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North Central Wisconsin
Regional Planning Commission
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Serving Adams, Forest, Juneau, Langlade, Lincoln,
Marathon, Oneida, Portage, Vilas, and Wood Counties since 1973
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
NCWRPC is Celebrating 50 Years!
NCWRPC Launches Entrepreneurship Portal
New Cycle of Local Road and Bridge Funding Available
Please Take the Broadband Speed Test
Road Rating 2023
New EDA Programs Now Available
EMSI Analyst Reports
NCWRPC New Hire!
NCWRPC Commissioners
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NCWRPC is Celebrating 50 Years! |
This year, the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC) is celebrating 50 years serving the ten-county region. The NCWRPC is proud to continue offering cost-effective, specialized planning services and expertise that support responsible development of the Region's economic, social, natural, and human-built environments. The NCWRPC provides assistance in the areas of economic development, geographic information systems (GIS), intergovernmental cooperation, land use planning, and transportation.
Over the years a lot has changed. Just look at some of the price changes below:
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NCWRPC Launches North Central Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Portal |
North Central Wisconsin's economy depends on entrepreneurs that are able to successfully start and manage companies, and on our ability to support existing businesses as well as attract new businesses. The North Central Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Portal supports entrepreneurs and business owners by providing access to information that can help them thrive.
The North Central Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Portal was developed by the North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (NCWRPC) as part of an EDA SPRINT Challenge Award awarded to NCWRPC and CREATE Portage County in an effort to support entrepreneurship throughout our ten-county region.
The Entrepreneurship Portal identifies available funding opportunities for businesses; resources such as trainings, tools, and workshops & events to help support business development; organizations that support entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout the region; and available spaces such as co-working spaces and business incubators throughout North Central Wisconsin.
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New Cycle of Local Road and Bridge Funding Available |
Application materials for the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and Local Bridge 2024-2029 Program Cycle are now available on the WisDOT website. These grants are for both design and construction projects to be scheduled during the 2024-2029 time period.
In addition to the regular STP-Urban and Rural programs (roads classified major collector and higher), there continues to be funding available for local roads (STP-Local) not typically eligible for federal funding. These include roads functionally classified as a Minor Collector or Local Road located in a community of 50,000 or less population that is not part of a designated metropolitan area.
WisDOT recently conducted an informational webinar on this new funding cycle. The presentation materials and video and be accessed at: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/doing-bus/local-gov/lpm/symposium.aspx
The application materials are available on the following dedicated program webpages:
Applications for each program are due by 5:00 pm on Friday, October 27, 2023.
If you have questions or need assistance in applying, the NCWRPC may be able to help. Contact Darryl Landeau at dlandeau@ncwrpc.org or 715-849-5510 ext. 308.
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Please Take the Broadband Speed Test |
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The information collected is important to develop a system that ensures everyone has access to quality internet service. The speed test data will be shared with internet providers and local governments. Knowing where there is good internet and where there is not good internet service will help the various entities identify future projects. Currently, internet speeds that fall below the FCC standards are eligible for federal and state grants.
We invite you to test your internet speeds by taking this test and contribute to the broadband speed test map. Just click on the button below. Try it from home and work, the more tests the better. Feel free to pass this message along to others.
If you have any questions about the Broadband Speed Test, contact Andy Faust at afaust@ncwrpc.org or by calling 715-849-5510, Extension 305.
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It is time once again for local governments in Wisconsin to submit surface condition ratings for all local roads under their jurisdiction. State statute 86.302(2) requires that the ratings be submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation every two years.
In 2021, the NCWRPC submitted the mandated condition ratings for 44 communities, including 2 counties, 2 cities, 4 villages and 36 towns. In total, over 2,300 miles of road were driven by Commission Staff. The next round of submissions will be due to WisDOT by December 15, 2023.
Commission Staff will be providing a variety of services to local units of government within the Region to meet their needs for pavement rating and submitting to WisDOT. Recognizing the impact of COVID-19 on local budgets, the NCWRPC will continue to offer most of these services free-of-charge to member communities. If you think your community would like to utilize the services of the NCWRPC to help you with this pavement rating mandate, please contact Eric Sonnleitner at 715-849-5510 extension 306 or esonnleitner@ncwrpc.org. |
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New EDA Programs Now Available |
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The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) recently announced the launch of the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) program and is expected to launch a second new program - the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete Pilot Program) - in the coming weeks.
EDA is now accepting applications for Phase 1 of the new Tech Hubs Program, which is designed to invest directly in high-potential U.S. regions to enable them to become globally competitive in industries of the future. This program will invest directly in regions with the assets, resources, capacity, and potential to transform into globally competitive innovation centers while catalyzing the creation of good jobs for American workers. In Phase 1, EDA will designate at least 20 Tech Hubs across the country and award strategy development grants.
The Recompete Pilot Program – authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act – will invest $200 million toward interventions that spur economic activity in geographically diverse and persistently distressed communities across the country. Specifically, this program targets areas where prime-age (25-54 years) employment significantly trails the national average, with the goal to close this gap through flexible, bottom-up strategy development and implementation investments.
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The NCWRPC continues its partnership with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to provide economic development analysis data throughout the Region. A comprehensive economic modeling program, called Analyst, developed by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) is a tool that provides industry/ occupation data, impact assessments, and economic base analysis information.
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We are pleased to announce that Christian Boulanger has joined our staff as a planner. Christian holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from UW-La Crosse and is finishing his masters degrees from UW-Milwaukee in Public Administration and Urban Planning. He will be mainly working in the areas of transportation, community development, and land use. Christian previously worked for the City of Brookfield before joining the NCWRPC.
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Adams County
Rocky Gilner
Rick Pease
Jami Gebert
Juneau County
Jerry Niles
Kenneth Winters
Betty Manson
Lincoln County
Loretta Baughan
Gene Simon
Hans Breitenmoser
Oneida County
Ted Cushing
Harland Lee
Steven Schreier
Vilas County
Robert Hanson
Jay Verhulst
Appointment Pending
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Forest County
Cindy Gretzinger
Paul Millan
William Chaney
Langlade County
Reinhardt Balcerzak
Angela Close
Ronald Nye
Marathon County
Craig McEwen
David Oberbeck
Appointment Pending
Portage County
Allen Haga Jr.
John Pavelski
Larry Raikowski
Wood County
Jason Grueneberg
Douglas Machon
Dave LaFontaine
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North Central Wisconsin
Regional Planning Commission
210 McClellan Street, Suite 210
Wausau, WI 54403
715-849-5510
Fax: 715-849-5110
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