Economic and Community Development Commission Meeting - February 25, 2026
Economic and Community Development Commission Meeting - February 25, 2026
The Economic and Community Development Commission met on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 3:05 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Washington-Spivey and adjourned at 4:32 PM in closed session. Commissioners present: Linda Lee, Vicki Markussen, Mary Rohrer, Gina Miller, Tamra Dickinson, Erin Goggin, and Shaundel Washington-Spivey. The agenda included approval of minutes, a property purchase, an update from the Coulee Region Business Center, a development agreement amendment, and a closed session discussion on HOME ARP funds.
Discussion Items
- Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the previous meeting were approved by voice vote on a motion by Dickinson, seconded by Markussen. Unanimous.
- 26-0212 - Purchase of 622 Avon St: Jonah (staff) presented a proposal to purchase a vacant tax-foreclosed parcel at 622 Avon Street for $35,000 (minimum bid $27,000). The parcel is two blocks from the city's 823 Avon house and fits the program. Questions about timeline (development starting September, completion about a year later), challenges in finding vacant parcels, floodplain concerns (only back end in 500-year floodplain, fill planned), and the offer amount. Motion by Lee, seconded by Goggin, approved unanimously by voice vote.
- 26-0210 - Coulee Region Business Center (CRBC) Overview: John Bingle, President of CRBC and Executive Director of the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission, provided an update. CRBC is located at 1100 Kane Street, has been operating since 1986, and recently hired a new part-time director, John Kruger. It offers below-market rent spaces for startups, including a 1,800 sq ft commercial kitchen for food businesses. CRBC aims to focus on high-growth, high-income businesses and create an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Partnerships include the city, LADCO, SBDC, SCORE, and the county. CRBC has a loan with the city but needs to clarify terms. Commissioners asked about current tenants (diverse mix including wood products, heat exchangers, attorneys, fitness, music, food businesses), occupancy (currently full after adjusting rents), and the possibility of multiple locations. No action taken.
- 26-0146 - First Amendment to Development Agreement with The Chalmers LLC: Jason Arswald (Ellers) and Matt Balwig (T. Wall Enterprises) presented. The original three-phase development of a 260-unit multifamily project at 215 Pine Street and 401 3rd Street North will now be built in one phase. The amendment pushes the start date to December 2026 but completion by March 2028 (instead of 2031). No changes to the amount of city assistance. Commissioner asked about market impact; applicant stated no negative impact expected. Motion by Goggin, seconded by Dickinson, adopted unanimously by voice vote.
- 26-0205 - HOME ARP: Staff introduced the item to allocate HOME ARP funds for housing units for individuals experiencing homelessness, as outlined in the 2021 action plan. The purpose is to create housing and fund supportive services. After a brief open discussion, a motion to go into closed session (citing Wis. Stats. sec. 19.85(1)(e) for investing public funds) was made by Goggin, seconded by Lee, and approved by voice vote.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of Minutes: Approved unanimously.
- Purchase of 622 Avon St: Approved unanimously. The city will offer $35,000.
- The Chalmers Development Agreement Amendment: The resolution approving the first amendment was adopted unanimously. The project will be completed in one phase by March 2028.
- HOME ARP (after closed session): The commission voted after returning to open session? The minutes record the following actions after closed session:
- Motion by Goggin, seconded by Miller, to approve HOME ARP Development funds split evenly between Cinnaire and Heritage Lofts, contingent on LIHTC awards. Passed 6-1, with Commissioner Lee opposing.
- Motion by Dickinson, seconded by Goggin, to approve HOME ARP Supportive funds as follows: $102,745 each to Karuna and La Crosse County, and $125,000 to Cinnaire, contingent on the LIHTC award; if not received, the $125,000 goes to La Crosse County. Motion carried by voice vote.
- Closed Session: Motion to enter closed session carried. The meeting was adjourned in closed session at 4:32 PM.
Meeting Transcript
All right. We're good to go. All right, we're gonna call this meeting order at 305 p.m. on February 25th, 2026. Um all commissioners are present. I have to make sure I was saying that correctly. Um moving to the approval of the minutes. Is there a motion for the approval of the minutes? Motion made by Council President Dickinson. Is there a second? Second by Commissioner Markinson. Any discussion or corrections? Seeing none, uh please signify by I'm used to this voter thing. With a thumbs up, uh, if you approve of approving the minutes for 20 to 26 last month, all right. And that motion carries unanimously. Moving to our next agenda item 260212 action on approval to purchase 622 Avon Street, Lacrosse, Wisconsin, 54603. Jonah. Thank you, Mayor. Uh lacrosse County is auctioning off 622 Avon Street. It's uh tax foreclosure on the north side of lacrosse. They're accepting bids on this property uh as well as three or four others until Friday at noon, I believe. Uh minimum starting bid on this parcel is 27,000. Uh I want to offer them 35 and in hopes of uh you know having a good shot at this one. This is a vacant parcel. I included some photos uh with the item. It's a vacant parcel, two blocks away from a uh our 823 Avon house, so it fits our program really well. All right. Any questions from commissioners? Council President Dickinson. I'll kind of tie in with two questions. So how soon do you think we'll know about this? And if we are approved, um how long does it usually take for a project like this to come to fruition? Um did you ask me when we'll start developing on this one? Was that your first question? Yeah. Um I'm not entirely sure. Uh we we have uh I've I've bought a few parcels here in the last six or eight months. Um I think we'll end up probably end up starting development on it in September. I need two parcels, one for Western, one for Central in September. I think if I if I get this parcel, uh this would be a real good fit for uh Western. They built a house on Avon. Um that Avon Street House broke ground uh about this time a little bit later in the year last year, and that house is just about done. So it takes a little over a year before we're ready to move somebody in. Thank you. Any other questions? Commissioner Markinson. Is it challenging to find parcels for those projects for Western to work on? Uh challenging is putting it nicely, yes. Um there aren't, as you know, there aren't a whole lot of vacant residential parcels in the city. Um I tend to it it's it's fuser famine quite often, you know, like all of a sudden I'll I'll get a call where there's a couple condemned homes.
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