GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Brown County’s administration committee is meeting tonight to vote on a resolution that is aimed at convincing the state to allow the county to keep a $15 million grant related to relocating downtown Green Bay’s coal piles.
The resolution is only aimed at the state grant, however county documents acknowledge a $10 million federal grant is also at risk of being lost.
There has been a decades-long desire to move the coal piles from the prime riverfront property where they’ve sat for 124 years to make way for economic development that studies have shown could provide value of about $150 million.
The chance to move the coal piles took a significant hit in mid-December when the county board did not approve lease terms that the coal piles’ owner, C. Reiss Company, told the board needed to be approved without changes.
The board instead approved a counter-offer that cut the length of the lease from 75 years to up to 40 years.
County officials have said the state told them the $15 million grant is contingent on a deal to move the coal piles. However, the county argues in its resolution that it has held up its end of the bargain to maintain the grant.
The county’s argument includes that its grant application was for a broader port development at the mouth of the Fox River, at the former Pulliam Power Plant site. The resolution also contends C. Reiss was difficult to negotiate with after the company found out the grant was contingent on the coal piles being relocated.
In the resolution, the county argues being able to keep the $15 million grant would allow it to find out what other companies would pay to use the Pulliam site and hopefully make it easier to negotiate with C. Reiss.
The state Department of Administration says it is working with the county and city “to discuss the next steps for the Neighborhood Investment Fund grant including a requested extension of the project period.”
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