TIF funds for developer cash grants to assist other redevelopment projects within the TID, for public infrastructure work within the district, and for legal/administrative costs.

This TID remains available as a tool to incentivize redevelopment activity at the north end of the downtown Washington Street corridor. The 2024 Budget provided for facade grant funding of up to $50,.000 to assist businesses in and within a 0.5 mile radius of this TID; funding was committed for two such grants, to The Hook Lanes and Games ($25,000 plus $5,000 from TR Main Street) and Richard and JoAnne Kouba for their commercial building at 1606 Washington Street. Funding for both of these grants is being carried over to 2025, as <missing>

linkTID 14: Woodland Industrial Park

This TID was created in 2021 to aid in further development of the City's Woodland Industrial Park. The adopted Project Plan provides for both direct grants to assist with business investment at the industrial park, and for investment in expansion of the public street and utility infrastructure.

The City Council in October 2021 approved a $250,000 TID 14 development grant to Sleger Holdings, LLC, to assist in construction of a new, 12,000 SF facility at the industrial park. This assistance was structured as a "pay as you go" grant--that is, payments are made to the developer on an annual installment basis, as revenues from the project are received. There will be no City borrowing associated with this business assistance. Payments under this grant will commenced in 2024 and will continue until the company is paid $250,000, plus 2 percent annual interest (or after 15 years, regardless of the amount that has been paid to the company).

A second such pay-go grant agreement was approved by the City Council in December 2023, providing for payments totaling up to $450,000, with zero interest applicable, to Athens Development for the new facility that it is now constructing for Braun Building's truss operations. The City's obligations for payments under that grant agreement will end after 20 years, or upon payment in full of the $450,000, whichever comes first. Those payments start in 2025 (minimal payment, as the project site was only a vacant lot on January 1, 2024).

linkTID 15: Forest Ave

This TID was created in 2021 to assist in redevelopment of the former Hansen the Florist property at 3000 Forest Avenue. After an initial development proposal for the site was dropped, there is a new proposed development that would feature two buildings with a total of 52 market rate apartments. The 2025 Budget as proposed anticipates borrowing $750,000 for a potential TID 15 grant to assist this $8 million project.

linkTID 16: Eggers East

This TID was created in 2021, to assist in redevelopment of the former Eggers Industries downtown plant property, which is owned by the City.

linkTID 17: Eggers West

This TID was created in 2020, to possibly assist in redevelopment of a portion of the former Eggers West Plant site, on the East Twin River, as an affordable family apartments housing project.

linkFunds

linkFund 202: Sandy Bay Highlands CDA Fund

Fund 202 was set up in 2004 to receive revenue from lot sales at the City's Sandy Bay Highlands Subdivision, then disburse funds for title insurance and real estate commissions. After these expenses are paid, the net proceeds of each lot sale is transferred to the General Fund as revenue.

Phases 1 and 2, consisting of 43 lots, have been marketed for development under the jurisdiction of the City’s Community Development Authority.

The average assessed value of completed homes in the subdivision is approximately $450,000.

The City Council in 2024 approved budget funding and awarded a contract for construction of street and utility infrastructure for Phase 3 of the subdivision, which will open up 26 additional lots for new homes.

linkFund 205: Housing Revolving Loan Fund

Fund 205 accounts for all loan activities of the City's Housing Revolving Loan Fund. The City has about $2.5 million in outstanding housing loans receivable, funded from past years' CDBG Housing grants. Revenue consists of loan principal repayments—these cannot be predicted precisely, as all loans to homeowners are zero-interest, fully-deferred loans that are repaid only when the property is sold or no longer serves as the principal residence of the loan recipient

The City's most recent new CDBG Housing Grant was for $500,000, in 2007-08. For a small city, Two Rivers has had a very active housing loan program, with over $2.5 million in housing loans outstanding. Unfortunately cuts to Federal appropriations for the CDBG program, and a decision by the State of WI to distribute those funds on a regional basis have made very little new funding available for our local housing program in recent years.

