Applying for a $1.6 million dollar federal grant was approved by the Rhinelander city council Monday night. But it left questions in the minds of some council members.
If approved by the feds, the grant would be the initial money to redo the underground infrastructure along Brown Street and downtown. The grant would be for 2016 and 2017, a year later than earlier sought.
While the matter had been in two committees, council members Alex Young and Steve Sauer both objected to the speed which the large project...potentially $9 million dollars...was going through council...
Alex Young..
"....I think we're putting the cart before the horse here before we even know what we're getting into..."
But the majority of the council felt the matter has been run through the process.
Sherrie Belliveau...
"....ten years before I got here they were probably discussing the deplorable conditions of the downtown(underground infrastructure). I think the downtown is vital to the community and I think we need to move forward instead of waiting any longer..."
The vote to apply for the grant was approved 6 to 2. A public meeting on the above ground portion...called the Streetscape project...will be held April 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Hext Theater.
