238.127 State main street program.

(1) In this section:

(a) “Business area" means a commercial area existing at the time services under the state main street program are requested and having historic significance.

(b) “Municipality" means a city, village or town.

(c) “Revitalization" means the process of engaging in activities to increase economic activity, while preserving and building upon a location's historically significant characteristics.

(2) The corporation shall establish and administer a state main street program to coordinate state and local participation in programs offered by the national main street center, created by the national trust for historic preservation, to assist municipalities in planning, managing and implementing programs for the revitalization of business areas. The corporation shall do all of the following:

(a) Enter into contracts to obtain business area revitalization services provided by the national main street center.

(c) With help from interested individuals and organizations, develop a plan describing the objectives of the state main street program and the methods by which the corporation shall:

1. Coordinate the activities of that program with private and public sector revitalization of business areas.

2. Solicit and use private sector funding for revitalization of business areas.

3. Help municipalities engage in revitalization of business areas.

(d) Coordinate with other state and local public and private entities which provide services to municipalities undertaking projects for the revitalization of business areas.

(e) Annually select, upon application, up to 5 municipalities to participate in the state main street program. The program for each municipality shall conclude after 3 years, except that the program for each municipality selected after July 29, 1995, shall conclude after 5 years. The corporation shall select program participants representing various geographical regions and populations. A municipality may apply to participate, and the corporation may select a municipality for participation, more than one time. In selecting a municipality, however, the corporation may give priority to those municipalities that have not previously participated.

(f) For use in selecting the participants in the state main street program under par. (e), develop objective criteria relating to at least the following issues:

1. Private and public sector interest in and commitment to revitalization of a business area selected by the municipality.

2. Potential private sector investment in a business area selected by the municipality.

3. Local organizational and financial commitment to employ a program manager for not less than 3 years, or not less than 5 years for participants selected after July 29, 1995.

4. Local assistance in paying for the services of a design consultant.

5. Local commitment to assist in training persons to direct activities related to business areas in municipalities that do not participate in the state main street program.

(h) Provide training, technical assistance and information on the revitalization of business areas to municipalities which do not participate in the state main street program. The corporation may charge reasonable fees for the services and information provided under this paragraph.

(j) The corporation shall expend at least $250,000 annually on the state main street program.

History: 1987 a. 109; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2011 a. 32 ss. 2860m, 3330c to 3330s; Stats. 2011 s. 238.127; 2013 a. 166 s. 76.