Village of Theresa Grant Application Updates and Opportunities

Grant writer Tammy Hampton with Kunkel Engineering provided updates on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and shared other grant opportunities with the Theresa Village Board at its meeting on Monday, March 23.

Hampton shared that the CDBG has approved the village’s income survey, certifying that it meets the 51% low-to-moderate income (LMI) minimum requirement to apply for the grant for the upcoming Highway 175 project in 2027.

“Now, we’re moving into that application phase for CDBG. [There are] lots of requirements with that. One of them is a Citizen Participation Plan.” Hampton explained, “What that plan is is an opportunity for community members to express their concerns about the project or any other projects they would like to see funded within the village.”

Part of the Citizen Participation Plan requires the creation of a committee. One of the committee members is required to be of low-to-moderate income. For the committee, the LMI qualification is “on your honor,” meaning that no income survey of committee members is required. Retired individuals and individuals within a set age range also fall under the LMI categorization. Hampton recommended that “the village board trustees also serve on that committee.”

Another portion of the Citizen Participation Plan involves holding public hearings to receive citizens’ input not only on the CDBG-funded project, but also on other potential projects.

“The Citizen Participation Plan allows for one public hearing before the application and then another public hearing when construction is nearly complete,” stated Hampton. “So, residents can talk about projects before we apply for CDBG, and they can talk about things they like or didn’t like about the project towards the end.”

The CDBG application is due May 14, with the first public hearing tentatively scheduled for April 20 at 6:00 p.m.

Trustee Joe Haak made the motion to approve the proposed Citizen Participation Plan, which passed unanimously.

For the CDBG application, the board was also required to adopt Resolution 2026-03: Resolution to Adopt a Citizen Participation Plan. The motion to pass the resolution was also made by Trustee Haak and passed unanimously.

In addition to providing updates on the CDBG application, Hampton also shared information about the Department of Revenue Innovation Grant. A total of $300 million is available to municipalities through this grant program, and only municipalities with a population of under 5,000 residents are eligible.

“I don’t know how much your contract is with Mayville EMS annually, but you can apply for 25% of whatever those costs were and get reimbursed by the Department of Revenue for up to five years. Every year, you can get reimbursed 25% of those costs,” explained Hampton. “You do not have to apply that money back towards EMS if you don’t want to. You can. You can really use it for anything you want . . . In that respect, it’s a really nice grant because you don’t have any restrictions on how you can use that money.”

After the five years are completed, the grant cannot be renewed, so the Department of Revenue (DOR) does not recommend that municipalities use the funds for payroll or similar expenses.

“The reimbursement process is really simple,’ said Hampton. “DOR has really simplified this grant application, too. Not to minimize [Clerk-Treasurer] Becky [Tellier’s] capabilities, but [she] can do it, and I can just assist as needed.”

“If our contract amount goes up every year, do we get more . . . or is it based on the same amount?” asked Trustee Sandy Koenigs.

The grant is based on a percentage, so it does change yearly as costs change; however, there is a limit.

“The cost for you transferring your service can’t be more than 115% of what you were originally budgeting for the grant,” stated Hampton.

A motion to allow Tellier to apply for the Department of Revenue Innovation Grant was made by Trustee Haak and passed unanimously.

Board Matters:

• The board considered allowing a garage to be built at a property on “Martin Drive with a side yard setback of approximately 10 feet instead of the 12-foot minimum required by the Developers Agreement.” The proposed side yard setback is within village ordinance requirements, so it does not need a variance or to appear before the Planning Commission. The garage was approved by River View Hills, where the property resides. The subject was brought before the board due to a set precedent. A motion to allow the garage to be built was made by Trustee Dave Brandenburg and passed unanimously.
• With the Town of Theresa’s prior agreement to become the Theresa Public Library’s fiscal agent, the village board discussed rescinding a motion it made on October 20 to become the library’s fiscal agent. Trustee Brandenburg made the motion to rescind.
• The board discussed granting operator liquor licenses to Logan Miller, Natalie Uhrman, and Melissa Albrecht. The motion to grant the licenses was made by Trustee Koenigs and passed unanimously.
• The board considered updating the Employee Policy and Procedure Manual to change the police department’s overtime hour designation to 80 hours instead of 40 hours worked in one week. A motion to change the manual was made by Trustee Brandenburg and passed unanimously.