Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Contributed Photo Mayor Lorna Marquardt and Alderman Fred Ponschok pose for a photo after their last Common Council meeting Wednesday.
Contributed Photo Balloons given by department heads grace the Common Council table where Mayor Lorna Marquart and Alderman Fred Ponschok sit Wednesday. It was the last council meeting for them as both are retiring next month.
Shawano Mayor Lorna Marquardt’s last Common Council meeting before retiring next month included a heavy slate of business finalizing some long-term city projects and opening the way for other development.
Several department heads marked the occasion by giving greeting cards and balloons to Marquardt and Alderman Fred Ponschok, who is also not seeking re-election in April.
“I’ve enjoyed working with all of you,” Marquardt said.
The development-heavy agenda could be seen as a fitting end to Marquardt’s tenure, though she was clearly torn about not being able to name the new company expected to fill a major piece of the development puzzle.
The council approved creation of a new tax incremental finance district that will make way for a manufacturing firm looking to locate in the city.
“We would love to disclose to you who this company is, because you’re going to be very pleased,” Marquardt said. “But we signed a confidentiality statement, so we can’t even let you know. But just know that it’s a well-established company that has many employees in the state of Wisconsin.”
Marquardt said the company hopes to start with 35 to 40 employees in Shawano but expects to work its way up to a force of 100 to 115 within five years.
“It isn’t often that a community our size is able to get a business of this greatness,” she said.
Marquardt credited City Administrator Brian Knapp, Assistant City Administrator Eddie Sheppard and Dennis Heling of Shawano County Economic Progress, Inc., with months of work to secure the company’s move to Shawano.
“I’m happy that I was able to be here during the start of it,” she said.
The business would occupy 15 acres of city-owned property in an undeveloped area north of County Road B, east of Waukechon Street and west of Industrial Drive, but the city is considering putting up to 100 acres into the new TIF district to accommodate the possibility of future business development.
Other council business included approval of an agreement with ThedaCare for the razing of the former Shawano Medical Center at 309 N. Bartlett St.
The building had been deemed unfit for re-use. ThedaCare will cover the cost of the demolition.
Restoring the roughly 10 acres to green space was also seen as opening the site up for waterfront development that would add to the city’s tax base.
The council also approved a final development plan for Smalley Park, which is adjacent to the former hospital property.
The extent and progress of development will depend on funding, said Matt Hendricks, parks and recreation director.
“This park is very unique in the fact that it’s on the water,” he said.
The plans calls for a public beach, dock, boat slips, canoe and kayak launch, an amphitheater seating area for the Ski Sharks shows, shelter, a concession stand and toilet and storage facility, and walking trails.
Also Wednesday, the council approved a developer’s agreement that will pave the way for Dunham’s Sports to move into a portion of the vacant Kmart space.
The sporting goods chain will move into roughly a third of the 87,000 square-foot former Kmart site at 1211 E. Green Bay St. Construction is already in progress for the store, with an opening expected in May.