The City collects a 15 percent administrative charge from each new loan made from "recycled" RLF dollars, to help fund the cost of program administration. Most of this charge is paid out to the program's administrative consultant, currently MSA Professional Services of Beaver Dam.

linkFund 207: Affordable Housing Fund

A change to WI's Tax Incremental Financing law in 2009 allowed cities to extend TIF districts for one year beyond their normal retirement date, and to use funds collected in that year for "affordable housing" activities. Two Rivers has adopted resolutions to make use of this law and set aside funds for affordable housing initiatives in 2019 (retirement of TID 5, $80,092) and 2020 (retirement of TID 3, $12,792).

In March 2021, the City Council approved a one-year extension of TID 4, to 2022, for affordable housing. This is reflected in the 2022 proposed budget and will add a projected $46,000 to the Affordable Housing Fund.

In April 2021, on recommendation of the Community Development Director and the Community Development Authority, the City Council authorized the "Transform Two Rivers" initiative, offering low interest loans of up to $10,000 to assist with exterior improvements to homes located in identified target areas of the city. Eligible homes need to be valued at no more than 120 percent of the median home value in the community. Despite efforts to publicize the program, both through social media and direct mailings to homeowners in the target areas, there has been very liminted response to the program, and no completed loan applications have been received to date.

With the addition of the funds from extending the life of TID 4, there will be about $141,000 available for affordable housing activities at the end of 2022. Staff and the CDA will be evaluating more options for putting these funds to good use in 2023. The budget numbers proposed for 2025 are simply to allow for such activity.

linkFund 216: American Rescue Plan

Fund 216 was created in 2022 to account for the City's use of funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The City intends to use most, if not all, of its allocation of $1,155,646 for lead water service lateral (LSL) replacement. The City received its ARPA funding in two installments: the first in Summer 2021, the second in summer 2022. This budget also takes into account the generous "ARPA matching grant" program offered to area cities by Manitowoc County. Under that program, the County has agreed to match, dollar-for dollar from its ARPA funding, money spent by the City, from its ARPA funding, up to the full amount of the City's ARPA funding, on lead water service lateral replacements. This effectively means that there is $2,311,292 available for LSL replacement in the City.

At an estimated cost of $9,000 per "public side" lateral installation (that portion of the lateral located within the street right-of-way, including street restoration, this funding should be sufficient to replace a total of 330 LSL's--about 16.5 percent of the 2,000 LSL's in our water system. The above budget reflects using $375,000 in City ARPA funding and a like amount in County ARPA matching funds for "public side lsl" replacement in 2023. That would include 31 LSL's along the planned Lincoln Street reconstruction project and 50 LSL's at scattered locations (not in tandem with street reconstruction work).

The funds applied to public side LSL replacement will be transferred to the Water Utility, to pay the expenses associated with such work. The City also expects to receive grant money through WDNR to continue providing assistance to property owners, to reduce their costs for "private side" LSL replacement. While WDNR has funded "principal forgiveness" grants of up to $2,500 per homeowner in recent years, there are reportedly changes pending in the State's lead laterals funding program for 2023 that may reduce the assistance available to of up to $2,500 per homeowner in recent years, there are reportedly changes pending in the State's lead laterals funding program for 2023 that may reduce the assistance available to homeowners.

linkFund 218: Docks & Harbors

Fund 218 was established by the City Council in 2005. Boat ramp fees, which formerly went to the General Fund, have since been deposited in t or annual O&M costs associated with the City ramp and fish cleaning station at Vets Park, and to accumulate a balance that can be used for capital projects related to these facilities.

During the period 2015-18, the City made over $1,000,000 worth of capital investment at the Vets Park facility, consisting of new docks, a new fish cleaning station and parking lot paving/drainage improvements.

Boat launch revenues, which come from the sale of day passes and season passes, plummeted from $8-10,000 annually just a few years ago to under $5,000 in 2008.

