Advertisement Trustees approved hiring Ehlers and Associates, a Brookfield, Wis., financial consultant, to help create the district.
Hiring the consultant begins a long process, with many details yet to be hammered out, including the boundaries of the TIF district and what development expenses would be included.
In a TIF district, a municipality issues bonds to pay for development-related expenses, which can include land acquisition, road projects, sewer and water projects and other expenses.
To pay off those bonds, the municipality channels taxes on the increase in the value of the developed property toward repayment. The difference between the base property value at the establishment of the TIF district and the increased value is known as the increment.
NEVs stalled
Neighborhood electric vehicles might soon be allowed on Holmen streets, but not until the La Crosse County highway commissioner gives a go-ahead. There is an issue of the vehicles using — or even crossing — county highways such as Highway HD (Holmen Drive).
The village drafted an ordinance for the small vehicles and Police Chief Mike McHugh said he approves their use in the village.
Holmen area county Supervisor Charles Spiker sits on the county board’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. “We are all for it,” Spiker said of allowing NEVs. “Now it is a matter of drafting intergovernmental agreements to make it possible.”
Trustee expertise
The village should use the expertise of its trustees, said Trustee Ryan Olson. During discussion of the village buying property adjacent to Village Hall, Olson said he did not like how the property price was negotiated.
Olson, a Realtor, said he might have been of assistance. “Why not draw on the expertise of board members?” Olson asked at the August board meeting. “The staff should utilize the skills of the board.”
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