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Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
As grant deadline nears, county, city and C. Reiss discuss proposals to relocate coal piles
Two new proposals to relocate the coal piles south of Mason Street in Green Bay are under negotiation in another attempt to reach a deal before the May 30 deadline to use a $15 million state grant. At the Brown County Board meeting May 21, Chair Patrick Buckley said county officials put together two different proposals over the last week that would relocate the coal storage. While the details of the offers have not been released publicly, Buckley said both alternate sites previously offered are still on the table along with the former Pulliam property. Representatives from the city, county and C. Reiss held a joint meeting to negotiate the proposals May 20. It was the first time all key parties met together in 2025, as they face the deadline to secure the grant to help relocate the coal piles. County Executive Troy Streckenbach said the new proposals provide a "compromise offer" with "possibilities that I don't think everyone was thinking" about in previous proposal terms. The county and city presented the new proposals to C. Reiss and are awaiting a response, Buckley said. "We had probably one of our more productive meetings with the city (and C. Reiss) and we came out of that real positive," Buckley said. The state Department of Administration notified city, county and company officials in late April that the Neighborhood Investment Grant would disappear if the officials couldn't agree to a deal by the end of May. The grant was awarded to develop the former Pulliam power plant at the mouth of the Fox River into a port site for C. Reiss' coal storage. The meeting also comes after county officials drafted a "summary of events" May 9 that directed staff to consider offers to relocate the coal piles to two alternate sites, though some members of the city and C. Reiss disagreed with some of the statements in the summary. County Board member Patrick Evans said the meeting May 20 between the three parties has eased his concerns about reaching an agreement on time and heard positive things from each side. "I think we're really close to getting a deal done," Evans said. Contact Benita Mathew at bmathew@ This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Brown County, Green Bay and C. Reiss discuss coal piles relocation
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Brown County and C. Reiss agree to lease Pulliam property, but not for coal
The Brown County Board voted to approve a deal June 5 with Green Bay and C. Reiss Co. to relocate the coal piles to the Fox River Terminal and use the former Pulliam site to store C. Reiss' bulk commodities. Many eyes were on Green Bay and Brown County this week as officials inched closer to a deal that had $15 million at stake. The deal marks a historic milestone to a decades-long effort to relocate the coal piles from its 125-year home at 115 W. Mason St. Under the agreement, C. Reiss will lease the former Pulliam power plant to store salt and other bulk commodities instead of coal. The terms still fulfill decades of community leaders' goal to free up prime riverfront property for industrial, commercial and residential use at the mouth of the Fox River. The Brown County Board unanimously voted to approve the terms of the agreement. Board member Dixon Wolfe was not at the meeting. Former Green Bay mayors Jim Schmitt and Paul Jadin awaited the County Board's momentous vote, along with state Sens. Eric Wimberger, R-Oconto, and Jamie Wall, D-Green Bay; and state Reps. David Steffen, R-Howard; Ben Franklin, R-De Pere; Ryan Spaude, D-Ashwaubenon; and Amaad Rivera-Wagner, D-Green Bay. C. Reiss will lease 16 acres of the Pulliam site to store bulk commodities. The coal piles will be housed at the Fox River Terminal. Lease payments with a rate of $350,000 per year with increases every five years during the first 25 years based on the Consumer Price Index. The length of the lease is 60 years and can be extended. The lease needs to be executed by Sept. 25, according to the agreement. The new plan is a notable shift from previous proposals that had intended to make the Pulliam site the new home of the coal piles. Key parties were sorting out the agreement just a few minutes before starting the County Board meeting June 5, Buckley said ahead of the vote. The board voted on the deal June 5, just hours before the deadline to retain the $15 million state grant. The Wisconsin Department of Administration gave the County Board until June 6 to approve terms of a deal after extending the deadline from the end of May. Brown County agrees to buy the 43.75-acre Pulliam site for $2.7 million in January 2021. Brown County approves the Pulliam site purchase and agrees to sell almost 10 acres of the site to GLC Minerals for an expansion in February 2021. Gov. Tony Evers awards the city and county a $15 million Neighborhood Investment Fund Program grant funded through American Rescue Plan Act dollars in March 2022. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg presents the county with a federal $10.1 million Port Infrastructure Development grant to support the project in May 2023. Offers, counteroffers and rejections began in mid-December 2024 when the county officials and C. Reiss tentatively agreed to a $26 million plan that would lease 14.5 acres of the Pulliam property to C. Reiss for up to 75 years at a rate of $110,000 per year with an annual 2.5% increase. The County Board on Dec. 18, 2024, approved modified terms that reduced the lease to 40 years, changed the portion of the Pulliam property C. Reiss would use and added air quality compliance measures. C. Reiss considered the changes a rejection of the negotiated deal. The county's Port of Green Bay published a request for companies' general interest in using the new port site envisioned for the Pulliam property in January 2025. C. Reiss was one of eight to respond with a $28.5 million proposal to improve and use the Pulliam site for coal storage. C. Reiss in mid-March formally rejected the County Board's terms and proposed the county and company spend several months negotiating a deal. The County Board on March 19 rejected the company's offer. The county instead sought to shift negotiations to two alternate sites for coal storage, saying the Pulliam property's future use would be determined by the request for interest process. State officials in March gave the county, company and city a May 30 deadline to reach a deal to relocate the coal piles to the Pulliam site or lose the $15 million grant. Two new proposals emerged in late May as the county, company and city jointly met to discuss options and ideas. State Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Oconto, on May 23 asked the state to extend the May 30 deadline and the Department of Administration did so on May 30, giving the parties until June 3. Brown County and C. Reiss reached a tentative agreement June 3 and announced the parties would put together the terms in writing June 4 and 5. More: Who still uses coal? Answers to questions about Green Bay coal piles and the possible move More: Brown County, C. Reiss strike deal to move coal piles after extensive negotiations Press-Gazette reporter Jeff Bollier contributed to this report. Contact Benita Mathew at bmathew@ This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Brown County votes on C. Reiss deal for coal piles
