Tuesday, July 29, 2008

High court says Beaver Dam meetings should be public (Wisc)

JS Online: Development groups weigh impact of verdict

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

8:36 AM

Development groups weigh impact of verdict

High court says Beaver Dam meetings should be public

By DAN BENSON

dbenson@journalsentinel.com

Posted: July 27, 2008

A state Supreme Court ruling that a Beaver Dam economic development group is a quasi-governmental organization and must obey the state’s open meetings and open records laws has been hailed as a victory for open government and criticized as a threat to economic development.

The Beaver Dam Area Development Corp. secretly negotiated for months in 2003 with Wal-Mart to build a $55 million, 1.2-million-square-foot distribution center on about 400 acres north of the city. The group negotiated zoning changes, water service, fire protection and other items, including $6.18 million in incentives.

Those details did not become public until the City Council approved without discussion a 13-page memorandum of understanding with Wal-Mart.

“Very clearly there needs to be a measure of transparency when government funds are being allocated for economic development,” said Jim Paetsch, director of corporate expansion and relocation for The Milwaukee 7, a consortium of private investors and local governments in the Milwaukee metro area.

“If people are in doubt, they should conduct themselves with the maximum degree of openness,” he said. “Doing so will breed trust and support for what they are doing.”

 

Full Article: <http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=776919>