Despite reservations, Monona Council approves $12k contribution to MCED
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
The city of Monona will continue to support the Monona Chamber and Economic Development, Inc. (MCED) in 2021. The city council, at its Dec. 7 regular meeting, approved a contribution of $12,000—matching the amount it gave this year—but not without some reservations.
Board President Linda Knockel said MCED has been active in 2020.
“Number one, we have all kinds of advertising, Facebook accounts, fliers, newspapers, community things that go out for all the businesses to try to promote them and keep Monona growing,” she shared.
The chamber, Knockel added, has also grown the Wednesday farmers market at Gateway Park, organized a “Shop, Dine and Play” event in coordination with citywide garage sales, encouraged use of the Gateway Park campground and new playground and regularly partnered with Clayton County tourism. MCED held its second annual celebration virtually this year, and welcomed a new business, SA Computer Solutions, to downtown.
“We’ve got two other prospects who are looking to open downtown businesses,” Knockel said, in addition to the relocation of TJ’s Pizza. “We have full support from the Monona bank and the Monona school, and we’re looking for full support from this group right here tonight.”
Councilman John Elledge was one of those unsure about continuing funding.
“I’m not saying the chamber and economic development doesn’t do great things with supporting our businesses. When it comes to advertising and promoting our town, it’s fantastic,” he said. “But when I look at Monona as a whole, $12,000 is a lot of money when we have streets that are falling apart and excess water leaking into our sewer lines and we don’t know where it’s coming from.”
“We’re dealing with other people’s money,” added mayor Eric Koenig. “That’s what we struggle with—how do we explain it to people. What does our community value more?”
City Administrator Barb Collins also raised concerns over MCED’s finances, citing a combined loss of nearly $5,000 in 2019 and 2020.
“Your revenue is pretty steadfast, what you get, but you’ve run at a negative,” she said. “Your budget should be balanced. If you’re running negative, you need to put more revenue and less expenses so you can build a little bit.”
MCED Executive Director Rogeta Halvorson assured the council the chamber’s financial situation is healthy. The loss was attributable to a computer and data crash a year ago, which she said set MCED back nearly $2,000. A shortfall wasn’t unanticipated, and she and the board have been brainstorming solutions.
“We have to bring in more revenue, and we’ve gotta look at our expenses and be careful with those and not spend it until we have the revenue in,” she said. “The beginning of the year is when we bring all the membership money in. The city funds quarterly. [FreedomBank] is semi-annually. Most of the months we are doing very well. We’re going to be fine at the end of the year.”
When originally created, Collins said MCED was meant to be more self-sustaining, based largely on business member dues. But Halvorson noted its not uncommon for cities to financially support their chambers.
“I’m on the council in McGregor, and we fund our chamber with hotel/motel tax,” Halvorson said.
Collecting hotel/motel tax from the Monona’s Airbnbs, then utilizing it to fund the chamber and economic development, was an option she proposed earlier this year, but the city has yet to pursue it.
“Then you could pay that directly to the chamber and take less of the taxpayers’ money,” she stated.
Halvorson also encouraged council members to look beyond the cost, to the benefits MCED provides.
“The chamber is helping the city grow in other ways, not just by businesses,” she said.
That includes organizing the community visioning committee in 2016 and keeping it active. This year, the group oversaw the addition of the playground at Gateway Park. The chamber also helped raise the money to historically restore the bandstand and put in the trail head at city park, along with a kiosk. MCED spearheaded the downtown street banned project, and Halvorson wrote a grant to get six new planters for the downtown.
“We write grants all the time,” she said. “We’re extremely busy, and we’re constantly improving the town to bring in more taxes, which feeds into the city and helps operate the city.”
“I guess I disagree that it’s not a good investment for your money,” Halvorson continued. “And our businesses would be very disappointed if we didn’t get funded, because that means there is no chamber effective Jan. 1.”
Ultimately, the council approved the contribution, with Preston Landt, Bridget Schlein, Tim Wright and Andrew Meyer voting “yes.” Elledge cast the lone “no” vote.
New police officer hired
Among other topics at the Dec. 7 meeting, the council approved the hiring of Nicholas Matelski as a full-time officer for the Monona Police Department. Police chief Jo Amsden, who made the recommendation, said Matelski has no law enforcement degree or previous experience in the field, so will have to attend the 16-week academy. He is slated to start the job next week.
City will be responsible for stop signs
For the remainder of the school year, city employees will be responsible for putting out, then bringing back in, the moveable stop signs that control traffic at the beginning and end of the school day. After one of the signs was hit by a vehicle earlier this year, the individual who was performing the duty no longer wanted to continue.
