The City Council voted to reject the developer agreement regarding the proposed subsidy. We now expect the city to focus on the fiscal impact studies we requested to ensure future transparency. I will continue to monitor the council proceedings to ensure these standards remain in place.
April 5, 2014
Final supporters
Citizens' Petition for Stoughton City Council.
Dear Alderpersons and Mayor Olson:
As Stoughton area citizens, we are NOT in favor of the Stoughton City Council approving the City and Kettle Park West Developer Agreement -- to construct a commercial area and WalMart SuperCenter.
o We call upon alders to TABLE the agreement at your next meeting 2-11-14.
o We call upon alders to adopt a motion to direct the city to conduct an impartial and professional economic and fiscal Impact Study of the proposed SuperCenter and adjacent commercial properties BEFORE proceeding any further with the developer.
o We call upon the alders to require that Impact Study include the future impact of the proposed U.S. Hwy. 51 Stoughton by-pass which will cause decreased traffic on present Hwy. 51 from CTH B on the north to CTH 138 to the south (Van Buren St.) and the impact of that decrease on the viability of the proposed SuperCenter over the next 30 years of the expected life of a SuperCenter. It is possible that this traffic decrease will be a contributing cause to failure of the proposed commercial area and failure of the proposed Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) District.
o We call upon the City to conduct public hearings on the completed Impact Study inviting merchants and citizens from the six below communities soliciting their comments and views.
o Lastly, we question the wisdom of the City borrowingmillions of dollarsfrombond issues at 3.4% or greater and providing the developer with over $5.1 million of taxpayer money to subsidize one small group of retailers to the detriment of another large group of 400 or more retailers in the Stoughton, Oregon, Evansville, Edgerton, Cambridge and McFarland area.
Thank you for your consideration!
For more informationcall Buzz Davis at 608-873-4886. Thank you!
Updates
February 11, 2014
The volume of support has reached a level that the City Council can no longer ignore. I have formally requested a meeting with Mayor Olson to present these concerns and discuss the immediate implementation of an independent economic impact study. Our next priority is ensuring this documentation is on the record before any developer agreement moves forward.
Reached 100 supporters
February 11, 2014
89 Comments
My family of seven vehemently opposes this development. We moved our family to this community SPECIFICALLY for it's hometown charm and living downtown. I cannot express more sincerely the negative impact that this will have on our town. PLEASE seriously consider my opinion and recognized the consequences of such a development.
My husband and I moved here because of how Stoughton is now, not how it will be after this explosion of unneeded development. I also volunteer at YRGC and have seen how hard the downty merchants work to keep the downtown viable. It's this downtown that brings in visitors, not retail that is already available so close by.
Past practice for this corporation shows the communities do not get their return on "investment". The jobs pay paltry wages, the employees need public assistance to survive, and the devastation to our tax-paying local businesses is guaranteed. Wal mart has enough money. If they want a store their, let them pick up the tab.
Wal-Mart is both good and bad. In places where they need a store, it is good. In places where there is a thriving downtown area and the population doesn't warrant this behemoth, they are bad. Please do not destroy all the mom and pop businesses that are keeping this town alive just fine.
Let me say that I am not opposed to growth, but your current disregard for due diligence on this matter is an insult to the citizens of Stoughton. Please reconsider to table the agreeement. Walmart will wait.
By all means, table this until you rREALLY know what you are doing!
I’m extremely disappointed with the way the mayor and council have not been forthright in open and transparent discussions about the Kettle West Development. One would think that with something of this magnitude, that there would be more transparency with this development. I urge you to not rush into this development that will have such a huge impact on not only our community but neighboring ones as well. Please inform the community of all the details of this development, and then get feedback and consent from the citizens of Stoughton before proceeding forward with this.
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The City Council voted to reject the developer agreement regarding the proposed subsidy. We now expect the city to focus on the fiscal impact studies we requested to ensure future transparency. I will continue to monitor the council proceedings to ensure these standards remain in place.
