JEFFERSON — The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a “letter of intent” with the College of Osteopathic Medicine Inc. to build a new medical college on county-owned property on the southwest side of the City of Jefferson.
At the board’s Nov. 13 meeting, County Administrator Ben Wehmeier presented a draft of the letter as part of a presentation on the potential development of a new osteopathic college and a related medical business park to be built between U.S. Highway 26 and Collins Road. The area is commonly referred to as “the county farm,” since the county has leased the land for agricultural purposes for many years.
The county’s Finance Committee hosted a public “town hall” meeting about the development on Nov. 27, and public feedback also was accepted at the committee’s regular meeting on Dec. 5.
Osteopathic medicine is described as a “whole-person” approach to medicine. Instead of just treating specific symptoms, osteopathic physicians concentrate on treating a person as a whole.
The concept of a third Wisconsin medical school campus, focusing on osteopathic medicine, originally was brought forward to the county board in January 2013. Under previous leadership, the osteopathic college originally was to be located at the facility once labeled as Sanctuary Ridge, the former St. Coletta of Wisconsin campus. However, multiple personnel changes and financial difficulties led to creation of a new corporation and vision for the college which was undertaken by new project directors Mark Lefebvre and Jennifer DeKrey.
Lefebvre is the former vice president for health and life sciences at the University of Wisconsin Foundation and DeKrey, of Jefferson, is the former chief financial officer of the University of Wisconsin Foundation.
Projections suggest an institution like the college has the potential to create a $121 million increase in economic activity during the construction phase and boost the wealth of Jefferson County by $46.5 million, per a study done by the Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium a few years ago.
Wehmeier noted in his presentation on Nov. 13 that the county farm area is well-situated for development due to the access from U.S. Highway 26 and that long-term planning calls for more urban growth in the county to be done in properties already adjacent to city boundaries. Additionally, several county-owned facilities, like the Highway Department garage and Workforce Development Center, already are situated there. However, the most important aspect is that the locations falls within an Economic Opportunity Zone.
Opportunity Zones offer investors incentives for putting capital investments into economically distressed communities. After 10 years, investors can receive tax-free capital gains on that investment.
While the college itself might be nonprofit, it likely would make a payment in lieu of taxes to the county, which would allow the creation of a tax incremental finance district, or TID, to build the needed infrastructure. There also is the possibility of utilizing new market tax credits, which are designed to incentivize investment in communities.
In summary, the letter of intent details “benchmarks” the college must meet before the land is officially transferred to the college, such as establishing an accreditation advisory committee by June 2019; developing an “enhanced” design plan for the site by June; forming a partnership as required by the regulations of the Commission on Osteopathic Accreditation; having 90 percent of its funding in place by Dec. 31, 2020; obtaining pre-accreditation status by Dec. 31, 2021; and having the first class enrolled by Fall of 2022.
Likewise, the county will not offer to sell the land to any other interested party during that time, but will transfer the land to the college once, and if, it meets the various benchmarks by their deadlines.
On Tuesday, the board briefly discussed the matter once more. Supervisor Dick Schultz said the proximity of the college to the county Health Department offices “opens a lot of ideas and cooperation” between the college and county, speculating that the proximity could make the Health Department “one of the best in the state.”
Supervisor John Kannard raised some concerns about the legal description for some of the boundaries of the location.
In response to Kannard’s concerns, county counsel J. Blair Ward recommended that “for general guidance,” the letter did not “bind over” all the land in the conceptual plan. However, he said that he and Wehmeier can review the description prior to any future formal action on the issue.
County Chairperson Jim Schroeder described the letter as “a starting place for negotiations,” and not yet a formal contract.
After the board’s approval, Wehmeier commented on the next steps in the process.
“At the next meeting, we will execute the agreement and continue to work with the representatives of the college as they start working toward those benchmarks,” he said. “We will continue with communications on things like how they are raising funds to how they are doing on accreditation. We’ll keep those lines of communication open and keep the board informed as we move forward.”
Other business
In other matters during its last meeting of the year, the board:
• Approved a broadband ordinance that would allow the county to obtain Broadband Forward! certification under the authority of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. The ordinance, based upon a model provided by the PSC, is designed for statewide consistency for the Broadband Forward! certification applications by local governments.
A community that adopts the ordinance will be considered “broadband ready” by the PSC, meaning that the community has “taken steps to reduce obstacles to broadband infrastructure investment” for telecommunication firms in terms of applications, fees, permits and review processes.
The ordinance does not allow a community to discriminate between service providers.
The ordinance was introduced to at the board’s November meeting, but it was sent back to the county Executive Committee for further consideration after some board members voiced concerns.
The committee reintroduced the ordinance Tuesday with no changes, and it was approved on an unanimous voice vote by the board.
Prior to its passage, multiple supervisors spoke about how often they have been contacted by their constituents urging them to move forward on internet access in rural areas of the county.
Additionally, two county residents spoke in favor of the ordinance during the public comment period of the meeting prior to the board’s formal vote.
• Accepted a 4.38-acre parcel of property from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, which is currently used as the Highway 16 wayside in Ixonia. The DOT offered to convey the land to the county and did not require the county to maintain it as wayside specifically, but, it must be used for a public purpose.
No specific plan has been detailed for the location, but the property was inspected by the county Parks Committee, which recommended the county accept the offer from the DOT.
Board members jested that the area is often flooded, but, that it also is a great spot for fishing.
• Approved updates to the county’s Land Information Plan to comply with state-level modernization upgrades.
• Approved the schedule of board meeting dates through April 2020.
Historically, the board has canceled its January meeting due to the lack of business generated over the holidays. However, the board will have a special meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan.8, 2019