City Council approves TID 13 and amendment to TID 10, hears city infrastructure updates

Rhinelander is now just one Joint Review Board vote away from having a 13th Tax Incremental District (TID). 

TID 13, a mixed-use district of 25 contiguous parcels in the North Stevens Street area, with new residential development along with light industrial and commercial, received the approval of the Rhinelander Common Council at its regular meeting last Monday, May 11. Rhinelander’s Joint Review Board is expected to meet May 18 to make it official.

The council’s vote followed a presentation by Josh Low of Ehlers Public Finance Advisors that included an examination of the economic aspects of the TID and explained that Tax Increment Financing captures tax revenue from new construction to create a funding source for incentives and infrastructure for redevelopment.

“Really, what we’re trying to do is find a source of funding for necessary incentives and infrastructure to help develop a site that hasn’t been able to move forward on its own in order to help you meet your own goals,” Low explained.

Costs of $3.2 million in development incentives and $1.5 million in utility infrastructure are proposed in four phases over the 20-year life of TID 13. Construction of a multi-family residential project valued at about $9.1 million leading total new construction of approximately $15 million is part of Ehler’s development assumptions and revenue forecast for TID 13.

An amendment for Rhinelander’s already-existing TID 10 was also approved, pending approval of the city’s action by the Joint Review Board, to allow one more project to be completed there.

With construction season here, the council also heard an update from Mark Barden of Town and Country Engineering, Inc., on city infrastructure projects.

Among the high points, he told the council that the contractor has started on Messer Street. 

“We’re pulling out defective concrete, sidewalk curb; there’s going to be a couple more weeks of that,” he said. “They’re also cutting around the manholes, raising the manholes.” 

Paving will follow.

The contractor will also be addressing uneven spots in affected residents’ lawns, he added. 

“They’re going to clean up all the lawns out there, smooth them out, reseed out there,” he said.

On the Thayer Street project, he said: “Rural Development was kind enough to extend funding for three blocks of Thayer Street under the grant money that’s still available from Rural Development for the Messer project.

“We have that design complete. We have scheduled values and plans out to the contractor. We’re waiting on costs from them so we can finalize that. We’ll bring that to Council and talk about that.” 

Plans are for that project to be completed this year.

Among other projects, he said the 26th streets —  Brown Street, Frederick, Timber and Alban — is out to bid, with bids to be opened May 19. 

“The city was awarded LRIP funding, a grant of $400,000, for that project,” he said, “so that one will be going this summer. We’ll have that wrapped up this fall.”

Pilot testing is still ongoing for Wells 7 and 8 treatment, he said.

Other matters

The council also at its May 11 meeting:

• Approved proposed resolution 2026-35, approving task order #43 from Town and Country Engineering, Inc. for final design work on the Coolidge Avenue Street Improvement project for a cost not to exceed $150,000.

• Approved proposed resolution 2026-36 approving Task Order #44 from Town and Country Engineering, Inc. for design, bidding, and construction management of  the lining of watermain on Coolidge Avenue for a cost not to exceed $40,000.

• Approved proposed resolution 2026-37, approving and accepting the recommendation from Town and Country Engineering, Inc for the Award of Contract for the 2026 TID #10 Utility Improvements to Musson Bros., Inc. for a total of $1,009,704.95, contingent to the Joint Board of Review’s approval of adjustments to TID #10.

• Approved proposed resolution 2026-38, approving the submittal of an Idle Site Redevelopment Grant application to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in support of a development project at 903 Boyce Drive, planned to have 48 units for ages 55 and older, with 10 of the units reserved for veterans;

• Denied proposed resolution 2026-39, a fee waiver application from the Oneida County Human Services Department for an event at Hodag Park on May 15.

• Tabled proposed resolution 2026-40, a fee waiver application from the Oneida County Human Services Department for an event at Hodag Park on July 23.

• Approved proposed resolution 2026-41, approving an amendment to the project plan of Tax Incremental District No. 10.

• Approved proposed resolution 2026-42, approving the creation of Tax Incremental District No. 13, approving its project plan and establishing its boundaries.

• Heard mayor Kris Hanus appoint Gerald Anderson to the library board committee, explaining that previous appointee Linnaea Newman had decided not to take the post.

Due to its regular Monday meeting date falling on the Memorial Day holiday, the next regular meeting of the Rhinelander Common Council will be Tuesday, May 26, at 6 p.m. at Rhinelander City Hall. 

Ardith Carlton may be reached at [email protected].