These revenues picked up appreciably in 2020, due to increased outdoor activities during the COVID pandemic, continued good sport fishing off Two Rivers, and the flooding of launch facilities in Kewaunee and other NE Wisconsin communities, during near-record high lake levels. Revenues have dropped somewhat in 2021, and are projected at $8,500.

Contractual services consist of the charges for installing and removing channel marker buoys each boating season, plus DPW charges for installing and removing the piers at the launch ramp.

The 2021 Budget included $8,000 for the purchase of a kayak launch to be installed at Vets Park. The unit was purchased in October 2021 and installed in the Spring of 2022. A second kayak launch was installed, at Paddlers Park, in the summer of 2022.

The 2023 Budget proposes to transfer $10,000 from this fund to Parks and Rec Capital Projects, to help fund a kayaking initiative that includes a fully-accessible kayak launch to be added at Vets Park.

2025 – Update boat docks to reduce flooding over docks, improve launch signage

linkFund 250: Senior Center

The Senior Center Fund accounts for various activities at the Two Rivers Senior Center that are not funded through the General Fund.

These include the Senior Nutrition Program, which is supported with revenues coming from donations for on-site meals, plus assistance from the County for meals prepared at the TR Senior Center and served both locally and at the Mishicot Nutrition Site. Other activities include special programs, trips, and special events, all of which are self-supporting from revenues raised. To the extent that these activities produce revenues exceeding expenses, funds are available to fund capital projects. The City's Committee on Aging makes recommendations as to the use of these funds.

Because City staff provides support for the various fund-raising and "enterprise" activities at the Senior Center, the City in 2006 began charging a portion of the personnel costs at the Senior Center to this budget. This cost allocation is reflected in the various personnel services line items. Senior Center personnel costs attributed to Fund 250 total nearly $26,000 annually.

While intended to be self-supporting, this fund has run in a deficit status for the past few years. Parks and Rec Department management has worked to both increase revenues and trim expenses to eliminate this deficit over time. The 2023 Budget anticipates total elimination of this deficit by year-end.

linkFund 258: Community Tourism

Per Wisconsin statutes, decisions regarding the spending of local room tax dollars (beyond the 30 percent that may be retained for municipal purposes) are the responsibility of the local Room Tax Commission, a body appointed by the City Manager, subject to approval by the City Council.

Revenues from the City's 8 percent tax on overnight lodging are initially deposited into Fund 259, the Room Tax Fund. After transferring 30 percent of those revenues to the General Fund for City use, Fund 259 then transfers the other 70 percent to this Community Tourism Fund for tourism promotion and development activities as directed by the City's Room Tax Commission. The Room Tax Commission anticipates contracting with Explore Two Rivers, Inc., a 501(c)6 created by the City, to perform certain tourism portion and tourism development activities on behalf of the Room Tax <missing>

linkFund 259: Tourism Development

Fund 259, the Tourism Fund, accounts for the City’s collection and spending of local room tax. Decisions on how room tax revenues are spent are made by the Room Tax Commission.

After jointly participating in the Manitowoc Area Visitor and Convention Bureau with the City of Manitowoc for 15 years, the two cities did not renew the joint Tourism Services Agreement and allowed it to expire at the end of 2021. Manitowoc has established an in-house Tourism Department, under the jurisdiction of its Room Tax Commission. Two Rivers is doing likewise.

Two Rivers’ room tax revenues have increased at an impressive rate in recent years.

Two Rivers’ new downtown Cobblestone Hotel opened in August 2020, and its 55 new guest rooms have contributed significantly to the increase in room tax revenue. The city also has a growing number of single family vacation rental homes, which have also boosted local tourism and room tax receipts.