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Sligo Fleadh to welcome over 400 talented competitors for plenty of ceol agus craic
This year's Fleadh was officially launched by Junior Minister Marian Harkin at a function in the Mercy College, Sligo, on Saturday evening last. Following an opening address by the Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Declan Bree, County Board Chairman, Tim Mulcahy, outlined the programme of events for the weekend which includes an opening session at the Riverside Hotel on Friday night and a full programme of competitions on Saturday and Sunday at the Mercy College, with up to 400 competitors taking part. Thanking Minister Harkin for making herself available at short notice, due to a family bereavement of Minister Dara Calleary, he went on to outline the events that Sligo County Board were promoting this year, including Ceol an Gheimhridh and the many local Comhaltas festivals throughout Sligo. Mr. Mulcahy thanked Eamon Scanlon TD, all the elected members that attended and was generous in his praise for the Local Authority and their continuous help and support it gives Comhaltas. He wished all the competitors the best of luck in their endeavours and thanked his fellow County Board officers for all their hard work in preparing for the Fleadh. He also thanked all the volunteers who had committed to help run the Fleadh over the weekend. The evening finished off with some refreshments and some great music from branch members throughout the county. The MC for the night was Bartley Gavin.
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
See photos as history is made in Kerry village at inaugural Cuimsiú competition
Kerry Comhaltas was proud to introduce Cuimsiú – the Irish word for 'inclusion' – a new competition designed specifically for performers with a disability or additional needs. The concept of an inclusive Fleadh competition was first proposed by Runaí Catrina Uí Ifearnáin, who recognised the need to expand participation in Irish traditional arts across all communities. The idea was enthusiastically received and unanimously supported by the County Board delegates before being formally ratified in January. Following the event in Causeway on Saturday, Catrina spoke to The Kerryman about it went and she revealed that it was an absolutely amazing event, as well as a little bit emotional. "It was electric. It was just phenomenal. For me too, it was a powerful and emotional experience and it actually was much bigger than a competition that showcases talent. It was really about creating a space where everyone, regardless of their ability could express themselves through music and song. It really was just an amazing day,' she said. Going on, Catrina explained how the Cuimsiú committee set up a quiet room for the competitors to use before the competitions if they wished. A support person was also present was with the competitor though out the day. Some competitions requested an audience while others requested no audience. The success of this year's Cuimsiú competition Catrina added, would not have been possible without the support and co-operation between Kerry Comhaltas and DSI an organisation committed to supporting children and young people with disabilities and additional needs. As this was the inaugural Cuimsiú competition, Catrina said that was a learning opportunity for all and while this first Cuimsiú competition was confined to the county, she said that she Kerry Comhaltas hope to build on its success and it is hoped that this innovative idea will be taken to provincial and nationwide level, in the near future. She also took the time to praise the team of volunteers it took make the Cuimsiú competition a reality. Without the competitors there would be no competition so a huge thanks to all the competitors who took part to make this Cuimsiú competition a reality. Each competitor has since been invited to perform at the upcoming International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity Symposium which is on in Munster Technological University in June. Following this they will attend the 2025 GRADAM inclusion awards ceremony on Monday 4 August 2pm in Wexford County Council Offices where they will perform together at the All Ireland Fleadh.
Irish Independent
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
County Sligo Fleadh to welcome over 400 talented competitors for plenty of ceol agus craic
This year's Fleadh was officially launched by Junior Minister Marian Harkin at a function in the Mercy College, Sligo, on Saturday evening last. Following an opening address by the Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Declan Bree, County Board Chairman, Tim Mulcahy, outlined the programme of events for the weekend which includes an opening session at the Riverside Hotel on Friday night and a full programme of competitions on Saturday and Sunday at the Mercy College, with up to 400 competitors taking part. Thanking Minister Harkin for making herself available at short notice, due to a family bereavement of Minister Dara Calleary, he went on to outline the events that Sligo County Board were promoting this year, including Ceol an Gheimhridh and the many local Comhaltas festivals throughout Sligo. Mr. Mulcahy thanked Eamon Scanlon TD, all the elected members that attended and was generous in his praise for the Local Authority and their continuous help and support it gives Comhaltas. He wished all the competitors the best of luck in their endeavours and thanked his fellow County Board officers for all their hard work in preparing for the Fleadh. He also thanked all the volunteers who had committed to help run the Fleadh over the weekend. The evening finished off with some refreshments and some great music from branch members throughout the county. The MC for the night was Bartley Gavin.
