SHAWANO (NBC 26) — The Shawano County Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday night to borrow $29 million for the first phase of the government center construction, one of the last steps before the project begins.
- The new government center is expected to cost $121 million and will combine the courthouse to the current county jail.
- The county will pay back the $29 million loan, plus 4.75 % of interest over the next 20 years.
- Previous reporting on the project can be found here.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Multiple people spoke during public comment at the Wednesday, Sept. 23 Shawano County Board of Supervisors meeting.
“The people in this area are not in favor of this at all," Timothy Steffen, a Shawano County Resident, said. “This project should be put on hold until other alternatives can be explored."
For most of the Shawano County residents who spoke, the government center project is too expensive
“I don’t know anyone who wants this done," Bill Thomas, a Shawano County resident said.
“This should have went to referendum, the people of Shawano County do not want this," Paul Hammond, a Shawano County resident, said.
Watch the broadcast story here:
Supervisor Jeremy Gretzinger tried and failed to table the discussion for a later date.
“Those figures seem really scary right now," he said during the meeting.
Despite the public pushback, the majority of supervisors feel the upgrades are overdue, and that the project will get more expensive the longer they wait.
“We cannot keep kicking this down the road," supervisor Kathy Luebke said.
Out of the 26 supervisors present to vote, 22 voted in favor of continuing with the project. The specific resolution on Wednesday's agenda pertained to borrowing $29 million dollars for the first phase of construction.
The county will pay back the loan, plus 4.75% interest, over the next 20 years, according to Carol Wirth, a financial professional with Wisconsin Public Finance Proffesionals.
Wirth presented in front of the board on Wednesday to explain the terms of the loan.
The project plan was approved in March, but Wednesday’s vote is the last step for the county before accepting a final bid next month.
The new government center will connect the courthouse with the county jail and expand and update the current space.
“I always say, it's the responsible thing to do, it’s not the popular one," Thomas Kautza, Shawano County board chair, said.