This budget anticipates that City making use of 30 percent of room tax revenues ($108,000) for municipal budget (General Fund) purposes, which is the maximum percentage allowed under WI’s room tax law. The other 70 percent ($252,000) will be transferred to Fund 258, to be spent as directed by the Room Tax Commission in support of local tourism.

linkFund 260: Urban Forestry

The Urban Forestry budget funds approximately 6 percent of personnel costs for full-time staff at the cemetery, because one of the Recreation Supervisor positions also has responsibility for the City's tree planting, maintenance, and removal activities. The balance of the budget is primarily for contractual tree trimming and removal services. This budget is funded with an annual transfer from the Tree Planting Fund (formerly from the General Fund).

Funds for Tree planting are budgeted in Fund 263, the Tree Planting Fund.

The 2023 proposed Budget anticipates the award of a $25,000 Urban Forestry Grant from WDNR, which will fund an inventory of all public trees, staff training in tree trimming, and some tree planting activities. Match for this grant will be City funds already budgeted for tree removal and tree planting.

Funding for contracted tree removals, under “Other Services,” is increased to $20,000 in this budget, recognizing the impact of Emerald Ash borer on our public trees.

linkFund 261: Concessions & Beer Sales

City staff resumed operation of the Neshotah Beach concession stand in 2022, after contracting out that operation for several years. The 2023 Budget pulls that activity out of the Special Events fund, with the intent that the concession operation be a stand-alone, self-supporting activity--better yet, one that generates a net return to support expanded special events programming. The addition of beer sales is proposed to increase revenues and augment what is offered to visitors.

linkFund 262: Special Events Donations

Fund 262, Special Events Donations, was established in 2004, when the City moved the cost of its July 4 fireworks and music out of the tax-supported General Fund, and set a goal of funding approximately $12,000 in special events expenses with community donations.

In addition to the July 4 festivities at Walsh Field, this fund also supports Ice Cream Sundae Thursday (entertainment expenses). As of 2013, the “Music Under the Stars” Concert series in Central Park was moved out of the General Fund (Parks and Rec budget) and into this fund.

Activities funded through the Special Events fund have increased in recent years, with the addition of the Rotary Pavilion at Neshotah Beach and a much improved downtown venue at Central Park West. In addition to Thursday Night downtown concerts and frequent weekend concerts at the beach, a new “Friday Night Live” concert series was added in 2024 on Central Park’s Schmitt Brothers Stage, with performers funded entirely through private donations. That series is proposed to continue in 2025.

While the cost of City Parks and Rec staff who organize, promote and support special events are included in the General Fund operating budget, the cost for entertainment and supplies are covered by this budget. The July 4 fireworks contract is budgeted under “Supplies” at $10,800.

linkFund 263: Tree Planting

No description.

linkFund 264: Golf Simulator

No description.

linkFund 270: EMS Act 102 Grant

Act 102 grant funds are provided by the State of Wisconsin to local units of government that provide emergency medical services (EMS), to help fund training activities and capital equipment purchases directly related to EMS.

linkFund 290: Business & Industrial Reuse Loan

Fund 290 accounts for activities of the City's Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund (ED-RLF). Originally capitalized with funds from two CDBG grants from the State of Wisconsin to the City, for loans to Paragon Electric ($750,000) and Eggers Industries ($500,000) in the 1980's, this fund has "recycled" that loan principal and interest for over 25 years, providing loans to assist local businesses with both start-up and expansion projects. Decisions on loan-making and collection are delegated the City's Business and Industrial Development Committee (BIDC).

In 2019, the WI Department of Administration undertook a "CDBG CLOSE" initiative that resulted in the elimination of such local CDBG-funded revolving loan programs. Because Two Rivers had received all of the CDBG grant funds in question prior to 1992, the City was able to retain all funds in its local loan fund, to use as it sees fit. That "defederalization" of funds in Fund 290 was approved by WI DOA in February 2019.

Since that time, the resources of this fund have been re-deployed for various uses, including:

Significant resources of this fund were "tied up" in the Paragon property loan and subsequent foreclosure. In May 2022, the City successfully sold the Paragon property, returning $1.2 million to this fund.