April 5, 2014
Final supporters
Citizens' Petition for Stoughton City Council.
Dear Alderpersons and Mayor Olson:
As Stoughton area citizens, we are NOT in favor of the Stoughton City Council approving the City and Kettle Park West Developer Agreement -- to construct a commercial area and WalMart SuperCenter.
o We call upon alders to TABLE the agreement at your next meeting 2-11-14.
o We call upon alders to adopt a motion to direct the city to conduct an impartial and professional economic and fiscal Impact Study of the proposed SuperCenter and adjacent commercial properties BEFORE proceeding any further with the developer.
o We call upon the alders to require that Impact Study include the future impact of the proposed U.S. Hwy. 51 Stoughton by-pass which will cause decreased traffic on present Hwy. 51 from CTH B on the north to CTH 138 to the south (Van Buren St.) and the impact of that decrease on the viability of the proposed SuperCenter over the next 30 years of the expected life of a SuperCenter. It is possible that this traffic decrease will be a contributing cause to failure of the proposed commercial area and failure of the proposed Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) District.
o We call upon the City to conduct public hearings on the completed Impact Study inviting merchants and citizens from the six below communities soliciting their comments and views.
o Lastly, we question the wisdom of the City borrowingmillions of dollarsfrombond issues at 3.4% or greater and providing the developer with over $5.1 million of taxpayer money to subsidize one small group of retailers to the detriment of another large group of 400 or more retailers in the Stoughton, Oregon, Evansville, Edgerton, Cambridge and McFarland area.
Thank you for your consideration!
For more informationcall Buzz Davis at 608-873-4886. Thank you!
Updates
February 11, 2014
The volume of support has reached a level that the City Council can no longer ignore. I have formally requested a meeting with Mayor Olson to present these concerns and discuss the immediate implementation of an independent economic impact study. Our next priority is ensuring this documentation is on the record before any developer agreement moves forward.
Reached 100 supporters
February 11, 2014
89 Comments
I cannot understand why we want to subsidize Walmart with city welfare payments. I understand why this was kept a secret for so long and then rushed through once it was disclosed that Walmart was the secret store at issue. This community expects a professional and impartial impact study before such a monumental expenditure of our dollars.
My family of seven vehemently opposes this development. We moved our family to this community SPECIFICALLY for it's hometown charm and living downtown. I cannot express more sincerely the negative impact that this will have on our town. PLEASE seriously consider my opinion and recognized the consequences of such a development.
My husband and I moved here because of how Stoughton is now, not how it will be after this explosion of unneeded development. I also volunteer at YRGC and have seen how hard the downty merchants work to keep the downtown viable. It's this downtown that brings in visitors, not retail that is already available so close by.
Past practice for this corporation shows the communities do not get their return on "investment". The jobs pay paltry wages, the employees need public assistance to survive, and the devastation to our tax-paying local businesses is guaranteed. Wal mart has enough money. If they want a store their, let them pick up the tab.
Wal-Mart is both good and bad. In places where they need a store, it is good. In places where there is a thriving downtown area and the population doesn't warrant this behemoth, they are bad. Please do not destroy all the mom and pop businesses that are keeping this town alive just fine.
Let me say that I am not opposed to growth, but your current disregard for due diligence on this matter is an insult to the citizens of Stoughton. Please reconsider to table the agreeement. Walmart will wait.
By all means, table this until you rREALLY know what you are doing!
I’m extremely disappointed with the way the mayor and council have not been forthright in open and transparent discussions about the Kettle West Development. One would think that with something of this magnitude, that there would be more transparency with this development. I urge you to not rush into this development that will have such a huge impact on not only our community but neighboring ones as well. Please inform the community of all the details of this development, and then get feedback and consent from the citizens of Stoughton before proceeding forward with this.
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I cannot understand why we want to subsidize Walmart with city welfare payments. I understand why this was kept a secret for so long and then rushed through once it was disclosed that Walmart was the secret store at issue. This community expects a professional and impartial impact study before such a monumental expenditure of our dollars.