Forward Financial still processing PPP applications

There wasn’t a movie playing at the Stanley Theater Thursday February 11 at 7:00 p.m., but a real-life drama of sorts played itself out instead, as inside the large and rectangular viewing room the local Chamber of Commerce met to consult and give updates. Present on-site were Jaimie Keeku of the local Chamber’s board, Ron Haas of Martino’s on Pine Street, Andrea Hazard of Forward Financial Bank on South Broadway, Alex Zamarripa as the manager of the local IGA, Dr. Vijay Sasi of ABECS Global in the Stanley Industrial Park, Louie Eslinger as theater representative, S-B district superintendent Jeff Koenig, along with many more, including two—that’s right, TWO—former mayors of Stanley, these being David Jankoski and Norm Christianson respectively. Present alongside former mayor Christianson was wife and long-time local blood drive coordinator Donella Christianson, with Charlie Walker of the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation also present to give an update, rows roped off for social distance and attendees choosing their own seats.

“Well, I guess I’ll start,” Haas said as the meeting got underway, as it was made known that Courtesy was hoped for at the next Chamber meeting. Located out on Highway X east of town, the business now renovating the old Shopko building into a car dealership. Giving the update for Our Lady of Victory, meanwhile, was Administrator John, who also administers a hospital at Merrill, Wisconsin in Lincoln County. As to Stanley, there was a lull in the transition from Our Lady of Victory to Aspirus Health while FCC approval was awaited, he said. Meanwhile, hiring was going on.

“A few additional things on a recruitment level,” he shared, “very successful recruitment so far. We’re adding an additional physician to the Stanley clinic, with interviews happening and an offer of employment being made soon. Meanwhile, health care provider Gail Wagner was retiring at the end of the month and the hospital seeking another to replace her, along with other staff interviews. Once the transition is complete however, and coming soon, hip, knee and shoulder surgery should be available at Aspirus Health Stanley, as orthopedic surgeon named Dr. Carlsen provide these services. Better yet, the government will pay for vaccination of the population against COVID-19, with insurance cards used solely for documentation of such. The free Moderna vaccine to be used, meanwhile, is being made possible through public tax dollars, as the people ARE the government in these United States, per the Constitutional preamble. A small detail perhaps, but an important one. At the same time, group 1C “is very extensive,” he said, and vaccination as such will require patience by members of the public. No second doses had been given out yet.

Moving on from the local hospital update into schools, S-B district superintendent Koenig had the good word that Stanley- Boyd shouldn’t expect layoffs like Chippewa had recently announced, even as Stanley-Boyd has been one of the few schools open since day one last fall, if on a hybrid cohort schedule.

“We’re not there yet,” Koenig said of budgeting and state aid concerns resulting in needed layoffs for the upcoming year. The week prior to meeting, Stanley- Boyd had seen an average of eight people out on any given day, some for COVID and others for different reasons. Then came the chaser: with enrollment for Kindergarten and younger down significantly this past year compared to previous ones, and the status of said cohort group unknown as to the future, whether public, or private and homeschool, district finances could feel a pinch in years to come, as state educational aid is based off enrollment, meaning that each student not enrolled in public education but schooled elsewhere results in a $10,000 hit to the district’s long-term finances. The youngest school attendees are funded at 60 percent of others, per the state’s calculation of aid. Next up, the City update! Appearing with City Administrator/ Clerk-Treasurer Nicole Thiel, Mayor Al Haas gave updates on the Community Center and Eighth Avenue bridge, among other things. It seems that the reason for the Community Center pause is waiting for prefabricated walls to arrive, which should happen soon. Once the majority of the Center is completed minus final site work like landscaping, the building will be turned over to the City. As to the Eighth Avenue bridge, it’s now out on bids, with the delay a matter of seasonability considerations.