One loan closed in 2022, to Sleger Holdings, LLC for $175,000 to assist in construction of a new, 12,000 SF industrial facility at the Woodland Industrial Park. One loan closed in 2023, for a $100,000 loan to The Hook Lanes and Games. Two loans have been approved in 2024, and are expected to close and be disbursed by year-end: $200,000 to Milkweed Ventures LLC for the Violet Inn project at 1415 15th Street (a $2 million project) and $63,000 to Pop-Start Restaurant Group for redevelopment of the former Luigi's Restaurant on 22nd Street. $500,000 for "new loans" budgeted in 2024 is simply budgeted as a placeholder to allow for loan activity.

linkFund 291: Community Development

Fund 291 was established by City Council action in April 2019, to fund a new office of Community Development Director/City Planner. The 2019 Budget allowed for 6 months of expenses, and included an allowance for relocation expenses ($10,000 in line item 2900). The position was filled with the appointment of a new department head, who began her duties on September 14, 2019.

After three years of existence, this office has been actively involved in numerous development and redevelopment efforts of the City, ranging from marketing the vacant, 310,000 SF former Paragon facility to commercial redevelopment projects in the downtown and waterfront areas. Several new TID have been created, to assist in development at the Woodland Industrial Park (TID 14) and at priority redevelopment sites including the former Hansen the Florist site (TID 15), Eggers downtown site (TID 16) and Eggers West site (TID 17). Existing TID's have also been amended to assist with new projects, such as the TID 8 grant to assist with the Riverside Foods expansion in 2019-2020.

This budget is currently funded with annual transfers from Funds 417 (Industrial park Development) and 290 (Ec Dev Loan Fund). In 2023 and future years, more efforts will be made to recoup staff costs incurred in the creation and administration of City TIF districts.

linkFund 403: Harbor Masterplan Implementation

Fund 403 holds monies borrowed by the City in 2019 and 2020 for "Harbor Master Plan Implementation," to include the purchase of the 12.5 acre former Hamilton Industries site on the downtown waterfront.

The City has negotiated an agreement with property owner Thermo Fisher Scientific for the City's purchase of the property, for $1.5 million. The closing on such a purchase has been delayed for 2+ years as Thermo Fisher has addressed an identified issue with TCE contamination on the site, and as the WI Department of Natural Resources has required additional sampling and testing for other possible contaminants. Budgeted expenditures of $1,512,000 recognize that there may be a need for the City to incur additional legal and/or consulting services prior to any closing on the property. Redevelopment of this prime waterfront site has been a high priority on the City's goals list for several years.

linkFund 410: Bike Trail Construction

Proposed 2023 activities for Fund 410 include completion of an off-street bike trail connection along East River Street between Washington Street and Jefferson Street, and a project to improve public access to the North Pier.

Funding for the East River Street project is from borrowed funds, carried over from 2022. This project will provide an improved trail connection between the Washington Street bridge and Jefferson Street, and is being undertaken in anticipation of a WisDOT project in 2024-25 that may include improved bike/ped facilities on the Washington Street bridge. The bridge is being re-surfaced by

WisDOT in that year, and locally-funded improvements to create a 10-foot wide bike/ped trail on the bridge, protected from vehicle traffic by a crash barrier, will be considered as design work on that project proceeds.

This budget also reflects a planned $35,000 project to create an improved, hard-surfaced link between the North Pier parking lot and the breakwater, owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The City has access to $20,637 in DNR funding from a grant first awarded in 2018.

linkFund 415: Central Park Renovation

Fund 415 was established in 2021 to account for revenues and expenditures associated with the Central Park West 365 project.

This ambitious project, to rebuild Central Park West as a year-round hub for outdoor activities in heart of downtown Two Rivers, was completed in 2023.

