Village to meet with lone bidder for business park consulting job

After seeking competitive proposals from consultants to help in developing a new business park, Fredonia village officials got just one bid for the project, and it came from the same company that previously applied for the job.

Newmark Knight Frank submitted the same proposal as it did last year.

The Economic Development Committee, which reviewed the proposal, has invited NKF representatives to the Village Board meeting on June 4 to answer questions. Plan Commission members will attend as well.

Village trustees are seeking help to “purchase, lease or otherwise use one or more parcels for the creation of a business park” with the aim of breaking ground within the next two years, according to a request for proposal (RFP) issued in March.

The RFP specifies that a tax incremental finance district would be created to finance development of the park.

The district redirects property-tax revenue to pay for installing infrastructure such as roads and sewers.

The consultant will be asked to help locate land, determine how much land is needed, act as the village’s real-estate agent and help negotiate with landowners.

Last summer, the board was set to hire NKF as a consultant, but a majority of the trustees balked because they had not been updated on the proposal before a meeting to approve the deal.

The village’s current business park is on South Milwaukee Street. Other potential sites include land east of Highway 57 and property north of the Northern Ozaukee School District campus, officials said.