“If we had ended up pursuing (bridge construction in 2020), we would have built the bridge in winter,” Mayor Haas said, something that didn’t make a lot of sense in his understanding. But as to whether the traditional span (not a box culvert) will be ready by June? “I’m not going to say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’” Haas said in reply to an attendee’s question. Following Mayor Haas was Charlie Walker of the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation, or CCEDC. “We changed some of our revolving loan funds and freed up $300,000 for microgrants,” Walker gave as the update for small businesses, with 42 applications made. “We’re starting to kind of see that level off with the PPP,” he said of federal assistance. “The banks have been fantastic in the Chippewa Valley,” he said, adding that the USDA “did fund an extension of broadband” for those with sub-par internet access. There was transition in housing and housing growth, as people left the city to be closer to family. “The thing

See CHAMBER MEETING, Page 9 CHAMBER MEETING

FROM PAGE 3 we need to change is that people are going from Eau Claire east,” Walker said of travel patterns, though he said Stanley had seen some ‘residue” from housing developments in Chippewa Falls.

Additionally, the Chippewa Valley had lost out on a pet food supplier “to Iowa,” while the Canadian National railroad had Walker and his office working on a supply chain analysis of potential future customers and volume before the railway operator would commit to another rail spur. Said analysis is still in process, Walker said.

“We’re working with the railroad and also trying to get Stanley Industrial Park up to par,” he said, saying that attendees “would be hearing some more about that later.” As to contemporary news, Walker said that a lot of businesses in the Chippewa Valley change hands as mom and pop entrepreneurs had gone on to be bought by equity or venture groups, with outside management. “You’re going to see some more change hands on that,” he said. Large meat processors forced to change their model as COVID outbreaks had shut down plants had resulted in demand for small meat processors and new businesses being started.

“We’re very busy with revolving loan funds, he said. That wasn’t all, however. “The last thing is, we’re going forward with HATCH,” Walker said after the program was postponed leading to local entrepreneurship suffering. “If you’re not familiar with Hatch its our Shark Tank to pitch business ideas in front of investors,” he said of the program to be brought back in May. Walker then went on to offer three examples to counter the sentiment that hatches didn’t happen locally.

As one example, Walker gave the example of someone who had wanted to improve dry food packaging and whose products were reportedly at Target (though without naming the person). A second example that Walker gave of a local entrepreneurial ‘Hatch’ was Smart Care, which he said was “booming” in the wake of COVID. The last and final example given was a Unicycle business. Following Walker’s update was the news that the Miss Stanley contest will tentatively kick off in April, with Darla Ziwisky and Nikki Prahl running the contest, with applications to be available at the Stanley-Boyd High School office. Olivia Hoel has served in the role for two years after the contest was not held last summer. So what about the Stanley Rodeo and such?

“If we have to be socially distanced, then the rodeo probably won’t happen,” Chamber representative Jaimie Keeku made known, “because we need those stands packed.” Louie Eslinger as the theater representative said that he had talked to Chippewa County Health Officer Angela Weideman and that it looked like summer activities were a go—it was just a matter of how to do them safely. He would be consulting again with Weideman on Friday, he said. At this point in the meeting Koenig spoke up and shared that the school had been working with the health department, for which presenting a plan gave the best chance of getting approved. Just going to the health department and asking, sans a plan, was likely to result in ‘no,’ Koenig said. But of basketball?

“No one’s asked me about the alumni basketball tournament,” the district superintendent for Stanley-Boyd reported last Thursday. Alex Zamarripa of IGA brought up the sign on its property, which though not made by IGA was on their building, peeling and split as to the mural. The owners of IGA had asked him about it recently, he said. “That’s our handshake coming into town,” Zamarripa shared, while Koenig said the school (from which art students painted said mural) didn’t want a contest to replace it – just an idea.

“We’d prefer not,” he said of running a design contest for a new mural to replace what time and nature had let decay. The Easter Egg Hunt was touched on, while Andrea Hazard of Forward Financial said the bank was still processing PPP loans. Those who know someone in need, should send them Forward’s way she said. Last but not least, Debbie’s on Broadway also came in for brief mention.

“They wouldn’t have to ship it,” Mayor Haas said of the beef supply for Debbie’s, as the Derks family is involved in dairy beef and could supply the needed meat cuts. Stay tuned for a Courtesy update as the local car dealership continues to progress toward opening.