The 2025 Budget anticipates closing out this project in 2025.

linkFund 417: Industrial Park Development

The Industrial Park Capital Fund has revenue sources that include lease payments on the City-owned industrial buildings at 1429 A and B Wentker Court, rental of undeveloped land at the Woodland Industrial Park for farming, and land sales at the Woodland and Columbus industrial parks. Expenditures are for storm water expenses and minor maintenance at the Wentker Court properties, and "transfers" out that help support the City's General Fund and Community Development Fund.

linkFund 419: City Landfill

Fund 419 accounts for post-closure maintenance and regulatory compliance activities at the City's former landfill facilities, located on property between Riverview Drive and STH 42, in the Town of Two Rivers. The landfills were located on private property leased by the City, and were operated by the City from the 1960's to 1980. The old landfill cells occupy approximately 40 acres total.

Major expenditures from this fund are for electricity and sewer charges for the leachate collection system, and laboratory and consulting fees for ongoing groundwater monitoring.

The revenue source for post-closure management of the old landfills is the monthly environmental fee. $2.75 of that $7.00 fee provides annual revenues of about $150,000 annually--increased from $1.50 in 2020 to address a deficit balance in this fund. Not only has that deficit been erased in subsequent years, a healthy fund balance of over $200,000 is projected at the end of 2025.

The 2025 Budget continues to provide funds for utility services, consulting fees, equipment maintenance and any costs associated with post-closure management of these old landfills. $30,000 budgeted for capital outlay is a contingency for costs that may be encountered for repairs to structures and equipment, or additional projects required as the result of DNR oversight.

The 2025 Budget also reflects a $150,000 capital project to extend the leachate collection system to address a problem with a landfill seep that needs to be addressed. $200,000 was borrowed in 2024 on a 10-year note to pay for this project.

linkFund 451: Street Construction

The Streets Capital Projects Fund provides resources for construction of new streets, reconstruction or resurfacing of existing streets, and major maintenance activities undertaken on the City's 56-mile network of public streets. Funds are primarily from City borrowing; projects are as identified above.

linkFund 452: Bridge Construction

This budget provides funds for repair and long-term maintenance activities on the four bridges in the City. While three of the bridges are on state trunk highways, basic repair and maintenance is the City's responsibility. The 17th Street bridge is a City-owned bridge, as it is not located on a State highway.

Carryover Funds of $80,000 are proposed to be spent for:

linkFund 454: Park & Cemetary Construction

Projects proposed for funded in 2025 total $608,000, as listed above. Funds are from City borrowing and grants.

linkFund 455: Fire Equipment

No description.

linkFund 457: Public Works Equipment

This Capital Budget provides funds for capital projects involving the City Hall building and grounds, for various "general government" departments, and other miscellaneous projects.

2022 projects funded by Fund 459 are as listed above. 2022 revenue was from borrowing and from an anticipated payment of grant funds from the WI Coastal Management Program, reimbursing the City for costs incurred in prior years for the recently-completed Comprehensive Plan update ($21,357).

For 2023, the following projects are proposed for funding:

linkFund 460: Information Systems

The Information Services Capital Fund provides resources needed for routine replacement of IT equipment used City-wide, from major equipment like servers to laptop and PC replacement for individual users throughout the City. Funds are provided from transfers from the various City operating departments and funds.

The revenue line item "Transfer from Other Funds," originally adopted at $52,000 for 2022, was increased by $28,000 per a budget amendment and inter-fund loan approved by the City Council in August 2022, to provide funding to restore the City's public access channel on Spectrum/Charter cable.

linkFund 461: Police Equipment

The Police Department Capital fund is typically funded by a combination of City borrowing, grants, community donations and inter-fund borrowing.

linkFund 640: Solid Waste Utility

No description.

linkFund 650: Water Utility

No description.

linkFund 660: Electric Utility

No description.

linkFund 670: Telecom Utility

No description.

linkFund 680: Stormwater Utility

No description.

linkFund 690: Wastewater Utility

No description.