EXCITING TIMES FOR RIPON

Optimism is a powerful ingredient in achieving success. And I am optimistic about our future as a city. When I ran for re-election this spring, I stated that I believed that our best days as a city were still to come, and I still fully believe that. Here are some recent examples and challenges as we move into the last third of the year:

INDUSTRIAL/COMMERCIAL GROWTH - The recent expansion of the Industrial/Business Park is paying off dividends quicker than any of us thought. Ripon Medical Center, which should be announcing a new CEO shortly, will begin construction on a new facility next year. Tracy Porter Incorporated is preparing their site for a new warehouse/office complex. In the past few weeks, we have approved $2 million in Industrial Revenue Bonds to help finance the move of Advanced Paper Enterprises (APE) to the last remaining large lot in the old Industrial Park. Work on the land will begin in the next few days. I also had a wonderful opportunity recently to tour the Spartech facility in the park. Needless to say, I was impressed with what I saw, and am hopeful Spartech remains a key component in the park.
FLOOD RECOVERY - The city appears to be bouncing back from the June 12th floods. The city has been reimbursed for part of its losses from our insurance company, which will allow us to continue with some of the projects we had originally approved from the 2007 budget surplus. While I am not sure exactly what projects we will be doing, here is the list we previously approved:
• $96,360 in the equipment replacement fund
• $25,000 –Emergency fund for fuel over runs
• $20,000 - Construction of two concrete dugouts for girls softball fields in Murray Park
• $10,000 - Purchase of additional and replacement playground equipment
• $10,000 - Increase funding available for Welcome to Ripon signs
• $9,000 – Consultant fee for determining the feasibility of moving the rail system through Ripon
• $6,000 – Repair four (4) street lights in Barlow Park
• $5,000 - Replace existing Ripon population
• $5,000 - Refinance Downtown Facade Grant Program
• $3,360 – Added funding sesquicentennial celebration
• $3,000 – Replace toilet partitions in Ceresco Park
BUDGET - Early indications are that the upcoming budget will be the most challenging I have faced in my five years as mayor. It will require some delicate balancing to fund personnel requests, while keeping up with our infrastructure programs of recent years. Your input and suggestions are going to be important, as well, in the process.
INGALLS FIELD - As I write this, we are hours from the first official event on the new FieldTurf - boys soccer. The Tiger football team will take the field for the first time next Friday against Fox Valley Lutheran. While the issue did polarize the community and there has been a lot written (not all of it factual), I would encourage all of us to unite in celebrating the achievement of the community raising the funds needed. We should also celebrate the athletic accomplishments of the college and high school athletes who will perform on this "new" field. It is time to put the rumors and half-baked stories about the field behind us for now, and look at the fact this community was able to raise the funds needed, after the community said twice it did not want to BORROW the funds for the field. It is also good to remember that the school district has placed aside $250,000 for further maintenance and eventual replacement.
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT - The public will get their first, in-depth look at some of the major projects being proposed by the Boca Grande investment group in the next few weeks. Some of them have the potential to change downtown Ripon in ways we never imagined. From housing to eating to technology, the impacts of the projects are immense, and I hope it spurs further investment and development in the downtown and the area around it. I am prepared for the scrutiny and questioning which will come as we move forward, but I am also hopeful the dialogue is constructive, fact-based and respectful.

Of course, not everything is wine and roses:
SANDMAR SUBDIVISION WATER ISSUE - We still need to find an affordable and practical solution for the water issue in the subdivision. While the lots remain available for building, the perception is different in the community. Homes can be built, and I still believe the subdivision will be a shining jewel in our crown once we resolve the flooding from the pond. I am also hopeful that the solution will open the way for additional development south of Barlow Park and south of the city, in general.