Minocqua’s labor and housing committee begins land discussion

The Minocqua town board’s ad hoc committee on labor and housing met last week for the first time since holding a joint meeting with the town board on Aug. 8.

During the meeting, it was decided to have the committee identify suitable property in Minocqua and Woodruff, parcels totalling up to four acres, that would be suitable for workforce housing development. 

A town land purchase would require a meeting of the town electors to decide whether or not to proceed with the purchase. 

If the electorate decides to move forward, a contractor, such as Holtz Companies based in Lake Delton and a firm that specializes in housing for J1 students working at area businesses, would then develop the property as needed. 

During the Aug. 17 meeting of the ad hoc committee, Lakeland Times publisher Gregg Walker stressed that the committee needs to look at not just J1 housing but provisions for housing for the area’s workforce in general.

Early in the discussion about some possible properties, Minocqua town supervisor Brian Fricke, also a committee member, said his problem with the discussion is “as soon as we identify this property or that property for sale or not for sale, that it’s going to be publicized and then the price is doubled on it.”

Walker, who is not a committee member but a supporter of the work it does, said his recommendation would be to have one person negotiate on the town’s behalf “then that way, he’s doing the due diligence of the town and he reports back to the town board.”

“At that point, I think under the open meetings law, you guys can go into closed session to do a land deal,” he said.

“That way, it gives you the best price for the town.”

After much discussion, Fricke was chosen by the other committee members to be that point of contact as the land search continues. 

Committee reorganization

Two days before the ad hoc group met, the town board at its Aug. 15 meeting, decided to reduce the size of the group from seven to five members.

With the relocation to Texas of Scott Meitus, vice-chair Michael Tautges was chosen as the new chair and Let’s Minocqua executive director Krystal Westfahl as vice-chair.

The other three members are Fricke, town supervisor Ericka Peterson and Bob Jaskolski, president and chief executive officer of the T.A. Solberg Company. 

Teri Theiler, president of the Aspirus Health’s northern region, stepped down from the committee. 

Brian Jopek may be reached via email at bjopek@lakelandtimes.com.