Fitchburg CETA Meeting - May 28, 2026

The Community and Economic Development Authority (CETA) of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, convened on May 28, 2026, with Chair Mark Hamilton presiding. The meeting included officer elections, approval of prior minutes, public comment on a marketing insert, an overview of hotel room tax revenues, and extensive reports on housing initiatives and Tax Increment District (TID) projects. Staff provided updates on the upcoming "Forward Fitchburg" strategic plan roundtables.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes from the March 26, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Nora Said provided detailed feedback on a draft marketing insert for investors and site selectors. She argued the insert overly focused on Madison, used outdated 2017 population statistics (Fitchburg was the second fastest growing city in the state in 2023), and lacked a trackable call to action. She recommended highlighting Fitchburg's role as an anchor in the federally funded biohealth tech hub, its active TIDs, and implementing QR codes for better lead generation and ROI tracking.

Discussion Items

• Election of Officers:
  • Chair Mark Hamilton was re-elected.
  • Vice Chair Andy Potts was re-elected.
  • Alder Micah Delusa (District 4) was welcomed as a new committee member.
• Hotel Room Tax & Marketing Proposal:
  • 2025 revenue was reported as finalized at $543,895 (roughly flat year-over-year). The first quarter of 2026 totaled $106,581, reflecting the new 8% tax rate.
  • Staff proposed a $25,000 marketing campaign using a sequence of inserts in In Business Magazine. The committee indicated support, and staff will draft a budget amendment.
• Housing Initiatives (Lorreen Gage & Dan Hardy):
  • Efficiency Navigator: Program received 24 applications covering 205 units; 10 building assessments are complete. A new Land Use Restrictive Agreement (LURA) was drafted to ensure the five-year affordability requirement remains with the property if sold during the grant period.
  • Down Payment Assistance (DPA): The committee provided guidance on program parameters. They favored a moderate purchase price cap (e.g., $475,000), a point-based preference for city employees rather than a set-aside, no strict geographic targeting (but using location as a tiebreaker), and repayment of funds only upon a sale or cash-out refinance (Option B).
  • Administration: Staff will hire an outside nonprofit administrator (estimated $60,000 annually) with city oversight.
  • Next Steps: The LURA will return for formal approval at the next meeting. The DPA program RFP will be finalized for a potential summer rollout. A $600,000 CDBG grant for infrastructure is in the early contract phase.
• Tax Increment District (TID) Updates (Mike Addison):
  • TID 11 (Syncopation Development): City Council approved a $9.8 million TIF incentive on May 26 for a major mixed-use development (senior care, townhomes, apartments; $104M total value).
  • TID 10 (Bowman Plaza): Staff will seek an increased TIF of up to $7 million to close a funding gap caused by $7 million in construction cost increases, keeping the 5-over-2 building on track.
  • TID 10 (UPS Store): The city will sell a remnant parcel (appraised at $85,400) for $1 and contribute $56,000 in demolition costs to help the UPS Store build a new, street-fronting commercial building.
  • TID 17 (Jamestown Quarry): A TID amendment supporting up to $2 million in extraordinary site costs (soils, retaining walls, stormwater) for a new retail center and apartment building was approved by the Plan Commission and Council on May 19. Final action is expected June 24.
• Forward Fitchburg Plan (City in Motion):
  • A series of stakeholder roundtables were announced: Commercial Centers & Identity (June 17), Innovation Economy (June 18), AI Impact (June 18), and a Developer Roundtable (June 25).
  • Staff highlighted a need for more subdivision lots and noted initial inquiries regarding tech/data center prospects, which will require careful study.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: Minutes from March 26, 2026.
• Elected: Mark Hamilton (Chair) and Andy Potts (Vice Chair).
• Moved Forward: Staff will draft a budget amendment for the In Business Magazine marketing campaign.
• Directed: Staff to finalize the Down Payment Assistance program parameters based on committee feedback.
• Next Meeting: Scheduled for Thursday, June 25, 2026.